Totally Toeheads

Paradise

2011-03-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Our trip to the Great Barrier Reef and Green Island has been absolutely wonderful. Since Green Island is a rain forest, we were a little worried about all the rain. Luckily, it rained at night and early in the morning, so our days were filled with sunshine! Since we forgot to buy an underwater case for our camera, our underwater pictures of the reef are not developed yet. Hopefully they will show at least a little bit of the amazing things we saw. The kids were fabulous at snorkeling and were even the last people back on the Reef King (our boat) when leaving. We swam with so many beautiful fish and even a couple of black tip reef sharks. You could hear Arik yelling under the water, "shark!, shark!". At first I thought he was in trouble, but eventually I just learned that he yelled each time he saw something that amazed him! The coral was so huge and beautiful and everywhere. Back at the island, the coral wasn't as large, but the fish were! We saw more sharks, swam with turtles and lagoon rays. Definitely a trip of a lifetime. Afterwards, I told Colby that staying on a small tropical island and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef was the best "40" birthday present I could ask for.... even with the kiddies along for the fun :)

Cute picture of Annika & Arik in their stinger suits. Even though they say the Box Jellies aren't out at the reef, we still wore them. It was also nice not to have to worry about sunscreen the whole time we were snorkeling.
Tanner windsurfing for the first time. He loved it!

Sunset on the beach! So beautiful. We had been snorkeling all day and were headed to dinner. My cute dress was compliments of Green Island Resort. The airlines lost my luggage and then the resort didn't get it to me when they said, so I got to shop in the gift shop for something to wear.
Officially the "Great Barrier Reef".

Green Island

2011-03-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we arrived at beautiful Green Island.

It is a coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef. The island is quite small and one of the few islands with a rainforest. It is beautiful and relaxing here. Today we had the experience of a lifetime - snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. We took a boat from the island to the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef. It was so amazing. We saw so many fish, and even swam with a couple of sharks!! You could hear Arik yelling about it under the water :) One of the best days ever!

Surfers Paradise

2011-03-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

I love the Gold Coast. The sand is like dust, it is so fine here. I think I am obsessed with warm weather, warm water and the beach. I just feel badly for Colby. While we play at the pool and on the beach, he is at work every day. At least we get to see him in the evenings. The kids are so relaxed and looking sunkissed and healthy again. Maybe we will be able to survive the "rainy season" back home.

This is a picture out our hotel window. So beautiful!

Wagga Wagga

2011-03-10T23:24:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had the chance to visit Colby's friend, Craig, on his farm near Wagga Wagga. We had such a great time and I don't think we saw a car for 2 days! The kids were a little nervous at first, but within a couple of hourse, they were running free all over the place. It is beautiful there, but does look surprisingly similar to Idaho. Thanks for a great time Craig!

Canberra

2011-03-06T19:39:00.001-08:00

We are settled, once again, in beautiful Canberra. The first time I visited Canberra I was so disappointed that I wasn't on the coast of Australia. I love the beaches here with all the beautiful trees and flowers. Canberra is quite dry... hot and sunny, but not tropical. But each time I return to this city, I love it more and more. The city has such a fantastic design. There is Lake Burley Griffin in the center with the city and Parliament. There are biking and walking trails connecting each "neighborhood" together and it is all one gigantic circle. This is very confusing to me as I try to navigate my way around (I literally end up driving in circles!!). But there is a small community feel here that is so wonderful. Since we have visited so many sights in the past, I am letting the kids pick their favorite things to do and we are focusing on that (and relaxing) this trip. So far, they have wanted to go to Questacon, the science museum, the aviary, take a bike hire around Lake Burley Griffin and play at all their favorite parks.

Sydney, day 2

2011-03-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

We woke up on Day 2 in Sydney to gray skies and light rain..... could not believe it, but yet, I could. We had such a gorgeous day at the beach, and I know that it always rains on Colby when we are on a family vacation. I am sure he is suppose to learn to love the rain (or something) but it is just not going to happen :) Luckily it was warm rain. We bought a little umbrella, and were still able to enjoy a fantastic day of riding the ferries through the Sydney Harbourand a great hike around Q Station out by the NorthHeadlands. Here are a few pictures of the day.

Australia 2011

2011-03-06T02:59:00.002-08:00

Once again, we are back in beautiful Australia for a month of R & R!! I have to start by saying how truly blessed we are to have such a great opportunity. It is a wonderful country and we have been able to see and experience so many amazing things over the past 3 years.

