Now this is summer...

Well I finally feel like we had a little bit of summer last week. Meaning that we did a few fun things as a family and had a little adventure in Albany. Ray took the kids to the aquatic center and we went to the Seattle Zoo. The kids enjoyed the gorillas (the mommy had a baby who we were all smitten with). A few other favorites were the lions, flamingos and elephants. It was fun to see Addy experience it all for the first time and then compare that to Alec who is way "too cool" (as you can see from the hilarious sunglasses) for the zoo. I sincerely apologize to my parents for my teenage years as Ray and I enter this new stage. It seems like just yesterday when I too thought my parents knew ABSOLUTELY nothing and that I could outwit them at every turn. I am trying to be mindful of what it was like and not judge him too harshly but HOLY COW, sometimes its tough. As taxing as it may be its fun to see him growing up and trying to figure out who the heck he is---I think we may need to buckle in, hold on tight, and try to enjoy the crazy ride. :) On Sunday afternoon we headed back to our old stomping grounds for a quick visit with friends in Albany. The kids were really good on the drive and they genuinely had a great time for a few days. It was good to see them happy and "at home" with a few familiar faces. Nothing breaks my heart more than to hear Carson talk about his birthday (8 months away) and how he has one friend whom he will invite. I know he will make tons of friends between now and then but it still makes me stop and think how upside down there world really is. Even Livvy, my rock, jokingly asks for a friend for her birthday in a few weeks. I told her, for once I think we are all in the same boat as far as that goes. Thanks to the Morse's who hosted us for our mini-vacation. The kids loved their trip to the lake where Alec got a lesson on driving the boat and Livvy took a crazy ride on the biscuit. Carson loved his time jumping off the dock and collecting feathers. For anyone who is up this way, please let us know, we would love some company. Ray is still plugging along at Amazon and I think we recognize now more than ever that this is the experience and job he needed. Knowing that helps while we continue to transition. Life is good, well there's hope anyway. :)

A big beautiful hole......

A hole only a family could love. :) They are underway on our house. We signed on the dotted line a few short weeks ago and we are now headed into the fun yet overwhelming stage of starting from scratch. Here is a picture of our lot.......Lot 15. We were pleasantly surprised a few days ago when we drove by (for the umteenth time) to see that the bulldozer had started moving the dirt around in anticipation of our permits coming through. Yesterday after only 5 days with the city of Maple Valley our permit was dropped off and WHAH LA full steam ahead. (if only some of you knew how true that statement will be) HA HA! I guess someone loves me afterall considering we were told it would be a least 4 weeks before the permits would be ready. It's fun to have something to focus on other than our new surroundings. Building may be just what the doctor ordered. In the meantime, things are looking up for the week. The weather has cooled off a little and I am a little less miserable. Amazing what a few degrees can do to your mood. We are headed back to the mothership (Albany) this weekend for a few days with friends. The kids are counting down the days and looking forward to seeing a few familiar faces.

On a side note...

Addy is walking. She is so proud of herself and knows she has achieved "something" as we clap and cheer her on. She is doing the hilarious Frankenstein walk where her legs are straight and she literally sways from side to side, arms out for balance. She decided to do this last weekend in the 24 hours I was gone to see the American Idol concert. LITTLE STINKER. Still so fun to see another item on the list acheived. Pretty soon she will be off and running. Makes me a little sad as I'm sure all mama's must feel seeing their babies grow up. Ray and I are just enjoying her so much, another milestone acheived.

Home?????

Well....so this is it. Home. Hmmmm. Doesn't quite fit just yet. We have spent the week trying to unbury in this thing we call our rental. So many boxes. So many things still lost in the garage. We have ventured out a few times only to be turned around or headed to another city all together. Thank goodness for Carson's sense of direction as he guided me home the first night we were lost. Tons of trees here and easy to lose sight of the neighborhood we are staying in. The kids seem to be handling our new life better than me at the moment. They have been caught up in picking, and arranging "their" rooms and playing in the new "playroom". Oh and then there is the hot tub which is the "cool" tub at the moment. Meaning the temperature is set low like a pool and they are spending many a days sloshing around playing Marco Polo. I have spent a lot of my time here complaining. It has been hot and there is no air conditioning in this blasted place. BIG MISTAKE, HUGE! :) Well say a prayer for me. As of today I hate it here but am trying to keep that to myself and hope for the best.......Still searching for a good diet pepsi, my landline phone, our silverware and a desire to stay instead of run..........

I have been changed for good....

I've feel like I have been writing this post for months now in my head.... wondering how you possibly say goodbye to friends you truly don't know how you will live without...I've come to the conclusion that you simply DO NOT. Leaving Albany, Oregon is one of the hardest things we've ever had to do. I have dreaded it. I have cried more tears than I thought were humanly possible anticipating this day. I have devised ways in my head to stay. I have devised ways to enable my friends to come with me. But the point is... we cannot change things sometimes and I am trying to live by my own motto...."We do not want to do this but we need to do this". Seattle is going to be a huge change and in thinking about the time we have spent here I was reminded of a night on the town with friends. In one of our many adventures we dragged our husbands to see WICKED and what a time was had by all. I remember sitting through the performance and listening to a song that literally brought tears to my eyes and still does. It is a constant reminder of how blessed our family has been since we moved to Albany.

Here are the words....

