Fischers' Four

BATTER UP!

2011-05-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

OK, I may be a bit biased here but...

aren't these just the CUTEST baseball players you've seen?!

This was the first year we had two ball players going at the same time. Kyle assistant coached Collin's team and coached Brody's team while I ran around shuttling, filling water bottles and snacks and trying to keep track of baseball hat and gloves. At this stage, it's a pretty short season and we've already wrapped up for the year. Thanks to Kyle (and his color coded schedule- ha!) for who goes where, what field, if we were scheduled to do the score book or bring snacks, the games and practices went smoothly (although a little more sunshine would have been appreciated!)

Collin enjoyed every minute of the camaraderie with his teammates and getting out there on the field. He had a great coach which helped grow him and his abilities. After a shaky start to hitting, Kyle had his right handed little man batting left handed and hitting the ball. Yes, his daddy that gloats about being a lefty was mighty proud. Great job, Collin!

Brody thrives in this atmosphere of sports and seemed right at home on the field. I imagine I have many of years sitting and cheering on this little man. All coaches were in agreement that he will get bumped up next year. Way to go, Brody!!

Here are a few snapshots from the season...

Celebrate Good Times

2011-04-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

We couldn't be more proud of our little guys who have worked hard this year. We've plowed through materials and curriculum and have begun to wrap up a few. We pause to celebrate them!

Brody has mastered the ABC's; names, sounds and starting to blend together and begin reading. I have to say, one of my favorite parts of teaching in the classroom was taking children who didn't know how and teach them to read and write. I cannot tell you what a privilege it is to have the opportunity to do that with my own little guy. This little mama is tickled to see him so eager to learn and take initiative to master each new skill.

Brody got to choose what he wanted to do as his celebration and he wanted to eat out at Red Robin and watch the new movie HOP.

Cheers!! Well done little man!

The week following, Collin completed the entire set of readers for the year. Starting the year, this was NOT his favorite subject but has begun to fall in love with it. We added up all the pages he read independently and the grand total was over 1500 pages!

Collin is growing in so many ways but we wanted to make sure we take some time to enjoy this accomplishment. Swimming was his activity of choice. And thanks to Groupon, we bought their Clackamas Aquatic Park coupon already so we were good to go!

They were so worn out but had a BLAST...here is an "after" picture.

Awesome job Collin!

So blessed to have this teaching "job" and these darling boys! We are so proud of them!

Ahhh, Life With Boys #6

2011-04-04T20:37:00.001-07:00

We are "traveling" around the world giving this curriculum a whirl. When we found ourselves knee deep in Italy. Europe, in general, makes my heart beat a little faster and add my bit of Italian heritage and I'm hooked. But what caught my boys attention out of all of it, you ask?

It wasn't testing out Michealangilo's upside down painting methods or being exposed to great works of art like the statue of David (although many giggles were had when they realized the dude was naked). It wasn't paying a fortune for imported goods to create an authentic Italian feast for the family. It wasn't using new materials and creating a replica of the Roman Coloseeum (although their lego men DID enjoy being gladiators for the day).

Nope...a little clay volcano was their height of interest. After learning about Mt. Versuvius and it's explosion over Pompeii, I mentioned as a side note that we would give our modeling clay volcanoes a shot at exploding on Friday after they had time to dry. EVERY DAY, little hands tested those volcanoes, eyes inspected, pitiful pleas were heard to give them a try just a little early.

It was torture but Friday finally came...

Ahhh, Life With Boys!

Project Simplify: Hot Spot #1

2011-03-10T16:45:00.000-08:00

I am linking up to a great blog I love to follow called Simple Mom . Over the next few weeks, she has encouraged others to take on different "hot spots" in our home that need decluttering, cleaning and organizing. Click the link on the right if you want to know more about it and join in.

I was MORTIFIED when I saw what the first hot spot was going to be. I would have been fine if I had to show you a picture of my counter tops, desk, entry, cabinets, etc but my WARDROBE....UGH! It is in dire need of some attention. You may never look at me the same! :)

Here it goes - the before picture

Okay, now that the secret is out that I'm not the tidy one in the family, i humbly went to work not leaving a single item unturned.

Here's my proof:

I went through her strict criteria to determine what I needed to toss, sell/donate or keep. I cringe seeing all those clothes in good condition sitting in my "donate" pile (see below). My idea of a good time is NOT clothes shopping. I'm never the size I want to be, it always costs more than i want to spend, and at the end of the day I'd much rather buy something for my boys than me! Pitching the clothes makes me take a hard look at what is really in there! Many of these clothes hadn't been worn in years! If I was being honest, it was long overdue for them to go. I have to say, after they were gone, it felt great!

An unexpected perk was I solved the mystery of why i never have enough hangers to hang up our laundry...they MAY have been in the back of the closet (and that was only MY side **ha**)

The after shot:

Hot spot #1 conquered!! Stay tuned next Friday for hot spot #2 before and after!

Ahh, Life With Boys #5

2011-03-08T20:21:00.000-08:00

In the madness of the morning of school projects...Brody and Mama are busy sifting through various letters and their sounds when they finish on the letter which is the focus for the week...the letter U.

Brody points out some pictures that match to the sound while Mama nods in encouragement.

Even though Mama KNOWS she will lose her little men's concentration in seconds, she can't help herself. She leans over with a twinkle in her eye and whispers...

"You know what else the letter U starts?"

Suddenly both boys stop; curious by the hushed tones.

Mama leans in the as if to reveal the most tight kept secret of all time...

"Underwear"

Belly laughs and squeals fill the room and all learning is lost for the moment.

One simple word...so hilarious!

Ahhhh, life with boys!

Big Changes

2011-03-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

Announcing a first in the Fischer house...

After years of working in an office building, sharpening his talents, and carving out a career and name for himself...

Kyle recently took a new job that not only has tremendous potential for career growth but also will allow him to work from home.

We are very proud of him!! (notice his press release below)

Life looks a little different around here now. We've been painting, reorganizing, and preparing the way for this new adventure.

There are not many people we would willingly give our school room up for but we kind of like having the big guy around.

What used to look like this...

Now looks like this...fully equipped with the essential candy bowl that was the highlight of when the boys came to visit daddy's office! Collin made sure to get it stocked for him.

After trying to shove our school supplies into a closet with no success...

We were FORCED :-) to go on an IKEA spree and came up with this solution. It works out perfect except for the aching back Kyle had after hours of assembling (thanks, K!). What do you think?

We are all working from home now... in different avenues but as a unit.
What an exciting season of life!

Check Out The Press Release About Kyle's New Position:

Taylor Brands Appoints Director of Product SportsOneSource
Media Posted: 3/1/2011 Taylor Brands, the maker of
cutlery products, announced that Kyle Fischer has been appointed director of
product. Fischer was most recently category manager-tools for Fiskars
Outdoors-Gerber Legendary Blades.Taylor Brands makes cutlery products under the
Schrade, Uncle Henry, Old Timer, Smith & Wesson, U.S. Army, Boy Scouts of
America, and Primo's names.He has also held senior level positions at Scott's
Miracle-Grow and The Garden Grow company. Fischer will oversee the development
and execution of various product lines for Taylor. In addition to this he will
lead product strategies and a robust consumer research initiative. Fischer
will report to Jody Agnew, Vice President of Sales. "Taylor Brands LLC
continues to invest in our business and in our great retail partners," said
Agnew. "Kyle has a broad background that ranges from forecasting, supply chain /
manufacturing management, product development, and marketing. He has an amazing
attention to detail and the ability to make rational decisions while always
keeping the end consumer in mind. These skills will not only help our
organization internally-it will prove invaluable while planning our continued
growth with our customers' business."

http://www.sportsonesource.com/index.asp

Love is...

2011-02-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

... a Lego heart built by an 8 year old little boy!

Happy Belated Valentines Day

Calling All Readers...

2011-01-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

Hello???

Anyone still out there?!

Where does the time go! I am excited to say, that despite the craziness of life, I think I have found some time to write. And, oh, have I missed it. I love to write. It may be random, but look out baby, I'm coming back into the blogging world! Stay tuned! More posts to come!

In the meantime...a random picture of us exploring Fort Stevens.

It was raining...shocking, i know! :)

Guest Post

2010-09-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hey friends! You'll find me over at this great blog called, Simple Homeschool today...I am excited to have my very first guest post! Let me know what you think!

Kick off...school year 2010-2011

2010-08-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

Fresh crayons, markers and glue are all stocked and ready at hand. The school room has been reorganized and cleaned. New curriculum, fresh paper, and sharpened pencils stacked and ready. All signs...it's time to kick off another school year!

We learned so much, academically and about each other, last year! Although I wish I could have written a bit more about the journey it felt very much like my first year of teaching all over again. Learning new curriculum, keeping the home going, juggling the needs of both kids and adjusting for the kids of "mom" putting on the new hat as full time "teacher" was a sharp learning curve for all. To be perfectly honest, some days were ugly. There were also days when I stepped back and said, this is the greatest job ever! Overall, I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to home school. It's working for us now and we're going to run with it for another year. I'm excited to present some new materials and plans for Brody and Collin that have been in the works for the last few months.