We left Portland on a snowy and blustery day and arrived in

beautiful, sunny Sydney on Feb. 26, 2011. Since we have discovered how very important it is so stay busy and get right on schedule, we headed

straight for the beach!

This year we braved the busy and popular Bondi Beach.

There is actually a boardwalk of sorts

that connects a number of beaches so we took a walk and stopped at as many beaches as we could. Our favorites were Bronte, Bondi & Tamarama.

Such a beautiful day! We had a fantastic time and we all stayed awake and happy for the entire day.

Christmas

2011-03-06T02:59:00.001-08:00

Soccer & Football

2011-03-06T02:58:00.003-08:00

First Day of School

2011-03-06T02:58:00.001-08:00

Manwaring Family Reunion

2011-03-06T02:57:00.001-08:00

Summer 2010

2011-03-06T02:54:00.000-08:00

May Day Baptism

2010-05-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

Baptism Day!! What a wonderful day for Arik & Annika. We are so very proud of them for making such a grown-up decision to be baptized. We are so happy that many of the people we love were able to make it to Oregon for such a happy day.

I have to blabber on a minute about my babies. Having multiples is a challenge that only other mothers of multiples can truly understand. It has definitely been one of the biggest, and most rewarding part of my life. I always feel guilty saying that because I am so grateful for this challenge. I absolutely love having twins -- yes, I have felt overwhelmed, tired (no, exhausted) and worn out; but it has also brought me more joy than I could ever express with words. Seeing Annika & Arik baptized today was a day of great sadness and joy: sadness that they are growing up, but joy for the wonderful person each is becoming.

It's Great to be Eight

2010-03-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Annika & Arik!!!

My babies are eight and it is so hard to believe how quickly the time goes by. The day they were born was scary and exciting. Annika had been stealing all the nutrients from Arik, therefore they were born 5 weeks early. Having two babies is so great --- however, the saying, "double the trouble" is so very true! They are the best of friends, which makes this mama very happy. So, in honor of eight fantastic years..... We celebrated a little early by heading to Utah for Spring Break to ski and visit family and friends. Then yesterday they had a normal day at school and then spent the evening hanging out as a family. Arik requested Noodles with Egg for dinner and Annika wanted Butternut Squash Soup --- YUMMY! Happy Birthday babies!! It was also their Uncle Derrik's birthday. Happy Birthday D!!

Great People

2010-03-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

Annika & Arik have been working so hard for the past month on their "Great People" reports and presentations. Annika chose Helen Keller and Arik chose Babe Ruth. They each did such an amazing job and I am so very proud of them! Here are a few pictures to showcase all the fun.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2010-03-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

Just a quick tribute to my wonderful mother. She was here yesterday, so we celebrated her birthday a little early. I really am so very blessed to have a mom who is beautiful, kind, fun, and a wonderful friend. I love you Mom!

Our little entrepreneur

2010-03-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

Tanner's fourth grade class created a town and society at the beginning of the year. Each student has to choose a business to start with a product to sell. Tanner chose to crochet beanies. A couple of years ago, his great-grandma taught him how to crochet. Then he was inspired by a good friend who also crochets and decided to make and sell beanies. His business is a hit!! Here is a picture of the latest business day. They have one each month. It is a lot of work for him each month because his beanies are so popular. He usually sells all the ones he makes and then also takes orders. Way to go Tanner!

Catching up on life

2010-03-13T21:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have been a terrible blogger since we returned home from Australia. It has been busy and this takes time that I have haven't had to give. I want to put these pictures on here from President's Day weekend. We always go skiing, and usually in Utah. Well, this year it just didn't work out, so we ended up skiing at Timberline, Mt. Hood. The snow isn't as good, and it was raining for a while, but we did still have a wonderful time. The kids did so well and since the intermediate runs here are easier, they felt like they were amazing!

After looking at these pictures and I am realizing that Colby and I have the same ski jackets on for the past who knows how many years. I think it may be time to update!!