I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason--bringing something we must learn-- and we are led to those who help us most to grow---- if we let them and we help them in return... I don't know if I believe that that's true--- but I know I'm who I am today because I knew you... like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun, like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood...who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you I have been changed for good------

I have thought and thought of the right words to say and the right gift to give but really when it comes down to it I suppose there isn't much you can give a friend other than your thanks, your admiration, your respect, and your love. I hope you all know that I am the person I am today because "I knew you" and I know that I HAVE been changed for the better having had you in my life. I hope to take a little of you all with me to Seattle. Your candor, your wit, your sensibility, your sense of humor, your listening ear and most of all your willingness to accept us just as we are. I hope to meet up with you all again soon. I know that good friends are friends for life but I will miss the day to day "stuff", the phone calls, the playdates, the holidays , the long talks, and the list could go on forever. Visit us soon. We miss you all already!

Love, Sheridan and the Ringhiser clan

Busy week here in Albany

We too have had a very busy week here in Albany, Oregon. Ray turned 38!!! Hard to believe he's getting close to the big 40! We hope we surpised him with his new "smartphone". He truly is like a kid in a candy store. I'm not sure how smart it was to buy that one. Such total joy but gees louise he won't put the dang thing down. He seems to be settling in a little more to Amazon.com although he admits it's definately a little HIGH stress. This is big business at it's best and I know he will rise to the challenge.

The kids have been busy with their activities and I have been busy cleaning non-stop for people to come see our house. Carson finished off his first soccer season. Ray and I were so sad to see it come to an end. He is our first to love organized sports and I have to admit we as parents have enjoyed seeing his competitive spirit. He is quite the little athlete and Ray has loved gloating a little (or a lot) at the games, calling Carson "Pele" and casually mentioning how many goals Carson has scored. This past game was 5 goals!!! He also had a field trip to the children's museum and Carousel this week in school. Mommy rode the bus with him and had a great day watching him have such a good time with friends.



Olivia had her school musical where she landed the part of Cinderella. She had a solo and did such a good job. She was extremely nervous and I could see her doing "breathing exercises" until her moment arrived. She has been dealing with stage fright over the years and it was cute to see her overcome it once and for all.



Alec is busy with the things "tweens" are busy doing. Is this what we were all really like as teenageers? If so, I apologize profusely to my parents. :) I didnt know it was humanly possible to send as many text messages as he does. His favorite Saturday activity now is to go to the mall with friends. The highlight of his week is when Ray comes home and lets him actually drive the Mitsubishi. He primarily pulls it in and out of the drive way but he has also mastered driving around the block and around the school parking lot. Gosh I hope no one turns us in after reading that.



Addy is learning new things everyday. As seen here in the pictures she had her first taste of cookie dough and couldn't get enough of it. Ray calls these pictures "Manna from heaven" :)

We are enjoying our family time more now as it is limited to the weekends. We are looking forward to being together again as a family and hope that time comes soon. Pray that our house sells and that we can have a smooth transition as we begin this new phase of life.

What a great day to be a MOM

I'm grateful to be a mom today. I loved my breakfast in bed prepared by 6 little hands. French toast not quite done in the middle with brown sugar on the top??????, ice cold eggs and 2 year old bluberries from the DEEP freeze. :) How do you not just scarf that down?? I have to admit I had to be a little creative on that one.

I loved my handmade cards. Olivia was quick to point out that she gave me a tiny waist and HIPS in order to flatter my figure. Carson's beautiful card seems to be missing a family member and when asked about this he explains, "Alec (who he fights with quite regularly) is in our family but not on a happy day like today." Hmmmmmm. Ray wrote in only a way he can (quite gifted with words) about mothers and heroes and how they are one in same.

I loved my gifts. Alec spent the day making one thing or another in my new Magic Bullet. I think he may have suggested that one for selfish reasons. :) I was able to get ready for church this morning in my new robe because evidently I spend far too much time wandering around in my underwear. Last but not least I loved the hand-painted box in the shape of a heart for me to store my tiny treasures. Once again, my kids think I lose things and this would be a good place for me to keep them safe. "As if..."

I have been blessed to know so many good mothers and have learned so much from each and every one of you. A little more patience, a little more dedication, a little more laughter and a little more love. Yes it was a great day to be a Mom. Here's to hoping all you great Moms out there had a fabulous day!

What a difference a year can make.........

This time last year, we here in Oregon were waiting............Waiting for our little girl to arrive. Little did we know that Miss Addy would make her grand entrance almost 8 weeks early. When the phone rang on Sunday morning at 6 a.m. I knew a baby had arrived. We had decided not to go with Addy's adoption agency and were planning on calling them Monday morning to let them know we were going to go with a different situation. I was suppose to have called the week before but for some reason I had procrastinated and really struggled with the decision. Saturday night I asked Heavenly Father (half-kidding) to make the decision for me---little did I know he would do exactly that. There are times when I look at Addy and it brings tears to my eyes to realize how unbelievably grateful I am I had waited to make that call. I remember seeing her for the first time and being so completely in love and so completely terrified at the same time. She was so tiny and seemed so fragile--- although the first time I was able to hold her she mustered the strength to lift her tiny head and look me directly in the eye as if to say "I'm yours if you'll have me" and I was hooked. Scared yes, and begging the tiny thing to EAT EAT EAT, but in love. After two weeks of being away and several nervous break downs on my part we were able to bring her home to a family that has loved her unconditionally ever since. Some people wonder why we would want to "start over" after not having had a baby for 5 years. You start over to smell that new baby smell. You start over to feel that warm tiny body fall asleep on your chest. You start over to hear your baby coo, then babble, and eventually say her first words, like "hhhhi" and "hhhhot" and "da da". You start over to touch her chubby little fingers and toes. You start over to see a baby once so small turn into a thriving, happy, healthy girl.

We love you Miss Addy! Happy 1st birthday.

Daddy, Mommy, Alec, Olivia and Carson