Cronin Clan

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-01-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

It looks like we only thought to take photos on Christmas Eve, which was really nice. Kieran played King Melchior in the pageant and did a great job. Our Aunt Carol joined us from Eugene, along with our parents, and Aunt Miel and Uncle James. Hopefully Miel has some better photos from Christmas itself...

Julefrokost 2011

2011-12-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

Pictures don't really do it justice, but we had a really hyggeligt og sjovt julefrokost this year :-)

Christmas Tree Fram Trip to Sauvie Island

2011-12-23T15:25:00.000-08:00

For the past few years we've been getting a Forest Service permit and finding our own tree in the woods. Since we didn't head down to Southern Oregon for Thanksgiving, we needed a new Christmas tree source. So, we headed to a place on Sauvie Island (about a 1/2 hour from downtown). We were both a disappointed that they were so groomed, but we finally found a beautiful noble fir.

We had both had the Friday off, and literally spent the entire day running holiday errands, then picked up the kids from school for an afternoon trip. By the time we found the "perfect" tree the sun was setting over the west hills, and by the time we had finished sawing it down, a full moon rose view a clear view of Mt St Helens. You couldn't have dreamed of more beautiful winter evening.

It was the thickest trunk I've ever had for a xmas tree, and we took turns sawing, working ourselves in a sweat. My knee needed some serious ibuprofen that night, but it was worth it. Then we headed to St Johns McMenamin's, and toasted to our tree :-)

Photo shoot before St Nicholas Festival

2011-12-20T19:42:00.000-08:00

I took these photos hoping to get one worthy of including in our annual holiday family letter...alas, I got a comical series where each kid is being themselves...

Visit with baby Stella

2011-12-20T19:34:00.000-08:00

A belated post...baby Stella is already walking!! The kids LOVE Stella, the baby girl of a dear childhood friend of mine, Sequoia. She seems to think they are pretty fun too :-)

I just love those fat baby knuckles!!!

More pics w Damtofts in Denmark

2011-12-02T17:16:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2011 - Knight in shining armor and his princess!

2011-11-05T22:13:00.000-07:00

Kieran and Makenna had a blast this year for Halloween. Kieran got very into his costume (and so did I!)...he checked out several books from the library and is now knows more about medieval times than anyone in the house...Makenna originally wanted to be a purple puppy, but he convinced her to be a princess...although he really wanted her to be a baby dragon...she said NO!

Pumpkin Fest with Petter Rabbit

2011-11-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

We had a very special guest along with us to Canyonville's Pumpkin Fest...Kieran's kindergarten class mascot, Peter Rabbit. He came along with us everywhere, weighing pumpkins (notice the biggest one was 1476.5 pounds!), 3 hayrides and several trips to the playground...Peter was just as tired as Kieran at the end of the weekend :-)

Go Ducks!

2011-11-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Catching up on some fall posts, these pics are from a visit to UO for a football game soon after we returned from DK. I'll continue to write about our trip, but for now I need to catch up with our recent family life...we had a great visit with my Aunt Carol and fun stay with Bocky :-)

Denmark Trip - Damtoft Pedersons

2011-10-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

We flew home from Denmark nearly two months ago, and we've been busy with Kier now in Kindergarten, new routines, events, and lots of college football. Alas, I haven't taken the time to reflect on our trip in writing...the weather has been too beautiful actually!

Aside from sharing with friends and family, I mostly want to write our story because already the details are quickly fading. I don't want to loose the memories. It's hard to sum up three weeks, but I'd at least like to share the highlights.

We arrived on a somewhat blustery summer day, and we were soon told by almost everyone we met that that this had been one of the worst summers on record. Like all memories, they are selective. If Kevin tells you about our trip, he'll remember that it was the coldest/wettest August he's ever experienced. Whereas I'll mention that it never got bad enough to bust out my new pants from REI, and we only really got soaked once...and the kids were still laughing. Makenna got a ruffly purple umbrella out of the deal, and Kier mentioned this weekend "Look, it's raining, just like Denmark!" We had an unusual heat wave over 90 when we first returned and one of the most beautiful autumns I recall, so the rainy August does feel distant...

We stayed our first 3 nights at the Damtoft Pederson's home (my second host family). Their home was just as inviting as I had remembered, and we truly enjoyed settling into the country at their place. The kids really enjoyed playing with all the Play Mobile toys. Makenna learned to somersault and loved their big carpeted living room...she's call out "Guys! Guys!" to make sure we were all watching.

As always the eager Rotarian, ready to share the story of good will and exchange, Henning had already spoken with the local newspaper about my visit and organized to have a photographer meet us our first morning in the Denmark...I'll see if I can't get it scanned at some point...it's a good little article with a nice pic of us with Kirstin and Henning :-)

Our first full day we headed out to their beach house, where we would later stay a good chunk of our trip. We were blessed with a nice patch of sun for a walk down to the water with Kirstin. The location is simply beautiful. They bought the summer house just as I moved into their home (back in 1996), so I had visited and stayed there before, but they had done lots of renovations, which included more windows and a bigger deck.

The next day we spent celebrating my host sister, Signe's birthday! It was a lot of fun for the kids (and me!) to wave the Danish flags and sing to her in the morning. We were still adjusting to the time, so Kev got up around 4 a.m. and took a long walk into town and picked up some pastries from Odense, brunesviger, and chocolate croissants(...that's what he knows!)

We went on a trip to the local lake and driving around in the countryside in the morning. Kieran had really wanted to see some wildlife, so we were happy to spot a pheasant, quail and two deer on our short drive!

We couldn't get enough of the animals, so we went to petting zoo with the birthday girl, and family. She got a camera for her b-day, so she took lots of pics, here are her two favorite from the day:

Our time with the Damtofts ended too quickly, like every place on our trip really, but it was a great way to start our trip.

And, yes, Makenna got a nasty gash on her forehead just a few days before our trip (tripping into a bookshelf)...she had green eyes for the first whole week!

Denmark Trip - Part 1

2011-09-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Our big trip to Denmark really felt like a series of mini-vacations with tons of beautiful places to explore and people to meet. The kids adapted really well to so many living environments, 9 places in the span of three weeks, and were like our transient entertainers.

Kieran and Kev were both a bit home sick when we left the summer house midway through our trip, Kier because he had to say goodbye to a huge collection of cowboys/Indians Play Mobile toys and Kev was longing for some Ducks news. Makenna was the life of the party, and loved saying "skaal!" She was still making airplane noises when she sleepily got off our last plane, and she's still wheeling her rolling bag around the house...I think she's ready for our next adventure :-)

Our first day in Denmark, looking forward to returning to the Damtoft's summer house later in the trip.

The kiddos got along really well for most of the trip, a few minor sibling scuffles, but mostly they played nicely together.

Kier is our beloved rental, a Ford Galaxy. We seriously would like to import this car, funny enough Ford only produces these small minivans in Germany.

Makenna took her smile everywhere and loved waving our flags across the tiny country.

Our best surprise was when we arrived in Kastrup airport and my twin host sisters, Mie and Rie were there waving Danish and American flags! I've never been so surprised, most of all by how much I still dearly love them :-)

Sahalie & Koosah Falls

2011-08-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

Scattering Wally's ashes was a beautiful experience. Sahalie and Koosah Falls are at the headwaters of the McKenzie River. It is quite literally one of the most beautiful places on the planet. The aquamarine waters seem tropical, but the lush smells of the forest remind you that you're in the Cascades. Miel and I and the kids drove up with our Aunt Carol, Wally's only sister and closest family.

Just last year I went up with Aunt Carol and Wally to scatter my grandmother's ashes. I also scattered some of my grandfather and uncle's ashes, since we had been too young when he passed away to include in a family service. We realized once we were on the road that she had passed away exactly a year ago to the date of scattering her eldest son's ashes.

The kids loved the hike and the rushing waters. Makenna wouldn't turn her head away from the falls for the longest time. Mid way between the falls Kieran exclaimed "Mama, it sounds like the water is shouting for joy!" So true. Makenna soon began gathering small hemlock fir cones and we helped them throw them into the water. We also tossed in a whole bouquet of flowers from the garden and the kids enjoyed watching them float over the misty falls.

Despite our grief, we felt a great deal of peace knowing that our whole family will some day be in the magical place.

Sailing Away

2011-07-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

For the full story, visit wallyway.org

June Pics

2011-07-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Finally posting pics from June...so glad summer is here...now I can't believe it's already half over...just can't get enough summer fun:

Dress Up!

