Blender Drippings: Life with Eight

Gilbert Ranch: A Great Trip for All Ages

2011-08-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

(Harry blogging...)

Gilbert Ranch:
Gilbert Ranch, a Cub Scout camp, was a very enjoyable experience. Highlights include B.B. Guns, Archery, (Where I hit a fleur de lis Bullseye,) Geology, and Horseback Riding.
At the B.B. Range, We at first used actual B.B. Targets, then we started to use playing cards- apparently it's cheaper. Either way, I guess it's whatever is most cost effective in the end. A lot of the time, however, it looked like you never hit it. Honestly the only way I knew if my own target, actually anyone's target for that matter, is if the card flew out of the close pins.
The Archery Range and Horseback Riding, however were much more complicated. The horse's seemed to like each other and at the archery range the bows were short ranged until you pulled them completely back. Still, this is Boy Scout Camp, you have to make what you have last.
All in all, Gilbert Ranch is an experience I would recommend to anyone, any age. Though it has some downsides, what are you expecting, a five star hotel?

-Harry

Pinewood Derby 2011

2011-02-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...)

Carter is now the only kid left in our house who is involved in Cub Scouts (Justin is now enjoying Boy Scouts). This week was his first foray into making and racing his own pinewood derby car.

I started him out by asking him what kind of a car he wanted to make. This perplexed him at first -but he soon discovered that he needed to design, cut, sand, paint, and add wheels to his car. He surmised this when he opened his kit to find a mere block of pine wood and four loose wheels.

Carter's initial plans were for a car that was more like a vulture with with wheels than an actual car. Not wanting to dampen his enthusiasm - but also wanting his to finish the project this decade, I was able to talk him into a more simplistic concept of a lightening bolt in the front with racing stripes on the sides. He acquiesced, but was adamant that the colors were to be red, black, and white - which, as they are Trail Blazer colors, was just fine with me.

I helped him make some cuts with the hacksaw and a chisel. Carter then did the bulk of the sanding, painting, and spraying of the car with an acrylic coating. He needed a little help to get the wheels hammered in place; however, he undertook every phase and task with his typically zeal and aplomb.

The whole process took place over several weeks time and he never bored or tired of the task of doing the step in his car creation. He had actually been given the kit by his Den Leader back in December and Carter wanted to dive into the project right away. I had to contain his zeal for over a month in order to make sure we were doing things properly. There are, as I found out, strident and unflinchingly rigid rules and guidelines about weight, dimensions, materials, and lubricating powder. It was clear from the get-go that this would be no overnight little project.

When race day came - his car weighed in almost a whole ounce underweight. This typically means that such a car will not go as fast as other "heftier" models. Nonetheless, Carter wasn't interested in adding washers or coins, as per my suggestion, to the car to weigh it down. He was happy with it the way it was - and so I encouraged him about it no further.

At the race itself, his and about 50 other car in the pack were to be lined up atop a 50 foot ramp and released. Gravity would do the rest. His car was in the first racing "heat" of the den meeting and...finished in last place by a comfortable margin. When I turned to see Carter's reaction - he clenched his fists, grinned, and proclaimed, "That was fun." He spent the rest of the meeting dutifully watching each ensuing race and cheering. He was very happy to learn that ALL scouts who entered a car in the derby got a free Dilly Bar from Dairy Queen. Awesome!

One thing I did notice that day was that many of the other cars that entered in the race were obviously made by a work effort of 95% dad and 5% kid. These cars looked like Formula-1 prototypes. While they were far more streamlined and sexy and a more sure bet to perform well - they (in my mind) didn't serve the purpose of having young scouts make the cars in the first place. I felt strangely proud of the fact that Carter's car (while a slow-poke car to be sure) was truly of his own making.

Carter has already begun laying plans for his pinewood derby entry next year. Perhaps I'll let him pursue that vulture-car design after all. We'll see...

Make a wish...

2010-12-05T21:20:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Here is the action from Carter and Brendan snapping the wishbone.

Visit to Spokane

2010-11-05T22:27:00.001-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Took a trip to Yakima and Spokane a few days ago and managed to squeak in a visit to my long-time friend David at the end of the trip. While I wish I had time for a longer visit - I did manage to snap this photo as I was getting into the car at the early hours of Thursday morning on the way to the airport.

The view is from his house in northern Spokane that overlooks a great view of the city and there was a nice crescent moon in the sky. Thanks for the visit, David!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-04T22:16:00.001-07:00

(Michael blogging...)

Just a few quick pics of my four on Halloween night.

Pumpkin Carve-off 2010

2010-10-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Even though tonight was a school night - it also was one of the few nights we had left where we'd have all the kids together at one time before Halloween. Ergo, we rationed, we must carve pumpkins! So - with that, Ethan and I and his friend Marissa, shuffled off to Fred Meyer to pick out three shiny orange gourds (but of course had to settle for dirty ones).

Now - undoubtedly, your first reaction must be: "But, Michael! You have six kids in the house. How could three pumpkins be enough?!?!" Because! This summer Laura and I bought a few pumpkin plants from the Beaverton Farmer's market and planted them on the side of the house. A week or so ago, we harvested our bountiful crop and reaped a net total of four healthy sized pumpkins! Yowza!

Now armed with seven total pumpkins and our ever-sturdy little carving knives, Laura and I orchestrated a giant pumpkin-carving event of which all kids participated. First we lopped off the tops of the pumpkins and set the kids to the task of degutting the seeds and innards. After about 20 minutes of that - all the pumpkins had been scraped more thoroughly than a fisherman's' knuckles.

However, before anyone was allowed to cut into the face of their pumpkin - each kid was asked to draw their design idea on a 3x5 card so that Laura and I could assist with the actual carving, when needed. All the drawings were pretty standard for pumpkin fare - although Emma's pumpkin was to come complete with eyelashes and Carter's initial drawing looked simply like a pumpkin that had been strafed with gunfire (I urged him to reconsider and he acquiesced).