Let the learning begin!

Ahhh, Life With Boys 4

2010-07-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's those panicked words, coming from the backseat, that will quicken any mothers heart;

"MOM, I HAVE TO GO POTTY!!!"

It's at those moments that I am so pleased to be a mama of two boys! Yes, we've graced the road sides from Portland to Salem making other travelers chuckle as they witness the little guys aim for trees, bushes and grass! So if you see a bush that is particularly thriving, you can thank our little Fischer boys for their contribution...

Ahhhh, life with boys!

Tropical Getaway

2010-06-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Right in the middle of our torrential rain pour we had here in June, Kyle and I got to sneak away to our little island adventure. Thanks to our family and friends who had the kids for a week, we got to sit in the sun, relax and reconnect. We feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.

Healthy living has been a focus for us this year. We are working on making it a lifestyle and have been keeping each other accountable by racing each other to 100 days of exercise. That's right, i said 100 days people!! We celebrated our first day there by running workout 100 on the beaches of Hawaii. That works out to exercising 4 - 5 days a week since January. I understand, to some people that's no big deal but it was a change for me in consistency and purpose in this area. Can't say it was easy but I can say that I feel like I am in a good routine. I have more energy, toning up, eating better and can even celebrate a good burn during a workout. We tried to fit in some exercise most day in Hawaii which I was game for since it often ended in a trip to Starbucks on the way back to the condo! :)

We didn't do too many tourist things this time. We did head to the Haleakala and hiked into the crater to the first cinder cone. At 10,000 feet, it definitely takes your breath away, literally! It was quite a hike, sandy and steep! If you are looking for a workout to work your back end...this is it folks!

The rest of the time you'd mostly find us laying on the beach, snorkeling, or enjoying some great dinners out.

Here is a picture of one of the five sea turtles that showed up every evening outside of our condo and a view from outside of our lanai. We went snorkeling out in front of our condos to try and find the sea turtles one morning but came up short. The next day we met another couple who said sea turtles are a favorite food of Tiger sharks. We decided we didn't need to see them up close! :)

Snorkeling with my handsome man!

Mahi Mahi...YUM!

Mahalo, Maui!

Mama Milestones

2010-04-28T09:00:00.001-07:00

I fell in love with the crib the moment I laid eyes on it...dark cherry colored, beautiful thick slats, something of high beauty and quality...yes, that would only be right for my precious first born.

7 years later...Brody's little toes reach the end of the crib turned daybed/toddler bed and he was eager for his first big boy bed. I hunted down bunk beds and last night you should have felt the buzz in the air...the bunk beds were going up and the boys could hardly stand the wait. Oh, they were so excited!

As we cleared the room it was time for the crib to get broken down. It wasn't until that last screw was taken out and I crumbled into tears in Kyle's arms that it hit me - this marked an end of a season of life. Little hands and feet have grown, they are full of life and adventure and my role as a mother has morphed into something new...and my heart breaks just a little bit letting that go. It's a mama milestone.

It's a milestone for the boys too! They think their room is the coolest now...who can resist these smiles!

Ahhh, Life With Boys (3)

2010-01-11T16:32:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, one of our sweet aunts gave Collin a box of experiments to do. He was thrilled. First and foremost, he pursued what they called "Sea Monsters".
It hatched...it's disgusting...and thriving!
Looked on the Internet today to find out how long I have to look at this thing in my kitchen window...
Triops have a relatively short lifespan of 20 to 90 days and grow quickly to their adult length of one to three inches. How large they grow depends on the amount of light and food they receive. After hatching, they often double in size daily!
3 INCHES...90 DAYS....DOUBLE IN SIZE DAILY!!!!!

Ahhhh, Life With Boys!

Ahhh, Life With Boys (2)

2009-12-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

What does it mean when ... in between trying to break up the beating your sons are inflicting on each other with rolls of wrapping paper you are purchasing, the gentleman in front of you repeatedly offers, or rather, insists you go ahead of him because "he's in no hurry".

Ahhhh, life with boys!

Whirlwind of Activity

2009-12-30T20:40:00.000-08:00

Quite honestly, I've fallen way behind in this blog and don't even know where to begin. Between homeschooling, two boys, house, holidays and surgery, sadly, the blog was last priority. So in an effort to bridge the gap here are a few snapshots. What is the saying? A picture is worth a thousands words? Hope so! Here's a quick run down of the last month (or two).

We've been...

Celebrating, Kyle's birthday. Happy Birthday Kyle!

Losing teeth. Looking good, Collin!

Celebrating 11 years of marriage!

Watching our little muscian's first piano recital.

Reaching out to others during the holidays with our Samaritan's Purse shoebox.

Christmas fun!

Girls weekend full of laughter to San Fran with my good friend Angela. Hello Ghirdelli Square!

Off to get a Christmas tree with a surprise visit with Santa.

Playing in the snow!

I hope your winter season has been full of memories too!

Surgery

2009-12-30T20:07:00.000-08:00

This post is entirely too long overdue but not one that I could just pass on because there is so many blessings to tell.

For as long as I can remember, I have had pain in my lower abdomen and back. There were many triggers that brought on the pain; stress, cold, fatty foods, exercise...or simply nothing! While some weeks were a pain that was manageable and could push through, as the month went on, the level of pain was intensified. It was a pain that was comparable to my active back labor during childbirth and would last for about 15 - 20 minutes before it was over. This would happen multiple times through out the day and night. I could count on about 10 days with no pain in the month and my pregnancies were completely pain free as well. The was pain was intimately intertwined in every aspect of my life as well as my families.

I've had many visits to the doctor - followed up with many pills and shots that I have tried over the years. There was no success for my tired body at the end of the day. With the decision that we were done having children, I decided it was time for surgery.

With a recent switch to a new doctor I felt the confidence to do exploratory surgery. We had speculated over the years we were dealing with endometriosis but had nothing definitive. The surgery was over in a short time after finding fibroid all over the inside and outside of my uterus and the decision to have a follow up surgery including a hysterectomy was apparently clear.

My procedure was referred to the chief regional laproscopic surgeon who accepted the challenge and by his side another experienced doctor to assist. God graced me with talented doctors and wise advise along the way - not to mention my hubs that sat through several doctor appts along the way for support.

I cannot even begin to convey my excitement when I say, I do not have my pain. My hysterectomy was done lapriscopic and went off without a hitch. My healing has been quick. God has been so good in paving this road for me and the support that I have received. Where to start...

an army of people praying for me
my hubs who managed the home front, meals, children, stocked me up with magazines, coffee and love
friends and family that made meals - not kidding, i didn't have to cook for 3 weeks with all the food I recieved. Even a full out Thanksgiving dinner that was prepared for us from the Turkey to the pie and everything in between! Thanks Stearns family!
Grandmas to entertain and playdates with friends
cards
help cleaning the house
lattes delivered
"Joy" box with encouraging packages for different days through out the recovery

The list goes on! I am so humbled by the love that was shown me. Praise God for the outcome! Thank you everyone!

Christmas Newsletter 2009

2009-12-08T19:12:00.001-08:00

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

We hope to find you and yours well this holiday season. It is such a treat this time of year to hear from friends and family. To hear where they are at, how their lives have grown and changed and appreciate what they bring to our lives. And so, we bring you a short little snippet of ours. We hope you enjoy!

As a family, we've stayed busy spending time out boating, church, hanging out with friends, Blazer games, Friday night pizza night or a quiet family game night. Kyle and I celebrated 10 years of being married and traveled to Maui for the first time to celebrate.

Kyle is at Gerber driving their tool business as their category manager. He’s managed to wrangled a crew from work and a few friends to create a basketball team and participate in a Portland league this year. He still loves his sports in any shape or form he can get it – even by coaching Collin’s T-ball team. He has made fitness a priority this year and even ran in his first marathon.

I stay busy on the home front. It has been a delight putting my teaching hat on again, as I've begun homeschooling Collin and Brody. It has been a journey of learning for all of us but such a treat. After many years of dealing with pain, I had two surgeries this year to correct the problem and am working on recovery now. I've been blessed by so many helping hands through the recovery. So far, by God's grace and the use of a talented doctor, my old pain hasn't resurfaced. I'm all the more equipt now to keep up with these busy boys of mine!

Collin is growing in all sorts of ways this year. Above all else, he delights in Legos. He’s got an incredibly creative mind and is constantly coming up with a new Lego creation. Math is his favorite subject and quick learner over all. He’s on his second year of piano and participated in his first piano recital this year. Collin has also been busy with swimming, science class, basketball but especially loves just being home and wrestling with his little brother.

Brody is our little athlete. Every morning, he wants his favorite outfit of shorts and his Blazer jersey to get started on shooting hoops. He’s conquering potty training right now (so if our bathroom looks like a circus with prizes hanging from the ceiling, books, candy bribery, fancy potty seats and the sorts – you’ll know why) and working on beating a binki (pacifier) habit. All in a long hard days work!The excitement is building in our house for the big day of presents and food. The boys completely get the holiday now and you can feel the buzz all around you as they eye the gifts (or give them a little shake) all the while planning for the big day. In the midst of it all, we continue to quiet our hearts and enjoy the season for what it's all about - the gift of Jesus Christ. We wish you a time of reflection, family and fun this Christmas.