2011-05-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

No captions necessary!

Guinea Pig Campers at Dodge Park

2011-05-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

We were guinea pig campers this weekend, as we were the sole inaugural campers at Dodge Park's new campground, at the confluence of the Bull Run and Sandy rivers (between Troutdale and Sandy). I've been working for some time now to turn Dodge Park into a campground, so we were the "testers" to work out the kinks and do quality control. Given this weekend's weather, we were brave in charting such unknown territory. We arrived in the pouring rain, and amazingly the sun came out after about ten minutes and didn't start again the kids were snug in their sleeping bags. It dumped buckets the first night, but we managed to stay dry in our Hobitat tent.

Saturday was mostly beautiful weather, and we had fun exploring the historic park. Our friends Stacy, Geordie and 18 month Grant came out to visit in the late afternoon/evening. They brought chili fixings and a stove, which I somehow forgot and still can't find...so we headed out early on Sunday to a nearby diner. The kids didn't want to leave, but we are planning to come back again for the 4th of July weekend!

I still have a little work left to do to perfect the camping experience, but you really can't beat the beautiful location and new amenities. Reservations available at 503-823-2525 during business hours, check the Dodge Park webpage for more details.

So good to be back home!

2011-05-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

It feels so good to be back home...so glad it's a 'flex' weekend...never needed a three day weekend more! Yesterday we ordered a whole unit of garden mulch, and we've been planting and hauling compost all over the yard. If we weren't busy enough at home, we all went to a ribbon cutting/volunteer event at Zenger Farm for a community livability grant that Kevin had awarded to the project. Makenna and I planted sunflowers (OK really only 3 before she got hungry/distracted!), while Kier and Kev painted the barn shed red/white.

Then this evening was spent goes through the box of bequeathed belongings from Grandpa Wally. Honestly, it was a bit like an early Christmas, since the kids got set of Lincoln Logs, a jar full of marbles, a red boa, and of course a couple of guitars. We had a family sing-along, which reminds me to share that Kieran is becoming quite the lyricist...

Here's lyrics to Kier's first two songs (roughly):

"The sun will always be here...the moon will always be here...my parents will always be here...I love the sun...I love the moon...I love my parents."

"Veggies grow in the dirt...I eat veggies, but not the dirt...flowers grow in the dirt...I eat some flowers, but not the dirt!"

Only hoping that we'll have the pleasure of more lyrics like these to come...so good to be back home!

Grandpa Wally's Passing

2011-05-11T02:18:00.000-07:00

It's time to share the news of my father Wally's death, and share with extended family and friends the legacy of his life. In the past few days I've reminisced on so many things that it's hard to know where to start...

Tonight I returned home and read to Kieran an amazing book that I bought to share his legacy with the kids on the day after I learned of his passing, last Friday. Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, shares the story of tree planter and first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (Kier was impressed!). I have no doubt they would have been fast friends if they had ever met, but it so happened that they were spent their young lives reforesting different parts of the planet. Their legacy is similar though, and it is now in his death that I understand the significance of the movement he worked to create with a hard working cooperative of Hoedads. At age five, Kieran hasn't quite grasped the finality of death, but he loved his Grandpa Wally and I have no doubt that he will have playful memories...he did however start to tear up when Wangari was imprisoned, and for several pages asked pleadingly, "When did she get out of jail? When?" It made me realize how fortunate Wally was to live in a time and place to have the freedom to what his heart longed to do.

Instead of memories, Makenna will be left with this heartfelt photo of her and Grandpa Wally at the Oregon Country Fair last summer. We had met on the outskirts of the main stage meadow on pre-fair Thursday, where she proceeded to flirt and romp, and share her joy with both grandparents, as my Mom was there to care for her and spoil her with fair fun.

My east coast Cronin family remembers Wally as the silver haired hippie who splurged on kegs and an eight piece swing band for our wedding outside of Ashland nearly nine years ago. No doubt they may have thought he was the one who stunk up the shuttle bus!

Speaking of parties, we held one amazing wake for Wally last night. We packed a few hundred of his closest friends into his favorite place outside the woods and the country fair: Sam Bond's Garage. It may seem odd (I didn't really understand wakes until last night), but this gathering of his tribe will be one of the most significant experiences of my life. I can only hope to have the grace of so many wonderful souls to honor my passing. For those of you who weren't able to join us (or who weren't able to understand me through my tears), I'd like to share my opening remarks:

Thank you all for coming together to celebrate the life of Wally. More than anything he was our father, and everyone’s friend. I know the loss is sudden and deep, and it’s going to be heartbreaking to share and hear the stories of his life. But from an early age, we always knew that Wally wanted a wake when he passed. I didn’t quite understand it as a kid, but in the past days of grieving I can see the wisdom of sharing and celebrating life, even as we privately morn.

It’s in this reflection that I can now clearly see just how much Wally’s wacky and wonderful persona shaped who I am, who we all are today. More than anything, Wally taught us how to have fun and enjoy life. As most of you all know, our childhood experience with Wally was spent as visits from the South Umpqua up to the big city of Eugene. On drives north, he would entertain us with jokes, not just one or two, but long-winded riddles that always left you laughing. As an adult I don’t know how he managed to keep them so clean, but we felt the shift from father to friend when he let us in on his zany humor. No doubt, the best jokes of his life were with his Hoedads, and there weren’t nearly as many jokes to share once his hoedad was finally laid to rest.

As kids, we felt like lucky to have a father who would take us to ice cream often more than once on each visit, first at our mid-way meeting point of Rice Hill, then at Prince Pucklers. For nearly every breakfast before he met Karen, he would take us to Fifth Street Market for day old croissants with extra jam and butter and pint sized kiefers. For our 13^th birthday, he and Karen surprised us by leading us blindfolded down the railroad tracks to his friend Ib’s place, where we were served rum flamed ice cream. We felt like the specialist girls in the world.

Once we were grown, Wally shared his love of a good pint. I remember bonding over my first public pints at High Street, and here at Sam Bond’s during college with all his myriad of friends from my childhood. At age 20, we shared a very special trip down to Boont Ale country where he picked cones and we slept under the stars.

Wally taught me his love for sailing, feeling the wind in your hair and the rush hiking out the entire weigh of your body and cantilevering against the waves. He loved sharing his joy for sailing with others, and I truly hope that Tami will share her joyous memories with us.

Most of all, I will miss hearing Wally’s guitar and the stories he shared through his guitar. He would serenade us with quirky folk songs, and he always made us squeal to the story of four wet pigs. That was his greatest joy, sharing stories and smiles everyone, because everyone he knew was his friend. We feel blessed to have such a tremendous friend as a father. The loss of his life will be a big hole to fill, but here today I feel your joy and friendship that was his life.

Thank you again for coming together to honor Wally.

I am only disappointed that Kev and the kids couldn't make the wake, and I could make the excuse that Kev happened to have back to back night mtgs and an early morning work obligation (Thanks Auntie Carla for being our savior!) But the fact of the matter is that I didn't have the capacity to be a grieving daughter and a mother at the same time. Hopefully sharing will help my nuclear family understand the sorrow and joy I feel right now.

For his "fair family" obituary, visit my twin sis's blog: http://www.vicariousnomad.com/2011/05/wally-jones-passing-on.html

Even though Wally wasn't of the Facebook generation, we felt it perfect to keep his stories going by creating a 'fan page'...his occupation is appropriately titled: Entertainer.

Grandpa Wally, may you fly in peace.

First T-Ball Season - Go Rockies!

2011-04-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

I can't express how ecstatic Kieran is to be on his first team...the all American sport of t-ball. Kevin is co-coaching and having a blast too, although from the sidelines it looks awfully close to herding cats.

T-ball is a blast to watch though, and it's pure joy to watch them scramble after the ball and then not know what to do when they get it. On Kier's first time to bat he stood and admired his swing instead of running to base (see quick video below). Then once he got to first base he started running back to Kev at home yelling how he had forgot his glove! Then once he was on second base and his teammate hit the ball into outfield he instinctively ran after the ball...no matter that he was supposed to be heading to third base. The game was filled with classic moves like this. Truly hilarious!

First time to bat.

Looks like the T took a swing too!

Team leg hugger!

Bat girl...she all about dress up...note her purple team shirt!

Beloved doggy purse...thanks Auntie Miel!

Kier is #4...not sure why he still has his glove when he's getting ready to bat!

He's ready!

Serious warmer upper!

Go Rockies!

First time at bat!

So many things to learn, so much fun!