Getting Emma to dip her arm into the juicy guts and seeds of the pumpkin was the most difficult task of the night. The best I could get her to do was to gingerly and carefully lower her arm into the pumpkin just enough to grab a single seed with two fingers - and then reverse the process to take the seed out - taking extreme caution to never let her arm graze the side of the pumpkin shell. It was like a live-action, Halloween version of the board game "Operation." Once the seed was removed, she held it out in front of her like a dead cockroach and dropped it into the garbage can - thoroughly nonplussed with the entire experience. Nonetheless, all the other boys (and Marissa, too) dove into the task with zeal and aplomb.

Eventually, all pumpkins were carved and Laura set them alight on the front porch. While I still have misty-eyed reverie for my Obama pumpkin from two years ago - I must say, these are a pretty fine damn bunch of pumpkins!

Next year, Laura and I will plant our pumpkin starters in a different spot in the yard and (hopefully) we'll get a bigger yield. Who knows - maybe we'll have so many we'll need to make all forms of pumpkin-based desserts and baked goods out of them - just like the amazing pumpkin pecan crumble cake that I am just now polishing off! Now - bring on the trick-or-treaters!

Acolyting for the first time...

2010-09-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Emma and Carter had their first experiences as acolytes at our church. This means that they get to wear little white robes and carry a flame to the front of the church and light the candles at the front of the sanctuary during the first part of the Sunday service.

After a few times of running though the routine for practice - it was showtime! They both pulled it off without a hitch and beamed with pride as they walked back down the aisle. I met them both afterward to help them disrobe and tell them that they did a great job. Carter's reply was: "Now everyone knows I'm old enough to handle fire!" Great...

First Day of School

2010-09-10T22:17:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Not that the first day of school is some unexpected or novel event - but it's a continuing rite of passage and a great opportunity to take pictures! Ethan is in 8th grade, Harry in 4th, and Emma and Carter are now in 1st grade!

Labor Day...with very little labor this time!

2010-09-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) For the umpteenth time - our church held the annual all-church campout over Labor Day weekend. This year - we had it at Nehalem Bay State Park campground.

Ethan and Justin both spent the bulk of their time with the youth group - leaving Laura and I to "only" have to tend to Harry, Brendan, Emma, and Carter. All four of them enjoyed their time on the beach and even had a chance to fly a kite!

We were both surprised at how well the whole weekend went - and how little stress we felt, even with the pending start to the school year. We had a little rain at night - but the daytime weather was sublime!

Laura and I may even press our luck and help plan the next year's campout. After all - they should only keep getting easier, right?

Brendan provide, perhaps, the most memorable moment of the campout when he saw Carter gnawing on a stick he just dug out of the brush. With utter disgust and incredulity, he admonished Carter for this act of barbarity and I was lucky enough to take a picture at that precise moment.

Just a quick photo...

2010-08-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) This is a quick snapshot of the Hawthorne Bridge as I waited for the bridge to lower after a tub boat went underneath a few mornings ago. Picture taken from my cell phone - so, sorry about the low-res image.

Backpacking trip in the Gorge

2010-08-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging) Finally got around to a promise that I had made to Harry and Ethan: an overnight backpacking trip. This was the first one for Ethan since the one we took several years ago where my truck was broken into and robbed during our trip. For Harry - this was his first trip altogether.

We started at the base of Multnomah Falls and walked up the crowded path to the bridge and all the way to the observation deck at the top. One of the cool features they have at the falls trail now are wooden posts at each turn in the trail to tell you how many switchbacks are left (1 of 11, 2 of 11, etc.). It was a great way for the boys to set goals and track their progress.

After peeking over the edge of the waterfalls for a few moments - we hiked back into the woods until we came upon a nice spot to camp and set up our tents. We got the tents up, made dinner, filtered more water, made a campfire, and had s'mores. Life was great!

We decided to all sleep in one tent and use the other tent for gear storage. Good thing too because we had a brief rain shower in the morning which got the gear tent a little soggy.

We slept in to our hearts content and then had our breakfast. The boys played while I packed up and then we made our way back out. On the hike down - we saw a giant great blue heron flying up the gorge. It was spectacular!

Next up for Ethan and me will be a multi-day trip and for Harry, too, after he gets his leg strength up. Hopefully, Emma and Carter will come on a trip next year!

Dad & Me Camp 2010

2010-07-29T23:05:00.001-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Three weeks ago (yes...it was that long ago - I'm a busy guy) Emma and Carter and I packed up our bags and headed out to Camp Magruder on the Oregon Coast for their first foray into Dad & Me Camp.

For the uninitiated, Dad & Me Camp is a Friday through Sunday event for dads and their kids who are in the age range of Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Harry and I did this camp for all three years he was eligible and we loved it. Harry, of course, graduated out of the camp last year - but Emma and Carter were able to go for the first time...which means that I get to go again, too!

We did all sorts of fun stuff like making nametags and paper, going out on Smith Lake in a rowboat, feeding and caring for the now-retired donkeys, lots of beach play, campfires, a hike up and down the pygmy trails (which they did with surprising aplomb and zeal), and, of course, the rope swing. The bugs and mosquitoes were not too bad and the weather was great.

Meals were the typical camp fair - but passable enough to get us through the week. We stopped off, of course, at the Tillamook Cheese Factory on the way there and the way home - both now to be established as firm tradition. I tried to get Emma and Carter to try something other than Mint Chocolate Chip - but then reminded myself that I was getting Rocky Road again for the umpteenth time. So - we all ate our ice cream with contentment.

Both Emma and Carter are stoked to go back next year - as am I. They talked all about it on the ride home. Well - at least for the first 10 minutes of the ride home - because they crashed out immediately before we even got out of the city of Tillamook. Can't say I blame them - they played hard!

Back in the saddle again...

2010-07-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging....)

Although summer started weeks ago - it took until this week to finally be able to get back on the bike and commuting to and from work. My ride in this morning was great and my legs were a little weary from neglect - but managed just fine. Hope this helps the Project 40 goal. Since I went back to school last term - I gained back all my previous work and weight-loss. Time for a nice long walk later tonight, I hope!

