Tre's 'Big Lebowski' Birthday

Last year was Tre's 30th birthday, but we were mildly distracted with Babywatch 2009 and waiting for the newest member of our family to join us, so we didn't have a proper blow-out party that is worthy of a third decade of life celebration.

So, this year we had a big party!

With a "Big Lebowski' theme. For those that have seen the movie...you know what I'm talking about. For those that have not seen the movie, all you really need to know is that there are some crazy characters, some bowling and the drink of choice is a White Russian.

So, we requested people dress up as their favorite character while we bowled and then afterwards we would celebrate our bowling accomplishments with a BBQ. We all had a lot of fun and I think the birthday boy especially.

I mean, if THIS isn't a happy face, what is?

Some party photos:

fresh lanes

Our friend Brian, aka Jesus

The Lebowski Bowling League

(back row from L: Tre as Walter, Joy as Maude, Brian as Jesus, Mike as The Dude, Andy as Donnie, front row from left: Michelle as a nihilist, Paige as Walter)

Tre rollin'

A few friends from Tre's crew at the firestation

Group shot of all the bowlers

a counting game...

How many goldfish crackers can you count in this picture?

Lelia's first bike ride

We've been looking for some fun stuff to do as a family this summer (that is, if summer ever decides to show up) and decided it was time to get gear to introduce Monkey to the wonders and fun of bicycling!

We got her this cool seat that attaches to the front of the bike (Tre's bike in this case) and a cute little helmet to protect her tiny melon. So far, we've only gone on a short, couple mile ride and Lelia sang and smiled the whole time.

And she's a true Oregonian...it was raining pretty hard on the second half of our ride and she was still a happy little singing soul. :)

some favorite photos of recent

Avocados are good to eat...and use as a face mask

She's learned how to stand on her own

our newest peeps

Tre and I have begun our foray into urban chicken farming with the addition of our new chicks born on April 2nd!

Meet Ophelia, the Australorp:

Ophelia will be our mid-sized bird and layer of brown eggs

Ginger, the Aracauna:

Ginger will be our smallest bird and 'Easter egg' layer of olive green - blue eggs

and Dharma the Brahma:

Dharma will be our biggest bird, weighing in at around 10 lbs and layer of brown eggs!

We finished the coop and run a couple days ago and the ladies are loving their space. The dogs are curious but haven't tried to cause too much trouble. We're looking forward to getting our first eggs by the end of summer but right now we're enjoying their curiosity and table scrap disposal abilities!

Coop under construction

Finished! The coop and the run.

Our ladies...happy in their coop!

is it really June already?

WOW!

I honestly hadn't realized that an entire month had gone by since I blogged last! Phew!

The last month has been quite busy. It's not that we've been going on any crazy trips or doing anything riotously fun, we've been hunkered down at home trying to work on projects in between the torrential downpours of rain we've been having. Super fun and also super depressing!

The weather has been a constant source of conversation here in Oregon...it's been unseasonably cold and rainy. It definitely feels more like October than early June. Meh. Hopefully summer will come to Oregon at some point! (finger's crossed)

In other news, the chicken coop is complete and we just have a few finishing touches to add to the run and we'll be done with this project! The ladies have been in their new home for several days and have adjusted wonderfully. With all the rain we've had, it's also been a good opportunity to test the waterproofing of the coop...so far, so good! I should have pics of the coop and our ladies soon...once we get a break in the rain! :)

Other than that we've both been working lots and enjoying Lelia's constant entertainment! She's almost 11 months now. Never has time gone by so quickly! She's still a very happy little girl. She crawls at lightening speed, has been experimenting with free standing and will "walk" if you hold her hands. She dances whenever music is on (hilarious). Is in a phase of head-butting things (people, cats, dogs) which we're thinking she learned by watching the pets interact with each other. She gives hugs and kisses (albeit open mouth drooly ones...but we still love them). She's got two bottom teeth in, two top teeth in and is working on two more top teeth...holy moley! With the addition of teeth has come new adventures in food. She's a little foodie and we haven't found anything she's not fond of yet. She chatters all day long in her little voice...sure wish we knew what she was saying, I'm sure it's hilarious! ;) Tre and I are enjoying parenthood thoroughly. Sure it's exhausting and frustrating, challenging and tear inducing but it's also the most rewarding, blessing filled adventure.

And now some pics from the last month...

On Mother's Day

The girlies on Mother's Day

Lelia and Koko goofing off

My happy girl

Screaming Leelee

Hangin' with Papa

My favorite people

Leelee lining up her bath toys

Playing in the bath

Snacktime at Koko's

Taking a ride

Hippie Chick 1/4

Back in the fall of '08 I decided I needed some motivation to step up my physical exercise. So, I signed up for a 1/2 marathon...the Hippie Chick 1/2 marathon in May of '09. I started training but by mid-November, was having terrible abdominal cramps that had me doubled over for several minutes and then was only able to keep them at bay by walking instead of jogging. Grrr. Well, come to find out a few short days later, I was pregnant.

And by May of '09, I was 7 months pregnant and in no state to run a half marathon.

So, in fall of '09, I talked my friends into doing the Hippie Chick with me. My thinking at the time was..."we can train together" and "it'll be something we can do to spend time together". So, we agreed to sign up for and train for the 1/4 marathon. I mean, what's a 10K anyway?

Well, I underestimated how busy I would be with Lelia and how difficult it would be to get all 3 of us ladies together when we all have polar opposite work schedules. So, we've kinda trained individually. And today was our big day.

The weather was beautiful, not too sunny or too cloudy. And we all finished our 1/4 marathon and feel like the biggest winners of all time! Yeah for us!

Maybe next year we'll try for the 1/2 marathon?!?

Or maybe we'll stick to the 1/4 marathon...let's not get ahead of ourselves, here!

Michelle and I close to the finish

Hippie Chick finishers!!

Auntie M'Elle and Lelia

Post race family photo