Spring Begins!

2011-03-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how relieved our family is for spring to begin. We spent our first afternoon in the backyard. It was still soggy, but we were anxious to get out of the house. It has literally been months, and I forgot how much I miss it. Each year we somehow power through the winter, but we're really spring/summer people.

We've been stressed because Kevin wants to give up Kiki, but the rest of us aren't ready to say goodbye. For a moment, we were all happy in the yard together...

Potty Girl

2011-03-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

Makenna is a full fledged potty girl - yep, she's had three successful weekends in a row and went poop every time this weekend! We are so proud of her and you can see just how proud she is of herself:

Hopefully this won't embarrass her too much when she's older!

Sounds Roots Party Pics

2011-01-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

Happy 5th Birthday Kieran!

Makenna's First Haircut!

2011-01-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

Makenna's curls were mid way down her back (when wet!) at just now 2, so we decided it was time for a real haircut (beyond bang trims). Broadway Barber's came highly recommended for kids cuts, and we'll definitely be going back. She got to pick out a Barrett and a lollipop, and she couldn't have been happier. Plus Makenna sat like a little angle the whole time!

The bonus was that they have a policy that the first hair cut it free!

Then she hammed it up when we got home:

Makenna Turns 2!!

2011-01-26T20:32:00.000-08:00

Happy #2 Makenna Rose!

Kevin's Birthday Hike

2011-01-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

We went hiking today to celebrate Kevin's 41st. He had just recently read about a beautiful hike near the coast to Drift Creek Falls, which included both a beautiful falls and a suspension bridge (Grant McOmie's hike description)) Kev's a self-proclaimed fair weather hiker, so I was a bit surprised that he was anxious to get out on the trail on such a cold bleak day. We didn't expect snow either, but by the time we drove all the way to the trailhead, we were all ready to hit the trail. Kiki was in dog heaven and Kieran was proud to pick through the slushy mud with his hiking pole (even though he forgot his coat and had to borrow Daddy's!). I half expected Makenna to be grouchy since we started close to her nap time, but she was all smiles and loved snow hiking as much as the summer time. We were all soggy by the time we returned from the 3 mile hike, but the adventure was worth it. Happy Birthday Hubby!!

Kier's trip

2011-01-08T14:27:00.001-08:00

Kieran was lucky enough to take a trip up to the Port Townsend area of Washington State with his Aunt Miel and Grandpa Wally. They visited Miel's college roommate and her two boys. Apparently they had a fun time walking on a frozen wetland:

Christmas 2010

2011-01-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

We had a beautiful and fun Christmas in Portland. It was wonderful having Miel and my Mom here to share the holiday joy. The kids were bursting with it and loved signing and dancing to all the carols. Santa was very good to them both, and we've been busy writing lots of "thank yous."

The highlight was seeing Kieran and Kevin in the Grace Christmas pageant...they both made great Shepards!

We loved hearing from many friends and family, and it was hard to take all the cards off our mantle yesterday. We hope your holidays were lovely, and we hope to see you in 2011.

Not enough pics, but here are the best:

Makenna with her new dress-up dolly from Gram.

I cherish the innocence of our kids at this age, Kieran actually came in to bed to snuggle (Kev was already walking Kiki) and wanted to wait until Makenna was up to see what Santa brought...what restraint!

I LOVE MY DUCKS!!

Christmas Eve - Makenna and Mama

Ridem' Zebra 2011

2011-01-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

For Makenna's 1st birth day, her Auntie Miel gave her a zebra. You may have seen the first video from last February. Well, even though she has nearly outgrown it, lately she's taken her zebra riding to a whole new level. It's truly not the camera person's fault that it's so blurry, she's just moving too fast!

Ridem' Girly!!

Go Ducks!

2010-12-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

Go Ducks!

Compared to last year's Civil War, Makenna is now a full blown little girl. This photo doesn't do her pompom piggy tails justice, but she has thoroughly enjoyed the football season. Like her sports fanatic brother, she actually watches the game...giving Mom a chance to work on other projects...

Hopefully we'll have a video for you by the championship game...

Thanksgiving Pics

2010-12-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

We spent a relaxing Thanksgiving at my parents place in Days Creek. We had fun hanging out and playing lots. The kids love being at Grandma's and Papa's, and being in the country. Kieran loves going to the barn at the school to feed the pigs, and Makenna was excited to have a whole gymnasium full of balls to play with. We also went up to snow level to get our Christmas tree, which is now providing a warm glow in our home. Thanksgiving already feels like a long time ago, and it's only two weeks until Christmas...

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

My camera has been broken for several months now, and it's been killing me to not be able to take pics of the kiddos and all our special moments. We went out to for a hay ride at the Pumpkin Patch today, and I kept lamenting not having a camera with us. Thankfully my Mom visited last weekend and brought us some nice big pumpkins and took a few pics.

Kieran just went to bed, ODed on candy, but loved trick or treating in his sparkly red cape for the second year in a row (he was a monkey at school on Friday, but was disappointed that his tail didn't stick upright!) Makenna's teething so she was in bed at dusk. There's always next year...

Tillicum Beach Camping Trip

2010-09-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

Tillicum Beach is our very favorite beach spot, and this Labor Day we lucked out with some amazing weather! We made and destroyed sand castles for hours. My parents visited for the day, and it was a great way to end the summer.

8 year anniversary camping trip!

2010-09-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

We celebrated eight years of marriage on a beautiful camping trip in Southern Oregon. Highlights included swimming in Crater Lake, hiking to the headwaters of the Rogue, and cooking camp dinners for two!

Takhlakh Lake Trip

2010-09-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

My camera started to go on the fritz here, but hopefully you'll get an idea of the fun time our family had at one of our favorite places. I didn't get a shot of Mt Adams, but we got an amazing view our first afternoon.

Oregon Country Fair

2010-09-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

We had an magical time at the Oregon Country Fair (while Kev was backpacking in the Wallowas...sorry, no pictures from his trip).

Best of Summer 2010

2010-09-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy summer for us, and it's kind of hard to believe that summer is really over. Alas, with all our activities I've been neglecting our family blog. Here's my attempt at catching up.

Makenna's favorite pastime lately has been digging/eating dirt/sand:

Below is a video of Makenna and Kiki early in the summer. She has grown even more in love with Kiki and every dog she meets lately, and loves baby-signing dog by sticking out her tongue and panting. It's quite adorable. He's now been part of our family for over a year, and Makenna doesn't remember life without him.

Summer Splashing

2010-06-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here in Portland...

Makenna was elated to splash around in her kiddie pool with Kieran. Not surprisingly Kieran kept wanting to be hosed down. It wasn't even that hot, barely eighty degrees, but with our seventy degree June we were ready to get wet.

We also had a blast at Sunday Parkways North. I wish I had photos or videos, but it was an amazing day. Better than the weather, Kieran rode a few mile loop with full gusto. Makenna slept in her bike seat, and we all enjoyed the family ride amidst hundreds of pedaling Portlanders.

Sunny Silver Falls

2010-05-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from our recent trip to Silver Falls State Park for Mother's Day weekend. It is one of my favorite places, and hiking through all the waterfalls is always majestic. My Mom drove up with Kieran, since he had been visiting for the week (loving his new-found freedom!)

We also met up with good friends who we were really close to when we lived in Ashland, and it was great to reconnect. Their son is in between Kieran and Makenna's ages, and they all had a great time together. Shareen is also pregnant, she we're looking forward to seeing their family grow!

We rented cabins, since we're not die-hard enough to go camping in May. It turned out that the weather was amazing, clear blue skies and sun all weekend. I completely agreed with Kieran when he asked as we he asked "Mommy, when are we coming back to Silver Falls?"

Happy Mama's Day indeed.

Backyard Play

2010-04-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

We had a blast in the back yard this past weekend. The spring weather was beautiful and we got our garden prepped and mostly planted. Kev took the kids on wheel barrow rides, which they loved. Makenna enjoyed dumping buckets of weeds and showing us how she can walk carrying enormous dandelions around the yard. Kier pretended to sell me plants from our shed's unique Popsicle stand pull down table. Although I didn't get any adorable pics, Makenna is totally in love with Kiki and shows her affection whenever she manages to chase him down...I'll try to get a video of it soon, too cute!

Hope you are enjoying your spring...stop by if you're in the neighborhood, we'll more than likely be in the back yard!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

My have they grown since last Easter. Makenna is toddling everywhere and Kieran is taking his role as big brother to a new level, finding new ways to play and laugh together every day.

