First and second days of school 2011

 Beautiful 6th and 8th graders...watch out Bush Bulldogs!

Home Sick

Today I am feeling homesick - for my St. Charles home. It may sound silly to call it home because we only lived there 3 years, but once your friends become like family, it feels like home. I still can't figure out how to load these pics in order so this is what I don't miss:

just looking at this picture makes me shiver.

what this pic doesn't tell you is that with the wind chill, it's -20 degrees!

my snuggie

And WHAT I DO MISS:

hanging out in downtown Chicago

wearing sweats (not too sure what Steve is doing...)

my bff's. this is just a few of the great friends I left taken from one of our bunco nights. I miss these girls (and more not pictured).

my home - especially at christmas time.

the girls friends. they were such a huge part of our life and i didn't realize how much i would miss them all.

mads picks her friends wisely and had a few great friends who i love!

my a-day girls. seriously the sweetest, happiest bunch of girls ever. i had the best time leading them in so many activies for 2 years.

our YW. again, such a great group of girls and fun, happy leaders who made YW and girls camp fabulous for maddie.

mads & halina

ry, claire, livvy, jessie, & lunas

i also miss:

-movies with steve during the day in the theater room

- bi-weekly 3 hours lunches with susan

-trail walking with emily and our dogs

-antique shopping in quaint geneva and st. charles

-great neighbors who i could count on

-crafting with friends

-our 'station' workouts with steve, girls and makayla

I am grateful for the fun friends we have already met and got close to in san antonio. i'm sure that in 3 years, I'll grow to really love this place too...it just seems so long away.

Annual beach trip

Steve claims the Oregon coast is a 'fake beach', and wonders how others can enjoy it in their parkas and wetsuits...but enjoy it we do! We have gone every summer since the girls were born - either to Cannon Beach or if we also need to do a little shopping to Lincoln City. This beach is in Lincoln City near Taft, where we once had a little house a few block from the inlet. I loved to see that nothing has changed, especially all the sea lions lounging in the sun. The girls had such a great time (Jace didn't want to be the only boy and stayed home - I can't blame him!) stalking all the crab fishermen (if that's what they're called or crabmen?) and playing with the sweet seaweed.

Maddie holding the crab, I think in '04?

How cute is this? See, we loved these crabs then too!

Algae braclets?

Ava was so cute and brave. She was holding the crabs, identifing the gender and guessing whether or not it was small enough for the people catching it to keep it!