may through today, part 1

A friend of mine was behind on her blog and her sister suggested doing a short write up of important events with a few pictures to get caught up, instead of a separate post for each one.

And I'm copying her idea because I have become the most craptacular blogger in history.  And I need to get caught up.  And I'm desperate. 

I have thousands of pictures from our summer in Idaho.  So these are random, in no order, and many are from my phone, so are probably really low quality.
You're welcome.

lunch date with grandma hatfield.

beckham and baby chandler

lunch date with one of the men in my life.

this girl lived in the pool.
 

i loved living so close to one of my best friends after these years apart.
we have been friends since I was 17 and I absolutely love her.

once i discovered that carls jr. had strawberry fanta, i was a regular.

 

lunch with one of my best friends.  i hate living so far from her...
but every time we are
together it's like we have never been apart.

on a 'troll hunt' with uncle matt on our road trip to utah.

road trip.



bike ride.

chandler girl.

watching fireworks in logan, utah.

I got to spend every day with little Grace while we were living in Idaho.  She would come sit out by the pool with me and would sneak into our bed in the mornings and lay her little head on my feet under the covers.  I am so glad for the time I had with her this summer.  I've missed her terribly these last few years.
She died a few weeks ago from a massive heart attack. 

After returning home from Idaho, we spent every. single. day at the park.
Often in the company of these hooligans:

 

harper's mad photography skills.
and some random man's crotch.

Because the weather was divine and it wore the kids out and I knew that soon the rain would come and I would despise life every day for the next 10 months...but who's counting?!
I digress. 
One of our first days back at the park, Dawson was riding his bike on the skateboard park and was flattened by a GROWN man, also on a bicycle.  He ended up with a dislocated finger, lots of cuts and bruises, and a broken middle finger.  He was wearing a helmet, luckily:

looking completely stoned after his hospital visit.

I finally joined every other Oregonian and got Toms.  I'm official:

We made a trip to Lincoln City with the Conklin family.  I look forward to our week there every year. 

newport

lincoln city

The kids started school in September. 
All three of them. 
That means that every Tuesday and Thursday I have 2 glorious child-free hours. 
Holla.

Dawson started morning Kindergarten:

Harper is going full days at an art based preschool:

And I think she always looks so cute that most days I make her stop for a picture. 
Yep, I'm that mom.

she looks like she escaped from the set of Blossom.

Beckham is in preschool, the same school Dawson and Harper both attended:

We spent almost every happy hour at Sonic.  We LOVE it there and LOVE having one so close:

One weekend we made an impromptu trip to Tillamook:

there was a couple wearing backpacks and matching mullets.  rad.

mo's.

We added another baby to the Conklin side of the family.  Liam Wallace Doherty was born to my sister Jennifer.  He's so cute and I am dying to meet him.  We already love him.



isn't he tiny?  10 lb 6 oz people.  one word: ouch.
and also, my sister is amazing.
 

My sister Betsy and niece Chandler made the trip from Utah and stayed with us for a whole week.  It was a blast.  I wish all my sisters could live here.

chandler is scared.  for obvious reasons.

farmers market with the kids.

ice cream at scotties.



chandler: 'shopping is so boring...i have resorted to eating my own hands.'

We made a trip to Seaside while Betsy and Chandler were here.

cozy.  especially for betsy.

 

beckham was thrilled.
clearly.

taffy shop.

carosel ride

someone was too scared.  i don't blame him...humongous plastic animals? 

And we took some pictures on the boardwalk. 

It was a lovely day at the beach and a lovely week with family.

While writing this speed blog (with 97 pictures), I have been thinking about how fast the time is passing by.  I just know that the next time I blink too long, our time here in Oregon will be over. 
Dylan is 1/2 way done with his final year in Optometry school.  We should know by Spring where we'll be moving with the Air Force and where our next adventure will take us. 
I am praying for somewhere dry.
And sunny. 

But these last 3.5 years have taught me that even if it rains 10 months of the year, even if we live in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere USA, and even if we are way too far from family...
We will be fine. 
And we'll learn to love it. 
And will probably even be a little sad when it is over. 


xo,
tracy

september 11

September 11th has special meaning in more than one way for me.

It is the day we mourn the loss of so many lives and remember how we came together as individuals, communities, and as a nation.  It is a time for us to reflect on our feelings from that cool Autumn morning and the chill that we felt as we watched the crumbling of the towers.  An opportunity to pay tribute in our own way to the men and women who cleaned up the destruction and slowly pieced back together a strong hope in the hearts of the American people.

 
A day to remember.

It is also the day in my life 7 years ago, that I accepted a proposal from this guy:

yes, he actually wore 'hooters' shirts frequently.

It is the day that marked the beginning of a new time in my life; A time free of past pain and insecurity, full of happiness and growing.  It is a day when I reflect on my feelings during that freezing hike to Mesa Falls where I stood stunned and surprised, but sure and content.

mesa falls

It provides an opportunity to reflect on the kids we were then...

right after i said 'yes.'

...and the family we have become. 

A day that changed my life forever.

If I could revisit that cold Autumn day and hear those sweet promises of love and commitment whispered to me again, I would say yes a million times over. 

I will always hold September 11th as a special day in my life.
A day to remember.

xo,
tracy

birthday boy

Last week we celebrated 3 years with this little guy:

The last couple years have been a whirlwind.  We moved to a new state, finished years 5, 6, and 7 of school for Dylan, moved 4 times, and somehow now have 3 school aged kids.
But even with all the adjustments and distractions, we have enjoyed every single minute that Beckham has been in our family.
That's not an exaggeration.
We think he is the funniest, cutest, most special little person.

Even though the thought of him growing up breaks my heart a little (or a lot... I might have even cried last week while watching Glee...Quinn was giving birth and it made me reminisce a bit) there are a few things that make me smile and I hope I never forget:

-He is very athletic.  Watch out Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, and all the greats.  This boy loves all sports...bowling, golf, baseball, football, basketball...anything ball. 
He's going to be a star.

-Beckham adores all bugs.  He spends as much time as I'll let him out on the front porch searching for 'lagy bugs' and it is the sweetest thing.  Until I find Ziploc bags full of corpses all over the house or wake up to find a spotted friend crawling on my arm. 
Not sweet. 

-Worst.  Sleeper.  Ever. 
Still doesn't sleep.  At night that is. 

-Favorite foods include tomatoes, milk, cucumbers, celery, jerky, almonds, and carrots.  And ALL junk food...he is my son after all.

-If he could pick anywhere to live, it would be a nudist colony.  He does not believe in clothes.  And is naked most of the time.
This is a teeny tiny portion of the naked pictures I have of this kid.
Teeny tiny,  people.

-He is a handful.
And is a boy.
Dangerous combination.

-He loves his best friend Luke.

august 2012

When I was in labor with Beckham, Dylan was already living in Oregon, so I knew the journey would be mine alone. 

hello, heffer.

It felt a little strange to be alone, but as I laid there in that hospital room and prepared to make room in my life heart for another little spirit, I cherished that time alone....thinking about how he would look and what his personality would be like.
He entered this world quickly and quietly.

i love my double chin in this picture.
awesome.

first picture

I soon realized that the space I made for him in my life was not nearly big enough for the laughter, personality, humor, and love he would bring.

1 yr

2 yr

3 yr

We love you Beckham and we're so grateful you are in our family.  Happy happy birthday!

xo,

Mommy