Thursday, December 18, 2014

Kissin' Cousins

Teagan and Clark are the cutest kissing cousins ever. 

At ten months older, Teagan is like a big sis/mama to Clark. She loves hugging and kissing on him. She tries to put his pacifier in his mouth and shares toys. At just six months he's started to lean in toward her, and clearly knows that he has an admirer. They are pretty darn adorable together, and I'm so happy that they spend so much time together.



These pics were taken by our shared nanny, Kensey. She is amazing and the kids are so lucky have her expert care and fun loving nature. Thanks Kensey!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Annual Holiday Newsletter 2014

West Coast Cronin Clan – Annual Holiday Newsletter 2014
Welcome to another rendition of our annual newsletter. We’ve finally surrendered to the digital revolution and are posting this to our family blog (which has now been running intermittently for six years!). It pains us to do it, but it is SO much easier to post photos and save on paper. Plus, now family and friends beyond our core snail mail list will be able to read this greeting! 

In many ways 2014 has been about building a firmer family foundation while trying to find the right balance managing the hectic schedules of three kids, working parents, and community commitments. Looking back, it’s also been another life-packed year of new experiences and learning for each of us.


Teagan is enjoying her youngest sibling status raking in the adoration and attention. Her amazing smile and array of facial expressions has all of us enamored with her personality. Although not sleeping through the night on a regular basis, she surprised us by starting to use the potty a few times a day before she turned a year. As with her brother and sister, Teagan is learning sign language and loves communicating with us (check out her adorable video!). It’s a lot of fun teaching her and she gets so much back in return. Teagan has a voracious appetite for books so each time you think you’re sitting down to relax to read the paper she scoots in next to you with her latest collection from the library, gives an eager wistful smile, and expects you to read all afternoon. The highlight of our Memorial Day weekend was celebrating Teagan’s baptism at Grace Memorial, where she was a pure angel. 
   
Makenna leading the Grace Art Camp song :-)
Makenna is thriving in her Kindergarten class at Irvington School with Ms. Robyn - the same teacher Kieran had – in her last year of teaching. She adjusted (almost!) seamlessly from a social standpoint making new friends, getting lots of sleep, and loving homework. Her daily reports at the dinner table are filled with accounts of classroom projects, field trips, exploits on the playground, and after school yoga and belly dancing classes. Makenna also completed her first year of soccer playing for our local club. Unfortunately, Saturday games overlapped with Kieran’s creating a split household, but thankfully Darcy’s loves biking with girls in tow.     

Kieran at the beach in November.
Kieran is a 3rd grader in Ms. Cheri and Ms. Jennifer’s class. Over the summer, Kieran was a very reluctant reader, but when Darcy started reading Harry Potter to him, he suddenly got excited about reading (They’re currently devouring the fourth years’ adventure in the Goblet of Fire...snuggie time is now "Potter Time"). Now he’s competing with friends to read the whole “Magic Tree House” series, plus several other graphic novel series. Kieran continues to excel in math, but is really excited about a new program “Learning in Depth” that empowers him to research and explore a randomly selected subject: writing systems. Kieran finished another fun filled season of baseball and soccer. Kieran played catcher, first time goalie and is blossoming into an on field leader. Kieran is in his second year of the Chess/Go Club, helping his school take 1st place in both at a recent tournament.  

Teagan and Darcy at Edgefield concert
Darcy has been one busy mama, essentially creating several part time gigs for herself. She went through Mama Bliss Coaching School last spring, and has loved honing her new craft and serving bliss-seeking mamas (Watch out 2015!). After barely two years in business with the family beach cabins, she and Miel have taken over the management together. She’s almost reached her fifth year of blogging for Sustainable Family Finances, and added on a new gig as a monthly columnist for Metro Parent. Darcy and Miel’s connection is legendary, so when Miel's family decided to relocate to Portland in September Darcy was beyond thrilled to have her soul sister a 15 minute walk away. They are sharing a nanny (Kensey who is like a welcomed new family member) and supporting each other every step of the way. It’s apparent that juggling the needs of start-up ventures and keeping our ankle biters at bay requires infinite energy and ambition. Throw in volunteering to organize a second annual street painting, hosting a Olivia Beach HOA picnic, celebrating sculpture installations at Pittman Addition, and serving through Rotary...the days go by way too fast.

Kevin with colleagues working in Lents.

Kevin is still working at PDC helping to revitalize local neighborhood business districts. One highlight was opening a new, all weather youth soccer field in North Portland through a partnership with the Timbers Army. His coaching habit has been hard to kick, managing a 14 player U9 team, but it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences imaginable. However, any high from youth coaching has been counteracted by this old house projects: a new roof, basement waterproofing for a man cave, two industrious and madly in love squirrels in the crawlspace doing the tango every night, yard & garden fever, and various other inexhaustible honey do list items. Needless to say, another hobby is desperately in order.     

Our family travels started at spring break this year, with an epic east coast adventure for our nephew's bar mitzvah and Miel's baby shower. The top highlight of our summer camping season was spending two weeks in British Columbia in August with the Higgs Family and friends. We experienced incredible weather, Canadian hospitality, explored Tolfino on the West Coast and Pacific Rim National Park, and stayed a few nights in Vancouver visiting Granville Market, Stanley Park, multiple breweries, and the coolest city in Cascadia. Kieran and Kevin were stationed at Fort Stevens State Park for Man Camp 2014: camping, biking, kayaking, swimming, hiking, beach combing, exploring WWII batteries, concrete bunkers, and Fort Clatsop, all topped off with World Cup soccer in Astoria at Fort George Brewery with a platoon of Sweeney boys visiting for the day. Meanwhile Darcy took the girls to an amazing Michael Franti/Brett Dennen concert with yoga at Edgefield and camping at Dodge Park.

