This Abundant Life

Tania's choir at the baseball game!

My sweet girl Tania sang with her choir last week at a Beavers baseball game. Here are some photos that I took at the game. Video is at the end.

Talula avoiding the Oregon Duck:

 

Tania and the choir getting ready to sing. Tania is all the way on the left:

  

Talula, waiting for the action to start:

 

Joey making Dad-talk:

 

Tania and friends, harrassing the Beaver:

 

Daddy and Lu, watching the game:

 

And here is the video. Sorry for the low resolution, but isn't their signing so cute? I cried.

Been a long time...lots o' photos

It's been a long time, so for the sake of the family who haven't seen us for a while, I thought I'd post some photos.

The girls, painting:

 

Holly found the perfect little bed:

 

Lu painting:

 

Lu wearing a vintage dress and Daddy's old shoes, doing dance moves:

 

Beautiful Tania:

 

Tania continually amazes me. She has so much in her that I never had as a kid. She's so driven and determined. She just started playing tetherball this year and has gotten really great at it! She's even beaten Joey at it, which I can't do, since he's 6'6" and all. Here she is, kickin' A and takin' names:

 

Litle Lu at the playground, wearing Tania's old dress:

 

Lu playing with a dandelion:

 

My mom and the girls on a hike:

 

Us, on a hike at the arboretum trail in Forest Park:

 

Joey and Lu:

 

The girls by a pond on the trail:

 

Easter:

 

Daddy pushing Lu on the swings:

 

At Momshop, manning our booth and doing origami:

 

Momshop, with crowns:

 

The best part about Momshop was that it was at Oaks Amusement Park, so the kids got to go on rides afterward:

 

 

 

 

Eating ice cream downtown:

 

At home in our front lawn. Is there anything better than this?

 

Hope everyone is having a great springtime! We are loving the periods of sunshine. They make the rain so much more tolerable.

Much love,

Candice

Photos from our photo shoot!

by Amy Crawford Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kitty-Cats

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

Beautiful sunny day!

 

 

 

 

Phoenix & Sedona

We got back from our annual trip to Phoenix on Wednesday.  It was fun, relaxing, and too short.

You may have already heard that on the flight over, I noticed that Lu had a tooth abscess.  It was quite a scene on New Year's Eve at 10:00 p.m., trying to get a hold of her dentist, get antibiotics, and feel OK about it all.  Luckily, Devon, Joey's sister, is a pharmacy tech and was able to hook it up.  It all worked out.

The first morning that we were there, we had Christmas, Part Deux.  It was actually a lot bigger than our actual Christmas!  Joey's family loves shopping for the girls, and we were all very spoiled.

Here are Grammy Glo and Lu (in her new monkey jammies that they bought for her).

 

Here are Joey's sister Devon (looking adorable, even though we just woke up!), his brother Quinn, and Tania.

 

Here are Quinn and Tania, sans the bright sun killing the photo.

 

Joey, doing karate moves.

 

Tania is so pretty.  See how she's started the little stack behind her and she's quickly moved on to the next gift? 

 

Little Lu is obsessed with "Hantana," so they got her a little Hannah Montana doll set.

 

Tania is obsessed with Littlest Pet Shop, so they got her this.

 

Another day, we went on the lightrail to Tempe and had lunch and walked around.  Here's Lu in the cart at the store.

 

Here are some photos from the restaurant we ate at (Gordon Biersch, which we ate at all the time in Hawaii).

 

   

   

Another night, I was on a quest to find out if they had good beer in Phoenix.  It's the Portland snob in me.  I can't help it.  Indeed, we found the Sonora Brewhouse!  Yay!  Great beer, OK atmosphere.  Kind of a jock vibe in the brewery, but they had an outside are with outdoor heaters.  Hooray!

 

Another day, we went to Sedona, which I lovvvvve.  I swear to you right now, next year, Joey and I will stay at one of their luxury resorts and do the whole spa thing and hike a lot.  I'm drooling just thinking about it.  Anyway, we went to see a psychic.  Tania and Devon got their readings.  Tania is such a sweetheart.  She asked the psychic if my business would be successful.  (She said yes!)  We also went to the Oak Creek Brewery, which I went to last year, and they have good beer, but their food is phenomenal as well!  It was a great day.

 

 

 

 

Another day, we went to the Mexican market.  Tania and Lu had to throw pennies in the fountain.

 

Chicharonis!  (sp?)  Giant ones!

 

Tortilla machine.

 

Ha ha...fud. 

 

Ground pork.

 

Vegetarian friends should thank me.  I have a photo of a cow head and chicken feet.  I'll save those for my broth blog.

And, since we've been home, I've been scrambling to get my seminar ready and everyone signed up.  I hired someone to handle some of the stuff like that.  It feels so good to have some help.  I've also been planning, planning, planning for this year.  It's going to be an amazing year.  I've also started a new blog.  Yes, I'm very schizo with all of my blogs, aren't I?  I feel like I'm starting a new chapter.  I want to keep this blog for photos and family stuff.  If you want, join me at my Beatrix McQueen blog.  She's my alter ego, and we're actually becoming the same person.  Join me on my journey.  Learn with me.

