Roughin' it the ACS way...

This is my big boy Jesse... as he crosses the bridge to 6 days at camp.. All by himself!!

Camp Ukandu is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and is an amazing place for kids who have battled Cancer to come together and just be kids for a while. We took Jesse on Sunday and will pick him up on Saturday. He was so very excited to be going but when we finally got there the real excitement set in I think. The place is simply dreamlike. Where we live it is very wooded and the camp is nestled on a mountain under a forest of trees. I'm fairly sure that if you were to fly over, you would not even know it was there.

Jesse's Cabin

Jesse's Bunk (Of course on top!)

Things I didn't want to know about...

Jesse will get 6 days of arts, crafts, science, horseback riding, canoeing, swimming, archery, games, campfires and more fun than I could pack into a whole summer. He will make new friends and be able to have something in common with every single kid at camp. I'm so happy for Jesse to have this opportunity, he deserves it.. I just hope he wants to come home when it's all done.

Yes, It's true I miss him like crazy, He's been gone one day and I have mailed him 2 letters.. There are also several hidden treats and messages in his bags I hope he finds and enjoys. I spend about every other second thinking about what he might be doing and if he's staying out of trouble... I wonder if he misses me, and if he's okay, and if he's getting his meds, and if people are being nice to him, and blah, blah, blah... more thought from a psycho mom than are probably normal.. but the packet of information they sent says that this is a huge exercise for both parent and child to help regain a more normal relationship after cancer. Normal? What is normal anyway.. I guess it's probably true, I think I can count on 1 hand how many nights I've spent away from Jesse since we brought him home in 2004... I'm thinking we weren't exactly normal before the cancer... =)

I have plans... I have made a list of things I'm going to do while he is at camp.. It goes like this..

1. Sit
2. Watch the news
3. Read a book

YUP... that's pretty much it.. those are the things always think I would do if I didn't have so much Jesse in my life, so those are the things I'm going to do this week.. I guess if those are the only things I can't do so much of because of my precious son, I'm really the winning-est one!!

Speaking of The American Cancer Society.. This past weekend was Relay For Life!!

I'll just go over the highlights because they were good ones...

First our little relay made over $61,000 to help fight the battle against the big "C". Yeah!!

They asked Jesse to speak at the opening ceremonies.. He was very excited and did a great job, but got really nervous and started whispering to himself.. "I forgot, I forgot, what, what, what".. but of course his mouth was on the microphone so everyone heard.. and he tried telling his story and got some of the facts mixed up and ended up saying he had a hole in his belly the size of a football... He totally cracked me up. If they ask him to speak next year, I hope they give us more than an hour notice so that we can actually put something together that makes sense. But he was brave and excited to do it, and it was perfect anyway he did it..

Our Survivors Lap!!

Zoe and Cloe, The twin "Mr. Relay" contestants who dressed up and marched around the track collecting money in their purse.. They raised $121.00 for ACS!! Go Cute Girls.. (I mean boys)

p.s. This is really Jesse and Gage.. Weren't they simply beautiful??

It was a fun weekend and an honor to be part of the festivities again this year.

Well, school is out, we now have a big 3rd grader (shake head)... We have a great summer planned.. We started with a visit from some fabulous girls from Salt Lake!! Jamie, CJ and Ellie, we love you and had the most fun visiting with you!! Amy and Alex arrive this weekend and we are lucky enough to be keeping Alex for a couple of weeks, then we will get Adrienne for a couple of weeks after that!! We couldn't be more thrilled! I've missed my family and am OH, SO excited to spend some time this summer with them all...

Happy Fathers Day to all you dads, especially my cute one!!

We love you all!!

Touch N Brush - Best Of As As Seen On TV

Jesse has been grounded from the TV... My jaw dropped when I learned that he knows EVERY single word from this commercial. In including all the voice fluctuations and the very fast "small print" verbiage at the end. Why can he be a pro at Touch N Brush, yet still struggle to tell time? He continues to amaze me in ways that sometimes scare me just a little...

Actually it's quite cute, I wish I had a way to post HIM here doing the commercial, He's much better than this guy!!

Tweets, Blogs and Wall Posts...

I really enjoy blogging, I enjoy facebook too. It's a great way to stay connected... listening to random little thoughts of your friends and family is almost like having a conversation.. although not nearly as personal.. Blogs are fun because you get caught up on all the random BIG thoughts of your friends and family. I find myself thinking... "This person has not posted for a while, I wonder if she's is okay"... and sometimes, I've heard comments about all the useless information that gets posted to these social networking sites as being silly, or dumb or stupid... but for me.. the more random and meaningless the better, and I find myself smiling and saying... "That's just like her to say something like that..." Personally I love it!! But as much as I enjoy reading everyone business, I don't post as much as I would like to.. I think in posts... but I don't really post much.. So here's a big catch up on all that I've been considering posting about but haven't gotten around to doing.. A mash-up of information if you will...

~ TWO BABIES!! That's right folks, I'm going to be a grandma AGAIN!! My son Aaron and his girlfriend Demitri are going to be delivering late this fall and Heidi and Big are expecting right after that! The family just keeps on growing and I'm so excited... Of course this makes me miss my Salt Lake people SOOOO much more knowing a new baby is on the way.. Aaron, you're officially grounded, pack your stuff and GET HOME!!! (and bring Demitri and the baby too :-)

~ BASEBALL!! My Jesse starts Baseball today. His first game is this afternoon. He's actually pretty good from what I can see at practice. He's very excited and when asked what position he wants to play he said... "batter". I'm excited to having him doing something active again, it's been too long.

I love Lee Dewyze!!
Vote for Lee!!

~ I Farm.... I'm a Farmer... This will eventually be salad on my table and I'm so excited I can't stand it!!