Kevin is fixing Makenna's hair, although her little curls have a life of their own. As you can see, Kier is no longer a blondie and his hair double in thickness.

Kieran enjoying a fun new Easter tradition. The Easter Bunny tied ribbon to the baskets and wrapped it all over the house in a maze to his bed. He had fun unraveling it all and then hiding them again with a tangle of ribbon...at least it kept him occupied while I made dinner!

Makenna's signature face, she loves getting people to laugh and smile.
She's pretty good herself too, I think she looks like a little bunny rabbit here!

Palm Sunday at Grace. We love that place more every time.
Kieran was getting the rain drops to fall from the cherry blossoms branches!
Daddy's little girl.

Beach trip w/ friends

2010-03-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we headed to the coast for a beach trip at Nehalem Bay State Park. We stayed at the yurts, which turned out to be a good option since a storm came in on Saturday. We're lucky because it turns out that one of my friends through work has children in the same classes as ours. It was a great getaway.

Makenna crawling in the sunny grass, picking daisies!

Makenna just learned "touchdown," like her big bro.

Fiona discovering how slow the sand makes your steps.

Dean enjoying some beach time.

Friends.

Sweet friends.

Horsey Girl

2010-02-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

Makenna got a fun little horsey, zebra really, for her birthday from her Auntie Miel. Since she lives across the country, this is the best way to say thank you! Hope this gives you a smile too :-)

Sorry for making you turn your head, but I can't seem to figure out how to rotate videos...

PS Ignore Kieran's squeals, Kev is tickling him.

Big Boy - 4!

2010-01-30T19:47:00.000-08:00

The preschool class tradition is to bake cupcakes cakes and make a crown that the kids get to pick a photo for the top, and he chose a look-alike black lab like our Kiki. Kieran was about the most excited birthday boy I could imagine, he might have imploded if he couldn't move so fast!

His Kieran really enjoyed a "Boys Only Birthday Party," although he was fine to have little sisters and mommies over for the fun. We made rocket ships and decorated them with stickers and other fancy things. They had a great time, even though 6 boys about maxed my decibel limit. Kieran loved having them all over to play.

Belated Birthday Wishes

2010-01-30T19:23:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday Makenna!

Makenna had a lot more fun than her Mom and Dad on her birthday, since we were both sick with a stomach bug.

We did manage to celebrate Makenna's birthday a day late, even though Kevin was at a community night meeting. She loved the shakers, bells, and tamborine we gave her.

Makenna moved a little too fast for me...

I think Kiki ended up with more of the cake than Makenna, but she didn't seem to mind too much...the next piece landed on the floor for him to scarf up.

Friends of Trees and Volunteering

2010-01-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

In commemoration of the Martin Luther King Jr holiday and Kevin's lifelong pledge to community service through AmeriCorps, our family spent Saturday morning volunteering to plant trees in the neighborhood where Kevin serves through PDC.

It's been ten years since I first planted with Kevin on a misty Portland morning, and it's always fun to go back through our old neighborhood and point out the trees that we planted together. Now we get to share the excitement with Kieran and Makenna. While Makenna was only along for the ride, Kieran truly got into the act this year. He was digging, filling, helping deliver twine, pouring water, sweeping...you name it; he was helping. Fun stuff.

Kevin turns the big 4-0!!!

2010-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, the "baby" of the original Cronin Family is turning 40. Kevin was very surprised yesterday when the kids and I colluded with his co-workers to surprise him at work. We planned for his colleague to show him a PowerPoint to review that they will be presenting at a community meeting next week. He took the bait, only to have Kieran barge into the conference room with a chocolate cupcake. Then we went on to show a little PowerPoint of his own, litterally all the photos he has from his childhood. If you're a real Kevin Cronin die hard (and not the REO Speedwagon kind), you can view them all here on Picasa.

Kevin's surprises aren't over yet, as I've even more up my sleeve to celebrate this momentous occasion

Happy Birthday Kevin!!!

Christmas with the whole Cronin Clan

2010-01-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

We had a really special Christmas this year, back East with the whole "Cronin Clan." It was especially meaningful because Kevin's parents are selling their quaint country farm house and the beautiful acreage surrounding it. While the "kids" didn't grow up their, it has become home for the whole family. Kevin's brother was married out on the vast rolling field of a lawn, and Kevin proposed to me in the living room packed with family on Christmas Day 2001. The place will always have a special place in hearts.

Our visits are always a bit bittersweet in their brevity, as we don't get to gather with the extended clan but every year or so, and we know that all the cousins will grow and life will be different the next time we all are together again. So, we do our best to savor the moments, and capture the memories. Here are some my favorite photos:

PS Yes, Miel and James joined the whole clan for the holiday!

The Danish "julefrokost"

2010-01-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

I know it's the new year (Happy 2010!!!), but I've got some catching up to do to post on all of our holiday adventures...

Each year I try my best to share the significance of holiday parties in Denmark, but I always feel like I can't quite articulate the true meaning (unless I were to ramble on and on, as I'm sometimes known to do!) I found this article shortly after our annual Danish holiday party, and there was a lot of truth to it "Only the Strong Survive Julefrost." I think both my Danish and American friends and family would get a kick out of this article, please comment if you want to add something to the topic.

PS Yes, Kevin did dress Makenna in her "Life's better with Boobs" shirt, instead of the "Santa's Helper" one I was planning on...

PPS And yes, I did enjoy my share of Akvavit, brought by my host brother Niels from Sweden this past fall, Tusind Tak!

PPS Next year I want to get the kids decked out in little nissehue, does anyone have a sewing pattern for some?

Tis' the Season!

2009-12-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

We've really been getting into the holiday spirit lately. Here are some fun pics and a hilarious little video clip!

Portland's traditional Christmas Ships! Our first time, and we went to a potluck on a floating house right on the Columbia River!

Family Advent service at Grace. The moral of the children's sermon: give to those in need. We've been giving to those in need this season in many ways.

It's hard to imagine that Makenna wasn't here last year, thankfully my mom made an extra stocking for her, now we just need to stitch her name!

Kieran thinks that Santa only comes to the Portland Water Bureau's annual holiday pancake breakfast...he's never seen one in a mall! This year he had our director placing bets on whether he would come back for another sausage...he ate 5 big sausages, two pancakes, and eggs!

Kevin: "Oh my God that's hilarious!"

Civil War - Go Ducks!

2009-12-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

If you live in Oregon, you would have to live under a rock to have not noticed the Civil War frenzy. One of the longest college football rivalries, the annual match up between Oregon State University and University of Oregon is not to be missed. The game lived up to the hype, and the Ducks were victorious.

Previous season game, Kevin couldn't help but get her the cheer uniform.

Makenna hasn't learned how to sign touchdown like Kieran used to at her age, but she sure has the cheer squeel down! Now she's got until the Rose Bowl to learn her touchdown.

Giving Thanks!

2009-11-27T10:44:00.000-08:00

Two-thousand and nine has been an exceptional year for our family. I know that this is not the case for many others who have lost their livelihoods and homes, or for those who live in unimaginable poverty around the globe. This is why it is so important to give our thanks. This week Kieran has been very ill with the flu, and today is his first day out of the house in six days! So, I'm going to take this moment of rare silence to reflect on all that we are thankful for:

- Healthy family, and health care when we need it
- Friends and family who love us and keep our life interesting and fun
- Abundance of good food...almost too much a good thing yesterday
- Meaningful careers where we can make a difference in our community
- Excellent place for our children to be cared for and learn, plus we can visit
- Kiki, who teaches us about our humanity and is always ready for lovin'
- A loving marriage and friendship, this week marks 10 years since our first date!
- Warm home with things that comfort us
- Vibrant garden to grow food and flowers, connect us to nature, and play
- Beautiful place to live and grow, mountains and beaches, rivers and trees
- Connection to the web of life...via the living spirit or the Internet ;-)

Here are a few photos from our Thanksgiving 2009! We hope you are enjoying this relaxing holiday weekend.

Niels og Naira Besoege

2009-11-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

We had a very hyggeligt (cozy) visit recently with my host brother Niels, and his Swedish girlfriend Naira. It was wonderful to reconnect after so many years...it's been over ten years since we've seen each other, and it seems like a lifetime since I lived with his family in a quaint Danish countryside home. As I expected though, we reconnected immediately, and it was so nice to get to know Naira.

Naira with Kieran and Makenna

Lots of tickling!
And nibling too!

