Too busy to blog

Looks like I won't be keeping up with my blog.....just too much to do before moving back (lots of painting). We are moving back in the second week of April....our renters will be out by then. We still have to secure a renter for our current house; I don't think that will be a problem.

We are all doing well....looking foward to being back in Wisconsin. The kids can't wait!!! We have had a little snow here in the last week...about an inch total.

See you all soon :)

WE ARE MOVING BACK!!!!

So, Oregon has been fun, but it just is not the place for us. The winter weather is just so darn dark, gloomy, and rainy. We miss our family and friends, the changing seasons (especially snow!), and our home on two acres. We are coming back at the end of March and are going to re-open our childcare. We are keeping our house here in Oregon for an investment property and will rent it out.

Anyone who needs childcare....or knows of a family seeking care, please let them know we will be starting up again shortly.

See everyone soon!!!!

Events of the last few weeks

Our first Christmas here came with some snow....nothing accumulated though. Santa found us and the kids were happy about that! My brother, his girlfriend, and her three children were up to visit us this past week. Rick's girlfriend's parents live in Portland so they stayed there and Rick drove here on Sunday to visit us and to see where we live. Yesterday we all met (Dan and Cori came too) at OMSI (Oregon museum of science and industry) in Portland. We had a very nice visit and are looking foward to 2008.

Saturday events

One of our daycare parents (Ted) is a professional actor and professor at Western Oregon University. He is acting in the play A Christmas Carol in Portland and gave us five free tickets to see his performance at Portland Center Stage. We brought Dan, Cori, and Courtney with us. Children under age 6 are not allowed in so Alexa and Eli stayed with a friend of ours. The play was excellent!!!!! Ted graciously showed us backstage after the play and Courtney really liked that!

Before the play we drove to Dan and Cori's new apartment in Beaverton and then we all drove together into Portland. Afterwards we stopped at Shari's for dinner. Tony and I have discovered their veggie burgers and have been filling our burger cravings with them. We have changed our diets so drastically that it's hard to eat out. We are now eating about 99.9% vegan and we make sure everything we put in our mouths is all natural and healthy. I've been having fun looking up vegan recipes, especially that children will eat. We are now a vegetarian daycare and we've found a great tofu "chicken nugget" recipe that all the children loved....they have no idea it's not chicken. We all feel so healthy and energetic!!

If anyone is interested, The China Study by Dr. Campbell is an excellent book on health and nutrition.

Bald Man

Tony decided to shave his head last weekend.

Five years ago today

Five years ago today, on Thanksgiving morning, my dad passed away. I am so grateful for the memories I have of my dad and for the amazing relationship we shared.

ear infections

Around 6:00 pm last night Alexa started crying saying that her ear hurt...if she is crying you know she is hurting... the girl does not cry often! Alexa has had a cold for a few days so I was sure it was an ear infection. In the past when this has happened, it was a visit to the doctor, or the ER....just depending on the time of day/night. I had heard of treating ear infections with olive oil/garlic drops before so I made my own. ( I researched a little before doing this). I heated olive oil and fesh garlic in a pot, and when it cooled, I put a few drops in Alexa's ear. I also cut up some garlic and put it on just the inside of her ear as I had read it acts as a natural antibiotic. Around 8:30 she was asleep and SLEPT ALL NIGHT!! She has never slept all night with an ear ache. Wow, I really am happy I tried it, and wished I would have tried it with Eli when he used to have back to back infections.