Wondering where we've been?

Talkin' 'bout a HEAT WAVE...

Maybe you didn't hear that the NW is getting blasted with a heatwave that is off the charts. Maybe you didn't know we don't A.C, but you probably already knew that since I am one hot-blooded woman and am not a huge fan of HEAT and might have mentioned how HOT I am.

So, for the first time in my life I have sought refuge anyplace other than my home. I have avoided the computer, the computer room and anything else that may induce further discomfort. I have been to the movies, to the grocery store, the library, a friend's house, the water park under a shady tree (but it was still HOT) all to find a little cool amidst the heat. Aside from the extreme temperatures, it's been a fantastic week...


Evan's 6 Birthday (a.k.a. 'his REAL birthday') since we've celebrated so many darn times, it's hard to really understand when the REAL day is...


Evan's friend Kim stops by the morning of his birthday with brownies for the two of them. They ate them for breakfast and she stays while he opens present from us and Grandma and Papa who we'll see next week in Michigan.

Evan pulls out a new car for his train. Smile says it all. Something little from us. Our big thing was our Day Out With Thomas the Train back in June. The train theme is really big this year!


The BIG package has been the one he wanted to open. He can see what it is now!

A diesel train! Now he has two electric trains! (See further down the blog for my Dad's visit here earlier this month!) Great minds think alike, I guess. They are both HO scale and can run on the same track. We have them set up for the moment in the living room. One oval track inside the other. Both trains running. One steam engine, one diesel. Evan goes down the first thing every morning turns them on, and tells his stories about what's going on. It's like how I used to talk to my Barbies I guess.

On his REAL birthday we headed off to lunch at California Pizza Kitchen since he got a postcard for a special lunch. We stopped at the mailbox to pick up cards that arrived to take with us.

While we waited for out lunch to arrive, Evan opened cards from family and friends...

And counted the big bucks! Nothing beats getting cash (or checks) in your card when you're a kid. I used to love those cards that held nickles, dimes, and quarters in the slots. I knew when a heavy card arrived it was going to be a good one. Whatever happened to those cards? Do they still make them. The postage to send them would be outrageous!

This place didn't bring out the entire crew of servers to sing, just our waiter. He wished him a Happy Birthday and lit the candle. I sang. I sang several times that day. And when Evan wanted to hear that song again, he'd say, "Sing to me, Mom." I would sing. He is my kid. I like when people sing to me too!

We headed off to Build a Bear with the birthday gift card they sent him. Evan picked out a cute Happy Birthday shirt for his bunny Chester and told Daddy ( on the phone ) about his day.

Then we stopped at Toys R Us to spend some of that fun Birthday money! He picked out a Lego Fire station set that ultimately became MY project. 500 pieces and lots of directions. Smaller sets he can do. This one is big.

We ended the day with a simple get together with kids from our Cul de Sac. Kiera, Amanda, Jessica, Samantha and Cory. It was 105 this day, and likely still above 100 when I took this picture at 7:30 pm. Cake, fudgesicles, and as many Otter Pops as they wanted. They thought it was great that I let them have two at a time. Hey, who's counting how many Popsicles you have when it's THIS hot?

Moments of Gratitude...

At the end of a VERY hot day, and having Evan's neighbor friends over for as many Popsicles, fudgesicles, and cake as they could eat on this 107 degree day, I was ready to call it a night. Coming into the house, sweating from every pore and feeling grosser than gross, I am greeted by Evan who says, "Mom, thank you for my Happy Birthday Day." This is the best thing that I have heard all day and I am thankful for the gratitude my little boy shows me. My goal is to always make his days special and to make those special days, extraordinary. Happiness of one's child is what really matters in this world, and a little 'thanks' now and then goes a long way!

Later again that night, I am showered but sweating already. I have tucked him in and am laying on the bed letting the ceiling fan cool me ( but it wasn't working ) when I hear Evan out of bed and coming my way. He says, "I just wanted to kiss you one more time and say thanks for my Happy Birthday Day." He climbs up the other side of the bed and kisses me upside down as I lay there and then off he goes. I laid there for a few more moments and had tears in my eyes. Motherhood is so very good. Having a child is the best thing I ever did.

Staying Cool and Eating Wallamelon...

Wallamelons were on sale today. I bought two. Love wallmelon. Yes, I know it's watermelon, so does Evan, but Evan started off calling it 'wallamelon' one day and it just sort of seemed a funner (yes, funner) way of saying it! So today we had wallamelon. (You know, there are Walla Walla Onions from Washington and I think that is fun to say too. Maybe we should call it Walla Walla Melon!)