Hiking the Rainforest

2010-01-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of our hike in the rain forest and swimming under the "Twin Falls"

Gold Coast

2010-01-30T11:44:00.001-08:00

Our plan for the last week of vacation in Australia was to go to the Great Barrier Reef and snorkle. But once we arrived in Australia, we were told that it was not a great time to visit. First of all, there are deadly jellyfish off the coast near Cairnes during this season and second there often Cyclones. Well, we thought we could probably deal with the jellies because there are sting suits you can wear while swimming to keep yourself safe. However, there were two cyclones and a third that only developed to category 1 while during the time that we were going to head to that magical place. We made the decision not to go because of the cyclones - not really safe nor fun! Instead, we looked at the weather and chose the sunniest place for that last week, the Gold Coast. We visited Surfers Paradise last year and had a great time, so we headed there again. We were not disappointed. The weather was fabulous! We played on the beach, hiked the rainforest, swam under a waterfall, ate ice cream and played at the resort. The best way to soak up the sun before heading back to the Pacific Northwest.

Lake Burley Griffin

2010-01-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

Last year, Tanner was obsessed with taking a paddle boat around the lake in Canberra. We promised we would do it, but only after work when Colby could go with us. It seemed to get breezy each evening, which makes it really difficult to paddle a little boat across a lake. Finally, the last week we just decided to do it. The kids and Colby had such a great time and the wind died down enough to make it very enjoyable.

Australian War Memorial

2010-01-30T11:16:00.000-08:00

We weren't going to visit the Australian War Memorial, because I must confess that it sounded a little boring to me. I know that sounds terrible, but it was not how I wanted to spend our time in Canberra. But I kept hearing that it was a great place to visit, so the Friday before we left, we headed there with our friends. It was fantastic! There were so many great exhibits, clothing, tanks, airplanes and videos. There was also a play area for children where they could dress up, play in a submarine, play in mud bunkers, and fly a real helicopter. We had such a great time and I am so glad that we added it to our schedule.

National Museum of Australia

2010-01-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

During our last week in Canberra we visited the National Museum of Australia. This is a most amazing museum documenting the history of the land & people of Australia. We loved it last year, and we loved it again this year. One of the greatest things about it is that it is a beautiful museum with so much information and it is FREE!

More fun in Canberra

2010-01-22T16:46:00.000-08:00

Overlooking Canberra at the Telstra Tower.

Bushwalking in Canberra

2010-01-16T16:49:00.001-08:00

We had planned on heading to the beach again this weekend, but there were thunderstorms all across Australia. This frustrates Colby so much - rain seems to follow him whereever he goes. We decided to stay in Canberra and do a little hiking, or bushwalking as they call it here. We headed to Cotter Dam and hiked to the Cotter Caves. The main cave was closed, but we were able to find a few smaller ones to explore. The kids loved the caves! It was a beautiful, cloudy day which made the hiking so much more enjoyable.

Friends

2010-01-15T03:15:00.000-08:00

The kids have become friends with a few great girls in Australia. Today we spent time at Cockington Green with them.

Australian Institute of Sport

2010-01-15T02:57:00.000-08:00

We visited the Australian Institute of Sport today. The AIS is a facility where the best athletes in Australia train for the Olympics. We were able to try a few sports and then see some the the training facilities.

South Coast

2010-01-11T13:23:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend at the South Coast. Saturday was beautiful at Malua Bay. The water is so beautiful here!

Canberra

2010-01-10T18:02:00.001-08:00

Our time in Canberra is always relaxing. We have a great apartment and spend our time swimming, going to playgrounds, visiting museums and local attractions and spending time with friends. Since this is our second visit, the kids have favorite activities that they don't want to miss. Within the first couple of days we returned to Questacon - a fantastic science museum that they love.

Down Under

2010-01-07T19:48:00.000-08:00

Hello from Australia! What a beautiful time of year to escape from rainy Oregon to Australia's hot summer. We landed in Sydney early Jan. 1, 2010 and spent the weekend in that beautiful city - what a great way to start the new year. Since we were here less than one year ago, we are trying to see and do a few different things. However, the kids are a bit traditional so there will be a few repeats!

In Sydney, we spent the first day walking around, eating ice cream and trying to stay awake.

Sadly, we didn't get to spend much time at the beach since it was a little cool and rainy that weekend - can you believe it?? Colby was so mad! It was still very beautiful. We especially enjoyed our visit to the Wildlife Museum & Aquarium. They have a huge saltwater crocodile there now and the kids even got to touch a baby croc. Very cool!

We also loved our hike at Watson's Bay out to the South Headlands.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-27T20:40:00.001-08:00

Santa found our house!

God Jul

2009-12-27T20:32:00.001-08:00

God Jul! We had a yummy Swedish Christmas Eve dinner. It was yummy and fun, but we sure miss spending the evening with family & friends! Colby reading the story of the birth of Christ from the scriptures before heading to bed to wait for Santa to arrive. Hanna Jammies from Mormor & Morfar!

