I know I always start my posts by saying how much we love living in St. Louis, but honestly that is the only way I can think to start my posts. So here goes, We love life in St. Louis! One of the things we love is how many free things there are to do. The weekend before last we checked out the science center. Totally awesome and you guessed it, it is FREE. I have a dream of Naomi playing the harp someday, so I could not resist snapping a picture of her playing the laser harp. Such a beautiful instrument

Levi had fun checking out toy space craft while Naomi entertained herself with gear magnets(okay so that part of the center was not free, but still worth it).

The best part of our visit was when the 4 of us built the arch out of foam blocks. It was a balancing act and it took each of us to make it work. So much fun!!!

After building a pretend arch, it was time the next day to pick up our first house guests Richard's sister Katie and baby Mila from the airport, and go to the real arch.

Baby Mila is so sweet. I loved having here here.

Levi is very fascinated by the arch. He has made us promise we will never go there with out him.

Naomi likes nothing more than open space to plan her escape. The arch park was the perfect setting for her to run around.

Here is a rare picture of me alone, not having to chase my children.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon to picnic in the park with family.

All of us enjoyed having baby Mila visit us, but Naomi was especially happy. Naomi would offer to "change baby dydy". I so badly wanted to tell Naomi that she was born last year and has no business changing diapers. Naomi had no shortage of love for baby Mila.

And just because I have a weird obsession with dressing like twins, Katie and I bought the girls matching dresses.

This last weekend was the St. Louis annual hot air balloon race. The race begins at Forest park and ends which ever direction the wind leads the balloons. The first balloon to be released is the Engerizer Bunny. It is the worlds largest "Hot Hare balloon". The bunny is 166 feet tall and it went right over my back yard. I refuse to admit how long I spent Saturday night learning about the character of the bunny, lets just say I may have been able to get through a whole episode of Dateline. Few things hold my attention that long.

There are something like 76 balloons that enter the race. I am pretty sure a majority of the balloons passed over us.

The balloons were landing all over our neighborhood. Most of our neighbors were out watching and chasing the balloon landings. I through the kids in the stroller and we went in search of seeing a balloon land. We had no luck, but we had a lot of fun trying.

And finally here is a picture I love of Richy and the kids from the firework show the night before.

Saint Louis is still treating us well. Levi is loving school and Richard is managing school. Naomi and I are Going on long walks every morning, often with my friend Kate and her two kids. I LOVE going for walking in the morning. The sun shines through the tree lined streets. Many people are out walking their dogs or children to school etc. Although we live in a condo complex we are surrounded by BIG beautiful houses. Many houses have tennis courts (why anyone would want to play tennis in this climate is beyond me). I want to take pictures of some of the homes, because the architecture is so different from Oregon, it has a different charm. Somehow I feel super creepy just thinking about taking pictures of the houses in my neighborhood. However I did take many pictures of houses in The Dalles as noted in a post a couple months ago. The threshold of acceptable creepy behavior was much different in The Dalles, here I am trying to distance myself from the creepy factor I openly embraced while living in The Dalles. After all I would like to work for the city here at some point. Levi has made a new friend at school named William. I talked to William's dad to invite William over for a play date. He happily accepted, saying his boys would love to come over. I later ask Levi why he did not tell me William has a twin brother. Levi said he wanted to surprise me that "there are two Williams". Yesterday the twins came over and Levi screamed after school to the whole school "IT IS MY LUCKY DAY" over and over. Levi is afraid of dogs and since the twins have a dog Levi has let us know he is not interested in going over to their house. While the twins were at our house I gave the 3 boys a snack. The conversation at the table was based around the twins trying to convince Levi that their dog was not too bad. They used reasons such as he will play with you and he eats your left over food, and he does not bark too loud. To every reason they represented, Levi had a come back as to how Naomi is just like their dog. Mean while Naomi is going around the table from person to person begging for their food.Naomi was not helping her case! College football season kicked off last weekend. I love college football, mostly the Beavers, but I have been known to watch a variety of match ups. This is the first year in a few years that we have not bought season tickets. This is the down side to living in Missouri no Reser stadium. Going to the games has been so much fun for Richard and I. The Fall usually looks something like this. We go out to eat with Richy's parents and sister before the game. Each of us is cloaked in our orange and black. The energy and excitement in Corvallis on game is one of my favorite things. The Beavers have had a rough go the last couple years, bit still I found pleasure in cheering them on. I love Oregon State University, I am not a fair weather fan. Speaking of weather, the Beavers were unable to play their season opener last weekend because of the weather in Louisiana where there opponent would have come from. I am excited to represent the Beavs here in Missouri. I will forever love the memories we have with family at the Beaver games. I cannot wait to be back in Reser cheering on my favorite team.