Family road trips included a gorgeous 4th of July weekend at Olivia Beach to “check on the cabins,” a reunion of former AmeriCorps members outside Eugene, our favorite camp spot on the Central Oregon coast at Tillicum Beach for Labor Day weekend, and an overnight stay at Mazama Lodge on Mount Hood. Finally, Kevin was able to fly solo in October to visit the East Coast Clan for Pop Pop’s 79th surprise birthday bash. The clan was all present and accounted for with bells on and bottles in hand.

For the most part, our summer was spent in Portland attending street festivals, riding our bikes at Sunday Parkways, and enjoying outdoor cinema under the stars at our local city park. In the fall we made hiking our priority, and went on a long family hike every weekend. Yet, spending this holiday season hunkered down at home is always an end of the year tradition we look forward to and reminds us of just how blessed we are with our family, friends and community. Thank you for being in our lives.

We hope you enjoyed our 2014 rewind and that you get a chance to see our clan in 2015. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year. Keep in touch with us, ideally over dinner, drinks, or a weekend at Olivia Beach, but you can intermittently keep tabs via our family blog. Despite its recent hiatus, it’s still the best way to find the latest photos and family stories throughout the year. Here’s to planning for a fantastic 2015!

The “West Coast” Cronin Clan:
Kevin, Darcy, Kieran, Makenna & Teagan

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Cronin Halloween Fun

We all had a blast for Halloween this year. The kids had the day off from school and Kevin's workplace had a family friendly pizza lunch. Kieran dressed up as the intrepid Harry Potter, Makenna was naturally Elsa and Teagan was a perfect almost toddling on her own blossom fairy. Makenna belted out "Let it go...." in front of Kevin's whole office, and was a bold performer!

Since I had spent the last two Halloween's laid up on the couch, I was ready to have some fun. Makenna had a play date with close friends and we dressed together and had pizza before trick or treating and hitting a few haunted houses. Makenna was pretty brave and Teagan had a blast. Kevin took Kieran and his buddy trick or treating and they had their own fun...






Friday, August 29, 2014

Makenna's smiling face

This photo was taken at Grace Art Camp, which our kids adore. Makenna's orange group is leading the camp song, and I just love how lit up her face it. She truly loves signing/dancing in front of people. We definitely have a little performer in the family...


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Full Tilt Spring Break

Our spring break was the definition of the Vernal Equinox, full tilt!

Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos from Jakey's Bar Mitzvah (I'll post as soon as the photographer sends us the best shots of the whole Cronin Clan!)

In eleven days, we stayed in NY for three nights, then NJ for three nights jammin' with Aunt Kathy and Uncle Mike with day trips to visit Gram and Pop Pop in PA (so sorry not to get photos of them...it was so nice to see them). Then we spent our last four nights in Washington D.C. visit Aunt Kelly's family and playing tourist with Aunt Miel. Since Kieran learned all his states, capital's and biggest cities last fall, he was really excited to add to his state count...six states total!

Thanks everyone who hosted us...we had a truly fantastic visit.

Our first day in NY we headed up to FDR's Presidential Library, Hyde Park.

Hyde Park was truly inspiring, and we all loved learning more about the Roosevelt Family.

Kevin really wanted to visit Gifford Pinchot's home, Grey Towers. It turns out that it was closed, very cold and icy, but we still made the most of it.

We drove two hours out of our way to visit Grey Towers, and the kids thought it was all part of the adventure.
Visiting Aunt Kathy and Uncle Mike was a blast. The kids loved jamming in Mike's music studio...Makenna got a hold of a microphone for the first time...watch out world!
Kieran truly loves the drums...dropping ukulele class and would love a drum set of his own...
Cronin Kid fan club...Kieran is dreaming of a Cronin Band with his cousins and Aunts/Uncles!
Makenna danced while she sang :-)
In her element :-)
A pajama rock star is born!
Aunt Kathy and the girls.
Teagan got a turn on the piano!
This was literally Teagan's second day of sitting on her own...she looks like a natural. :-)
Loven' it!
Love the blurry hand!!
Loving her cousin Jacky!
No blossoms on the Mall, but still a great visit.
Check out Miel's baby bump!
Nice to visit after just going to Hyde Park.
Marin Luther King's memorial in the background...it was very moving.
Rain, rain...go away!
Still LOVED DC!
No blossoms...but still beautiful.
The best part of the trip was seeing Makenna with her cousins, Maddy and Jacky!
Aunt Kelly and Uncle Greg live just a block from the zoo.
We even got to check out the pandas!
Miel's little baby bump...looking great at 30 weeks!
The girls loved playing in the rain on the balcony!
They got soaked!
But still had fun.
We hosted a little shower of our own inside Miel's condo. :-) A great group of women!
Lots of awesome baby stuff...thanks everyone!!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Lucky First Shamrock Stride

We had a fantastic time on our family's first Shamrock Stride, and definitely agree that it will be a tradition.

Kevin made it a goal at the new year, wanting to get us walking more regularly. We've been on several big walks/hikes, and yesterday was the perfect weather for a misty spring walk. We walked downtown and back, so in total it was just under seven miles (Makenna only had a piggy back ride for about a half mile up Broadway :-). Teagan was a natural and snoozed for a good long stretch. The kids loved the party atmosphere and we agreed that next year we'll have to get tutus. :-)










Lastly, the kids absolutely love Irish folktales and our favorite new book this season is A Fine St Patrick's Day.

Happy St Patty's Day!