Kieran and Makenna wearing their favorite Danish clothes from Smaafolk (Tusind Tak Susanne!)

To cap off a fantastic visit, Kieran showed us his dance moves on their last night here. I know I'm biased, but I have to say that his dance moves have gotten more impressive since his class began two months ago :-)

I ran out of space on my camera, so this is the finale:

It was only too bad that I totally ran out of space for Kieran's last blues song, he was squinting his eyes and sagging his shoulders like a natural. He was so serious that it was hard to not laugh. Niels and Naira were duelly impressed... ;-) Once he was all tuckered out, Niels read to Kieran from some of the new Swedish books they brought him. We also got some treats for our upcoming julfest...Tusind Tak!!

Det var en rigtig hyggeligt besoege!

Halloween x2

2009-11-08T14:44:00.000-08:00

It felt like Halloween lasted for days this year, and in fact on Monday, November 2nd, Kieran woke up and asked "Is it still Halloween Mommy?" Halloween with two kids is certainly more fun than one. Even though a week has now past, I've finally got a moment to post my favorite photos and video clips. Part of the reason Halloween seemed to last for ages is because we celebrated on Friday at "school." Makenna was a fairy and Kieran a superhero (after wanting to be a red door, ghost, and scarecrow.)

Kieran has his dance classes on Fridays; here's a cute clip of him and his friends dancing as ghosts...Kieran is the one saying ooooh the loudest the whole time. Parents were asked to participate as much as possible, so since it was my day off, I spent the morning with the kids...in a purple wig...Kier doesn't know that it's me behind the camera :-)

The fun was just beginning though, as we carved our home grown jack-o-lanterns. The big one fell down both sets of steps as Kevin scolded Kiki for eating the pumpkin guts. Thankfully, I managed to carve a small design on the other side...we also still had a second small pumpkin left to carve, so Kieran wasn't quite as devastated.

The day was capped off when my host brother, Niels and his Swedish girlfriend began their visit. The power went out briefly (for the third time that day!) right before they arrived, so we had a very "hyggeligt" candlelit dinner of homemade tomato soup. Then we headed out to trick or treat around the neighborhood. It was fun to show them the neighborhood and catch up between houses. This year Kieran was able to make a 3 block route, and got enough lout that we are just finishing it up!

Fall evening w/ Friends

2009-10-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

Following a productive weekend of getting our place back in order after a weekend away, lots of laundry, and working on a few house projects, we enjoyed a nice evening with our friends Hans and Ana, and their children Alan and Valentina.

Kieran and Alan have been fast friends for over two years as classmates at Pennisula Children's Center, yet since our "transfer" to CityKids we've extraordinarily busy. So, we hadn't seen each other in about two months, and with the girls being so young, they had sure grown in that time.

Hans & Valentina

Ana & Makenna

Hans, Kieran and Alan

Boys were all smiles and energy

D.C. visit

2009-10-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

No, we didn't make it all the way to the nation's capital this weekend, but we did make a family trek to my home "town" of Days Creek (or as the locals call it, D.C.). Once I think back, as a little kid our house was white, and we loved to say that we lived in the White House in D.C.

Now, back to the original point of this post, sharing tidbits from our trip:

We enjoyed a nice relaxing fall weekend with my parents, or Grandma and Papa Roger as they are more often called these days. The unfortunate news of the weekend was that the annual Pumpkin Festival was canceled due to a big storm that was forecast, but the good news was that the storm blew in to the north and the weather was glorious. So we got in quite a few short walks, especially since we brought Kiki for his first trip to D.C. He loved the countryside, and made himself quickly at home there. Kieran and I collected acorns on one excursion, and the "guys" all headed to try to see the salmon spawning while the "girls" did a little shopping. Kevin also got a good dose of college football and a Penn State game and all the channels we don't have without cable. Makenna entertained herself by going after houseplants and watching us all chase after her. Like I said, a nice relaxing weekend for everyone.

It's all been pretty friendly so far, but the toy give-and-take has begun...Makenna was successful at stealing back her first dolly!

Reunited "at last", Kieran now starts asking about plans to visit/see Grandma before we've even parted. His past two trips to D.C. were sans parents, so this time around his was a little put off by the fact that Kevin and I were coming with him. He told us that only little kids were allowed to stay at their house!

It never fails to surprise people, but my Dad LOVES babies and they love him. Makenna kept grabbing his beard and squeal ling.

Kieran loved all the extra storytellers, and we were excited because on our drive home he started reading out loud to himself for the first time.

Makenna is getting ready for Halloween, and loved these monster glasses.

As a disclaimer, this video clip is not really very exciting. But it does show where Makenna is developmentally these days, standing lots and reaching for everything!

Thanks Mom and Dad for a nice visit "home"!

Showered with Love

2009-10-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we hosted a co-ed baby shower for good friends of ours who are expecting their first child, who is affectionately dubbed "Sprout" until the true identity is revealed. We've enjoyed welcoming them to the world of parenthood, and if our friendship is any indication, Stacy and Geordie will surely be fun-loving, thoughtful, caring parents. We look forward to meeting you Sprout!

Everyone brought a favorite children's book to the party, and there were lots of favorites to be had. I managed to find two of my favorites used, On the Day you were Born and Oh, the Places you'll Go, plus a few board books.

Everyone had their share of ooohs and awwws.

Although she couldn't make it to the festivities, Stacy and Geordie's good friend Elizabeth made this amazing cake! It was deeeelicious...I seriously don't know if I've had much better. Thanks as well to my pre-party helper, Karen, and clean-up crew of Geordie's sis and Mom! It takes a village... :-)

RARE Friends

2009-09-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we celebrated 15 years of the RARE program that Kevin served as an AmeriCorps through in 1998-99 PD (Pre-Darcy). RARE stands for Resource Assistance For Rural Environments and is organized by the University of Oregon as a service-learning opportunity statewide. Kevin served his year in Talent, Oregon where we were later married, just north of Ashland. It was a great chance for him to dive into the day-to-day life of small town planning after years of studying.

After finishing his Master's in Community and Regional Planning at the UO, he was lucky enough to land the job of his former manager at the City of Talent. So that's why after a brief year of living together in Portland we moved down to Southern Oregon for a few years. During Kevin's year as a RARE volunteer (participants get a meager stipend), he met some exceptional people who were equally dedicated to public service. Among them were Chris and Shareen, and when they moved down to Southern Oregon we became very close friends. We were together almost every weekend, and they were the type of friends you could call up on a moment's notice to take a hike or grab some food. Not really a short story, but that's the story...

Fast forward a few years, and we both have young kids...not quite able to run off on hikes anytime we like, but still enjoying a new pace of life. Chris and Shareen stayed at our place for the RARE celebration/reunion, and we enjoyed a night out on the town (while my cousin's daughter, Jessica, patiently babysat our three kids!) Then we got up early for a morning service event out in the Gorge at Cascade Locks. The guys painted while Shareen and I prepped for the lunch-time bbq and were entertained by our kids. It was great to see and meet other RARE friends, and it feels great to be part of such an organization.

Kevin and I both agree that we want to raise our kids to give back to the community, and to show them the tremendous positive impact our actions can have on a place, even small ones. I may not have served in RARE, but as a girl from rural Douglas County, I certainly see its need and put in my share of community service growing up. Individuals do make a difference. And RARE shows us that together we can impact communities and create life long friendships.

Green Means Go!

2009-09-12T14:11:00.000-07:00

In honor of the new MAX Green line, today's post is all green...

I haven't written much about our work on this family blog, but that's obviously a big part of our life too. Kevin is coordinating a street fair today for the opening of the new light-rail station in Lents Town Center, the Urban Renewal Area that he is working hard to revitalize. Kieran and Kevin went out to Ramona Street last weekend in the pouring rain to clean up the street, and were on the local news for their volunteer efforts. So, when Kieran wakes up from his nap, we'll head out to celebrate the new train....which, needless to say, is a 3-year old's greatest fantasy!

Green also means go for our little girl these days...I just caught this pic of her gleefully pulling herself up:

Here's a video from the street fair itself...a fun time was had by all:

Back to "School"...Back to Work

2009-09-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Makenna and Kieran had their first day at CityKids, the childcare and preschool center in my building. While it will be a transition for us all, we definitely think that it will be best for the kids and our family. It was so nice being able to nurse Makenna on breaks today!