Glad to be back on the road again!

Who needs the Sledge-o-matic.....

2010-07-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...)

This is Carter when I brought home the watermelon for dinner.

And this is Carter shortly thereafter - polishing it off. Yikes!

Life's a beach...

2010-03-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Well - since Spring break was last week, we felt obligated and moved to head to the beach. So, Thursday evening we packed up the Honda and headed south to Yachats.

Apparently that wasn't fast enough for Carter, who woke up that morning, donned the most beach-appropriate attire he could cull from his dresser, and declared to Laura that he was "ready to go." At 9:00 AM. Sadly, Carter would have to wait for me to get home around 4:30 before we could start moving.

Although we were only there for a few days, we really packed in a lot of activity and adventure. We started out on the way with a quick trip through Newberg and a stop at Jem 100 for dinner and ice cream. One more pit stop at the Newport Fred Meyer for sundries (and earbuds for Emma's DS) we pulled into Yachats about a few hours later.

Friday morning was nice as the kids all slept in for a bit and we had a great breakfast of sausage, eggs, OJ, and relaxation. After a quick call into Fred Meyer for a phone conference, we went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport (the former home of Keiko the whale).

All the kids enjoyed the jellyfish and the sharks and a particularly gross eel who kept poking his wrinkly, gray face out of a craggy rock and looking very much like a SpongeBob character. The trip was capped off by enjoying colored, crystallized sugar on a stick.

We knew our luck with the weather wouldn't hold - so we made sure to get down to the beach the next day and all the kids had a great time at Neptune Beach just down Highway 101 a few miles. Carter was intent on chucking as much sand, rocks, and logs into the creek with the giant ker-plunks and water spray and then spent some time playing in the water with Brendan and Harry. Justin forded the creek to get to the other side to explore the caves and forests and possible Goonies sightings. Ethan crossed the stream as well...in his denim jeans. 'Nuff said.

Eventually - we headed back to Yachats and played Rumicube, popped some popcorn and had dinner at Roca Mar. Alas - the trip had to end and we came home.

Can't wait to get back again in the summer.

At least Jerry Seinfeld made it funny...

2010-03-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Okay - today we had some uninvited and very unwelcome guests. About 10–15 thousand of them.

I was about to leave for a 2:30 appointment with H&R Block and went out to the back deck to tell Laura I was leaving. I chatted with her for a few moments and then noticed - up in the air above the neighbor's house...a giant swarm of bees.

Now - when you hear someone say a "swarm" of bees, you may think they are merely engaging in hyperbole or are prone to hysterics. However, this was a literal swarm of bees. And, for whatever reason - they decided that our chimney seemed a fitting and humble abode. So - they proceeded to amass there. As they did - several of the nasty fuckers found there way into the house and met their grisly doom by means of Laura and the Dyson vacuum cleaner of death. We have about 100 or so dead bees in the dirt chamber at the moment. (Actually, not too sure how to dispose of them - come to think of it.)

The wood stove was actually humming and vibrating with the sound of the bees within and we knew (read: feared) that if we dared open the door to the stove - the bees would belch out into the living room and...well...we'd just have to move - that's all.

Anyhow - we managed to open the stove door quickly enough to throw a flaming newspaper wad into it and then - in rapid fits and starts - we added more paper and hoped that it would smoke them out of the chimney. And it did! Right out of the chimney and onto the pergola over the deck.

They decided to choose (I suppose according to The Queen Bee's directive??) a comfy corner of a pergola post and ... then ... they just stayed there and started to build a freakin' beehive.

In the meantime, when we were smoking them out - we managed to set off the smoke detector in the house - which, of course, is hard-wired to the fire department. So we had a fire truck with three fully geared-up firemen at our doorstep a few moments later. Great. I had to turn them away and try to smile as one them kept telling me to "BEE safe" from now on. I gave him a toothy grin, waved goodbye, gritted my teeth and muttered, "...Jackass...".

Well - better to have the bees out there than in the chimney, I suppose. Nevertheless, time to call the professionals.

We got a hold of a beekeeper from Milwaukee who was able to come out and scoop them away. Literally. He scooped them up into a small wooden box using a metal dustpan.

The ones he didn't get via the scoop method, he used a burning wad of burlap to smoke them away and many of them flew up into the box to rejoin their queen.

Our neighbors peered over the fence and watched the professionals do their thing. It was actually kind of interesting to watch and it only cost me $10 for his gas money. So - if you ever need a beekeeper...or maybe want to buy some bees, give Jim a call at 503-659-9718.

As of the next morning, the left-behinds have reformed their ranks and are in a tiny cluster about as big as my fist in the same spot on the pergola. Probably no more than 200 of them now.

I don't know if they're going to draw straws and decide who gets to be the new Queen - or perhaps the original Queen is still among them. The beekeeper assured me that he got the Queen because of the sheer odds involved when he took 99.9 percent of the bees. However, when he referred to this as "Murphy's Law" I was a little less than reassured. Hope he's a better beekeeper than a bard.

Project 40 - one month in

2010-03-01T19:57:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Okay - it's been one month since I started "Project 40" - my attempt to return to my high school weight before my 40th birthday in January of 2011.

In sum: I started February at 202.75 pounds and ended the month at 196.75. I ran over 30 miles over the course of the month and played lots of basketball and hit the weights a bit, too.

I think the next few months should be the "make or break" time and my goal is to hit 190.00 before Easter Sunday. Then I can eat everyone's chocolate bunnies.

Back in the saddle again...

2010-02-23T21:46:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Well - I finally convinced myself to do it: take the bike to work again. I've been meaning to do this - even though it's still technically winter and the kids are still in school - I had the opportunity to give it a shot as all the kids were with their other parents and the weather was...well...AWESOME!! At least in the afternoon...

...because in the morning it was 29 butt-chilling degrees cold. Yikes. But, I bundled up and headed out and was surprised at how well it went. Aside from the face that I realized I forgot a helmet about 5 minutes into the ride and had to turn around - all went well. The crossing of the Hawthorne Bridge was as beautiful as it ever was and you could see both Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens in their dusky-red, morning shade. I was so moved that as soon as I got to work and saw a colleague of mine, I waxed poetic and said, "That was one [bleep]ing cold ride in!"

