We Have an Announcement!

We are having a baby!!!!! After over a year of ups and downs we have decided to put all of our emotions into adoption. Our original plan for our family was to have two of our own kids and adopt the third, but things don't always go as planned. We started talking seriously a few months ago about the option of adopting our second child. We researched, talked to friends who have adopted, and I've read a lot of adoption blogs and now our application has officially been accepted.

We have decided to adopt from Ethiopia. There are many reasons why we chose Ethiopia. One reason is that there are currently 5 million orphans in Ethiopia. Another reason is that the process of adopting from Ethiopia is fairly quick and straight forward. There may be a woman in Ethiopia right now who is pregnant with the baby we will raise. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to adopt and we can hardly wait for this great adventure to begin.

Our Pirate Weekend

We went to the second annual Pirate Festival last weekend. To put it lightly, there were some colorful people there. Rhett was really excited that we all dressed up to be a "pirate family". Rhett loved the barrel race, the bouncy play areas, and his first elephant ear. Pirates ate elephant ears on pirate ships, right? Oh, and we all love Captain Bogg and Salty.

Rhett loved the barrel race. I don't know if it was the really encouraging pirate, or the hand stamp in the end, it didn't seem very piratey to me. Rhett loved it though. Don't worry, I let Rhett win.
Here Rhett and I are watching Captain Bogg and Salty.

We had a busy pirate day...

"We are singing pirates..."-Captain Bogg and Salty

Rhett went to his very first themed birthday party. His friend Elliot turned 3. Can you guess what the theme was?

Look how happy Rhett is...this was taken right before Xander cut the cake! Sure, you can't get the kids to smile for the camera, but wave a delicious cake in front of them and they can't help but smile.

Go-Go-Speedracer...

Rhett has mastered the trike! Yay, Rhett!!!! He has needed a few months of practice and he needed to grow a couple of inches, but now he can reach the pedals!

Here is a classic Rhett face...but on the trike.

Rhett's School

Rhett has many friends and has met a lot of new friends who have recently started school. So, there is a lot of "school" talk. Where do you go to school?...
At the park the other day we met a three year old neighbor named, Ruby. I was talking to her mom about her school when Rhett announced, "My school is Kennedy School." For those of you who may not be aware of Kennedy school, it is an old elementary school refurbished by the Mcmenamins brothers and turned into a pub/hotel. It is the Concordia Neighborhood hang-out. There is a "soaking pool" and live music every Thursday night. We have spent several evenings letting Rhett run around the halls while we enjoy a glass of beer and wine. Now he tells people on a regular basis, "My school is Kennedy School. I eat dinner there and go to the hot tub there". I guess I better start looking for a preschool with a hot tub, or there may be some disappointment.

The Sweet Swede sounds of Victoria Bergsman

While our other computer is down and all the photos are in limbo I thought I would do a post about my new favorite CD, Taken By Trees.



It has been a really long time since I have liked a CD this much, and this one makes the blog!

Fish and Freebies

A couple of weeks ago Rhett and I had a really fun time going to the fish hatchery and Bonneville Dam with the Kurtz family. So, we thought we would go as a family last weekend. Here is Caden, Max, and Rhett by the "big fish".

The fish hatchery is beautiful and Rhett loves to feed the fish those stinky fish pellets!
Rhett loved climbing the water fountain just like Max did. "I can do it like Max!"
We had a picnic by Bonneville Dam after the fish hatchery. We even got a nice family picture.

This is just a particularly funny picture of Rhett. He was doing some water painting and he kept yelling, "Be careful mommy it is wet paint!"

I was on my way for my Monday Trader Joe's run, when I noticed a guy putting a FREE sign on this waterfall vanity. I made a U turn on 33rd and snatched that thing up! Isn't it adorable?

Free is a very good price!

Thank you Tina!

Thank you Tina Rice!!!! I love my necklace and new earrings. Tina is Jeremy's sister-in-law and I have been eyeing her jewelry for months. I finally got the nerve to ask her if she would like to make a trade. She said yes! Tina seems just as excited to have a birthday banner (http://clarkavenue.blogspot.com/) as I am to have my new necklace! Check out all of Tina's work at her ETSY shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=18081.
I couldn't resist these earrings. I have worn the same hoop earrings for 10 years...yes I said 10 years and I thought it was time for a change.

The Seven Year Itch

Yesterday was Dan and my 7 year anniversary. And I'm pleased to say we aren't too itchy...

Dan took me out to an awesome Italian dinner at Iorio on Hawthorne. I highly recommend it! The food was amazing and so was the Pinot Noir!

Here are the gifts I gave Dan for our anniversary. Both are prints from ETSY. Can you guess who that fella is? Did you say Jeff Tweedy? No, Dan is not crazy obsessed, but I thought it was cool. But let's not lie, Dan does like Tweedy a little...

Here are the flowers I got for our anniversary. I love that Dan picks out the most unusual flowers available!
This large order for Mahar has been keeping me busy. Home projects are put on hold for now.

Rhett was very serious "working" on his tent. No, the iron wasn't on...

The tent will be shown in an upcoming post.

Here's to many more years of family, happiness, and amazing adventures...