Much love,

The Fischers

Kyle, Anne, Collin &Brody

FREE

2009-11-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

This is almost too good to be true! If you are getting ready to order your photo Christmas cards this is your chance to get 50 free...free shipping too!!

Go check it out here! It works. I just ordered mine.

Happy shopping!

Autumn Is In The Air

2009-10-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

We've been busy visiting the pumpkin patch, making apple turnovers and pumpkin pie, creating costumes and carving pumpkins.

Fall is my favorite season!

Life With Boys (1)

2009-10-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

Only boys can turn finding three flies roaming the house into a full blown hunting expedition - including multiple nerf guns, rapid fire, sneak attacks and karate moves!
It was a sad scenerio for the poor flies but the boys triumphed!
2 down....1 to go!

Ahh...life with boys!

"Fischer"men

2009-10-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't be right to move on from summer without mentioning our Fall Salmon fishing. Kyle took a better part of two weeks to go fishing up with the Thomas clan and friends. This is a time of year that Kyle (all of us) look forward to through out the year. Our extended family, the Thomas clan, not only let our Fischer family bombard Camp Chinook but have welcomed friends, fed us, taught us, shared their secret potion...pretty much completely spoiled us! Now if that isn't family, I don't know what is!

Here are a few snapshots from this years adventures:

The boys were so excited to give the fish a bonk.

Lovin life on the boat.

Our catch!I was taught by the masters how to fillet a fish.

Of course the teacher in me couldn't let the opportunity go without taking the boys out to Bonneville Dam and fish hatchery to follow up the fishing season. It was a fantastic field trip - would recommend it! Don't forget to hit the little icecream stand by cascade locks while you are out there!

Welcome to 1st Grade

2009-10-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

We have a bit of an announcement this year. We are (drum roll please)....

Homeschooling!

It has been quite a journey that has led us here. After much consideration and prayer, Kyle and I have decided to give it a try. We've collected some great curriculums and have jumped in with two feet. It is fun to take out my fun teacher materials from boxes and put it to work. It's a bonus to have a licensed teacher in the house!

It's a quick trip down the hall to school.

We are off on this grand adventure! Let the learning begin!

Oye!

2009-09-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

There have been so many things that have been going on in the Fischer household. I can't wait to update all soon. But right now, I'm trying to tackle the laundry! Oye!

Stay tuned...good things to come!

Beating the Habit

2009-08-18T13:44:00.001-07:00

A neighbor stopped by today and we chatted at the door for ten minutes. Who knew how productive a 3 year old can be in ten minutes when you take:

3 SEALED packages of gum

1 gum chewing obsessed preschooler

and a distracted mom...

Here is the damage

All three packages skillfully opened and dismantled through out my car

5 pieces of partially chewed gum
another piece shoved quickly into his mouth when he saw me!!

These boys will keep me on my toes! Although to his credit, he is trying to break a nasty binki habit and a little gum chewing has proven to fill the void during a sensitive transition time! ;)

So instead of getting pictures that look like this:

We are starting to get more pictures that look like this:

Keep at it little man! We love the smile! Just take it easy on the gum!

Cousins & Cottage Grove

2009-08-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

Kyle and I had the opportunity to whisk our little nephew away with us camping this last weekend at Cottage Grove. Collin was ecstatic as his cousin is just a year ahead of him and just the right age to camp with. The boys got their own tent and spent ever ounce of energy during the day trying to out do the other on the water.

A look out at the reservoir at the campground

Picture of the boys. Sadly, it was just before this picture that poor Brody got his fourth - yes, i said fourth, bee sting of the trip.

Hit it!

Surfin' Dudes

Jumping competition ...canon balls, belly flops, biggest splash!

Boys were back on the water the next morning by 10am before we left!

Another great summer adventure!

Beating the Heat

2009-07-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to say, I am a complete wimp when it comes to the heat. I prefer to go from one air conditioned place to the next. The boys, however, don't see the fun in sitting around reading a book while being calm and quiet in an air conditioned house. So, here's how we beat the heat! How about you?

Blowing Off Steam

2009-07-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

One thing that I have always done when Kyle is off on a business trip that is a week or longer is take on a project. It makes the time go by all that much quicker and it's fun to surprise the hubby when he gets home. Usually it's a larger project that I work on through out the week. This trip I have a lot of projects that have added up over time that I am trying to knock off one by one.

Tonight...Steam cleaning the carpets!!

I get entirely too giddy about clean carpets. What can I say, I have two boys and cream carpet. I have to enjoy those few minutes that they are clean!!

Beach Bums

2009-07-20T20:49:00.001-07:00

The hubby is out of town on business for the week and the boys and I are on our own. So, we hit the beach for the day to escape the heat...boy, did we do that! Notice the coats? It was cold! We had some great fun though and we're blessed with some sunshine towards the end of our day.

We had a great day! But the boys and I would always love to have our favorite man there. Here is to you daddy...

We miss you!

Stars & Stripes

2009-07-06T16:35:00.001-07:00

A snapshot of our 4th...

St. Paul Rodeo - we enjoyed the morning with our friends at the St. Paul Rodeo. The boys seemed had fun but were most enthused about the poop everywhere. Ahhh, life with boys.

We watched the fireworks on the Willamette in Portland. Collin wasn't so sure about the fireworks as he huddled behind the glass to watch the show. Brody just nestled into mom and soaked it all in.

Happy 4th of July!

Lemonade Stand (part 2)

2009-07-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

We had two very successful days of business at the "Lemonade Head". We made our lemonade, arranged our cookies, set up the signs and cooler and opened for business. We had many kind friends and neighbors that came to support our little entrepreneur.

It was a fun day...but for mom, a bit exhausting! Kyle was my hero when he walked through the door with this at the end of the day....

Man, I love that guy!

The next day, we head to Kyle's work at Gerber Legendary Blades where we were requested to do a delivery. We already had an order for a half gallon of lemonade and a dozen cookies (Thanks, Jim!) along with a few other orders. We came with a pretty good supply but sold out quickly. As always, we were completely spoiled by everyone who came and let Collin ring them up at the cash register and was introduced to the concept of a tip. Collin was presented with his very own logo put on stickers for his cups and cookies (Bill and Erika, thank you!) so now he can make "thousands of dollars".

Overall, he learned a lot and we had a great time working together as a family and making his Lemonade Head business into a reality. He's putting some money into savings but was able to spend some on a Lego set. He spent a weekend pouring through the Lego catalog trying to figure out which one it would be and here it is.

Way to go buddy! We are so proud of you!

Lemonade Stand (part 1)

2009-07-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

For months, Collin has been talking about his lemonade stand that he planned to do during the summer time. He has schemed about what he is going to sell and working through the design in his head piece by piece. This week we put it all into action.

Step 1:

The sign - He came up with the name himself! He thought $10 might be a good price for a cup of lemonade but we talked him down a bit.

Step 2:

The Money: It was a great review of money for us. We put in a "bank" so that he can have change for customers. We did many practice sessions on different scenarios that he will need to provide change for. Ahhhh, the teacher in me loves the mini math lesson! ;)

Step 3:

The supplies: We made some cookies and took a trip to the store to gather our lemonade supplies.

Step 4:

The stand: Collin had some grand ideas about what his stand was going to look like. He went on and on to Kyle about this elaborate wooden stand with shelves on either side that they needed to build. Kyle and I just looked at each other and smiled as $$$ flashed before our eyes. The guys brainstormed for a while and came up with this! Nice job guys! It's a winner!

We plan to set up shop today! So start digging in your pockets, under seats and the bottom of your purse and make your way to "Lemonade Head"! Two darling boys will be waiting for you with some refreshing lemonade and fresh baked cookies.

A walk on the Wildside

2009-06-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Father's day and Brody's birthday collided on the same weekend this year so we decided to take a mini adventure and hit Wildlife Safari and do a little camping to celebrate.

It was quite a drive with a lot of bathroom breaks (I clearly had a lapse in my motherhood judgement when i filled up their water bottles before leaving) but we made it.

I had the chance to test out some great camping products. Brunton just came out with this new propane coffee maker. It's awesome! For a gal who doesn't function until she gets a good cup of coffee...this totally made my camping trip!

The next day we drove to Winston to explore Wildlife Safari. It was great fun! We saw some cool animals.

Although some of the more wild, animal like behavior happened right in our car...

The day ended with lots of family memories and two tuckered out boys.

Happy Birthday Brody!

2009-06-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

Brody turns 3 on Sunday. We fudged a little on his birthday celebration since it lands on Father's Day this year and...well...he's too little and had no idea we moved the date. So, if you ask him, he's 3! Just don't ask him to show it to you - holding up 3 fingers is a tough thing to do for a little guy! The highlight of his birthday was his new bike. He loves it! You've never seen a daddy put one together as fast as Kyle when he had a little preschooler breathing down his neck! :)

He's so proud to be a big boy and join the club of neighborhood kids and their bikes! We love you Brody! Happy Birthday!!