I think I'll do it again in June.

Fruit Night

2010-02-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...)

It's been one of my continuing goals to really push and encourage all four of my kids to eat more fruit. Laura's kids do just fine with this - but mine never got into the habit and it's been a bit of a battle of the past few years.

I tried gentle prodding...no dice. I tried bribery....no good. I tried screaming....fun - but still not effective.

So - a few nights ago I thought I try a new tact: chicanery.

I went to Fred Meyer and bought 10–15 different types of fruit. Mango, raspberries, pineapple, kiwi, etc. I cut each one up into tiny bits, placed them in small bowls, and set the bowls on the table.

Next, I created a scorecard for each fruit that had columns for "Love It", "It's Okay", "Hate it!" and "Not Sure." The scorecards also had a row for each kid's name. All six kids were required to eat a bite of each type of fruit and could then "vote" their opinion on the cards. Justin referred to the event as a "taste test." How very true!

Even though it still took a bit of prodding to get Emma to finish all the samples - she still did it all and actually had a full serving of fruit in the process. However, she only voted "love it" for grapes and cantaloupe. Everything else got a "Hate It." Ah well...

If all goes well - I'd like to repeat Fruit Night once a month and try introducing new fruits that even Laura and I haven't tried (what the hell is "star fruit" anyhow?) and hope for some really cool results. Like Emma having a normal bowel movement.

You can't handle the tooth!

2009-11-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

Emma lost her first tooth the other night and I took a few pictures to commemorate the auspicious event. Two days later (which was tonight's swim lesson) she lost the second tooth. The newest picture was a better one and show the bigger gap.

Tooth Fairy is working overtime now because Carter discovered his first loose tooth a few days ago, too.

Ewww.........

2009-10-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging) Carter finally agreed to sit still long enough to have a mask made that involves plaster or paper mache or whatever applied to his face. He laid dilgently still while Den Mother, Delina Soon, applied the wet strips and let them dry. The picture you see is the from directly after the mask was taken off his face.

Needless to say, he was the first one in the shower tonight. And he will be again tomorrow.

Hey baby, is it hot in here, or is it ju...HOLY SHIT!!!

2009-10-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...)A few nights ago, Laura and I decided to light-up the wood stove for the first time this fall. We had no kids this night and settled in for a movie (The Lost Boys) and some cozy warmth.

After the movie had ended, Laura and I were small-talking about the film and were about to go upstairs and to bed when Laura suddenly sat bolt upright on the couch, pointed her finger firmly across the room and announced, "FIRE!"

Sure enough - a decorative wicker basket full of pinecones had been set atop the wood stove during the summer months and it didn't occur to either of us that just maybe, sorta, kinda, we might want to move it elsewhere before using the stove. Nevertheless, flames were now licking their way up the basket and devouring the pinecones as well.

Laura quickly opened the door to the back patio and I (sans oven mitt) grabbed the half-gone basket and quickly chucked it out the door onto the concrete before the flames engulfed my hand. Wrong move....

Have you seen Iron Man? Remember the part at the very beginning where Tony Stark is demonstrating the Jericho missile? It was a missile that, after launched, broke apart into dozens of smaller missiles and then wreaked havoc. The pinecones were just like those smaller missiles.

So, now I had a dozen little fire-balls all rolling around the back patio — all with the predictability of a loose, bouncing football and all heading for the fence. The wood fence. So now the night has transformed from a calm, quite, romantic evening into an "I Love Lucy" skit.

Disaster was soon averted as I grabbed the nearby garden hose and sprayed them down quickly and left them all to smoulder in the cool night air. As we left the mess to be cleaned up the next day, we went to bed wondering if the neighbors were thinking, "What the hell are the Richters barbecuing now?" Ah well - Euell Gibbons would have been proud.

It's been real — It's been fun, but...

2009-09-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

...I'm really glad the fun's over. (Not true in reality, though)

Last Friday I took my bike to work for what may be the last time in quite a while. With the onset of school next week and with the weather getting colder and darker quikly - it was time to put the bike in storage. I really enjoyed each of my rides in to work and the daunting prospects of riding home from the Zoo stop off of MAX.

Next summer I hope to get the bike out earlier and get on the program right away. Hey - only nine months to go, right?

California here we come....DAY TWO

2009-08-17T09:46:00.001-07:00

Woke up this morning and got packed up in quick order and headed down to breakfast. Not sure what was on the menu - but I was anticipating the best and preparing for the worst. As son as I got to the bottom of the stairs I was greeted by a fairly large sized dog of unknown breed that had the utterly creepy charm of being blind as a bat. He (or she, perhaps) would simply lean his head into my thigh and just hold it there while waiting for a scratch behind the ears or a belly-rub or whatever form of affection would be offered. I complied and the dog went about his morning ordeals while Doug (I believe was his name) took requests for breakfast.

We were joined in short order by another couple who had stayed several nights here and we asked where they we traveling from. We were, of course, hoping to meet someone from a far-off land who could regale us with tales of adventure and nuance. Their home? Vancouver, Washington. I suppose when we told them we were from Beaverton they may have been equally underwhelmed.

Actually, it turned out that the woman was a teacher and she and Laura had a common friend in someone from our church - Karen "Whats-Key" (I know that's a terrible way to spell a name, but damn-it, sometimes you just have to rely on phonetics).

Breakfast consisted of blackberry pancakes, eggs, toast, coffee, and orange juice and it was, or course, delicious. We finished our meal; bade good-bye to our housemates, Doug, and the dog; packed up the Pilot and started out on the road.

Our first stop was only a few miles away and something that I've been to a few times - but Laura had yet to see: The Oregon Vortex.

California here we come....DAY ONE

2009-08-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

Got off to our trip Saturday morning with a drive down I-5 South toward the Gold Hill area.

We dropped off Michael's kids with his Mom and Laura's with Robert (Justin is White Branch-bound!) and hit the road.