Sledding

2009-12-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

We have a family tradition of going sledding during the Christmas holiday. When we lived in Utah, we usually just had to head down to the park or just up American Fork Canyon. Since moving to Oregon, we have to plan just a little better. Last year, during the snow and ice storm, the sledding just down the street was amazing. This year we headed to Mt. Hood for our sledding fun. We could not have chosen a better day. This fall has been absolutely beautiful - there has been less rain and more blue skies - a wonderful combination in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I took this first picture of Mt. Hood out the front window of our car as we headed up to the mountain. Amazing.

Timberline Lodge

Polar Express

2009-12-27T19:30:00.001-08:00

Our friends from Australia organized a fun night out on the Polar Express. We rode the train from Mt. Hood to the North Pole and had a great time with friends. Santa even found us and took time to say Hello!

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree

2009-12-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

A beautiful day to get a Christmas tree (look at that blue sky, very unusual for Oregon in December) it is also Tanner birthday. I think the beautiful day was a gift for him :)

Happy Birthday Tanner

2009-12-14T17:43:00.001-08:00

Double digits for my baby... where does the time go?? Happy Birthday Tanner, we love you!

Piano recital

2009-12-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

November was piano recital time and the kids did such a great job!

Thanksgiving

2009-12-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

We were able to go to Kimberly to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. We had a great trip.... the kids got to see & play with cousins and the adults stayed up late each night playing Canasta.... Fun!!

Here is a picture of the pie Tanner baked with Mormor. Quite creative! Manwaring cousins

Stark Cousins!

Halloween!

2009-10-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I just realized that I haven't posted anything since the end of August. It has been a crazy couple of months. Soccer started, school started, and life got busy. I always dread and love the beginning of school. I am definitely ready for a few hours a day to have that are all mine, but I also really miss the kids. They are so happy when they are home (except when they are fighting)! School starts and so does the chaos that goes along with all the activities.

Monday night we carved pumpkins. For years before moving to Oregon we always carved pumpkins with our good friends Thayne & Lanae, even before any of us had any little munchkins running around. We still have a great time, but not nearly as much fun as with good friends.

Then it was Halloween. Thanks Grandma for making the cute cowboy outfits for Annika & Arik. They turned out so great. For Halloween, Tanner was obsessed with being a banana. Then, his Uncle Derrik shows up for trick-or-treating in the same outfit - Hilarious!! Two peas in a pod, or should I say bananas!

Our little Chef

2009-08-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

Tanner is hilarious! He has decided that he wants to bake all the time and start cooking dinner a couple of nights a week for me. Now I know I should be so excited for the help, but for some reason I feel like it is multiplying my work. Then I feel guilty..... by the time I was his age I already knew how to sew, clean and had a job baking bread - BRAVO Mom!

Thursday we went grocery shopping for the items on his list and Friday the cooking/baking began . Luckily Grandma had given the kids a great cookbook and he chose items from that:

1. Milkshakes

2. Chocolate & peanut covered frozen bananas

3. Donuts

YUM!

Now Annika & Arik are jealous, especially Arik since he loves to cook and has since he was little. I think we are going to have to put into place a cooking day for each with a good plan of execution. Wish me luck!

I can see!

2009-08-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

I remember Mr. Eagler calling my mom at the end of class. It was either 7th or 8th grade, not sure. He told her that I couldn't see the Periodic Table in science class and that I needed glasses. I knew the boys needed glasses a year ago, but we were waiting as long as possible to get them, they were both so young. Yesterday we picked up the frames they had chosen (Colby insisted they get whatever frames they wanted so they would be happy wearing them).

Here are the results:

Could these boys be any cuter at all! I just love how the frames match their personalities perfectly.

Mamma Devil Horns

2009-08-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

"Mamma Devil Horns" is the term I like to use to describe what happens to me when I am pushed over the edge by my children. I really think that I literally grow them out of my head and then turn into this completely different person than who I really am. Along with the horns comes this loud, low gravely voice that obviously doesn't really belong to me (come on, I have heard myself on an answering machine and I know I have a high, squeaky, obnoxious voice). This summer I was determined to not grow the horns. I planned fun, created jobs, and just let the kids be kids. I was more successful than I have been in years and it has truly been one fabulous summer. I am more relaxed and they seem happier. As we come to the end of Summer Vacation we are happy and hopefully ready for school to begin (in 2 1/2 more weeks!!!!). In fact, last week may have been the best week yet. I worked really hard to be patient (something you would think I would have learned by now) and the kids were nice to me.