Memorial Day

2009-05-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

We were invited to head up to Gig Harbor by Kyle's aunt, Dianne, this last weekend. We've graciously been extended that invitation over the years many times and can't get enough of the place. Thanks Dianne (or Dee-Dee as the boys would say)!! One of the best parts is the view you wake up to every morning...

We had some great family time just relaxing, laughing and playing together. We kept on the move most of the weekend with our two little guys in tow. We managed to fit a lot in:

Trips to the park to play baseball.

We checked out a little orienteering/safety festival in the town park where Collin got to see what it felt like to be "the bad guy".

My absolute favorite part was heading out on the kayaks. It was a treat for me. I've only been a few times but absolutely love kayaking. The boys did great and we even decided to do it a second time with them. Brody and I were followed by a curious baby seal that took a liking to us and following us through the harbor for a bit.

Kyle even got in a little extra by power washing the dock. And we were blessed by sunshine all weekend! We couldn't have asked for more!

T-Ball

2009-05-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

We are in the middle of t-ball season at the Fischer household.

"Golden" Child

2009-04-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

Once again, Collin unbelievably had another opportunity to grace the floor of the Rose Garden during a Blazer game. Idon't know what it is about my boys, they seem to find their way in the spotlight - but what can I say, i've got a household of handsome men on my hands. :)

As Kyle and Collin entered the Rose Garden for another Blazer game they were approached and asked to participate in a McDonald's tractor race between the second and third quarter. Collin soaked up the spotlight and sped off to win the race! We got McDonald's once a week FOR A YEAR!! (hmmm...yay?!)

Take a look...

Thank you Andrew for all the great pictures! I am so glad you had your camera that night!! Richard, you are so sweet to help us figure out the video piece!

Going Green

2009-04-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

My friend, Karen, came up with a great idea to grow grass in the Easter baskets this year instead of using the plastic stuff. I loved the idea! During Spring Break the boys and I planted some vegetables and our Easter baskets for neices and nephews.

Before:

After:

They turned out pretty cute!

Teacher Tip from Mrs. Fischer

2009-04-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

You can take me out of teaching but you just can't take the teacher out of me! I've been asked over the years by parents, little things to do on the side to help their child succeed in school. It's been on my mind for a while, so I am going to attempt to post on a regular basis some fun activities to add to your day that will help your child in various ways to grow. My expertise is in little guys. Keep in mind every child is at a different stage. These are activities that I've used, read or seen used through my time in the classroom. Most of these tips are to the credit of many of the amazing teachers I've had the opportunity to work with. Keep checking back!

Teacher Tip #1:

Don't' throw away those plastic Easter eggs and Easter egg grabbers after the holiday. Keep those eggs to float in a bathtub, sink of soapy water while you tidy the kitchen or nestle into a sandbox. Your child will work on building that eye hand coordination as well as fine motor development in those little fingers. This will aid them later in writing, drawing and cutting.

Have fun!

Collin's Big Surprise

2009-03-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

Collin lost his first tooth while we were gone! Unfortunately, he ate it at school with his lunch. So when we returned from our trip we wrote a note to the tooth fairy (see below). "I lost 1 tof" .....translation....I lost one tooth.

Collin woke up the next morning and the first thing out of his mouth was, "Well, the tooth fairy didn't leave me a $100 but he did leave me $1." Wow, where has the time gone?!

Aloha

2009-03-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

Aloha everyone! 10 years of marriage deserved a special celebration, we thought. We've been dreaming of this trip for years. So as I sit here and let my mind day dream back to the beaches and sunshine instead of cold rain, mahi mahi instead of PB & J and getting lost in my book instead of Go Diego Go (don't get me wrong, I LOVE my boys and I LOVE being a mom...but a trip to Hawaii with my man, bliss!) I share with you a bit of our trip in no order what so ever:

We spent the second night in Maui at a Luau. It was great fun ending with a fire and knife dancer. We ate food we've never dared dream of with it's many courses that went through the history of four islands. Here's a snap shot before and some of the interesting food we sampled.

Here is a view from our condo. It was newly remodelled and right on the water. The first time we closed our sliding glass door after we got there was when we walked out the door to go home. We fell asleep to the sound of the waves every night. We'd often have the pool and hot tub to ourselves where we took our late night soaks by the ocean's edge.
Kyle and I took on snorkeling for the first time together. We brought our own gear. We gleaned all we could from an older gentlemen that we watched snorkel early in the morning. He gave us all his tips, helped us defog and with his last push of words "it's all about confidence" we did it. It was amazing!! A whole other world just under the surface.

We did the infamous "Highway to Hana". If you haven't heard about it...it's quite an...adventure? One lane roads, sharp 90 degree turns where I was able to reach out and touch the rock out my door and a cliff down to the ocean graced the other side. We wound through a jungle like setting that displayed the most exotic and roughest side of Maui. We saw our lives flash before our eyes on multiple occasions but with Kyle's finer driving skills and our small jeep we maneuvered through the entire thing!! We're talking a 12 hour day! Here is one of our stops at a spring. It's hard to see but just under me is a whole perfectly clear pool of clear spring water.

We walked through a PITCH BLACK lava tube. Here is a picture as we just entered into the tube.

One of my favorite detours off the highway we made our way into a little town where we bought warm banana bread that we ate along side this cove. It had raw lava rock that had oozed in the ocean and made an amazing display when the waves smashed against it. Kyle made it his mission to make it to the top.

We ran into serious wind and some rain the first few days we got there. Can you see the rainbow in the picture???? The first couple days we drove to the south beaches to escape some of the wind and get a bit warmer weather. By the end of the week we had seen a big portion of the island.

I don't know if it was the jeep, relaxed Hawaiian culture but Kyle got pretty comfortable using that "hang loose" sign.

A picture from one of our dinners out in Lahaina.

Notice the palm tree...that is the wind I was talking about!!

We fell in love with this restaurant called the Plantation House. The food was good but the view was amazing! It overlooked a golf course and the coastline on the west side. So pretty!!

It was the longest I had ever been away from the boys for the trip. My mom took a good portion of the time and Kyle's mom took over on the weekend. They did great and were spoiled while we were gone. Kyle often leaves us cards when he goes on trips and little things for the boys. So, taking my cues from him, I set up a little package for each night. It had little cards for the boys, a little Hershey kiss and hug along with a book. Kyle and I split the books up and took video of ourselves reading the boys a bedtime story for each night we were gone. It was a big hit. Unfortunately for our moms they watched them multiple times.

Big Thoughts

2009-02-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

"Mom, the Holy Spirit is kind of like the internet up to God, isn't it?"
-Collin

Couldn't have said it better myself, son.

You know your 2 year old's speech is getting clearer when...

2009-02-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

He says as clear as day from the backseat of the car, " Mom, I have a booger on my finger." Ahhh, proud moments! ;)

Intoxicating...

2009-02-05T14:35:00.000-08:00

How can the mixed up smells of dirt, sweat and fish crackers intertwined in the fine blond hair of my little monkey be...
so sweet to me.

Collin's NBA Debut

2009-01-29T09:38:00.000-08:00

Here it is folks, in action, Collin's NBA debut (please excuse the filming as I was balancing a two year old in the other hand that was covering his ears and clinging - my pathetic camera couldn't pick up anything on the dark floor so it's of the main screen). Collin had the opportunity to go on the court during introductions to get an autographed t-shirt from one of the starting Blazers. Collin was greeted by Sergio Rodriguez who handed off the shirt and gave Collin a little pat on the head. Collin is the fourth one in the sequence wearing a black Roy jersey. Kyle watched on from the sidelines (just as giddy as Collin) clicking away trying to capture the moment (thank you Chris for letting us use your beautiful camera). We got more pictures from Andrew, long time family friend, who gave up his extra ticket so I could get in last night and watch the ceremony for myself. Here are a few more pics of the night ...

Dad of the Year

2009-01-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

We got a phone call the other day from the Blazers inviting us to be part of the t-shirt exchange. This is an opportunity to receive an autographed T-Shirt from one of our 5 starters during player introductions. This is a BIG deal!! Kyle was estatic. Without a seconds thought, my husband decided to have Collin be the one to go out on the floor during the Blazer introductions and let him meet the player and get the autographed t-shirt. A self-less act of love! Kudos, babe, you wow me all the time! I love you!
Tonight we dressed up our little guy in his Blazer jersey and sent him out on the court. Stay tuned folks...pictures to come!!

