Just catching up

Well, it's been 10 months since I last posted anything. Too sad that I've let Facebook become my key contact with everyone. Lots have happened in the past 10 months.

Amanda and Lexi are in Lake Oswego with Matt and are really happy. Lexi is attending Lake Grove Elementary and is coming up on the end of Kindergarten. She has thrived in the class and loves school. I got the chance to go to her class twice this year as the mystery reader. A program where the room Mom sets up a schedule for parents and grandparents to come in and suprise the class, then read a favorite story with the bunch. Lexi and I took the time to go to Powell's and read many books letting her choose a couple and then I surprised her by reading it to her class and giving a copy to the school library. She really lit up both times she saw me.

Lexi at the park by our house- all new at Hiteon park in the trees.

Manda has been volunteering 3 or 4 times a month in her class and is enjoying being a part of Lexi's school. She's even gotten to go on a field trip to the Rhododendren garden with the bunch.

Mike is really enjoying OSU and his buddies down in Corvallis. He will be working this summer at the summer school I run with special needs students. It will help him get the hours he needs to apply to grad school. He won an award at OSU for being the best student employee and was to attend a banquet tonight, but storms took the power out around 4 in Corvallis today and the whole program was cancelled until they can reschedule. He still has not found a car to replace his 4runner, which was stolen last December. He wants to make sure he finds the right truck.

Mike's 88 4 runner after being recovered-it ws bad enough that is was stolen, the little buggers burned it to a crisp. There was nothing left after the damage they did.

Jenni moved back home with us and is attending PCC. She is doing well and is looking forward to the first semester for her to end. With only ummm 2 years to go..... She has connected with old friends and made some new ones. Her 92 Jetta died and she has been riding the bus to PCC or getting rides from Amanda when she is able to. We sold the car but is was not enough to buy another one yet. We'll keep looking for something.

My shrimp wanting to look taller, Jenni's about 5 inches shorter...teeheehee

Sammi went to Outdoor school in the Fall as a counselor and enjoyed it so much that she jsut got back from doing it a second time. She is really enjoying her ASL (American Sign Language)classes and is thinking of pursuing and degree in ASL and then being a ASL interpreter after school and maybe even becoming a SLP (Speech Language Pathologist). Talk about job security, we hire 5 or 6 new SLP's every year. Most are young and work for a few years full time then have families and ask for part time work. The school district is always willing to accomodate as SLP's are very needed.

Sammi's 17th birthday

Niki's IB Art classes at school are keeping her busy. She is so very talented in every art medium. Everything she creates is amazing. She worked a bit on the tech crew with the Peter Pan production and ushered during all of the shows. My anti-camping baby choose to go to Outdoor school as a counselor with Sammi last week and surprise, surprise she loved it. I can hardly believe that both of the girls will be Seniors in less than 30 days. One year left of Beaverton Schools. We've had kids attending BSD since 1995, oh and Amanda went to Kindy at Hiteon in 1990. That will be 16 years of BSD schools, whew I can't wait.

Niki's art project 24 charcoal drawings about one person or place- all about Nana Hess. This was her Christmas present to Hansen.