Our final destination is Oakland, California to tour the Bay area for a bit of the day on Monday. However, our first stop was in the Gold Hill area near Medford and a little B&B that Michael picked out called the Rouge River Guest House. Pictured is one of the main rooms in the house and Laura posing for me (after much cajoling) on the swing near the yard.

The guy who runs the place met us on the patio as we walked up toward the house around 6:00ish Saturday night. He had a prosthetic leg and smelled of lots of alcohol. Nevertheless, he was kind and checked us in and led us to our room upstairs. I've (Michael) never stayed in many B&Bs - so I wasn't too sure what to expect. Laura assured me that it was much like some of the places she's been in while traveling in the UK and that it did, indeed, have a bit of charm to it. I was and continue to be confused about the choice of an open box of random screws and bolts for decor. We both, however, found it "peculiar" that it was physically impossible to shut the door to the shared bathroom. Thank God we didn't have neighbors!

We found a nice restaurant right on the Rouge River a few miles down the road and had a few beers (thanks to the recommendations of the local, yet earnest, barfly) and some good food while we watched the river roll by. Still not sure - but we think we may have been sitting next to a food critic who spent her time alternating between bites of food and tapping on her Blackberry.

After dinner, we drove back down the road to the house and after getting thoroughly confused and nearly lost for a moment, we settled in the for the night and began planning our next day's drive into Oakland.

Dad & Me Camp 2009

2009-08-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, Harry and I went down to the Bend/Sisters area to Camp Suttle Lake for our last year of Dad & Me camp together. We've attended this camp together at Camp Magruder in 2007 and 2008 - but went to Suttle Lake this year.

We did some hiking and swimming and a little bit of boating, too. We ate s'mores and banana boats and - of course - went on a Guava hunt.

Harry will be old enough to attend Jr. camp next year at White Branch - but Emma and Carter will be old enough for their first year of Dad & Me Camp - so I'll be able to attend for another 3 years.

Can't wait!

The Lunatic is on the Grass

2009-08-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

Last night I entertained Emma, Carter, and Brendan by - of all things - mowing the lawn. As I wove my mower through the thick patches of grass (umm...it had been while...) the three of them dashed back and forth - pretending to be "chased" by the mower. And as long as they kept a healthy distance from the mower - I was happy with that.

Each of them also wanted to take turns pushing the mower - which they did with aplomb and a modicum of success. However, the hilarity ensued when they each wanted to pull the ripcord to start the engine. I thought Carter was going to hyper-extend his arms yanking on that. No one got it started - so I had to "help" each of the turn the engine over. Alas...

One thing I did fine cute - if not a bit primal - was how they loved laying down in the long, grassy tussocks before they were eventually and inevitably trimmed back. There was something very cat-like in their natures as their eyes peeked over the tops of the blades of grass. Brendan stopped stalking prey long enough to mug for this photo.

Now - on to the front yard.

Singin' in the Rain

2009-06-19T22:56:00.000-07:00

Well - it had to happen eventually because this is Oregon. It absolutely and completely poured down rain on my ride home. It was the strongest rainstorm we've had in months and I was totally unprepared for wet weather. Fortunately - Laura met me at the Zoo with fresh, dry clothes as we long ago made plans to see the B-52s.

Although the fairgrounds were soaked - Laura had planned out and fashioned a tarp-tent that kept us and the food dry until the rain finally abated, the clouds broke, and the B-52s took the stage!

Now - the lesson learned: pack a raincoat!

More biking...

2009-06-18T07:24:00.001-07:00

Well - I spent some time at work yesterday "crunching the numbers" and the way I see it, I'll ride 12 mile on the bike each day that I ride it to work. Right now - my goal is to ride at least 2 days a week - so that's roughly 25 miles a week which rounds off nicely to 100 miles per month. Not too shabby.

The ride in this morning was a little more smooth. No problem with the chain and no problem with hot coffee splashing up my back. I did, however, forget to bring lunch - so I'll have to go the employee feed-bag at noon. Alas...

Definately need to get the bike tuned and make sure that it's in tip-top condition if I'm to keep this up.

Weather looks great for the ride home!

Michael and his bicycle

2009-06-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Sorry, no pictures on this one.

I've been planning this for a week or so now and, today, I finally attempted it: I rode my bike and MAX into work. It wasn't a bad experience at all - but I definitely learned a few things about how to do it better.

I rode out of my garage at about 5:30 AM and headed for the 158th and Merlo station garage. I was barely across Farmington Boulevard when I attempted to shift gears and my chain became unrailed. I pulled off and messed around with it for about five minutes and eventually got it back on and working. I still have no idea why it did that nor if it's going to happen again - or worse - frequently. Despite that somewhat disconcerting prospect, I rode on to the MAX station. I suppose the most curious thing that happened to me was that a few minutes later, I espied a dirty, pink dildo on the ground near the side of the road. The only thing I could think of at the time was, "Gee - that's peculiar!"

I eventually made it to the MAX station and the train came about five minutes thereafter. The ride into town was quick and mostly uneventful as the train was populated with commuters for whom the novelty of mass transit had long-ago worn off. I listed to some podcasts on the iPod as the MAX wound its way through the west hills.

Eventually, the train stopped somewhere near Yamhill station and I hopped off and rode through the streets of downtown toward Madison Avenue and the Hawthorne bridge. The ride over the bridge was, in a word, awesome. A few other bikers were crossing with me and nearly all of them had iPods firmly planted in their ears. I think one of them rolled his eyes at me and thought to himself, "stupid newbie." I'm not yet brave (or dumb) enough to impede my hearing in the midst of other traffic which includes buses and other large vehicles which could crack my melon open and not break stride.

Anyhow - I rolled onto campus about 6:45 AM - which made for a 1 hour and 15 minute commute, a far cry from my car-commute time of 30 minutes - but not as bad as I thought it could be. I suppose that once I get the hang of it I'll get a little faster and can hopefully get the time down to just under an hour.