Anyway, I cut the melon in quarters and began to slice and cube one of the sections. The other large sections sat on the counter waiting for plastic wrap as I called for Evan to come have some 'wallamelon.' He showed up seconds later, grabbed one of the quarters of melon, and as I thought, 'he's joking,' he had his face in it going after the best bite ever! I wish I had done it first. It looked so yummy! I had to laugh and was thankful that my camera was inches away!

Larch Mountain Outing...

Larch Mountain is the huge mountain that Multnomah Falls spills over. I was up there 6 years ago and have wanted to return. If you see my March blog, you'll see I attempted it then but didn't know the snow would be what it was! They only opened the gates June 29th! Knowing it would be HOT, I asked Mark if we could make an afternoon of it, go up there, see the views of MANY different mountains from one vista and have a picnic. Plus, I felt that it would be much cooler at 4,000 feet. The views were great but the temperatures were nearly as hot as they were elsewhere that day. Hot is hot. Glad we went.

I got my Larch Mountain fix and now know that I was about 5 miles from reaching the top when I had to tuck back due to snow in March. Many, many bikers were coming down the mountain and a few were headed up. I met one of them at the top who said he lived in Portland, and that it was a 4-5 hour ride up. He was headed to the bottom now for a stop at the general store for water and a donut. Wow.

Look up the trees from the trial we walked. I am a huge fan of trees and appreciate this beautiful Oregon landscape on a daily basis. From my car, from a park, from where ever I am, I find myself thinking, or saying, "Look at those trees!"

From one vista we could see Mt. Hood. But if we turned around we could see Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Jefferson and off somewhere 3 Sisters. Pictures don't do it justice.

Daddy and Evan before our little picnic. I told Mark to smile like he won the lottery, but it's Evan who looks like he just hit the jack-pot!

Tennis Camp...

This week Evan's Daddy took the boys to tennis camp in the evenings. They have had great fun despite the heat and have had the chance to learn a new sport. Each day Evan shows up bringing more and more friends from our neighborhood! How many cars will follow each other there tonight!?

Eye-hand coordination and cooling off all at the same time! Water balloon toss works for E! I love that he's at an age where he can see the fun of a water balloon toss and not get all bent out of shape because someone threw one at him and he got wet. Have fun with it!


Grow up and tieing shoes...

Just before Evan's grandparents arrived from AZ, Evan mentioned that he thought he could almost tie his shoes. I asked him to show me what he could do and with just a few words from me, he pulled that last loop through and DID it. He's got it down and has been tieing every one's shoes! Way to go Evan! Just in time for Kindergarten! He's got it DOWN!

Grandma and Grandpa Katz Visited from Arizona for Evan's 6th Birthday...

In mid July Grandma and Grandpa Katz visited for Evan's 6th birthday. This was a great and memorable visit. I've been wanting to blog about this but the weather has been too hot, so I am glad to finally get caught up!

Grandma and Grandpa go for a swing while Evan's Sports camp finishes up!

Evan just received his certificate for a week of Basketball, Baseball and Soccer. From most to least, he liked them in that order. It's exactly would I would have guessed going in to it! Momma knows her boy!

After a nice dinner out. My Dad surprises Evan with a trip to Toys R Us. Evan first thinks it's just to look, and then he learns he gets to pick out a new BIKE!

Evan picked the same bike his buddy Pierce has. No surprise, it WAS the only RED one in his size! Both boys think it's extra cool to have the same bike. Pierce even said that maybe people will think they are brothers because they have the same bike. For now, the telling difference between the two bikes is that Evan's has training wheels on.

The next day it was time for more surprises. Little did my Dad know that Evan would be getting an electric train for his birthday from my Mom and John, so Evan was going to get a double-whammy train birthday extraordinaire!

Dad said he'd had this train for many years, as a promotional item from Pillsbury. It think it's great that this sat in a closet, waiting for a little boy to be born and then for that little boy to grow up enough to appreciate it. There could not have been a more perfect time to give this train but now!

Evan does this "Home Alone" face every now and then it just cracks me up. I love that my boy shows his emotions and like his Mommy gets VERY excited when he's happy.


A very late night had Daddy, Evan and me working on the train. Dad and Roberta had left for the hotel but we had it running in no time. So cute. After the steam engine ran for a bit, we added the cars.

We hung out at their hotel pool which was terrific considering that the heat wave began back on the 13th. We spent the better part of the afternoons in the pool, and having fun! They were even here for Evan's Birthday Party at the train park! What a great visit. Thanks for making the long trip here.

Our 8th (count 'em) Anniversary...