Kieran was super excited about starting at his new "school," and last night when he picked out his clothes, he told me "Mommy, I want to look like a really nice boy, not a mean one!" I wish I had a photo, because he did look pretty darn sweet. When I visited Kieran in the morning, he told me "Mom, go back to work!" I also overheard him telling an administrative staff person "My name's Kieran, nice to meet you!" Another teacher told me that at one point he her the babies out in the common area, and he told the class "That's my baby sister crying." In the evening, he didn't really want to leave the climbing wall and other kids bouncing balls, but going on the bus is still enticing enough to lure him away.

In addition to a new school, I'm back to a full-time schedule. I'm also switching to a flex schedule, so I'll be working an extra hour to get every other Friday off (we had been spending that time commuting before, so the kids are still in care the same amount of time.) It's still a long day though...up at 5:45, walk the dog, get dressed, breakfast, out the door by 7 to catch the bus, back home by 5:45, make dinner, eat, clean up, play for a little bit and then off the bath and bed...oh and prep for the next day. Needless to say, our full-time schedule will take a lot of stamina. Don't worry, we'll still have fun along the way (although, Kevin's home sick today, so that has forced me to go to plan B on some things...like schlepping all four bags, and making mac n' cheese and tomato soup instead of steak fajitas) But if we can flow with the change, we'll continue to learn and grow together from our everyday adventures.

She's crawling...

2009-08-31T13:58:00.000-07:00

Makenna started crawling almost two weeks ago, and she's really moving now. Just give her a ball or toy to go after, and she's on her way...

Great Grandma and Papa Mackie's visit (slightly belated post)

2009-08-27T09:11:00.000-07:00

Summer is cruising by, and it's already been a few weeks since my grandparents came to visit us, but I still want to share some photos and short stories:

Makenna was all eyes on her Great Grandma Mackie and Kieran loved talking with Great Papa Mackie non-stop. He also loved being read to, and thankfully they brought him a new favorite book about a little bear cub who was saved in a forest fire in Northern California last summer, entitled Saving Lil' Smokie. He was spoiled by us reading it to him about a dozen times a day! Kiki was well-loved too, as Grandma Mackie reminisced about the black lab my Dad had growing up.

Kevin and I also enjoyed the relaxing visit, just sharing each other's company and hanging out...finally a weekend home without projects or errands. :-) Grandma Mackie and I also bonded over a steam mop of all things...they wanted to buy us a belated house warming gift, and I have been wanting a new mop. She shared about her favorite cleaning weapon, The Shark, and after watching the video online, I was sold. It works really great, especially with all the new dog hair and slobber...just in time since, Makenna is crawling now...hope to post a video this weekend!

These smiles say everything! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Mackie!

7th year married, best camping trip ever!

2009-08-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a four day camping vacation to celebrate our 7 year wedding anniversary.

We are a big beach family, and our very favorite beach is Tillicum Beach. Long wide sandy beach that seems to go forever. It's a bit remote, but worth the effort. On this trip we lucked out by getting one of the best camp sites. We visited the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Rogue Brewery on our way there, and then drove through Alsea on the way home (one of the most picturesque and windy roads we've ever taken). I've got a squirmy 7 month old who just woke up on my lap, so we'll see how long this post ends up being...Hard to pick my favorite photos:

Beach time fun.

Football season is almost here, and these boys are ready!

Relaxing and reading the paper together.

Kieran found a buddy to play snakes and catchers with...they were so cute together.

Explaining how the sun sets and rises is one of the best things about being parents.

PS And no, I didn't manage to write this in one sitting, turned out she was squirmy for a reason! Thankfully, she's snoozing on my lap now, much easier!

Dog Days of Summer

2009-07-31T16:08:00.001-07:00

We have officially survived the summer heatwave of 2009!

With temps over a 100 degrees all week and no A/C, this heatwave will definitely be one for family lore...remember when we slept in basement and went to the mall just to cool off?! Remember when Kieran took baths outside and played bongo drums on the metal bowls?! Or when "Daddy" jumped in the kiddie pool naked (thankfully, our yard is rather private)?! For better and worse, it's been a memorable week...and, yes, yesterday I was at my wits end melting home with the kids and Kieran asking me for a Popsicle every ten minutes, which were in the process of freezing...not quite something a 3 year old has the patience for...and neither did I.

Yet, hot weather or not, summer has been non-stop for us and packed with fun activities. Our biggest news is rather large, a big black labrador named Kiki! We've been his family now for just over two weeks, although he will celebrate his fifth b-day come October. His previous owner could no longer walk him, with bad knees and arthritis, and thought he deserved a more active life. Well, I think he's found the right family. Kieran adores him (although he likes to play like Daddy and order him around too), and Makenna has laughed while petting him. Kevin has been diligently getting up early to take him on walks, and Kieran usually joins him in the evenings, which helps wear out everyone's energy. Kiki is very lovable and always wants to be right in the action. There is still a learning curve for us all, but so far he's fitting into our little family quite well.

PS Our laptop melted and hence no blog postings. We've ordered a new one, and should be posting more regularly again.

Public Transit City

2009-06-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

We love Portland for many reasons, and a big one is our public transit. The other morning we walked to the MAX train, then jumped on the streetcar, lifted off in the Tram, then took the streetcar back to the Pearl to catch the bus back home. The only tough part was being a "Mommy Mule" for the last few blocks with Makenna strapped on my front and Kieran almost asleep riding piggy back...almost 60 pounds! It was a fun adventure though, and nice to leave the car at home.

Beautiful British Columbia

2009-06-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Our little Cronin Clan was lucky enough to get our first "international" vacation up to the Gulf Islands of B.C. over an extended holiday weekend, and it felt so wonderful to adventure together. Thankfully, the kids were great travelers and we only missed one ferry, but we can't even blame that on the kids! No worries though, it just meant that we got to spend more time in Victoria and take this nice family photo (minus mom ;-)

We stayed on Mayne Island at a long-time friend's parents cabin, and Levi and Rosanna just recently had their first son, Lochlan, a month after Makenna. The babes got a little tummy time together, and are surely bonded for life. Makenna also enjoyed her first hike with Daddy, and plenty of snoozes on brilliantly sunny afternoons. We certainly lucked out on the weather, it was almost like summer with blue skies every day.

Levi's Dad took Kieran on his first boat ride, where he saw seals, sea lions and bald eagles. I could tell that was the highlight of the trip for him as he excitedly share the whole story with a woman in the car next to us waiting for the ferry back home! He also loved playing football, frisbee, parachute and fir cone basketball in the old orchard by the cabin. We visited a glass blower, and bought a glass slug for the garden. Oh, I can't forget to share about making a fire every day, thankfully, Kieran seems to be a very helpful and responsible pyro...he filled up the entire kindling box with twigs before we left.

Kevin and I enjoyed ourselves at least as much as the kids, and loved spending time with the Higgs family. Mayne Island is such a relaxing and beautiful place, and was definitely our kind of vacation spot. The birds chirped and waves splashed, and life just seemed to slow down. Levi took us out kayaking while Rosanna graciously babysat, and we paddled the afternoon away. The last time we had done that was on our honeymoon, almost seven years ago now, and we agree that we need to get out on the water much more often. We also agreed that this won't be our last trip to B.C., and we certainly hope to vacation with the Higgs family again. Some families want to visit Disneyland, we'll take Mayne Island instead. Nothing can top being followed by a group of a dozen seals, splashing and playing!

A very happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

I've already had three Mother's Days as a Mom, but this one somehow felt like the first real one. Perhaps it's because I feel like my family is complete, or maybe because Kieran is now big enough to gleefully bring me flowers. The boys made breakfast together, our favorite corncakes. As I watched them sift and measure, I did feel appreciated as they began to realize how much work it takes for me to pull off big family breakfasts every weekend.

I also savored this Mommy's Day knowing that in only a few short years Makenna will be helping out too, no longer watching contentedly from the sidelines. I have a feeling that she'll be giving the boys directions!

Earth-friendly Family

2009-04-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

As unsexy as it may sound, it was our environmental ethics that attracted Kevin and I to each other. Our shared passion made us a match made on Earth. Now we are doing our best to create an earth-friendly family.

Thanks to Portland’s new massive recycling roll carts, we’ve managed to slim our garbage service down to one can a month. This definitely takes some thoughtfulness about what we are consuming and whether it will become waste. Admittedly we do have to jam it packed on trash night, but it is worth the satisfaction of making the goal each time. Kieran loves talking about how Bob the Builder teaches how to “reduce, reuse, recycle,” and Jack Johnson’s Three R’s song is like a family anthem.