Sweet Dreams

2009-01-14T18:10:00.000-08:00

When you are little the night brings along it's own little set of anxieties; at least it does for most of us. Collin has always been so brave and has really never expressed worries about the night until recently. He started getting out of bed, sleeping with as many stuffed animals as he could squeeze in and waking up at odd hours and trying to get up for the day. There have even been times when we've found him asleep on the couch in our living room come morning time. He's not one to complain or sit down and tell you all about what is going on in his head. He has a LOT going on in his head but rarely does it come out except in little snippets here and there. Once these other signs started popping up Kyle and I realized this night thing was really getting to him.
It was shortly after we came to that realization when we watched an episode from Little Bill. Little Bill had a blanket with all sorts of patches on it that reminded him of happy thoughts to get him through the night. Kyle and I looked at each other with a sparkle in our eyes and knew it was a must - so birthed our happy blanket project. Unfortunately, making a blanket is beyond my abilities so I recruited the most talented person I know: my mom (a.k.a. Nana).
Collin got an early birthday present today. Mom you out did yourself. Thank you for sharing your talents with us and showing Collin so much love. Each bit of this blanket has special meaning to it. The picture doesn't do it justice but here is a snap shot of the whole...
Here is a close up of a couple sections. She sewed in some Bible scriptures around the sides... She added some of his favorite things in sections through out the quilt. Now if that doesn't help with sweet dreams, I am not sure what will. Thank you mom!

Smoothies

2008-12-30T16:13:00.000-08:00

My mom passed along some kids cookbooks that she had to us. Collin has fallen in love with The Kids Cookbook and all the great pictures. A couple weeks ago he choose the smoothie recipe to try out at home. My boys LOVE smoothies. Today, we jazzed it up with a little whipcream and sprinkles. Regardless, they are a pretty good snack which has graced more than one afternoon this week. We add milk, Tillamook vanilla bean yogurt (our fav), frozen mango, pineapple and strawberry with a little ice. Sure beats the $5 smoothies at the coffee shop and so much more nutritious. I can hear them slurping the last of it up now! It's a winner.

For the family...

2008-12-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

10 Years Baby!

2008-12-17T19:33:00.000-08:00

We did it! 10 years of marriage and I still love waking up to you in the morning! Yes, it hasn't all been perfect. We've hit a few bumps, hills, mountains along the way but we've weathered the storms and figured a few things out. You round me out as a person. I would not be the wife and mother that I am with out having you by my side. You do so many things for me daily to make me feel like a princess. It is my great pleasure to be your wife. Here's to the next 10 years!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2008-12-16T21:36:00.000-08:00

The boys were glued to the window as the first flakes started to fall.

Brody discovered snow balls

Collin demonstrated how to make a snow angel.

And would it be quite right without a snowball fight??? Ahhhh, brothers!

Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-11T17:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends & Family,
Merry Christmas! Another whirlwind year is coming to a close and so we sit back and gather a few memories for you here. We love catching up with all of you during this time of year and hearing how your year has developed. We hope you enjoy a little snapshot of what we've been up to!

Kyle has had a year of many new roles. He continues to work at Gerber driving their lighting and tool category. One of his unique skills he has acquired from the job is spotting any kind of knife or tool in a movie and determining the make and model. Although he continues to do frequent travel it has slowed since last year. He spent most of his summer free time on the boat either hanging out with the family or fishing and of course following his favorite sports. His most recent debut is in the world of coaching. Kyle was an excellent soccer coach for Collin’s Kindergarten team and had parents asking to be on his team for the basketball season.

Collin is gaining a sense of self and growing up before our eyes. He’s entered the world of Kindergarten; school buses, hot lunch and recess. He has conquered the swing, riding on two wheels, learning his way around a piano and the swimming pool. He can speed around a soccer field and loves to frequent the Rose Garden to catch a Blazer game with Dad. He’s mom’s sidekick in the afternoons and Brody’s delight as he gets off the bus at noon.

Brody is a man on the move. He is all about balls and games. He’s developing new words daily and can melt your heart in seconds with his smile and dimples. Brody got quite sick with a kidney infection this year and has a definite opinion about doctors now and keeping them far away. He’s enjoying having mom to himself in the mornings and has become quite the "helper" while running errands around town.

Anne stays home full time with her boys; she would have it no other way. She hopped along a couple of Kyle’s business trips this year to Vegas and Washington DC and got baptized into the world of Salmon fishing. She became the queen of driving the boat on/off the trailer and packing the perfect picnic to float down the river with. Anne keeps busy keeping clean underwear in the drawers and food stocked on the shelves all the while enjoying the comradery of other moms and dabling in this and that.

We have taken care this season in particular to slow down and really enjoy each other, family and friends. We are taking time to reflect on the true meaning; Jesus birth. We hope it is the same for you and your family.
Enjoy the season friends!

The Fischer Family
Kyle, Anne, Collin & Brody
Christmas 2008

Season of traditions...

2008-12-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

So the busy season begins along with all it's traditions. It seems with all the set traditions our month is full before it begins.

Thanksgiving dinner starts our holiday season off in St. Helens with the Fischer side of the family. We eat appetizers all day, do a craft, watch football, the cousins swarm through the house having a grand time and we all end up trying to squeeze in a big Thanksgiving dinner and some pie. Pretty typical. We follow it up with our annual trip to the beach.

We hit the town of Seaside by storm making sure we stopped into the fudge shop, merry go round, candy store, bumper cars, tilt a whirl...oh, yeah, and the beach. The boys love the hotel pool and watching a movie in bed. It was a great time but Brody had a bit of a fever and Kyle was still grieving the Beavers loss so we headed back to give the little guys some rest.

Without fail, the first weekend of December, we suit up,grab a Gerber saw and get ready to pick the perfect Christmas tree. We busted out of our routine from driving out to Yamhill and stuck closer to home to get our tree from Bauman Farms. The apple cider donuts, tractor ride and only a 15 minute drive made the trip; and to Kyle's delight they shook and wrapped our tree for us. Collin was thrilled to hear the choir singing carols. Santa made an appearance. You'd think two young boys would be so excited; however after finding out he didn't have any presents with him Collin declined and Brody clung to kyle with white knuckles refusing to get close. Ahhh, happy memories! ;)

We kicked off our advent calendar that was made from a dear friend and started our Jesse Tree. Christmas decor is coming out and presents are starting to get wrapped.

Let the festivities begin!

Halloween

2008-11-01T21:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pictures of our Halloween. Collin was pretty excited about his costume (can you tell???)

Brody definitely got the hang of it this year and delighted in going house to house and getting candy.

Cute & Cheap

2008-10-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

These are from my days as a Kindergarten teacher. We would end up doing a Miss Spider's Tea Party with our classes this time of year and made cute spider treats. I have to give the credit to the amazing Kinder teachers I taught with there that passed along all their great ideas to me. Here is a little favor that the children got to take home at the end of our tea party. We decided to make them for our own little Halloween party we attended yesterday. Give it a try. You'll love it!

Take tissue paper and lay it out. We choose more bold primary colors because it was a little kids Halloween party. The black ones turn out pretty cute too!

Fold into a square and place treats in the middle, little Tootsie Rolls work well.

Gather it at the top and secure with matching pipe cleaner. Bend in middle for knee of spider and at the end for foot of spider.

Repeat with three more pipe cleaners to complete the legs. Add googly eyes or draw on eyes/nose/mouth for the spider.

Here is my little helper!

Now we are ready for our party!

VOTE

2008-10-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Got my ballot in the mail today! Yipee!

You?

Cutest Soccer Player In The World

2008-10-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

We had our last game yesterday. Collin scored 3 goals! Way to go, Collin!

Coach Kyle (a.k.a dad) did a great job. They thought he was the greatest coach in the world especially after giving them little flashlights and letting them have their soccer snack anytime during the game.

It has been a quick and enjoyable season. Somehow we managed to dodge most of the rain. The team was built with a fantastic group of people. We were even fortunate enough to have several friends on the team which made it that much more fun! Got to love that carpooling and those coffee runs for the soccer games!

Off to basketball season! We'll keep you posted!

Bauman Farms

2008-10-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of my most favorite family outings that we do yearly. We usually try and get a jump start on the crowds and head out early in the morning with the boys bundled up. We hit the coffee shop (for mom's sanity) and then to Bauman Farms. There is sooooo much to do there that the boys love; jumping pillow, hay mazes, taking a tractor ride, animals, swings, the list goes on! But the best part, the part I look forward to for a whole year, is fresh pressed apple cidar and apple cidar donuts, yummers! The boys are at a great age where every turn is an adventure. Collin's favorite was the dark maze and Brody's was the tractor ride. Both boys were covered in sweat, dirt and cinnamon/sugar residue of their donuts. Now that's a good day! ;)

Washington DC or bust

2008-10-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

The trip was absolutely perfect (besides the guilt of leaving my son right after he got terribly sick). The doctor gave us a definite clear to go ahead and take our trip and I was able to leave it all behind. I was so ready for a break.
Friday morning we woke up at 3am and headed off to PDX to catch a plane across the country. It was the first time Kyle and I have flown together since our honeymoon! We arrived around 5pm in DC and did the big loop around the city to all the major monuments and the White House that night. It was all so neat to actually be in those places (the pictures don't do them justice) and explore the history of the US more. I have to admit, this is NOT my expertise. Being in an area so rich in history you can't help but absorb the information and get a picture of where our country has come from. It felt like a priviledge to explore.
The next day we didn't slow down any; we hit the Pentagon (well, at least got to see the outside walls of it), Arlington cemetary, Old Post Office, National Archives Museum (that's right you movie buffs - that's where they filmed a few scenes for National Treasure), and followed it up with a great night on the town eating at Old Ebbitts Grill (old and BUSY restraunt next to the White House where you'll find citizens and politicians alike).
On Sunday, we did the Holacaust museum. Then, we switched hotels to a town called Old Alexandria (cute little town with shops galore, charm and a starbucks in the entry of the hotel - does it get any better than that?!?! ;) where we met up with people from Gerber coming in for the military show.
Monday, I got to meet up with my girlfriend Dassie and her little ones who happen to be in town as well. We explored her neck of the woods together and had a chance to catch up. So fun! That night, we went with people from Gerber on a cruise down the Potomac. What a treat that was seeing the city from the water at night all lit up.
The next morning I awoke early to walk the show with Kyle and see the world of the military. Vendors of all kinds were there - people who make tanks, technology that's beyond anything I've seen, weapons, tools, the whole gammit. I left there to pick up some souveniers and off to PDX where my mom and boys were waiting for me! It was so good to give them a squeeze after being gone for so long!
PHEW! It was busy but what a treat to get to travel. I feel refreshed. It was especially fun hanging out with my hubby. Thanks babe for letting me hitch a ride and treating me like a princess!