As I look back at what I did differently I realized it was all about balance. In a world that is pushing for "Me" time in order to be a better mom, I am realizing that this is not the answer. When I am trying to have "Me" time, I become irritated when the kids bother me. Not the best result. But when I give in to their every need, the results are even worse. This summer I tried to love them more and spend one-on-one time with each. But I think the most important thing I did was get them to work (Colby's idea) and serve me a little. This lightened my load. I still made time for me (you should see my nails, hair, new clothes & jewelry, etc.) and they were also happy. Now, the key will be to keep this up during the school year. Hopefully we can find a new balance amid all the activities they are scheduled to do.... we will see.

But for now, we are happy.

Happy Birthday Colby!

2009-08-21T20:11:00.001-07:00

I just want to wish my wonderful husband a very Happy Birthday! I haven't seen him yet today. He is flying home from England and then got stuck in Denver. Hopefully he will be ready for cake at about midnight tonight because the kids are determined to celebrate!

Seattle

2009-08-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

After leaving Vancouver BC, we drove to Seattle to spend a few days with the Mann Family. It had been way to long. We had a great time and in the end could not separate Annika, Ellie & Emma

We headed out with most of the kids to Pike's Place Market. It was crazy, there were people everywhere, but we still had so much fun.

Then Meggin & the kids headed home while we stayed downtown to take in a Mariner's game. It was a great night to go. The weather was good and the top stayed open AND they were even playing the Yankees.

Fun at the game!

Playing in Canada

2009-08-17T19:19:00.000-07:00

Last week we headed to Canada. Colby had a conference there and we decided to join him for a couple of days. I had never been to Vancouver B.C. and what a wonderful city. It is huge! We stayed not too far from the water, downtown and were able to go to Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium and Science World. We always like to walk whenever possible, and this time I consulted the GPS instead of an actual person -- needless to say the kids & I found ourselves in a very scary part of town on our way to Science World. We should have taken the Sky Train.

Vancouver Aquarium - they had 2 baby beluga whales and a great dolphin show!

Stanley Park, it was raining & cold so we didn't explore much.

Science World

Back in the USA (after a 1 1/2 hour wait at the border) Go Homeland Security!

Summer Fun!

2009-08-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

Colby informed me last night that I am behind on my blogging. It is true. When the kids are home during the summer, we are so busy playing that I just don't take the time to document our daily events. I want this blog to be a little bit of a family journal as well as a way to stay in contact with all our family & friends. So... I will try to be more diligent and blog more often. With that said, here are a few pictures of some summer fun.

Painting rocks with Carson & Landon

Swimming with Will, Jonny & Katie

Playing at Mormor & Grandpa's with Alex, Nik & Meggin

KHS Reunion!!

Tanner & Mormor

Stark Family Reunion

2009-07-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

June 27 was Dad's 70th birthday and we celebrated Stark style, camping! Happy Birthday Dad, we love you!

All but one sibling was there with most of the grandchildren (amazing since we are literally scattered across the US from Alaska to New Jersey). We had two trailers, three tents and so many cars. We had a fabulous time and loved spending time together in beautiful Uintas. We hiked Donut Falls and walked the trail around Silver Lake. It was so fun to just hang out, chat, and catch up with one another.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

quote from Tanner, "Thank you for being the best Dad ever!"

We love you.

Our new pet

2009-05-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, I was in the kitchen with Tanner helping him with his book report. All of a sudden we heard this loud bang against the window. It was a very familiar sound, the sound of a bird flying into our window. This happens fairly often at our house - we believe it is due to the fact that our windows are huge and cover the entire back side of the house. Tanner commented that it was probably a bird, but still went over to the window to investigate. Sitting just outside on the step was a little cockatiel. He said to me, "Mom, that bird looks like the cockatoos we saw in Australia". I, of course, didn't really believe him. So off I went to see for myself. There sat this adorable cockatiel. I went out, picked him up and the kids were hooked. We fed him some birdseed and the kids made a little cage out of Annika's doll pack-n-play. The kids named him/her Pippi, made a few FOUND flyers with a picture of Pippi (although they are secretly hoping no one claims their new pet). Now we are wondering what to do.....

