Luaus and party girls

Louie Paul and Kristin -- college fashions are so silly nowadays

We just got back from a nice weekend. Kristin's school had one its biggest fundraiser/social events and since it was a luau put on by the Hawaiian students, it seemed a good reason for a visit.

Travis suprised us by wanting to go but he misses his sister and I think was curious about college life. So B and I stayed at the McMenamins in Forest Grove (we had made reservations before TJ decided to come) while he stayed with his sister. As is happened Kristin was not in her dorm but sleeping in a tent as part of a political demonstration she and some friends were doing about displaced persons in Africa. So TJ got to rough it with a gang of college kids doing very collegey things. He seemed to enjoy it.

We spent part of Saturday afternoon at Goodwill, oddly enough. What started as a simple trip to get job applications for Bug turned into a full-blown shopping trip for her, her friends who came with and even us (had to do something to kill the time). It was fun actually.

Sunday we met Sarah and her godmother Lori, my cousin. We had breakfast and visited and Lori took time to check out the family scrapbooks I finished recently using old family photos and memorabilia. It was really great to see everyone and be back in Portland. I miss it.

Passing on the addiction

The kids went skiing a record number of times this winter. Brian is so excited about sharing his love of skiing with them, it's the one constant from his childhood that meant a lot to him.

J and J's mom and stepdad don't ski so their mentorship with Brian is the only exposure they get. For several years they only got on the slopes once or twice a year but this year they went four times and it really showed in their skills.

B hopes that they continue to enjoy it and participate as they get older. Travis went snowboarding twice this year and enjoyed it enough to continue. He had never really gotten into it, even though his dad skis.

Now I just need to find that second job to pay for all this. Expensive sport, skiing.

The Bonnie Files- Episode 5

Life with Bonnie continues to be interesting. She had surgery to remove several rotten teeth (evidently Grandma and Grandpa Hole were not big on brushing -- but who is?). At the same time they froze her eyelashes so they'd stop growing into her eyes and causing irritation and infection.

She's becoming more and more integrated into the family. Her new best friend is Travis but not so much because he has the warm fuzzies for her -- more because he's always been a kid who likes to cuddle and what better than a nice warm lap dog?

Bonnie went to the beach with us last month and seemed overwhelmed by the ocean. It was funny to watch her avoid the water at all costs. She stayed glued to our sides every second!