Here are a few pictures from our journey, enjoy!

Here we are getting ready to hop aboard the boat to head down the Potomac. That wasn't our actual boat behind us, we were still waiting for ours to come.

Here I am at the Capital building; resting my feet and taking a quick picture.
Arlington Cemetary (see the Washington Monument in the back?)

Changing of the guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier

Lincoln Memorial (Monument??)

I told him to wait for me but (no pun intended)...

2008-09-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sports in the Fischer Household

2008-09-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

You all knew it was inevitable knowing my man, that we would be a family involved in sports. Although I never want to be that mom that is frantically trying to get from one thing to another (if at all possible) I do like the idea of some life lessons and disciplines being learned through being involved in team sports - okay, maybe a little fun too! :)

Collin started soccer yesterday. He was so excited; Kyle is his coach this year and you haven't seen a more proud son. Collin played with more enthusiasm than I had ever seen and has grown so much from last year. Here is a picture from yesterday. Sorry, it's a bit blurry, but the best I could do w/ a two year old in the other hand. ;) (kyle is in the black t-shirt and collin is the second one from the right).

Meanwhile, Brody sits on the sidelines anxiously awaiting his turn at the chance to get involved. Here's a little clip from a typical morning here and Brody's eagerness with balls.

Look out MLB, here he comes!

Kindergarten

2008-09-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Collin had quite a summer of achievements. He deserves some bragging rights. Since he's a little too small to have to have a blog of his own, I'm going to do a little bragging for him.

We made swimming a focus this summer, especially with the boat we felt for safety it needed to be a priority. He took lessons for almost the entire summer and now can "swim" for a stretch across the pool.

Piano lessons were an experiment. Kyle and I knew we wanted him to give it a try but were surprised at his natural talent and interest. He breezed through an entire book in a couple months.

The training wheels coming off- oh, how that has been a victory! Collin would be proud to show off his new biking skills to anyone willing to watch.

Collin mastered pumping his legs on the swings this summer and now can "swing up to the sky" all by himself.

I'm especially proud of his role as a big brother. He is learning how to watch out for the little guy and has grown in his compassion for others.

It is now his second day of KINDERGARTEN! Kyle, Brody and I accompanied him in yesterday to get him settled. Collin was already making friends by the time we left chatting up a girl that was sitting next to him. Today, he asked me to just drop him off and let him walk in by himself *sigh*.

Collin we are so proud of the little man that you are! You amaze us everyday!

Summer Fun

2008-09-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here are a few snapshots from our summer adventures. We so enjoyed our summer break. Here are a few memories.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Water lovers

2008-08-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here are our little water lovers. They were so excited to go swimming in Dee-Dee's pool. Kyle brought back some goodies from his last show that he worked. The boys are sporting their new body suits and we were giving the underwater camera that he won a try.

This ones for you daddy...

2008-08-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

We miss you daddy! We wish you were here but know you are working hard for us on your business trip. We wanted you to be apart of this special day when Collin figured out how to ride his bike by himself. This ones for you. We love you! xoxo

Happy 4th of July (belated)

2008-07-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed spending the Fourth of July as a family. It was a busy day. We started first by heading to St. Paul for the parade. Collin learned from a neighbor of ours how to gather all the candy (the kid is a magnet - you wouldn't believe how much loot he brought home).

Then we were off to the St. Paul rodeo with our friends the Kirsch family. We got to sit in the box seats, which was an absolute treat. The boys were mesmerized by all the excitement.

After some hot dogs and naps we were off to make use of that boat and watch the fireworks on the river. It was our first time putting the boat in in Portland and watching the fireworks. We weren't sure what to expect. It was a blast (no pun intended). We were concerned about the noise for Brody. Kyle did his best to wrestle him down and cover his ears but Brody would have nothing to do with it. He just watched with a huge smile on his face and loud giggles. Collin was a bit apprehensive at first but came around by the end. If you look closely you'll see the tons of people on the water front waiting for the fireworks show after the blue's festival in Portland.

With all the excitement the boys were a bit tired. Brody fell asleep down under the seat to take a snooze on the way back after the fireworks.

These boys were troopers. I'm thankful for my little guys always willing and waiting for the next adventure and our freedom to be able to do that. Hope you all had a great day as well!

Brody is 2!!

2008-06-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

Brody,

I cannot believe we just celebrated your second birthday. You have grown and the time has sped past us. You add so much to our lives. You are a lover of balls, hats, dancing, anything your brother does, boats, driving, smoothies, binkies and snuggles. You squeal when you see Daddy come home and chuck your binkie at those who cross your path. You say a few words and every day you add another one as you are quick to soak in everything in your world. You sing the best version of "I'm in the Lord's Army". It's my pleasure to get your many hugs through out the day, be your comforter when life gets rough and pamper you with foot rubs on the changing table. I love how your cheeks get rosy in the warm afternoons when you are playing hard and your infectious laugh when you are tired and giddy at night. Your sense of adventure keeps me on my toes. I am thankful for your cordination since there is no holding you back from whatever it is that cathes your eye.

I pray for you. I pray that God will continue to make himself known to you and shape you in his image. I can't wait to see what an amazing man you will turn into but am cherishing these moments until then. Happy Birthday Brody. We love you!

Love,

Mom

"Mom...

2008-05-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

...is it summer time?"

Kind of felt wrong telling him, "not yet".

It is in the 90's and time to cool off by breaking in our little pool.

Didn't take Brody long before he figured out the hose while it was filling up and turned on his own flesh and blood...

first me, then...

Run, Collin, run!!!

When the Oregon rains hit...

2008-04-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

We opt for playdough. With boys, this means trucks too! Here's a few picks from our lazy rainy day afternoon! :)

Treasured Tradition

2008-03-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

It seems like I am behind the curve when it comes to making my traditions focus more on Christ. Slowly but surely I am learning how to change things little by little to reflect our God and not get lost in the hype of the season.

This tradition of ours started a couple years back when a family friend of ours who although doesn't have the official title of god parents to Collin definitely plays the role. This book was passed onto them when their children were little and they felt it was time to do the same. They handed us a treasured, well used Easter book that tells the Easter story in a kid friendly way. Their only request is that we use it as long as we want and then pass it on to someone else. Each year, we pull it out during the season and read it through several times.

It wasn't until this year that things started really sinking in with Collin about Jesus' death and resurrection. In fact, even being apart of church my whole life, I get caught speechless by some of his questions. But it brings me such great joy to hear him working through some of these thoughts. Praise God!

Here it is my friends (at a very reasonable price)! Happy Easter! What are your traditions?

Collin's Birthday Bowling Bash

2008-02-21T22:05:00.000-08:00

The invite! Yes, I know, I am a bit obsessive about making my own invitations.

The cake...Collin had so much fun helping with this one! He couldn't wait to put the Hot Wheels that he picked out on the cake. It was funny; the cake decor store was charging $2.50 for these plastic cheesy cars so we opted for the $.99 Hot Wheels instead that he could play with afterwards! The crowd is little teddy grahams, the race track is crushed up choc. graham cracker...all ideas stolen from a book (although I don't know the name - sorry!).

And, Oh, the presents! Collin knows all about birthdays and presents! :)

Prayer for the little ones

2008-01-30T19:43:00.000-08:00

Check this out! A must read for moms...do you pray for your family?

Birthdays

2008-01-20T21:17:00.001-08:00

It seems I've been suddenly submerged into the birthday scene. My four soon to be five year old has definitely grasped the concept of birthday parties. He's got his own ideas and not as open to my promptings as before. I suggested getting some healthy dried fruit bars for his birthday party at school. Before, he would have surrendered and wouldn't have thought twice. After a half a second of silence he tells me that he didn't think his friends would like that! No, instead he wants the Oreo sticks you can dip into the cream for his class party...ugh! Today we got the last of the treats for the goody bags for our party. He is bubbling over with excitement. He even told the Target cashier all about his bowling birthday party. Yes, we are doing bowling - actually glow in the dark bowling. We've bucked the system and didn't invite his whole preschool class. We just invited a few of our close friends he regularly hangs out with and family. Grammy is actually really excited about bowling *giggle*. He even accompanied me to the cake store where we gathered some ideas, fake trees, cars to create our race track cake...stay tuned, there may be pics! :) We have a race car theme! Perfectly fits my little guy right now!