Fortunately, my office has a gym with a shower facility and I had packed fresh skivvies and a towel. Another break went my way as I had a spare shirt hanging in my cube. This was greatly needed as my coffee travel mug didn't cooperate with the commute as seeped hot coffee onto my shirt for the entire commute. I'll either need to get a better mug or simply buy coffee at the office.

Anyhow - I'm only halfway there and the commute home this evening should be interesting. I hope to be able to do this several times each week and see how much I'm saving on gas money.

More to come...

I SWEAR we're not Mormon!

2009-06-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

Okay - I don't have great excuse for not posting anything in several months, so I won't waste your time by coming up with a bad one.

A month or so ago - the weather finally looked stable enough to go ahead and assemble the trampoline that was a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Russell.

The kids have loved it - and Malcolm continues to be utterly perplexed by this craft that gobbles up the kids and emits shrieks of delight and peels of giddy laughter. Poor doggie just wants some love.

Here's a picture from a recent day when I asked all 6 of them to bounce together for the photo-op. It took a matter of mere seconds for an injury to occur and accusations to fly. Alas...now the rule is no more than 2 people on at one time

Greeting from South of the Border!

2009-03-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry - no pics to share at the moment, but internet cafes do not like customers sharing their drives. Alas..

Laura and I are down in Mexico visiting the very beautiful city of Cuernavaca. We`ve seen some really cool old churches and other sites and taken in the local flavor. Tomorrow, we will go to a city that I can´t quite remember how to pronounce, let alone how to spell. Needless to say, though, we´ll have fun as we climb some old pyramids and drink some more cervaca.

We´re here with Laura´s mom and dad who are seasoned world travelers and they´re great traveling companions to boot!

Our new puppy, Malcolm, is being tended to by my Dad and Roddy - who´ve reported that he likes to crap and chew. Sounds like our doggie!

Weather is warm and the beer is cold. Still - can´t wait to come home and see everyone, especially the kids.

Malcolm in the Middle

2009-02-28T09:39:00.001-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Okay - here is the original plan for last Thursday evening: meet at McMenamins for dinner and a pint. Then, we'd head home and watch "Shakespeare in Love" on DVD (We've been trying to find the time to do this since Valentine's Day).

Dinner at McMenamins went off without a hitch and we talked about our work-days and this and that and, then, decided to swing by Scamp's Pet Store to merely look at the puppies.

Now, we'd tempted fate about two weeks prior - but thanks to Laura's good sense - we managed to get out unscathed and without a puppy. However, this time the tables were turned against us: there was a beagle puppy in the store.

After a bit of discussion (read: Michael whining), debating (read: Michael pleading), and the unavoidable doe-eyed gaze of the puppy that longed to say, "Take me home - I'm all yours!" we took the puppy home (No more that thirty seconds into the car ride home - he pooped in his crate. Now he was really ours!).

Since we knew that we were undoubtedly forgoing our movie plans - we thought an appropriate and unique name for the puppy would be Shakespeare. However, later that evening, Laura thought we should pick a name with some English/Scottish heritage and suggested the name Malcolm. It stuck instantly. Ironically enough, the name Malcolm is a character in MacBeth, so there it is!

After a quick bath, lots of loving, and - of course - a few "accidents" here and there, he bedded down for the night and didn't cry a lick until abut 5:30 the next morning. Same story last night, as well.

Friday after school, Ethan, Harry, Emma, and Carter all met Malcolm and all love him bunches. Justin and Brendan will meet him on Wednesday when they come home, too.

I suppose there's lots more to tell - but there'll be lots of time for that, I suppose.

By the way - we watched "Shakespeare in Love" last night. Good movie!

Happy Birthday to...

2009-01-13T21:52:00.001-08:00

(Michael blogging...) my sister-in-law, Rachel Richter!

I don't know exactly how old she is this year - and if I did, I doubt I'd be bold enough to publish it!

Happy Birthday, Rachel - I hope it's a great one for you!

Christmas pageant.....at last!

2009-01-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) We finally had our Christmas pageant last Wednesday at church. The snow had taken its toll on our plans and we've had to push the pageant back and back until we were well into 2009.

But we would not be stopped! With mild fanfare and aplomb, the kids did their best and actually had a lot of fun, too. Brendan, Emma, and Carter were an Angel, a lamb, and a tiger(?) in the play. They are very cute in their costumes and look much better than I did last night when I was forced to wear a coffee filter on my head. Don't ask.

We got movie sign!

2009-01-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Ah yes - the battle-cry of the MST3K junkie! After thinking more about it, I've decided to create a movie review blog in addition to the book review blog. No real reason - other than an initial desire to rant about having to sit through Marley & Me. But for more on that...please check out the new blog!

Emma and Carter turn 5

2008-12-30T22:57:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Today is Emma and Carter's 5th birthday. We celebrated a few days ago and they really seemed to "get" the idea of having a birthday for the first time. They unwrapped gifts and had cake (each had their "own" cake and candles to blow out) and loved having the house full of friends and family.

Our neighbor, Leah, came over and brought them each a Build-a-Bear - which they each took to bed with them that night and promptly fell asleep. After all - turning five years old is exhausting work!

Just what the world needs...

2008-12-29T09:30:00.000-08:00

...another blog!

(Michael blogging...) Because I simply don't have enough to keep me occupied and busy, I've created a blog to review books. I've set a goal of reading and reviewing at least one book per month and I think that's attainable. Anyhow - I don't want to repeat too much, as I've already laid out a lot of the groundwork in the initial post of the new blog.

Check it out if you'd like by clicking here! Enjoy!

The Squirrel and the Snowman

2008-12-24T18:19:00.001-08:00

(Michael blogging) No...I'm not reviewing the sequel to a certain 1985 film. We have a great number of squirrels that live in the woods near our home and we often throw peanuts out on the back deck for them to munch on. Invariably, there are always some jays that swoop down and take a few before the squirrels can get to them. I suppose nature is as nature does - but we think the squirrels are more fun than the #@!!* birds. But I digress...