It's easy to count 'em. Evan's age plus 2 more =8. I tried my best to explain anniversary to Evan, but on the heels of his birthday hoop-la, he is really more interested in knowing if it's still his birthday and if it is not, when his next one is. 365 days kid!

So I get out the wedding video that Scott filmed and that Chad edited, and began to explain to Evan what was going on. The visits at the house the week of the wedding, the trip to Cannon Beach with my family and friends. Daryl. Rehearsal. The rain. Then the wedding. Evan wants to know where he is and I have to try to explain that before him we didn't have kids, just us, Mark and Rhonda, living in this house. "And ZERO kids?" he wants to know. Yes, zero. Then came you. Children become such a part of us it's sometimes hard to belive that there was life before him. He's so much a part of who I am.

And as I watch the video I am struck by the change that has occured in the lives of the people who shared in our day. This is the first anniversary that feels like it would qualify as 'a lot' of years. Many marriages don't make it to 8. Many don't make it to 4. So here we are. First I notice that Mark looks younger, I look younger, OK - we ALL look younger.

Then I see Daryl, my dear friend. It's nice to see him, to hear his voice and observe the animated way he talked with his hands. He's gone. So is Grandma Kay, and Uncle Craig - all who have since passed and are missed beyond measure. It's nice to see them here in the video, I think to myself, the way I remember them. All three.

I think about Colleen, my friend since 7th grade who was my maid of honor. For the last three years she has been void from my life. I miss her. All of her friends miss her. We can't figure out where she is, why she won't call. It's a mystery to all of us. A great friend of many years. I called her today (31st) since it's her birthday. Her cell has been changed. Her home number just rings. We know she's 'out there' because of common friends who see her from time to time, but for the girls who grew up in Novi, and call themselves, "The Girls," we haven't talked to her in a good many years. That is sad. So I saw her large as life in my wedding video and missed her.

I notice my 'single' girlfriends, cousins, and family members who have gone on to marry - Cheryl, Chris, Heather, Jami, Laura, Chad, and Linda. Maybe more.

I think of the babies that have come into the world from this group of people since July 20, 2001 - Isabella, Joey, Grace, Pierce, Austin, Andrew, Thatcher, Andrew, Christoper, Evan (and I am sure there are more!) Oh, how this little people make such a huge difference in the lives of those who love them.

Lives. Change. Lives change. How many jobs lost here? I know we're not alone. How many lost homes due to the economy? I know it's tough. How many lives in a place of transition? How many marriages struggling? What's going on in these peoples' lives that we don't know? I wonder...

I am thankful for that big day 8 years ago. I am thankful for everyone who made the time, the effort and spent the money to 'get there.' I am thankful for that day spent at Cannon Beach and for all of those who were there on that day too. That was a great memory for me, for us, and I am thankful for the video and my brothers-in-law who made it for us. It's a treasure that I watch from year to year as a reminder.

I am thankful for my Mark. Thankful for communication, for learning each other's ways and how best to avoid the things that set each other off. Thankful for a companion you trust, you love, and stabilty even when things are unstable. Thankful for a marriage that still is, when so many things have changed.

We are in the midst of 'learning' each other, as I say. Figuring each other out and knowing how to handle things. Mark says we're 20% through our marriage. We got the 40 year plan, I guess. I actually hope we live longer than 32 more years. Life is good. I am thankful.

Makes the Heart Happy...

Today (Thursday) I was grocery shopping with Evan when we encountered a very elderly couple. She was pulling out a fold up chair that had been stowed on the bottom shelf of her grocery cart. She was talking to herself about the price of potatoes when I asked if I could help.

She said, "My eyes don't work, and his legs don't work and I am wondering how much these potatoes are." She was sweet as could be and had set up the chair for him in the produce section while she tried to blindly shop with her thick glasses. I helped her make the best deal on potatoes and put them in her cart. She thanked me and then folded up that chair and put it back under the cart. Evan commented that I had been 'helpful' to her and I told him that is what you do. You look for ways to make it easier for someone else. Always do that. My throat gets lumped up with emotion when I try to teach him these things, because it matters so much, but he gets it. I hope that kindness becomes his way of life.

We passed them again many times on our shopping adventure. They always smiled our way. Him from his chair in the middle of the shampoo isle and her from behind the cart. I saw her reach for some 'fiber' suppliment and wondered briefly about the own changes I will face as I age. They had to be in their late 80's, maybe even in their 90's and seemed as happy as could be. Chair and all!

Cooling Air...

I checked the hourly weather. It's supposed to dip down to 63 overnight. Happy Day. I can feel it coming. It's been in the 90's and above for the last 18 days. I am dripping as I write this and long for cooler days. (Now a day later, it's cooler and I am ready to finally post this huge entry in my blog.)