The big story of this fall has been the attempt to sell our house so that we can begin building on the land behind my parent's property. Weekend after weekend has been spent cleaning, organizing, decluttering, etc. to get it ready. At the same time we're trying to maneuver a construction loan and plan for the building of our new house. After a sale, and a renege on the aforementioned sale, we're back on the market and living in a bit of housing flux. However, we're not going to let it slow us down.
In the midst of all of this drama, Siena turned 10! She asked to celebrate her birthday at the Portland Aquarium, like Mason did a couple of years ago for his birthday. Many of her friends from school came, including her pal Emerson (below left) and of course her big bro Mason.
Yaya came to help Siena celebrate. She had never been to the aquarium before.
I think she's a little uncertain about all of the live animals, especially this iguana...
The other friends and cousins were more adventuresome.
Siena with her friend Maddy and Mason.
The other kids find the iguana much more approachable than my mother did. From left, Amy Jo, Tristyn, Gracie, Emerson, Felix, Mason, Yaya, and Joel.
Siena in a box.
Luis was egging on the bird...apparently the bird isn't a fan of guys.
Enjoying donuts instead of cake...birthday girl's choice. Note the blue cast on her left arm - during our first open house, Siena and I went roller skating at Oaks Park. Unfortunately she took a bad fall on the wavy back section of the rink and broke her arm. She was a little trooper though!
Somehow she got frosting all over her face!
And a bag on her head.
Shark and a spider web.
Needless to say the party was a success.
Halloween also came! It was the rainiest Halloween any of us can remember. It didn't slow us down though. Trick-or-treating involved Luis and I following the kids around the neighborhood with umbrellas.
So with our house back on the market, we occasionally have to leave when someone wants to see it. Since there were a couple of visitors yesterday afternoon, we decided to make an outing out of it and went to Hood River for the day.
We were more in looking - not buying mode but still had to check out the snowboarding gear. Especially since it looks like there may actually be snow on the mountains this year,
Siena's ready for her own snowboard. As soon as she stops growing, we'll talk about it.
After visiting the shops in town, we went to a cool new waterfront park recommended to us by a shop keeper. Luis made his entry in style by sliding on his rump down the slope!
Siena playing Deck the Halls on the big xylophone.
A little drum action!
Chilling in a tube!
The coolest part of this park was the climbing wall.
Mason obviously has zero interest in helping his sister up the wall.
Spinning - with a beautiful gorge view in the background.
We topped off the visit with some hot chocolate.
As of now, our house is for sale. Anyone want it?