Part of our ability to stick to one garbage can is our effort to use mostly cloth diapers instead of disposables. With Kieran we tried to use G-Diapers, which is a “flushable” core with cloth outer diaper. Yet, our old toilet didn’t like flushing so much, so after three months of trying and a $150 plumber bill we decided to call it quits. However, with Makenna’s birth we were determined to try the cloth option. This is obviously takes a bit of an effort, but it’s actually not as hard as I thought it would be. I do have to give a lot of credit to the fantastic all-in-one cloth diapers that I’ve been using, like Bum Genius, Happy Heiny’s and Tiny Tush. I also can’t give G-Diapers a total bad wrap though either, because they do work well with our new toilet and I use them with cloth inserts now too. Lastly on this topic, we’re thrilled our day care provider uses a cloth diaper service, so that makes even more worth our efforts at home.

Thankfully, kids aren’t in diapers forever! So, we’re also working to grow long-term environmental roots for our family by native landscaping and organic gardening. It’s not easy, but we do have a great time outside as a family. Kieran begs to go dig in the dirt, and can’t get enough of worms. With any luck, Makenna will have the same appreciation for picking flowers from the yard as I did as a little girl. There is still a learning curve, and even though I’ve been gardening since high school I still find myself needing/wanting to learn more. I look forward to learning more each year, and now teaching our children.

As you might suspect, I could write all day on this topic, so I’ll skip to our family three new family goals:

Start Meatless Mondays
Make the switch to all micro-fiber cleaners – no more disposable Swiffers
Insulate our “new” home

One of the main things I’ve learned after almost twenty years as a so-called environmentalist (yes, I did catch the bug in junior high!) is that no one really wants to pollute the earth or waste the resources we depend upon. And yet, our modern American lifestyles make it very hard to kick the habit. That's why it's so important that we share our eco-friendly habits with others, because each make a difference, but we can't do it alone.

So, please to share your tips or goals as a comment!

Happy Earth Day!

Home Birth

2009-04-08T15:43:00.000-07:00

This blog is a bit late in posting, since it's taken some time to draft being a busy mom and all, but I think is important to share my perspective on home birth:

I guess that I should have expected it, but I never thought that I'd get so many questions about having a home birth. Family, friends, colleagues, even strangers have asked me loads of questions...yes, apparently asking where you're delivering is a common icebreaker!

So, I've decided that I need to write about it to hopefully shed some light on a subject most people don't know much about, but are quite intrigued by...

What made you want a home birth? I was inspired by a documentary called the Business of Being Born, which shares the story of how childbirth moved from homes and into hospitals. When we were finished watching it, Kevin turned to me and asked if I wanted to do a home birth. I was already 18 weeks pregnant, so I told him that I'd have to think about it and do some more research. We had just moved into our new home, which was built is 1904 and the baby's room faces our lush back yard and it seemed like it would the most peaceful place to born (and it was!) From my first birth experience, I also knew that having a child naturally can be a wonderful experience and thankfully I had no risk factors. As things happen in this day and age, I found my midwives online through one of my favorite local mom blogs: Urban Mamas.
Did you have a midwife there? Yes, two. I worked with a local clinic with four midwives, Vivante Midwifery. They were extremely professional and had every possible detail coordinated and we had agreed upon a contingency plan. It was their website's list of Frequently Asked Questions that originally impressed me, but as soon as I met with them all I knew that my choice had been made.
Is home birth safe? Home birth is very safe when planned and attended by professional midwives. Some research shows that hospital births have increased the risks of birth, rather than decreased them even! Many women get stressed out by hospitals, which slows down delivery. Yes, I agree that high risk pregnancy births should absolutely happen in hospitals, but in the majority cases home birth is completely safe. It may be only anectdotal, but at the hospital where the first midwife, Peggy Vincent, attended at an U.S. hospital, 80% of the labor nurses chose to have home births themselves, simply because they knew the risks the hospital posed for having healthy natural deliveries.
Can you take drugs?! This is the question most people asked me first. The answer is no. Thankfully, with both deliveries I was able to stay calm and almost meditative, just listening to inspiring music and focusing on giving birth. Yes, birth is painful, but the pain is manageable. Both times I couldn't help but smile through the pain, knowing that my baby would soon arrive. (Though a friend who had a home birth says that she would have asked for drugs had she been in a hospital). I did take castor oil to induce the labor after my water had been broke for 15 hours, and I had walked over 3 miles to the pharmacy and back with no real progression in labor. It did the trick though, and after the last swig (yes, the stuff is nasty!) I went right into labor. I was barely in the birth pool for an hour, with about 8 minutes of pushing before delivery. I also found it very empowering to give birth naturally.
What about prenatal testing and making sure the baby is healthy? We had all the same standard prenatal testing available to us through our midwives, although they set us up with the hospital for our one standard ultrasound test. As it turned out, at the very end of my pregnancy I tested positive for Group B Strep, which apparently 1 in 4 pregnant women are known to be. We took the same precaution as if I would have delivered in the hospital, a dose of antibiotics was given through an IV every four hours before delivery (I had them remove the IV once my labor was progressing quickly), which reduced any risk to the baby to next to nothing. If at any point testing would have discovered anything more serious and I was determined to be "high risk," we would have planned for a hospital birth. Once Makenna was born they did the standard Apgar testing, weighed and measured her. They also did three home visits after she was born and took the standard tests, and this was a great perk of having a home birth. The only test that wasn't done was a hearing test, and I'm scheduled to get a free one done this Friday.
Didn't you need to buy a lot of supplies or prepare a bunch? I ordered the birth tub and birth kit both online. Together they cost about $250 and were eligible for tax-free reimbursement, I remember being charged some insane price for ibuprofan at the hospital during my first birth! Home birth is certainly an affordable option. The midwives brought two duffel bags full of emergency supplies, basically the same as a hospital would have on hand. As for other prep, it was mostly the same as any birth, which means cleaning the house for the baby's arrival...you have to nest toward the end anyway! I also did a fair amount in terms of educating myself and preparing mentally for birth, which I think helped me feel calm throughout both births. For first time moms I would recommend taking a class with your partner, where you can ask questions and learn about the birth process (what you've seen in the media about rushing to the hospital and overly dramatized birth in stirrups is typically false). I would also HIGHLY recommend reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, it is essential for both home and hospital births. Also, for fun, I enjoyed reading Baby Catcher, it's hilarious and informative.
Isn't home birth messy? Our clean up basically included Kevin bailing buckets of water into the bathtub. Yet, I had also prepared a "birth blanket" by stitching together a two flannels sheets, an old comforter and a shower curtain in the middle. A queen-size space could certainly contain any mess, and simply be thrown away afterward. The birth kit included disposable covers for your sheets and all the postnatal things a mom needs. We didn't do it, but you could hire a maid to come visit for the savings you'd get from not paying the hospital bill...in fact, after my first hospital birth, I had joked that I should have just rented an expensive hotel suite! Maybe next time ;-)
Were both your children born at home? No. My son Kieran was born at Providence hospital, and we had a very positive experience with the Providence Maternal Care Clinic (which I would definitely recommend as a hospital option.) I was fortunate to have a relatively short natural labor. Yet, even then I knew that in reality I was statistically very lucky to be able to have a natural birth in a hospital, since one in four American births come by Cesarean Section, and the majority of moms/babies are sedated upon delivery.
Was Kieran at the birth? We had talked with our midwives and read that many kids want to be a part of the excitement of birth. Yet, we planned to be open to either option in case he or I were reacting negatively. We checked out a great book from the library called Welcome With Love, where the baby is born at home, showing pictures of the umbilical cord and everything, and Kieran was always asking to read it together. About two weeks before I was due when we tested birth pool, I found a couple of positive and age-appropriate home water birth videos on YouTube and we watched them together with me telling him what birth might be like. We also planned for his care by inviting my cousin's daughter, Jessica, to be there to help take of him. In the end, my delivery was so short that Kieran barely managed to watch a video. I had my mom run to get him as soon as she was born, and he was in the room before we checked to see that she was a girl, the sister he always knew he had! He checked her out a little and then asked if he could go finish his cartoon.
What was the best part of having a home birth? I'd have to say that, aside from a safe and quick delivery, the best part of having a home birth were being able to have a big Sunday dinner together after Makenna was born: tortellinis and meatballs with red wine. I also loved being able to be in our own bed and have Kevin my side all night, and Kieran there the next morning as a whole little family. Plus, it was as sustainable as it gets :-)

Lastly, I hope these questions/answers get you thinking. Birth is a natural process that has been going on since our beginning; having faith in this mysterious process has helped us endure and succeed. Plus, home is where the heart is, where families grow, and dreams are born.

