Call it a New Years Resolution, but it is more of a "we are horrible parents" kind of a thing!  Because we have not been keeping good records of our children, this blog was where we wanted to do that and so we are recommitting to being half-way decent parents!

We have put off re-starting for months because of this first post, we knew it would be a fiasco.....but instead of try and recap everything over the last year and a half, we are just going to say "We're Back!" 

To begin, here is a post from Dad about favorites of 2013....


Wow, not a single post from me last year....father of the year material over here!  Before posting current/real time events I thought I'd start out by picking a few of my favorite moments from last  year.  And in no order whatsoever - here we go......

#1.  Enchanted Forest

  If you've never been, please do so immediately!  How best to explain this place?  It's like the bastard child of Hans Christen Anderson and Walt Disney decided to open a theme park.  And that theme park just happens to be stuck in a fairy tale world as seen by the decade clash of the 70's & 80's.  It's weird and wonderful all at the same time.  Admission is fairly cheap, but rides are not...or I should say extra.  Food is cheap....and with good reason.
  We all had fun.  Ivy and Townsend were afraid of a majority of the park - mostly the odd mechanical "statues" (not sure how to describe these things...think Chuck E Cheese mechanical band) that depicted fairy tale scenes.  Creepiest by far was the Snow White witch and the Three Bears.  Try as I might, I could not get either one of them to visit the witch a second time.  To their credit, it was a little disturbing - as in dark, disturbing, loud and all around confusing for young children.
  Out of all the rides and attractions, the one hailed the best was the good old carpet slide.  I think we went down that thing twenty times! My favorite was the remote control boats that didn't really work and the quick-draw cowboy - nothing like teaching your children how to shoot another person!
  All in all it was a great day and I hope to go again next year, hopefully with someone who has never been so I can enjoy watching them suck in the weirdness.  Oh yeah, the best part was that we didn't tell Ivy we were going and just pretended to go on a drive to get her brother to sleep.  I think it was a pleasant surprise...

Out of a shoe! What?!

#2.  The Ocean

Any day, any time of the year the ocean is a good place.  I love watching children get lost in the overpowering nature of the ocean - the sand, wind, smells, birds, dead sea life and, in the case of Oregon, the occasion jackass driving on the beach.  We could probably drop them off for a few hours
and they'd be happy :)

 

#3.  Salt Lake City    

                                                               

  All Ivy wanted for her birthday was to go to Salt Lake City to see her Grandparents, cousins and aunts/uncles.  My total, unreserved appreciation goes out to Whitney on this one.  Not only did she plan and make this trip happen, she orchestrated & planned the best birthday party for a 6 yr old....ever!  Look at that above picture - that is pure Whitney :)
  The 12 hr + drive was bordering the edges of hell and since we didn't stop overnight to rest, was perhaps not in the best interest of our children...but hey, we made good time!  Both Ivy and Townsend were amazing considering the circumstances.  A few freak-outs here and there but overall we are lucky to have such good, mild mannered and understanding children.  Also, that long in a car without stopping and we're still together as a family???  If that's not love, I don't know what is.

Cupcakes, cousins an Grandpa....Oh my!

He just lost the only balloon that ever existed, ever.

#4. First day of 1st Grade

Good lord, I can't believe she's in the 1st grade.  I can't believe I'm one the those people who get teary eyed thinking...seems like I was just changing her diaper yesterday.  Well, I am and I said it, so that's that.  She is, and will always be, my baby.  But now she's my baby who can read chapter books, do math problems and write.  Yikes!

Oh, and here's what Townsend and I did on her first day back to school:

Am I supposed to write stuff now....

We started a blog, and then promptly forgot about it! Not quite true, but my goodness! What is up with us huh?!  Just a whole bunch of stuff going on! Like weddings, birthdays, some (scary) illnesses, and let's see....Something else big happened recently. What was it again? Can't remember......Oh yea that is it, IVY STARTED KINDERGARTEN!!

"Wait....What is that you say? Kindergarten? How can Ivy possibly have started Kindergarten? You must have done the math wrong, she can not be five years old. There is no way time could possibly go that fast, I feel sick."

Yes, I know! Believe me we at the Davis household (aka Oliver Davis household, did I mention weddings?) feel the same way.

IVY STARTED KINDERGARTEN!!  HOLY S-you-know-what-IT. Unbelievable. She is so excited - wants to go to bed early just so she can get up and go to school the next day - kind of excited!   I tried to explain to her about the concept of pacing herself, she has 13 years of this to go, but she didn't want to hear any of it! "13 more years," she said dreamily....."Wow.....life is so awesome!"

Well, here are some pictures of her first few days of what I feel like is the rest of her life....does anyone else get the strange feeling it is all downhill from here? Such a pessimist I know, but honestly...when was the last time you were so excited about something you, literally, started getting in your PJ's when the sun was still up and dinner was still warm....Just sayin....Anyway Pictures!

First Day! Actually testing day...but kind of the first day....and Yes she dresses herself, and wanted to be all pink! Yay.

We threw her a lil' Back to School Party!

Kind of excited, kind of parents are weird face. 

Best part of the party, cookies! J and I decorated, pretty damn good I say!

School is pretty cool.

Walking to school! First real day. Again she dresses herself, so no judging.

Townes is enjoying the daily walks, how could you not with the breeze blowing through your hair that way!

Her school!

With presents for the teachers, because I am a kiss ass.

About to go in the classroom jitters!!

but right to work! Notice the poor boy on the other chair, he does not think School is so Cool.

Kiss goodbye, and she is a Kindergartener! Wow.

 

Walking home the second day, already WAY too cool for school!

 Not to be outdone...here are a few of Mr.T....

"My plan will work perfectly...." Right?! He has something planned with that look...

Adorable, that is his plan!

No caption needed, just so cute!

"Let down your hair fair Princess!"

I got up here.....

How do I get down....?

Yea, that's right! I got patches on my elbows....What?!

Hungry.

mmmmm some thyme sounds good....

Goodbye!

Pictures!

We have started a new blog! Well, about 5 months ago we started a new blog, and are now ready to show it to the world, or at least to those that are near and dear!! We both are feeling nostalgic for days of family and friends close by, and both wish there were more family and friends to experience our beautiful children with us! So, this is how we decided to make that happen! These pictures are a little old, but still so adorable, that as I just scrolled through them I got a tad teary eyed! I will upload more very very soon!  Please check back often, and know that we might not have much going on in Salem, as it is Salem, but we have adorable children that want to be in contact with you as much as possible!