With the snow and ice of the past few weeks - the squirrels have had a harder time foraging for food (I assume, anyhow - I'm not a zoologist). A few days ago, they plowed their way through the snow and tapped their claws against the glass door. I got the peanuts out and slowly opened the door. I held out the peanut and the squirrel actually took it (trepidaciously) from my hand. I think he came back a few times. Laura and Justin were also both able to get them to take the food from them, too. Laura snapped a picture of the last time I was able to get one of them to do it.

We also felt a certain obligation to build a snowman. I initially had a grand scheme in place in which would build an armada of snowmen and perhaps even equip them with snow-muskets, snow-sabers, and other such implements. However, after the drudgery of rolling the first snowball and the "heft" the second one - I decided that simplicity was "in vogue" at the time and I'd be content with one snowman. Laura dressed him (her?) and he looks a bit like a cross between Jack Frost and Elton John.

We're heading down to Coburg and Eugene tomorrow to be with Laura's parents and other relatives. We'll have all six kids in the Pilot and, hopefully, the ride will be smooth.

Hope all is well with everyone and that all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The ultimate beer cooler

2008-12-20T23:48:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Last night we hosted a Christmas party for the neighborhood and had as many as 25-30 people over to our house. Thank God it was for the neighbors only as the copious amounts of snow that fell would have kept all but the most adventuresome indivduals away.

At one point, I slid a ruler into the snow on the back deck. We started out at just under 8 inches and ended up just slightly over 11 inches. In the morning, there were no tire tracks in the cul-de-sac, but only frozen footprints, leading away from our front door and to the various homes of our neighbors.

During the party, we thought it would be a logistic nightmare to have everyone reaching into the fridge to grab a cold beer - and the fridge is already full as it is (6 kids tend to eat often). So - we used what nature was providing - and converted the back porch sliding door into a reach-in beer cooler.

The party was great fun and we had a "White Elephant Gift Exchange" - where Justin and Ethan nabbed a craptacular dolphin clock and Starbucks coffee ornaments, Harry got a porcelin poodle, Brendan got a set of crayons, Emma got a Barbie (lucky pick!) and Carter got (sigh....) a Richard Simmons dance VHS tape. As Johny Carson always said, "They can't all be gems!"

It's not easy, being green..."

2008-12-16T23:20:00.000-08:00

(Michael bogging...) So Laura, I, Brendan, and Justin were at the Walker Road Fred Meyer stocking up for a several day bivouac because of the impending snow storm (rolling eyes...see previous post...). As the other three were checking out the toy aisle, I found myself wandering down a random aisle, pondering the Yankees acquistions of C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. A moment later, I saw something blow across the floor a few yards ahead. It stopped moving and then moved again...and again...and again. Curiosity got the best of me and I stooped over to see what it was and, behold - the dirtiest tree frog the world has ever seen. I called Justin and Brendan over to see it and I scooped it up off the floor (lest it quickly become frog paté).

Somewhat to my surprise they all (Laura too!) agreed to go over to the pet supply area and get a little plastic terarium and some gravel, which we purchased as we left the store. We also soaked a paper towel in water and placed it in the cage (I know that isn't a terribly PC word, but let's call a spade a spade, okay?) and we took our new little pet home. When we got home, I tried to Google some results on the care and feeding of tree frogs. Bubkus. I suppose I'll call PetSmart in the morning and see exactly what I've gotten myself into.

Ethan, Harry, Emma, and Carter don't know about the frog yet - but I have a hunch they'll think it's neat. Poor frog doesn't know what he's up against as there is already some low-level chatter about working out a schedule of who gets to have the frog in their room at night.

Nevertheless, I've always loved having pets and I suppose a tree frog is a simple (read: lame) way of meeting that end. Laura even thinks he's "kinda cute." I, too, suppose he's kinda cute. For a frog.

Oh yeah....his name? Phred!

"I like the White Stuff. Baby!"

2008-12-14T19:27:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) Hmmm.....what's that you say? You fail to get the pun of the posting title? (sigh.....) I guess the 90's are pretty far behind us now. Alas, here is the "answer", if you must know.

As you may well know - we here in the Portland Metropolitan area got our once-in-a-decade dumping of snow. Well - it was a "dumping" by Portland standards, as anywhere else in the country, it would be a yawn of an event. I suppose that since it isn't officially winter yet, I should be a little more amazed. Nevertheless, I remain a bit underwhelmed.

Still, all the kids had a blast. They "donned their gay apparell" and went to the park up hill and went sledding for several hours. Even Emma — our little diva — played rough-and-tumble with all the other kids and didn't mind at all that her hands got a bit cold.

School has already been cancelled for tomorrow and all the kids (and Laura, too!) are happy to have another day to frolic and romp in the snow. I will attempt the roads to get to work, as Fred Meyer never sleeps!

Right now, most of the kids are downstairs watching "Elf," which may turn into a holiday tradition. I'm not too much of a Will Ferrell fan (although there is a certain film that is a rare gem). Still, I surmise I'd rather watch "Elf" every year than have to endure the other selections of the bottom-feeder holiday movies like "Santa's Three Day Egg Nog Bender."

Here's a pic of the kidlets on the front lawn. Happy holidays to all!

"All I want for Christmas is my......"

2008-12-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

...two front teeth.

Actually, one of them is already coming in a bit and we'll have both teeth coming in by Christmas Day.

He lost the first one (pic above) a few weeks ago and the other one (pic below) two days ago.

On another note - I've got to get into the "tooth fairy" racket. There's a FORTUNE to made, apparently.

A Very Brady Christmas

2008-12-01T20:36:00.000-08:00

(Michael blogging...) With the turkey, stuffing, and other caloric masterpieces now fully digested (burp....excuse me!) we turn our full attention to Christmas. Laura has decked the halls and the walls and the doors and all throughout the house actually, and I've never seen such a wonderfully adorned home.

It's been several years since I've worked in a Fred Meyer store during the holidays and my disdain for this season has abated greatly while I've worked in a cube-farm (Granted, though, now I've learned to hate staff meetings and the word "hump-day," but I digress). Nevertheless, Laura and my children all are constant reminders now about why I really enjoy Christmas and I am reminded daily that I am, perhaps, the luckiest man alive to be married to her. I know she'll die of embarrassment when she reads this - but I don't think she knows the password to access this blog - so I'll continue to blather until she forces it out of me.