To your family's health and prosperity,

Candice

Quickie Christmas post before I jet off to Phoenix!

Today is my and Joey's anniversary!  We are flying to Phoenix tonight to spend time with his side of the family.  It's become sort of a tradition.  We eat sushi at the airport and love the idea of being up in the sky on our special day.  I thought I'd post some Christmas photos, since I won't be back until we're well into January.  We had a nice, relaxing, family-centered time. 

Christmas Eve day, sipping hot chocolate.  Can you see the snow out the window?  We had a white Christmas.

 

Making snow angels on Christmas Eve.

 

We had a spectacular Christmas Eve feast, but I don't have photos, except for the perfect turkey I made, but I don't want to upset any of my vegetarian friends.

Christmas morning, opening presents.

 

A couple of days after Christmas, we decided to go to the Children's Museum.  The girls in their cute outfits.  BTW, thos shoes Lu is wearing used to be Joey's when he was a youngun'.

 

Hey, that looks like Granddad's tractor! 

 

Playing with clay.

 

Playing in the kitchen and grocery store.

 

Brushing the croc's teeth.

 

Happy New Year to everyone!  I have so many New Year's resolutions, and I'll have to write a post about that later.  I am going about achieving my goals in an entirely new way!  I'm so excited!

To your abundant life,

Candice

Winter festivities - snowin' like nobody's business!

It's been snowing like a mofo!

 

 

 

But we have had a cozy house to retreat in:

 

 

And comfort stew to eat:

 

And how can you be cold and sad with cute girls skipping around the house:

 

 

Little pixies that bake Christmas cookies:

 

 

And love their Solstice gifts:

 

 

And a handsome man:

 

And games:

 

And snacks:

 

And beauty:

 

And friends:

 

And then, there was snow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And it's still snowing!  To get a little perspective on this, it's about wasit-high on Talula and about knee-high on me.  There are some crazy people driving, but as you can see, our cars are buried and not 4WD, and we don't have chains, so we are strictly homebound, on foot, or by bus.  (Thank you, Tri-Met!  I freaking love you!)  Today, we caught the bus to New Seasons, because I had to pick up a turkey that I'm roasting for Christmas Eve dinner.  It was quite an adventure.  We all had to bundle up and trek to the bus stop, which wasn't going the full route, so we had to go the rest of the journey by foot.  On the way home with all the groceries, we almost missed the last bus but ran with a turkey, and baby, and a backpack of groceries to the kind bus driver who waited for us.  Still, so much fun!

We had a Winter Solstice celebration on Sunday and had some of best friends stay with us.  They got snowed in and had to stay the night.  It was nice to be with such good friends and have such good food.  We sat around the fire and talked about the good things that happened in the past year, the bad feelings we want to leave behind, and the wishes and anticipation we have for the coming year.  It was such a wonderful time.

I think that we are snowed in until the end of the week!  I kind of love the anarchy feel to it - people skiing down the street, businesses closed, families having fun together.  It's kind of hard to work though!

Well, Happy Holidays to you and your family! 

Wishing you abundance and joy,

Candice

Heartbreaking story - if you're in VA you could help keep a family together!

Hello friends,

This is a long and complicated story, and I'll provide the links to the story, but here's the cliff's notes:

A woman that I know here in Portland, named Stephanie, has had her two younger brothers and sister living with her for the past two years.  Their parents neglected and abused them, and have severe drug problems.  (Stephanie actually left home at age 14 and worked very hard to be able to get the kids once she turned 18.)  The poor kids needed huge amounts of love and therapy to heal, and Stephanie has poured her heart and soul into these kids.  (She also has a young son of her own.)  By this time, the kids have a team of supporters rallying around them and they are thriving.  Stephanie has gotten them into a therapeutic private school, where the owners and administrators have taken a personal interest in these kids' healing process.  They are happy and love their family and community.

Now, the state of Virginia (where the case was opened and the parents may reside) want to take the younger two, Conner and Tavvi, ages 12 and 9, back to VA and put them into separate foster homes JUST IN CASE the parents ever decide they want to start on their parenting plan and regain custody of the kids.  That's right, the parents have not started their parenting plans after two years and have expressed no interest in the kids. 

This decision has come out of nowhere and they plan to take the kids just before Christmas.  It has taken a lot for these kids to heal and they will be devastated if they are taken to live with strangers.

If you have any resources that can help this family, particularly legal resources in VA, please help!

Here are links to the stories and how you can help.

The story

Info about the abusive parents

To get a good idea of who this family is

DHS in Oregon opposes this action

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

Thanks so much,

Candice

Happy girls and snow!

I love watching my happy girls interact.

 

 

I also love that they'll eat spicy curry.

And guess what!  Snow!

 

 

 

 

 

Fun day!  Tania's school is closed and you have to have chains to drive on the freeway.  We're pretty much snowed in!  But it's so beautiful to look at.