Notice my sister and niece. They claim to be Duck fans yet there they are at a Beaver game both smiling ear to ear like a buffon!

A good game can make a girl tired!

Starting school and staying home.

We have been busy getting set up in our new life in Missouri We had to buy all new furniture, poor me having to pick out new things. It was more stressful than I thought it would be. I had a small window to get all of the things we needed before school started for Richard and Levi. As soon as things start to come together a little more I will post pictures. Richard had his white coat ceremony on August 5th. I elected to leave the kids with a baby sitter so I could fully enjoy this special day, but I came to learn that even though my kids are wild, special events like this are more special when they are with us. The ceremony was held in a beautiful old church. I was able to sit there alone and reflect on the road Richy and I have taken to get him to this day. Before medical school he had spent many years doing great in jobs he was not passionate about. He has always been science minded. 4 years ago Richy and I had a crazy idea to move to Austin TX. We had saved some money and headed down there without a job or a place to live. Looking back I am not sure how I let this happen, it just felt right. Our time in TX was not the best. I could not figure out why we had felt so good about going there. It was only upon going home to the comfort of Oregon that I came to understand why we needed the TX time. It was there Richy started to come alive. He started to believe in himself. It was while we were in TX that Levi had some bone issues, this led way for Richy to spend more time with doctors and do his own science research. Long story short we returned to Oregon State University where he began several science classes at once, which his adviser said no other student had been successful taking on the task Richard was embarking on in the time framed he set. Well he did it! He earned an A in every class he took. I worked during this time at a job I loved, but nothing was as rewarding as seeing Richard so happy and fulfilled at the end of the day. After taking all of the necessary classes, Richy was able to stay home with Naomi after she was born. It was interesting to have our roles reversed. Both of us came to a better understanding as to what the other had been doing. I am so thankful for the hard times and the new things we have taken on together. For all of these reasons and many more it was special to be there at his white coat ceremony. I am so proud of how hard he has worked to get to this point and I am excited to have a husband who loves what he does.

I knew I would miss Richy when he started school, but this was nothing compared to my fear of Levi starting school. It is so scary to leave my little boy with strangers and have to trust they will teach him what he knows. I worry about how other kids will treat him, I worry about everything. Levi on the other hand was full of excitement for school. He is very ready for more than preschool could offer him.

Levi is not a nap taker, but school has been making him tired!

Naomi is adjusting to Levi being away all day. She walks around at home calling out "Lee-I". It is kind of sad, but also very sweet to see her run up to him with a huge hug that could only be annoying to a hot shot 5 year old brother.

