Welcoming Autumn

I apologize for my absence! I'm really awful at blogging -- or sticking to blogging, rather. It's been months since my last update and so much has changed! Wyatt turned 3 in July. He's such a smart, funny, handsome little man. He has fallen in love with baseball and running "super fast." We had a baseball birthday for him (two actually!) at a local park, complete with hot dogs, peanuts, cracker jacks, and delicious baseball cupcakes. It was a fun time but lots of work for Mom! Wyatt also loves to ride his "bike" and his scooter. He plays in his sand and water table almost daily and LOVES doing Legos with Daddy. He wants to do everything by himself and usually does a great job. He's using full sentences when he speaks and has manners that Mom and Dad are very proud of. He has an incredible sense of direction, often telling us "that's the way to Grandma and Grandpa's" or "that's how we go to get to school." He will be my little GPS before too long! He starts swimming lessons next week, which he'll take twice a week for 6 weeks. We'll see how he likes it and hopefully sign him up for another series! He has officially been attending "Jr. Pre-school" for a full year and has done a great job. He is always getting better at sharing, using his words to express his emotions, and listening to instructions.He spent last week at a Spanish immersion summer camp. He seemed to really enjoy it, and we've had a fun time practicing different words and phrases in Spanish. We are hoping to keep the Spanish learning coming, though it won't be through a full immersion program. He starts at a new Pre-school on October 1st. We are excited about the new school setting, teacher, and cirriculum. He's a smart boy, and we are looking forward to what new learning Pre-school brings for him. We'll be moving to the Raleigh Hills/West Slope area of West Portland at the end of the month. We are looking forward to being in a quiet neighborhood with a yard and a shorter commute! I am still working at ODS, though it is now called Moda Health. Stuart will enter the Civil Engineering Professional School this fall at Portland State University. We spent the summer doing weekend trips here and there. Stuart and I both ran Hood to Coast with Stuart's dad and will run Warrior Dash this weekend. I also ran the Shamrock Run in March, Eugene Half Marathon in April and will run the Champoeg Half Marathon in September. We went on several camping trips to Cape Lookout, Detroit Lake and one coming up at Stub Stuart with the Gardner family; up to Seattle for some baseball with Doha Mike, Cookie Diane and Uncle Bynan; out to Lincoln City with Grandma, Darren, Brandon, Tylor & Uncle Bynan; down to Corvallis to watch Uncle Penso play baseball with the Medford Rogues; zoo trips; attended a few weddings and special occasion parties; and look forward to summer winding down and thus our schedule clearing up! September and October hold some work travel for me, but with winter comes more time here in Portland, which we love. We are planning a trip to Hawaii in April for a wedding and romantic getaway for Mom and Dad. A trip to Disneyland is on the horizon -- we're not sure if that's for Wyatt or us, but it can be both, right? Stuart and I just celebrated our second wedding anniversary and fifth year together. It's amazing how fast time flies! We are loving our little life and family in Portland and can't wait to celebrate many more years! I think that's all for now! We hope to see friends and family again soon with the upcoming holiday season. I'll try to post Halloween pictures, as I'm sure Wyatt will have a great costume and love trick or treating this year! Until next time!