Two Months & Smiling

2009-03-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

If a picture says a thousand words, then this little video clip says a million. Makenna is two month old today, and truly starting to smile and laugh. She is really an amazing baby, and I can tell by her new smiles that the best is yet to come. Makenna's Gram and PopPop are visiting right now, and they are just as amazed as us by what a wonderful baby she is all the time. So this video is to share a few smiles with you on this rainy day...I hope it brightens your day!

Brave Big Brother!

2009-03-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

After six weeks of getting used to his little sis, Kieran is getting a lot braver this week! He wants to pick her up, which only really works if we are right there helping...preferably on the couch or bed. So far no accidents, but I get more frightened the braver he gets. The good news is that he is still a doting big brother, and is always ready to help out with diaper changes. He thinks that my breastfeeding/pumping time is just story time for him!

For all my mom friends out there, here's a funny story you can relate to...this morning while helping grab the laundry out of the dryer Kieran kept saying "Here's another boobie sock!" (of course referring to my breast pads ;-)

Here are some more pics of the proud big brother:

More pics from Makenna's first month

2009-02-25T16:25:00.000-08:00

I've still got my knack for being known by Kevin as the "Mommy Paparazzi":

Here are a couple more shots of Makenna from this past week, hard to believe she's a month today!

Life's a day on the beach...and then it's not!

2009-02-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

We are true beach people, so we were thrilled to get out of town on Friday for our first beach trip as a family of four. It was in the high 50s and felt more like late spring than winter. Kieran ripped off his shoes and socks as soon as we hit sand, and I was just glad that it was warm enough to let him enjoy the delightful feel of sand between your toes. Kevin combed the beach to add special rocks and shells to a collection bowl we have at home. Makenna and I parked it on a large driftwood log and basked in the sunshine. She was a great little traveler and we only had to stop twice to nurse on the way home...that's her big feeding time! This little video clip should give you a more in-person view of our little beauty and a glimpse of what a lovely day we had together.

Now skip forward a few days, and Kieran and I have both down and out with 102 degree fevers, and I just got a call from our family doctor to confirm that it's the flu. Needless to say, we've been pretty miserable, and I was glad that at least he woke up this morning saying that he felt better...that might give me hope too, since his fever hit a day before mine. Thankfully, little Makenna is still healthy and I'm just praying that stays healthy.

It just reminds me to savor all the beautiful days, because it makes it easier to get through the tough days.

Thankful!!!

2009-02-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

Having a new baby renews my gratefulness and reminds me of just how much our family is really loved. Our fireplace mantle is now covered in greeting cards with well wishes from family, co-workers and friends (some from Kieran's Birthday too :-), and surprise packages arrive in the mail almost daily. We have also been lavished with some really yummy meals that our friends and neighbors have dropped by...pulled pork, tortilla soup, salmon & fixings, enchiladas...boy we have been eating well lately. There isn't anything much better than a hearty meal delivered by a friend, I'd take it over a gourmet restaurant any day!

Today, on Valentine's Day, I am also thankful for getting to sleep in this morning and wake up to Kevin making my favorite challah french toast, and then after swim class I managed to nap for almost two hours while Kieran and Makenna napped too...a new Mom's ideal gift! My mother also came up for the weekend, so Kevin and I (and Makenna) will soon be heading off to a matinee and Kieran on a playdate at OMSI. We may not have chocolates or flowers at our house, but you can certainly feel the love!

And just because I can't help it, I'll close with a few new photos of our little cherubs:

Week 1 with Makenna

2009-02-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, we aren't about ready to take on weekly updates about our new baby girl, but this has been such a big week for us that I'd like to reflect and share a few stories.

Makenna has extended her graceful entrance into the world by being a very peaceful baby. If anything, it feels like she sleeps almost too much and we cherish the moments where we can gaze into her eyes. She is nursing well, and already back up to her birth weight today.

Kieran is a very proud and loving big brother. He gives her kisses constantly, which she mostly sleeps through for now. He wants to be right in the action when we change her diaper, and when she cries he consoles her by saying "It's alright Sweets," as he learned from his Daddy. During her first bath Makenna let out one of her first real wails, and Kieran instinctively burst into tears. After crying for a moment her started saying "I close my eyes," which is what he says when he doesn't want to cry when getting a shampoo.

As alluded to, Kevin's nickname for Makenna is "Sweets" or "Sweetie," and he is a very doting father. One of the best things about having a home birth experience was being able to have Kevin by my side during our first night with Makenna. I can certainly see a different level of confidence and newborn savvy compared to Kieran's first days, and it's really wonderful to be parents together.

My mother was here for Makenna's birth, and stayed around for the week to visit and help take care of Kieran. They went to OMSI and swim class, and she helped with meals, ran errands, and took care of Makenna early in the morning so that we could get a little extra sleep. She also brought loads of handmade blankets, and is naturally ecstatic to have a new granddaughter.

I am also very much in love with my new little girl, and am enjoying mothering a newborn again...I just love the sweet smell of newborns! She is a true joy, and I am enjoying our first moments. It is exciting to think about who she will grow up to become and all the experiences our family will have together.

With our new baby, I am also reminded of all the love and support we have in lives as my family, friends and colleagues have lavished us with gifts and congratulations. Our mantle is full of cards, and I have a lot of thank you notes to start writing!

Last but not least, yesterday was another big day for our family as we celebrated Kieran's 3rd Birthday :-) We had some of our closest friends, all with children now, over for a casual family potluck. Kieran had a great time playing with his friends and blowing out his birthday candles. It was quite the capstone to a very memorable week in our lives.

It's a Girl - Makenna Rose Cronin!

2009-02-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

Most of you reading this have already received the happy news via Kevin:

Our little clan has a new addition....

Makenna Rose Cronin was born at 5:13 PM on Sunday, January 25, 2009 at the Cronin household.

This house has probably had many births before since it's so old, so it's appropriate that we continue this tradition.

Darcy was in labor for only an hour as she waited patiently in the birthing pool for the contractions to provide a passport for our new arrival. She pushed for only eight minutes, and Kieran was in the room before we discovered that she is a little girl.

Makenna translates to "happiness" in Irish. Her middle name is taken from Mom's and since she was born in the City of Roses it has a special connotation. She joins her big brother Kieran, who is ecstatic and has kissed his sister every chance he gets. Makenna is sleeping and eating like a champ already and squeaks to let us know she's in the room.

Darcy is feeling great and is well on her way back. We appreciate all the love and support from our friends and family.

The whole family has the week together so we look forward to catching up with everyone.

Love,

Kevin, Darcy, Kieran, & Makenna

Belated Christmas post...

2009-01-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

We had such a wonderful Christmas in our new home, yet it's been almost a month now and I'm finally downloading the photos...alas I guess another baby on the way has been consuming my to-do list...

Yet, I still want to share a few photos. It was picture perfect, from our very Scandinavian tree to the snow outside. It was everything that I've ever wanted Christmas to be, and now it's just a lovely memory:

A Real Snow Day!

2008-12-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

This time it's no false alarm...we've gotten over a foot of snow since Saturday! Kevin busted the ruler trying to measure this morning.

My mom and sister managed to arrive safely, after getting stuck two blocks from our house...thanks to the guys who helped push them out! Unfortunately my grandparents' flight was canceled after they waited in the airport for hours, and there are no flights that would get them here before Christmas. We were all looking forward to their visit...we haven't spent a Christmas together since I was in high school.

The robins have loved the golden berries on our trees out front, and it's amazing to see everything covered in snow and ice. You can barely make out the contours of the garden plots in our backyard, and the bamboo is bending down to the ground. I'm hoping that it sticks around for a true white Christmas :-)

First Family Blog

2008-12-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

It's a snow day in Portland, which means that we've had a few flurries and trace amounts of white stuff on the ground. I'm home with Kieran and he's got ten minutes of a Tigger & Pooh cartoon left to watch.

It's almost Christmas 2008, and we'll be hosting for the first time. I finished my holiday cards today minus stamps, and despite the task of it, I always enjoy this annual ritual of staying in touch with distant friends and family. This is the main reason why I'm starting this "Cronin Clan" family blog. I don't expect to write daily or maybe even weekly all the time, but I would like an easy way to share photos and stay more connected to family and friends.

I'm off to go make cookies with Kieran...I hope you are warm and safe on this winter day.