overall I am loving our new life in Missouri. I am having the best time with my kids. We go swimming after school, and I read to them everyday. Being a mom is a lot of work, but I can honestly say it is the most rewarding work. I struggle with feeling people around me do not value what I do. This last week someone close to me said "Guys do not want smart girls, they want girls like you who will stay home and have their babies". Coming from the person this came from I know it was not intended to be hurtful, however it was telling as to how people view what moms do. Guys do want smart girls and I think I am smart in knowing what works for our family. Being able to be there for spontaneous teaching opportunities and to plan healthy vegan meals as well as what I can to ease the stress on Richard makes me feel like I am apart of something bigger. I have been able to financially support our family in the past. I love knowing I can do it again if I need to. There are aspect of working I miss, a lot! but for now I know I am where I want to be and I am loving my kids like never before. There has been several thunder storms here this summer. As soon as I see one coming on I quickly unplug our tv. I would hate to have some kind of electrical surge result in me missing Dateline or 20/20, this scenario makes me ill to my very core!!! Anyway I use this time to read books with the kids while we listen to the storm. I love being able to make these simply memories. I am thankful that I can make the choice to stay home with my kids right now in their lives. I am reminded everyday at the things that are most important to me and they are a boy named Levi who has a dream of he and his sister becoming transformer builder when they grow up. And a little girl names Naomi who is entrusted in my care, to teach her how to be a smart, kind and secure .woman/transformer builder I still maintain a passion for politics, education and a whole host of other things.I plan to return to work in the coming years. I like to think I am smart enough to know what brings ME the most happiness and for me it is these two little faces and their super hot dad. It is weird to me how defensive I get on this topic, but I have had some hurtful things said to me about my choices. My choice to become a Mother has made me happy everyday.

Good Bye Oregon, Hello Missouri!

We have left Oregon, but not before some very exciting things took place. My little brother Cocky got married to the most perfect person for him. I love Sabrina and I love seeing Cocky so happy.

Their wedding day was perfect. It rained whioh actualy made for cute pictures. I was jealous it did not rain on my wedding day and I got married in DecembeE. Here are some other cute pics from their wedding. Check out how beautiful my sisters are. I like to think I at least have the brains, but truth is they are both smarter than me, so i can at least pride myself in being their sister.<

I had so much fun at their wedding. My niece Sydney from Texas was there. She is a few months younger than Naomi, it is always nice to see her.

I love watching Naomi and Sydney play with our cell phones. Hope is also cute with Sydney.

Before leaving Oregon, I really wanted to go to the Oregon coast. I love the coast. I think it is beautiful. I was able to score an invite to mt aunt's house on the coast. Check out how cute my aunt Janet is. We went and saw a dock that had washed up on the Oregon coast from the tsunami in Japan back in March 2011.

Before leaving Oregon the weather was starting to heat up! to keep cool we visited a local park. I love these pictures.

The day before we left on July 16, 2912 our Niece Mila Bea was born. I love her already. I am so happy she decided to come in time to meet us.

And their first family photo _(well the first one I took of them anyway). I love the picture of Richard and Geoff. Richy looks so tiny.

We are thinkful we could be apart of so many great things before leaving Oregon, it made leaving hard. As part of our send off we took one last family picture in our freshly made tie dyed t-shirts. Levi did a great job making his shirt.

I love my little family. On our first night of our road trip to Missouri, Levi came up with a great idea at the hotel. He said all of us should jump on the bed, so that is what we did.

The next night of our road trip was not as fun as jumping on a bed. Night 2 we pulled up to a Holiday Inn in Rock Springs Wyoming only to learn there were no vancancies for 200 miles. The lady at the counter looked at me like I was an idiot for not know it was the national highschool rodeo. Had I known this I would have booked a week in Rock Springs just to protest the poor treatment of animals. Most of the night was spent driving until we could go no more. Like many others who were unaware of the rodeo we spent the night in our car at a truck stop. Somehow I was able to sleep into the fetal position in my seat, while Richy rested his head on my back. I am not sure why that was my position of choice, but it seemed to work that night. As bad as that night was it did speed up our trip by several hours. Levi and Noami were perfect little travelers. The ride was hot and long, but they did not complain a bit. Naomi looked at a Christmas book about dogs and Levi played with his transformers. I had been so worried about this part of the trip. I had not thought it was fair to take kids on a road trip this long, but we actually had a good time as I read out loud about the endangered species of Nabraska. So here we are now in Missouri and I love it. I love it more than I expected. It is very sunny and hot, but we have air conditioning so it is fine. I love the place we picked out. It is everything I wanted. Three bedrooms, onsite pool, and I can paint. After living with Richy's parents for a year our standard of living went way up and I think our new place is up to the task. We will miss the beauty of Oregon and our family/friends, but for now we are happy to be in Missouri where new adventures await us.