Oh, five years old, where did my baby go...

We got bit...by the flu bug!

2008-01-14T19:07:00.001-08:00

The flu bug hit our house and slowly but surely it's making it's way through the family. Collin got it first - I was having flashbacks to me insisting he finish the last few bites of dinner as he puked all over our bedroom floor at some ungodly hour of the night. Then Brody got it and it has seemed to hang on with him and now it's me...I HATE throwing up! Ugh! Kids handle the whole thing so gracefully! So as for now, we are quietly buckling down trying to get better. I'm so thankful for my husband today who stayed home despite a huge workload to take care of us! Despite the quiet here - I have not deserted the blog; just trying to get through the holidays and now this. Shortly, I will be returning a little more.

Inspiring Mama Thoughts!

2007-12-06T19:13:00.000-08:00

Check out this blog Raising Five on a GREAT two part post regarding discipline, love and leadership as a mom! It hit home for me! Enjoy!

Mmmm, salads!

2007-11-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

It's salad week here at the Fischer household. We ate too much food this weekend! It's time for a little restraint!My favorite? It goes back to my days working at The Bird (aka Red Robin). It's the Whiskey River BBQ Chicken salad. It's not on the menu anymore but you can order and they'll make it for you. It has the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, chicken w/ BBQ sauce, black beans, onion straws and ranch...I think that's it!? Sooo yummy! I'm doing my version at home tonight minus the onion straws (only because my family isn't a big fan). Bon Appetite!

Tradition

2007-11-25T18:55:00.000-08:00

It is our tradition in the Fischer household to cook, bake, plan then pack our car as full as it can possibly get, fill our tummies at Kyle's mom's house, wrestle around with the nieces and nephews and then we are off to our weekend at the beach.
This was by far the best weather we have ever gotten during our Thanksgiving weekend at the beach. We ate junk, went for walks on the prom, played in the sand, ran from the waves, relaxed, played cards and just enjoyed each other! It was such a blast! If you want to see a few more pics just go here to our flickr account.
I love the tradition and memories!

I'm thankful for....

2007-11-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

This is not an all encompassing list...just a few of my favorite things! Before the rush of getting the pies in the oven or the kids dressed up for the gatherings, I'm just taking a minute to think about being thankful.

My hubby... I'm just going to brag on him for a minute! He is such an amazing man who takes great care of us. Despite his crazy travel schedule he leaves notes, gifts for us while he's gone and makes sure he gets in a phone call before the nights over. He gets home from work and dives right in with the kids! He doesn't complain when there is no clean underwear in the drawer but always praises me when the house is clean or the laundry actually does gets done. The other night he actually tackled the random sock pile (yes, I know you have them too!!) and made all the matches. He is officially declared the sock King!! Not to mention he is pretty darn handsome!

My little darlings! They are a whirlwind sometime but they are so amazing! Enough said.

The food!!!! OK, I'm a little passionate about this secret love of my life! I am passing on this article that lays out an easy way to plan out your Thanksgiving meal. It's full of wonderful ideas, recipes and a daily planner. The Sweet Potato Crunch is a Fischer family favorite that is made annually!

Ohhhh, how there is so much more! I have been truly blessed! It's really all about friends and family and I am so thankful for that! Where would I be without you all! I praise God for blessing me with you. I keep hearing this from different places the radio, the sermon on Sunday and different people to take some time to "count your many blessings". I get so wrapped up in my little world sometimes that when I stand back and take a look at things, I mean, really take a look at things I am taken back by what God is doing in our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Still here...

2007-11-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am still here just trying to keep up with life, phew! It's wearing me out! I'm convinced that mommies should have a built in massage fund built into the monthly budget! :) Oh yeah, we're down to one income now. Hmmm...guess I'll have to hit up my hubs for this next one!

This was one of those hairy days. Does anyone else have those? It seems every step of the day was a challenge. We had falls. Colds with drippy noses, sore throats and congestion that makes it hard to breathe from the nose so the binki keeps falling out. We had a playdate but for some reason things just didn't click with the little guys. We had short naps which led to a cranky evening. Daddy is working late tonight with the big sales presentations this week so they are stuck with my face all day long.

And for mama, she's tired! But thankful for another day with the little ones. Thankful for God's strength and patience to get through. I could do without another day like this for a while but incase it is right around the corner I praise God for His promises that never change.

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’”
Lamentations 3:22 (NIV)

Time to rest!

Arms

2007-11-02T22:11:00.000-07:00

Oh, my little one...it's not every night that you need me anymore. I cringe at the thought that our midnight meetings to comfort and cuddle are dwindling. There was time that I thought they would never end. But now, you are growing up; it's so right and in God's plan but it's hard for your mama to slowly let go.
You just woke up...I blindly searched for your Binky in the dark corners of your crib and whisked you into my arms. We settled into the rocking chair, cozy blanket around us, you nestled your head into my chest and I lightly rested my head on yours.
God thank you for these moments to quietly cherish.

A little more personal...

2007-10-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

I have recently been so inspired by some Christian woman who are on line and sharing where they are at. I love the idea of this being a place where I can completely open up and reflect; not only on my family but everything. I've been particularly encouraged in my walk with God through hearing other women's journeys. I've waffled on my purpose for this blog. I think I have many hopes for it. I take great joy in documenting my families journey, milestones, small moments and more. I've hoped it can be a place where I can decompress and sift my thoughts at the end of the day. I've dreamt of it being a means to sharing where I am at with God and what he is teaching me. This all takes vulnerability and that is a bit of a challenge for me. So bear with me as my posts may seem a bit scattered. Stay tuned, it should be an adventure!:)

John Deere Gator

2007-10-24T20:48:00.001-07:00

It's pumpkin cleaning time! Tomorrow night we have "Pals Pumpkin Night" at school. We bring our cleaned out pumpkin and carve it there. Then all the kids do a costume parade and have treats. It's a fun evening. So last night we cleaned out our pumpkins and enjoyed caramel apples that we made earlier in the evening. Daddy is off on business so we tried to fit this in before he left because he has to miss out on our carving night at school.

Our costume? Well, this year Collin has requested to be a John Deere Gator. It's homemade of course because there is not such thing as a John Deere Gator costume. Here it is...done for the most part. It's not perfect but one of the really great things about four year olds is that they think it's amazing no matter how it turns out. Kyle is working with one of the guys from his lighting team to make us some headlights and back up lights.

Don't know how I feel about this whole Halloween thing. I think I would be just fine with enjoying the season without it. How things look so different when you got little ones of your own!

Rubber Boots

2007-10-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love rubber boots??? It's like unwritten permission to throw all the momma rules out the window and have fun. Yesterday the boys and I headed to the store and picked up a pair for each of the boys. Brody's still figuring out how to walk in them since they take up half his legs. Collin loves the fact he can put them on and off in a snap. We broke them in yesterday after we got stuck in a down pour during our walk. Collin thought it was hilarious to dance in the rain while Brody took great pleasure in splashing in the puddles. We were completely soaked but it was so much fun. The night ended with cereal for dinner (captain crunch - shhhh, don't tell anyone, it was a special treat while daddy is out of town), bath and book. Daddy comes back tomorrow. We are all very excited.

Autumn

2007-10-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Fall! The trees changing colors, the cool breeze, pumpkin pie, apples from the orchards and of course the pumpkin patch. We made it last weekend between Kyle's business trips. It was great family time as you can see from the smiles. Brody was a little too small to enjoy it last year but was full speed ahead this year. Collin thrived in all the excitement and particularly enjoyed the hay maze and inflatable pillow. Brody was most enthralled with the corn pit. Unfortunately, that means momma goes in too. Note to self...must tuck in shirt. It's not so fun picking corn kernels out of your pants!! I don't know if it's Brody's squeal when he sees the farm animals, or the delight on Collin's face when he sinks into those apple cider donuts but it almost seems magical. One of those precious outings I anticipate every year due to the joy we receive out of it! Sadly to say...we spent as much on the food there as we did on the admission! LOL!

Humbling Parenthood

2007-05-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever had such a close association with humility until I became a parent. Just when you think you've kind of got it down, they throw another curve ball at you. Our latest curve ball is another bite while nursing...actually it was an almost bite. Brody was about to chomp down and to my amazement stopped. I looked at him and gave him a big smile but he obviously had flashbacks of the first biting experience where I yelled "ouch". He just began to cry and cry and wouldn't nurse. I tried again later that night...nothing. He hasn't nursed at all today. So...guess we are weaning. Or more like, weaned. I had visions of it going so smoothly like Collin's and we would cut out a feeding here or there and before I knew it we would just be doing it once before bed and then poof we'd be done. But nope, it was all or nothing with this little whippersnapper.
Good news is, without me caving to nurse him at night to go back to bed once I got him down he slept for longer than he has in months. Maybe it was God's provision.
Brody's baby dedication is tomorrow at church. We have the family coming and then over to our house for brunch. It's always quite an endeavor to get things ready for a gathering with two little ones. Collin is so excited to have people come to church with him and has been looking forward to showing off his church and choosing who he is going to sit by. I love that he can participate in the baby dedication and see the emphasis on God in our lives.

