Portland's Creepy Crawlies

Mountain Home had Whistle Pigs...Portland has Slugs!


Have you ever seen anything so gross in all your life? Garrett spotted this guy out our window one day...That alone should tell you how BIG this thing is!

Multnomah Falls

One of our fun outings to explore Portland...





This waterfall reminded me of what Bridal Veil Falls (Provo, Ut) looked like when I was younger. It was beautiful, but there were too many people to enjoy it...I felt like I was being pushed through a fast food drive-thru!

Do Your Best

Wyatt has been so excited about Cub Scouts since moving to Portland. (Which makes this mama very happy!) He was able to earn his Wolf just before turing 9, and he is well on his way to earning his Bear.


Our Pack has a traditional face painting ceremony when any Cub Scout advances in rank.


Congratulations, Wyatt! You worked so hard to earn this! Keep it up!


Alyssa enjoys pack meeting just as much as the rest of us...If they serve sweet-stuff!


Oh, boy!


That's our girl!

9 Years Old!

Wyatt's Birthday is actually in September! I am terribly behind on the blog and didn't mean to forget that special day from 2010!
Wyatt wanted a LEGO party...I didn't know, at the time, what a challenge it would be to keep a bunch of 9-year-olds entertained with party stuff while there was a ton of LEGO bricks to be played with! Wyatt had a fun time, so I guess that's all that matters!


What's a party without gifts! Thanks to Dad and Mrs O for your help! And, to Mr B for coming! That really made Wyatt's day!


Cake and root beer floats and lots and lots and lots of BLOC candy!

Sorry! No more photos! We had the place decorated with huge paper LEGO bricks, balloons, and streamers...I attempted to make a giant LEGO cookie since Wyatt does not like cake, but Lissy decided to help me with a few last minute details...You can guess how it looked in the end!

Adventures in Haircutting

A few months ago Garrett was having major anxiety about getting his haircut. While at my sister's house in Seattle, she told us about a cute little salon for kids. He reluctently agreed to try it out. After an hour and a half wait with me and 4 little kids, and still no haircut; this was the best the gal could do...A mohawk. Garrett was actually thrilled about it...He was just ready to leave that mall.


A few weeks later I found a similar salon for kids near our home and he went...He was given the choice of sitting in the cool fire engine chair or playing XBOX. He chose the XBOX, and you wouldv'e thought that he was King!
So this is before...This picture does not do his long hair justice!

And, the afters...


Pretty handsome little man, huh?

School Spirit!!

Garrett acted like he didn't want to participate in Wacky Hair Day at school...But, if anything came even close to bumping his head he would freak out asking, "Is my hair alright?"



Wyatt didn't want to do anything...He had a fun idea to shave half his head, but he is too much like his mama! A spectator. We should have gone downtown that day...the boys would have fit right in!

Halloween 2010

This year I attempted to sew a princess dress for Lissy. It looks really good in the pictures...just don't look too close! I made Garrett's costume, too...The design that Wyatt wanted cost less to buy...Sorry Gus! He looked awesome...Even though I didn't paint his face black.


This is where her costume sat during Nanny's Halloween Party...


Garrett had a very specific costume design in mind...Copy that from a 5-year-olds brain and this is what you get...Unfortunately, I didn't get it put together in time for the party.


A few of my way-too-grown-up nieces and nephews helping with the decorations...


This is Wyatt...He worked hard at getting this cobweb to look just right...
Lookin' Good, buddy!


Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble...


There were, um, interesting food choices...

Thank you, DD, for creating a very appetizing side dish, and a lovely mental image that might not leave some of us!

Our Garrett is a little squimish around Halloween spookies...Needlesstosay, he did NOT consume ANY bit of food during the party (he ate cereal later that night).


The eyeballs (carrots and olives). I don't have pictures of the boiled fingers (weiners and almonds) or the bone-bread biscuits.


A few brave souls...

This next image my not be appropriate for some viewers...






Poppy's contribution...It actually tasted pretty good, again, if you can get past the image...

Nanny asked me to come up with some games...Since we were going to have the party in Seattle with Bill, Ric, and Keri's kids I thought of a way to have all of the cousins participate. We had a mystery to solve...The case of the Pinata Loot Caper! It was a lot of fun and I really appreciate Katelan and Lawrence for helping out!

Time for the pinata...A favorite party activity!


Beautiful Butterfly Elizabeth...


Shoeless Lissy...


No-costume Jack...


Sweet Fairy Priscella...


Ironman Garrett...


The only way to tell this is Aliera are the horns sticking out of the pinata...


Belle-of-the-Ball Adele...


The Witch-King Wyatt...


Joker Ryan...


Eygptian Princess Sam...

I made that pinata out of a gift bag...I thought that the kids would smash right through it, but it took a little effort. When it did break open...only confetti and random items fell out...The caper had struck again!


I don't know what my camera was doing or the operator, but all of the pictures from the clue hunt turned out psychodelic on me...


Ahhh, treasure time! Ryan found the loot...Lawrence was the caper!


The Joker mask was a little creepy, but Ryan looked awesome!


This is my go-to costume. It's quick and easy, and doesn't require a lot of thought. Alyssa wanted to try it on...


Jack sucking up jello through a straw...A nanny tradition!


It's ready!!! And, just in time for the big night!


On our way to the Ward Trunk-or-treat...


Alyssa was so proud to wear her new Cinderella dress, tiara, and shoes!!

Introducing...

...one of my never-agains...the newest Golding addition...

Boomer

Wyatt has wanted a dog for a very long time now. He would beg...almost all day long...But, we just had no where for a dog. Well, we still really don't have any where for a dog, but we are sure glad that we found Boomer. We picked him up just before Halloween. He is a very smart dog, and lucky for him, he was house-trained in just over a week. Alyssa was a little weary of him at first. She wanted his brother who was a black pup...but he just didn't click with all of us. Now, Alyssa literally cries if she cannot be the one to help Boomer with food and opening doors. He is soooooo very patient with his little mother hen and all of her pestering.


I love those puppy wrinkles...He was 10 weeks old when we brought him home so he doesn't have many left.





This is usually how he sleeps...just like his dad, according to the owners.


The owner sent us home with this green blanket that smelled like his parents and siblings...He loves this thing! He pulled it up over him with his mouth...Funny, dog!


Exploring with Garrett...




This is the bandana that Santa put in Boomer's stocking. Doesn't he look awesome!