The picture is of the six stocking (hung, of course, by the chimney with care) that Laura picked out and had personalized for Ethan, Justin, Harry, Brendan, Emma, and Carter. They'll soon enough become family heirlooms.

Speaking of whom, I often refer to Emma and Carter collectively as "the babies." Now - when they were incapable of speech and mobility, this moniker worked just dandy. However, they'll be 5 years old in less than a month and it doesn't come across as endearing nor apropos as it once did. So - each time I fall back upon old habits - I get rapped across the knuckles with a ruler and made to clean erasers after class. Actually, all that really happens is that I am politely corrected and then reminded that I was the one who asked her to correct me when I do this. Alas...

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and that the coming weeks and months are truly merry.

Barack-o-lantern

2008-11-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

Just a quick picture of what I carved for halloween and is sitting on our porch for some time. Sure - it's not Michelangelo's David - but still, not too shabby, I think. Anyhow - I hope everyone voted.

It's the Great Pumpkin!

2008-10-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

With all intentions of actually completing their corn maze, we headed off to Baggenstos Farms with all eight of us to get our pumpkins.

Alas - the best of intentions notwithstanding, we didn't get to the corn maze, but were able to procure our holiday gourds. Wait...are pumpkins technically "gourds" or are they a squash.

Well, if your really curious, here's the answer. In the meantime, here are some new photos!

Camp (itch...)White (bite...) Branch (scratch...)

2008-09-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) First of all, "Yes" we know we're an eon overdue for a posting - so I hope to have quite a few here in the next few days to make up for lost time.

As mentioned in the posting title, Laura, Michael, Justin, and Ethan all went to Camp White Branch for a week(ish) last month. Ethan and Justin shared a cabin with Michael and a few other campers and Laura has a cabin full of girls to contend with. There was a tire swing there which the boys made ample use of....when it wasn't raining. And rain it did! I think there was measurable precipitation every day - and so it seemed logical that the best thing to do in such a case is to organize a hike to a nearby waterfall - in this case, Proxy Falls. Ethan is the back right with a green jacket and Justin is in the middle with a clear poncho.

The rain was accompanied several times with the kind of thunder and lightning that rocks the rafters and frightens the elderly. To quote Billy Ocean, it was "simply awesome." While all the kids made the best of it and continued to use the swimming pool (swimming pool!?!? Camp Chez Ritzy if you ask me...but I digress) the biggest downside of the weather was never once having an actually campfire in the evening. This made s'mores kinda hard - although Camp Director Linda Presley made an effort by making oven s'mores: a dollop of marshmallow creme and a squirt of chocolate syrup between two graham crackers (a sacriledge if you ask me, but again....I digress).

Even though camp was puncuated by bees stings, nettle, and mosquitos (oh LORD the mosquitos) there was time for a guava hunt and the kids really had a great first exposure to Camp White Branch. Ethan is old enough to go to the Junior high camp next year known as "Chi Ro" camp and Justin will return to the Jr. camp again. Debate now rages as to which camp we will be couselors at next year - because I don't think we can do both.

One last picture I'll share is the four of us at the lava rocks. Thankfully, it hadn't rained yet that day when we took this hike. Otherwise all the kids would have cracked their mellons on the slippery stones. Alas....

Emma takes inventory

2008-08-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Yes - I know this is the 3rd consecutive posting in a row about Emma - but, alas, she is the princess and royalty has its priviledges, I suppose.

Anyhow - it took longer to get Emma to see her new room than we had originally anticipated - but she finally did see it and we recorded every scrumptious moment.

Emma's New Room

2008-07-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

(Laura blogging) Emma has officially evicted Brendan from his old room. She has been squatting in a sleeping bag on the floor for the past couple of weeks, and will see the transformation (paint and furnishings) when she comes home today. Brendan isn't sad, though - he loves his new bed in the former "bonus room" and his new roommates: Harry and Carter. After the paint went up on the walls, Brendan didn't want to go in anyway - it's way too "girly" for him now.

Laura got to do what she has always dreamed of, too - she got to decorate a girl's room! We had most of the stuff already, with the exception of the mattress, bedding, curtains and lampshades. Emma will be sleeping in Laura's old bed that she grew up with, so on those rare nights when no one else is home, Laura might just find herself sleeping in Emma's room!

Emma Enchanted

2008-07-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging...) Last weekend we all schlepped down south on I-5 to make our annual pilgrimage to The Enchanted Forest. Michael's mother felt compelled to come along, too, as she didn't want to miss the spectre of our six kids let loose in a forest theme park. Alas.... she didn't last too long.

Emma seemed quite taken with the fairy tale aspect of it all and here is a picture of her and a neo-Cinderella. Emma was very exicited to have "magic" placed into her wand.

We hope to make this an annual tradition, even though it was a little hard dislodging Carter from the shoe-slide.

Dad & Me Camp

2008-07-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

(Michael blogging....) Last weekend, Harrison and I went to our second year of "Dad & Me Camp" at Camp Magruder. Harry got to do some rope swinging, boating, and donkey riding. Lots of the dads and kids who were there had been there last year and it was good to see them again (even if I couldn't remember the bulk of their names!).

Next year will be Harry's last year for Dad & Me as it only goes through 2nd grade - but Emma and Carter will both be old enough in 2010 - so I can keep the tradition going!

More pics to come!

Getting Started...

2008-07-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Our intial post!

This blog is our attempt to share the life of a blended family of eight (hence the name..) as it unfolds before us.

We've read the pop-psychology books, talked with friends and relatives, and seen enough television programing (The Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Eight is Enough, etc) to know that the next decade or so will be filled with adventures, challenges, and love.

We hope you check in from time to time to what's new and drop a note to say "Hi."

- Michael & Laura

2008-07-07T23:47:00.000-07:00

Tune in shorty as we prepare for our big day...