2007-05-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

Kyle is off on a business trip this week. He returns tomorrow night. This one was only three days. At the end of the night, we always ask Collin what made him happy that day and what made him sad. The last two nights, what made him sad has been that daddy went on a trip...tonight what made him happy is that tomorrow is day number3!
It has been so wonderful soaking up the sun the last few days. As blinding white as my legs are right now it still feels good to slip on those shorts and run around with the boys. We've spent time at the park, running around the yard, bike rides and just having a popsicle. Brody sunk his toes into the sand at the park and loved it...wasn't as fond of the taste!
Collin is mr. talkative these days. He has the knack for engaging just about anyone (particularly adults) into conversations. It wasn't long ago he had the whole post office discussing why people speak different languages...do we have a politician on our hands??? Some of his highlights: after thanking Collin for helping with Brody he said, "it's my pleasure"...."look mom, it's a fly wearing a yellow jacket"...."wow, that lady is BIG" (this stated on a very quiet city bus)..."mom, why don't girls have a penis" (this stated in a very quiet park restroom)..."how did Whinnie (our dog) come out of your tummy?"...the list goes on and on. It's not only the words but the demeanor. It's so grown up and professional.
Brody is physically changing. His third tooth came in last week. Yesterday,he decided it was time to try giving me a bite while nursing. After my quick "ouch" he looked at me with a smirk and quickly give it another try. This time with a much louder "ouch" he melted into tears and hurt feelings. He refused to eat. I thought I had found the worlds fastest way of weaning. But, after a walk with the family, bath and PJ's everything was back to normal...and not another bite! He not only is crawling but he's crawling like a mad man! It's like he's been looking at all these things for the past 10 months and now he's bound and determine to explore every square inch of the house. Look out world here he comes! I wish his sense of adventure would spread into his eating habits...I think he will be happy with yogurt, pear puree and sweet potato puree for the rest of his life! Oh well, I guess it could be worse.
Well, off to get into some cozy clothes for this weary mom and relax. Signing off.

Growing Up

2007-04-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

It wasn't long that Brody stayed that little baby stage. He's growing up all so fast...just a couple days ago he moved from the up on the knees stage rocking back and forth to putting one leg in front of the other and crawled a little bit. Another tooth has popped out too. Where has the time gone! He's got opinions about what he wants to do and is finicky about what food he chooses to eat. And whoever came up with those "puffs" (they didn't have them when Collin was born) is a genius! They are a wonderful gift to be able to get through my own meals while he has fun with his first finger foods!
Kyle and I went to Collin's first conference last night. It was so great to hear all the things he is doing in school and to see that growth. He's turning into such a little man! He's cutting, writing, making friends, participating in circle time and obviously has the teacher enamored.
It is such a treat to see them as they turn into their own person. It's also a bit heartbreaking as they venture off without you to make their own life decisions (however so small at this age) as well as having to face some of life's successes and failures.

Collin

2007-03-29T18:16:00.001-07:00

Collin
Originally uploaded by Kyle and Anne Fischer.

This is a snapshot that we took at the bowling alley during our Spring Break. The genuine smile just makes me so happy. We've had a fun time this week. We've met up with many friends and had lots of little adventures. What a treat!

First Tooth

2007-03-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

Brody finally had a tooth pop through today. The poor guy has not only been sick but teething as well. It won't be long before he's chewing on the same food as us!

When I was tucking Collin in for a nap today I asked him what we could pray for. He said, "Daddy". I said, "What about Daddy?". "That he's here all day today." Ohhh, doesn't that make your heart melt! Then, very sweetly added, "and Mommy too." That's my boy!:)

The sunshine was so great today. Kyle mowed, edged and I got some more weeding and flower planting done. I have Spring fever so bad! Can't wait to get outside more often! Love it!!! That probably means I should do some spring cleaning to?!?!

Grace

2007-03-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

At night, Collin has a little devotional that we read from that is for preschoolers. It's adorable. Last night's or the night before (who knows the whole week is running together) was about grace. We read about God's grace and what it means to show it in our lives (in a very kid friendly way, of course). I think that God may have planted that one in there for me because this week has all been about Grace.
I don't know if it's been that Kyle is gone, or that he's sick or that maybe he's just trying to be more independent but Collin has put me through the ringer this week. It didn't matter the issue, Collin had to have a say in it. I am proud to say after much prayer...grace was exhibited (during most of the week...hey, no one is perfect right?!?)
Biggest grace has been God providing the breaks when I needed it the most. Unexpected naps...a little sunshine to get out and do some gardening...evening drives for everyone to relax.
I'm happy to say that Collin is turning the corner with this latest version of the flu! This was marked with his excited announcement from the bathroom, "Wahoo, it's not green anymore!". Brody seems to be in the thick of it. It's so sad to watch little ones suffer through these things. Our water bill this month is going to be humongous taking warm baths to help with congestion and freshen them up multiple times during the day. We got the humidifiers going, Vick's rub, Tylenol, elevated bed, juice, water...you name it, we are doing it!
I am so blessed to have the friends and family that I do. I received many phone calls from people asking how I was and offering to run to the store and such (thanks for the diapers and chocolate Stacey...lifesaver!:) It has truly been a demonstration of grace to me...during a rough week, the encouragement was so helpful!
We are all very excited about Kyle's arrival early tomorrow. The huge time difference and distance make it hard to connect during the week. It will be so nice to have him home. We made darling little matching t-shirts for the three of us to greet Daddy with at the airport. The fronts say "Welcome Home Daddy" with little drawings that we all added to our shirts and the back all say "We love daddy". Hopefully he'll know how much he's loved and missed while he is away. We'll pack up our little breakfast for the car ride and make a pit stop at Dee-Dee's coffee shop (Coffee's On) as we venture out early in the morning. It's actually a lot of fun!
Time to disinfect the house all over again!:)

Smile Brody

2007-03-18T21:51:00.001-07:00

Smile Brody
Originally uploaded by Kyle and Anne Fischer.

I'm just trying to figure out how to connect my flickr picture account with my blog and interchange photos. I love this picture so thought I'd give it a try.

First Word

2007-03-18T18:33:00.001-07:00

Well, the St.Patrick's Day meal was creative but at the end of the day I was sitting there eating it by myself with my little son who wasn't feeling well wanting nothing to do with it. Oh well!

At the Family Life Conference we just attended (more on that later...would recommend it to anyone), motherhood was described as "Long days and short years". We all gave a chuckle, knowing exactly what she was talking about. This was one of those long days...sick, cranky, antsy little ones that are stuck inside can make for time to pass rather slowly. But when the end of the night comes and I get loves from Collin and Brody babbles away through the monitor as he drifts off to sleep - it seems like the most amazing job ever and I'm thankful for my day.

Brody definitely started saying his first word today. All day long he has been saying "momma". I know, I know...he doesn't know what he's saying yet but he knows it gets my attention and I'm sure encouraging it!! Just for the record, I give just as much time to promoting "Da-da" as I do to "ma-ma". He has also started making that popping sound with his mouth when you put your lips together and stuck them together as you pop them open...ok, that made no sense at all!:)

Airport

2007-03-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

The boys and I drove Kyle to the airport today. He's off to China for the week. He did such a great job getting ready for this trip. Yesterday, he came home with a present for each of us. Wow, that has never happened before! Well done, Daddy-o! Collin got a little trick soap along with a sack of gold chocolate coins. Kyle slipped two into Collin's calendar slots for each day he is gone. Brody got a cute little toy. My present was the best though...a box of See's chocolates and a package of home spa products from Bath and Body works. The best part...a card!!!!! I LOVE getting cards from him. They get read over and over.

It never fails, someone always gets sick when Kyle leaves. This time it's Collin. He's got an awful cold. He's been a trooper but I can tell he's miserable. So, it's been lots of TV, liquids and rest. In that order, too!:)

Tomorrow is St.Patrick's day. Growing up, this has never been a holiday we celebrated. Although, I've always thought it is fun. So tonight, I decided to add a few decorations to lend to the excitement. A little trail of St.Patrick's day confetti starts at Collin's door and leads out to the living room coffee table. There I left, a homemade paper place mat with decorations of rainbows, pots of gold and four-leaf clovers. Displayed on the place mat is a box of lucky charms, bowl and spoon (green of course) and a light up four leaf clover pin. For dinner we will be having: Irish stew, green jell-o, Irish freckled bread, St.Patricks Day punch and the grand finale....green rice crispy treats!:) Even with a sick little one, we'll have fun!

Well, I'm quickly crashing after a long day of a constipated baby (who after several day of prunes has finally found some relief), flying snot rockets, speedy meals and little rest...so I'm signing off for the night.