Recently in Madison Category
With the invention of facebook and the fast pace the girls are getting, I have been lazy as of yet to update my blog! Here are some of the many highlights:
June was a busy month with an extra week of school due to the 5 snow days last winter. Cara did her last acro performance:
We have been quite busy these last few months, and I have not even had time to update my blog! One of our big events is that we are hosting our first Foreign exchange student and it is going quite well. Ketsia arrived from Paris France on the 8th and will be with us only a few more days. She has gone to school everyday with Madi and they are getting along fabulously. Here are some Photos:
Madi and Ketsia picking out Lacrosse sticks
Well, when snow hits the Portland metro area, it seems that the city shuts down. Cara spent a total of 5 hours playing in the 22 degree (11 windchill) Winter Wonderland. 
As for xmas lists, mine hasn't changed much. I would be happy with a night off, cooking classes, concert tickets, a weekend getaway, jewelery, new daily silverware (I hate ours) a dishwasher that is quieter, I think just a morning sleeping in would be key.
Madisons list is on Amazon.com. Found here She also would love a cooking class from In Good Taste.
Cara also has an Amazon.com wishlist. She would like american girl doll clothes and items (Doesn't have to be that brand). Found Here.
We went home to visit old friends and had a great time with Margaret.
Here is a photo of our neighbor Greg, Denise, Madge and I at the party. We also got our family portraits back.
You can find more photos in my Gallery. Please take a look and vote on your favorite for xmas.
Madi has been collecting wine corks for the last 3 years and Tim and her finally created a cork board for her room and the kitchen. I just wanted to show off their work, since its been a project in the making for years.
Kitchen:
Madison's Room:
The last Timbers game was pretty fun. We were ahead until we got a red card part way through the game. Here is Madi with her friend at the game. They had a great time getting signatures and buying soda!
Other news. Madison had her second game this weekend. I think the girls worked really hard, but lost. Oh well. Maybe next week.
Will need to get a better photo next week! As many of you know, both Madi and Cara are selling lots of things to raise money. Most things I just donate cash to the cause so please don't feel hurt if she hasn't contacted you.
Cara started school today. A little nervous since it is a fairly new school. Nana and Sissy (My mom and Madi) dropped her off and walked her in. She came home fairly excited. So I think it all went OK.
LaborDay was spent in the garden digging up the potatoes we planted before the summer. I believe we ended up with 22 pounds of Potatoes. (Our biggest crop so far). I think that we are finally getting a lot of the clay we had four years ago when we moved in!
I finally got to see some of my friends while I was home. One of them was Guanjun. Guanjun worked at IBM in my area when Cara was born. I need to scan in the photo of him holding her for the first time. Now Cara is 9, and I think he was surprised how much she grew.
We also hit Great America and brought Katie with us. Man did they have fun getting wet on this ride!
We have decided to create a bee hive for mason bee's, which are really good pollinators and are solitary bees. The girls are quite excited. Madison even spent 3 hours in the woodshop with Tim working to create the masterpiece.
I was quite excited to see her interest in conserving nature. Poor Cara was stuck in bed with the stomach bug. She will have to help next time.
Legotricity went to her second FLL First Lego League competition and had a great time. This was a hard year for teaming and building, with 7 very talented and smart kids. They really had to learn a lot of give and take. Especially when it came to the challenges. I was very proud of the way they did the alternative energy audit on Medical Teams International. They ended up coming up with some really great ideas. I would like to thank Dan Crowell Excalibur Solar, LLC. Tigard. (503)869-6018 for helping the kids learn about solar power and answering all their questions. He is a great person to go to if you are thinking about getting solar in the Portland metro area.
So many of you have been wanting to see photos, and I did finally post a good deal of them in my gallery including a recent Santa photo of the girls and a school photo of Madi. All those can be found on my Gallery thanks to Tim for spending a whole weekend after Deannas' birthday party to upgrade the server so that you can view them!
Yes, I did buy the copywrite for this photo.
Madison really likes her new team with THUSC United. Her team placed second in the bracket with the best defense in the bracket allowing the least amount of goals.
It is fun and exciting to watch the team grow and learn. I cannot wait till spring!
Tim and Madison attended the FLL (First Lego League) competition last weekend! Madison's team "the Robocrocs" won the best teamwork award out of 20 teams. Although it does not take her to the State finals, it is a great accomplishment for a small group of 10 year olds who have never done anything like this before. They were up against 14 year olds in this competition and came out winners. The competition had 4 judging categories and each team had to show proficiencies in Teaming, Project, Programming, and of coarse, their Robot. Their project was on "Nanotechnology", putting zinc oxide into everyday soap. 
Madison's team is now 4th in her division. They are really working hard and improving. Here she takes the ball up the field and ends in a corner kick. I missed this game but was able to get a play by play via cell phone messaging. 
Madison has to make a Mobile for her extension project on the first book she had to read in the 4th grade. She took a lot of time to cut out all the shapes to create this masterpiece and Tim helped her learn the fine art of balancing things hanging on sticks. It was a fun project! 
This weekend, Madison went to Camp Yamhill . Camp Yamhill fosters teamwork and courage by giving the girls challenge tasks. Madison participated and completed every task in her age range. She did the climbing wall, canoe, flying squirrel, zip line, river crossing, vertical spider web, Nitro Crossing, pentagon TP shuffle, and the whale watch. They also went on a treasure hunt and had s'mores by fireside. At night she bridged to Juniors. Here is a photo of her at the river crossing.
For more photos, see my Yahoo photos here .
Madison started the soccer season yesterday as Goalie. For her first game in 3 years, she did great! Tim was right there on her side coaching her and the other Goalie Ashley along. They both did well, blocking many balls from scoring.
Cara had fun as well! Though the fact that her games do not start for another week makes her jealous, the fact that there is a playground at the place where Madison plays makes up for it. She really did not like the fact that she only could play at half time, since mom likes to watch the game.
Madison had her first experience rock climbing
at a rock gym in downtown Portland. Tim had given her a certificate for
her Christmas present and took her there. The first time she got most
of the way up and and found that coming down is just as fun as going
up.
Cara and Madison were both signed up for kid-ski this winter and really
experienced the snow! We have wonderful photos that I need to get off
of my camera but cannot at the moment. The download is not working.
Cara skis like a champ now and Madison goes down on the snowboard. Tim
and I are going to have real fun taking them snowboard/skiing next
year.
Well, she did it. She turned 9 on me, and had a wonderful time doing
so. Madisons 9th birthday was a hit, although mom is very worn out. Try keeping track of that many girls on an ice arena. Glad that two of the moms helped out, along with Tim. I don't think I could have done it alone. Madison has made some wonderful friends, and this party showed.
She had a hard time pruning down her guest list, and I gave in. Luckily for me, I could exchange some adults for the kids tickets and was able to get them on the Ice. Cara had a blast. She wants to go skating everyday! She was like the everlasting energizer bunny that kept going and going. By 7:30, she had crashed out. If only I had her energy.
Tim has good photos!