~ Funny thing about this plant... When we were in Salt Lake City last July my good friend Merrill gave me this cute little cabbage plant. It didn't really like the 14 hour drive home and sort of just wilted the rest of the season.. but Steve brought it in the house and babied it all winter and now it seems to be happy and strong. It will go into the garden and hopefully produce something yummy for my kitchen table soon...







~ ACS Fundraiser!! I am Co-Team Captain for our Relay For Life team this year so I felt responsible to come up with a fundraiser. We are making these cute pillowcases and selling them. The money will be donated to The American Cancer Society!! Let me know if you are interested...



$10.00 each... Cotton and Flannel
So Very Cute..

Do you love that new show Parenthood? I have a brief moment of mourning each week when the episode ends... I live for Tuesday's!!


and finally......

~ I'm working really had to make my business work... I'm going to start FORCING people to use me to walk their dogs.. I'm thinking about hiring a couple of really big guys to persuade folks into needing a dog walker... ;-)

That about catches me up... Now it's your turn to fill in the gaps!!

Love and miss you all much!!

Happy Earth Day!!

Jesse's AHA moment...

Jesse has always been a fan of the "girls"... I think because of his medical problems he's been less active and rough than boys his age, and girls are a bit more tame... so he's always gravitated towards hanging out with the gals in his world..

He has 3 best girls at school.. Zoey, who he loves and she loves him back, as a matter of fact, don't tell him I told you but he has been caught several times kissing Zoey on the school bus... Then there is Emily W., (or E.W as we like to call her, there is currently only one Emily in his class, but we still call her Emily W. for some reason???)... she loves Jesse and frequently sends home love notes and small trinkets to prove it.. but Jesse only loves that she loves him... he does not want to kiss her on the school bus or anywhere else.. (thank goodness). Then there is Payton, she just likes him and he likes her back... no love, no kissing... sort of like Vada and Thomas J...

Yesterday Jesse came home and said that he had a terrible day.. I asked him why and this is what he said:

"Emily W. doesn't love me anymore and she only wants to play with Payton... so I asked if I could play too and they said yes... so I played with them..."

Here comes the aha moment....

"but mom, girls are so boring when you play with them, nobody is ever the bad guy and they don't want to run around and scream for their lives.... I just want to play boys from now on...."

Hopefully this means the school bus too!!

Hit the "pause" button PLEASE!!!

I'm fairly convinced that not many people read this blog... so I think it will be okay if I whine a little, just this once...

Some friends of mine moved out of Salt Lake several years back, they liked the new place well enough but constantly missed the family and friends they left behind. This feeling was shared with us before we made the big move to Oregon but we were so "on board" I think we though that would never be us..... And it's not really.. I LOVE it here.. I love every little thing about Oregon, especially Newberg where we live. It's beautiful here even in the dead of winter, the sky is always clean and smelling of outdoorsy smells (even skunk frequently, which I'm not so fond of).. I love driving into Portland and seeing the amazing view of Mt. Hood and the river, and I've become so attached to the Fremont Bridge I can't imagine not using it. The bridge takes us right to the doorstep of the hospital where I am constantly reminded of the things I am thankful for. It sort of serves as my personal reality check station... where I'm forced to think about all things good and bad.. and realize my appreciation for both.


But lately, since December I think, I have been longing for a previous time... My older kids are busy, and I love that about them, they are ambitious and motivated and living full lives like all adult kids should be. I'm proud of them and only want for them the best of what they want for themselves. I totally support them and their decisions because they are smart, good kids and have plans any parent would admire. So, even if I were in Salt Lake, they would still be moving on and I know this.. But it's even Jesse too...

This morning he gave me a full report on the life and times of Helen Keller... and filled me in on all the ways she was an amazing woman and told me the book they read in school was "pretty awesome"... Seems like just yesterday we were reading the Yummy Yucky book.. Then, just before school I made him pull up his shirt so that I could rub some lotion on his dry itchy chest and back and he said to me... "Mom, do you have to embarrass me with that lotion?" WHAT? He has never cared about stuff like that... Then he proceeded to tell me that a girl can't ask a boy to be girlfriend/boyfriend... it's the boy's decision... AHHHH SLOW DOWN!!! I am so totally overloaded with my children's apparent overnight maturing I simply can't take it anymore.. Someone please hit the pause button before I have a total meltdown..

I miss baby Jesse, tween Jamie and little boy Aaron.. I never got enough time with any of them.. It feels like I just met them and now they are all grown up.. and I love the people they are today for sure.. They are all great friends and wonderful children still... so I rejoice in my new people, but seem to be mourning the ones that are gone..

So it's not the move that's got me feeling sort of blah... although what I would give to have my family back in the same city... (I just want it to be THIS city..) it's just the natural progression of time that I seem to be angry at..

I'm sure I'm not the only parent to suffer this same of out of control fast forward feeling.. As a matter of fact, I know my own parents have felt this way too.. I suppose it's just my turn.. But it's not fun and I just don't like it...

To make things worse, I'm going back to work full time which will take even more time away from my little man who seems to speeding to adulthood.. I remember the days of being a working mom... As soon as the morning alarm goes off, it's a race against the clock to get to bed... but on the other hand, I suppose it will be good to get my mind busy so that I don't focus on such things...

I am constantly reminded by some very special angels that it could be much worse... I am glad my children are here... a phone call away, or parked in front of the TV. I can at any time call them up and scold them for growing up so fast.. not all parents are so lucky and I know this.. so today, I am going to call my big kids and hug my little ones, then I'm going to go park myself on the Freemont Bridge and try to get a better perspective on things...

Maybe this is the effect of a rainy Oregon winter... good thing spring is almost here~