Could We Be Lazier???

September decided to depart on a cold and rainy note, so the kids and I literally spent the entire day inside the house in our pajamas. We laid around and watched cartoons, made pancakes, did some Play Doh, made a few Halloween decorations, had lunch, and took naps. I don't think any of us remembered to brush our teeth until bedtime (gasp!). The highlight of the day was our neighbor Abraham spent the night with us. He came over for pizza and some play time, and then he bunked in Aiden's room on the bottom bed. Abe's visit motivated Mason to at least don a princess dress for the evening...Aiden remained in his jammies for the duration.

The Swifts

Along with Diane, Steve, Stella, and Riley, we went and saw the swifts tonight. I'm not talking about my friend Shawn & her husband Jeff (whose last name is Swift)...I'm referring to the yearly migration of thousands of tiny birds called swifts that visit Portland each September. On their migration to Mexico, the swifts make a stop in Portland for 3 weeks, spending their days in Forest Park and their nights roosting in the chimney of Chapman Elementary School. It's an amazing sight...starting about 6:30 pm, the swifts begin filling the sky, swooping around the chimney. As the sun sets, the birds fly one by one into the chimney, and by sundown, the last of the swifts makes its way into their nighttime abode. It's hard to describe how incredible it is, but there are literally THOUSANDS of birds making their way into the chimney...oh, and there is a resident hawk that usually makes an appearance, snatching one of the little birds out of the sky for his dinner. Hundreds of Portlanders make their way to Chapman to see the swifts every fall. It's quite an event and has become a yearly ritual for the Kola family. If you live in Portland and you haven't gone to see the swifts, you absolutely must do so.

Swifts descending into Chapman school chimney

Mason & Stella

bundled up...it was chilly!

Happy 75th Birthday, Dad!!!

Happy birthday, dad! You're the youngest 75-year-old I know!!!

Goodbye, Summer!

We paid our last summer visit to the park by our house this afternoon. Amidst a chorus of two little voices calling "Watch me, mommy!", I was reminded of all the new tricks my kids learned over the summer:

walking the balance beam

leg pumping

scaling the bars from end to end

swinging across ALL the rings

Aiden likes pushing; Mason likes to be pushed

Goodbye, summer...we look forward to your return next year!!!

Flashback Friday

It took all of one second to come up with my flashback for today. Exactly one year ago, Erik and I were wandering the streets of Barcelona after enjoying a leisurely lunch with Cory & Slaed (all of this kid-free thanks to my in-laws!!!).

It was the perfect time of year to visit this beautiful city, and so wonderful for Erik and I to enjoy some time together. :-)))

My Little Fashionista

We had our biweekly neighbor playdate this morning, and this is the ensemble Mason threw together for our gathering...pink sundress, tights, yellow poncho, and sparkly pink ballet flats. Even when it comes to fashion, this girl is fearless!!!

Our play group: Erin, Mason, Eli, Lila, Ronan, Angela, Stella

Aiden started soccer this weekend...his first time on a real team (at least, as real as it can be for Kindergartners). There are 8 teams of 5 kids, and his team is called the Bullsharks (apparently, the result of a compromise between one boy wanting to be the Bulldogs and another wanting to be the Sharks). Each team does drills for about 20-30 minutes, then they play a game against another team. Aiden scored two goals...his first in the opponent's net, his second in his team's net. Good job, Aiden! Go BULLSHARKS!!! ;-)