My white-haired boy

2009-05-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

My firstborn, white-haired boy, is such a great kid. Now anyone who knows him knows that he is not an easy child, nor has he been easy to raise thus far. He is intense, determined, mischievious and craves attention. He LOVED being an only child for the short time that he was one. After the twins were born, he truly became the naughtiest little boy ever. It is a good thing he is so cute! However, I have managed to break his spirit.... (out of necessity), and turn him into a reasonable citizen. With that said, I want to mention that the decorative pillow he made me for my birthday is beautiful and probably the best gift I have ever received. And here is the Mother's Day poem he wrote for me:

Mom

Her Sky blue eyes,

and high happy laugh,

makes me want to

sing and dance.

Her small soft face

and wavy nose

makes me smile,

she is:

Meaningful

On top of everything

Magical

But most of all,

very fun. Oh how I love this boy.

Piano recital

2009-05-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

The kids take piano lessons and recently played in a piano festival and a piano recital. It is so fun to see the progress they make as well as see them enjoy playing. Tanner is actually getting quite good and will soon surpass me (which isn't too difficult, they get their musical talent from their dad & grandpa). Annika loves to play and is very dedicated. Arik is probably the most naturally gifted of them all (very nice for him since many things are so much work!). Here are a few pictures of them with their teacher, Corinne, and playing at their recital.

Books, books, books

2009-05-10T20:36:00.001-07:00

I am not sure how successful my mothering has been thus far, but I do feel like I have seen the light at the end of the tunnel in one area - reading. I started reading books to my kids the day I brought them home from the hospital. I would show them pictures and let them drool on, touch, and even eat the pages of books. I LOVE to read and so wanted all of them to love reading as well. Tanner & Annika both loved to read early and it came easily to them. Arik was a little different story. His letters were often jumbled and I worried that reading would be a chore instead of a love. Recently, he found what he likes to read and it has paid off - all he ever wants to do now is read (or play sports, of course). Thank you Calvin & Hobbes.

So, Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who dream that their children will love reading as much as they do!

Cousins

2009-04-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Shane, Kaylee, & Kysa came for a little visit last weekend. It was great to see them and the kids had so much fun playing with Kysa. She is so very cute. However, I do think my kids overwelmed her a little.... they seem to do that to a lot of little kids.

Tillamook Cheese

2009-04-22T08:01:00.001-07:00

Last week we headed to the coast and the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We had a great time and ate lots of yummy food. It is so great to have friends visit!

Baseball

2009-04-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Baseball season is here - always fun to watch - a little stressful to manage.

Bowling

2009-04-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

Some of our good friends are here to visit during their Spring Break. Tonight we had a little bowling and pizza fun. Annika and Olivia were the winners and they knew how to show it.

Happy Easter

2009-04-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

We were very lucky to have Dustin & Bre-Anna with us for Easter. They made it just in time to dye Easter Eggs with us. The kids were so excited to hang out with them for a day. Thanks for visiting!

Pinewood Derby

2009-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Thursday evening was the Pinewood Derby. Since we were out of town, the work on the car didn't begin until Tuesday. I thought Tanner and Colby did such a great job with the car and kept it very fun. Tanner even seemed to like having the most creative car as opposed to winning a race!! He is such a great kid!

Nothing is better than 2 babies

2009-03-29T21:16:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Happy Birthday Annika & Arik - 7 years old

Happy Birthday Derrik!

Home

2009-03-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

It sure felt nice to be back home and sleep in my own bed. However, yesterday I was really wishing we were back in Australia while I watching Tanner at baseball practice. It was 41 degrees F not C and raining..... so cold.

Surfers Paradise

2009-03-19T03:54:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning we left beautiful Bonny Hills and drove north to the Gold Coast. The drive was so beautiful and the kids did great in the car. In fact, Tanner even commented that "the drive was so short'. That is always a good thing to hear after a 7 hour drive. We decided to end our trip at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, even though we weren't sure we were ready for the skyscrapers and tourists after the peace and quiet of Bonny Hills. So far, the weather has not cooperated and it has been cloudy..... still, the pool is wonderful and the beach is beautiful. Tanner got so good on his skim board during this trip that he decided he was ready to try surfing. He is such a natural athlete. After just a few ties, he was up. Pretty good for a 9 year old. Way to go Tanner!

Bonny Hills

2009-03-18T03:59:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we left Canberra and began our drive north. Almost into Sydney, the scenery turns green again and from then on we had the most beautiful 7 hour drive to Bonny Hills (just outside of Port Macquarie. We had the great privilege of staying with friends at their beach house in Bonny Hills. I think we could have stayed forever. The company was great, the house was beautiful and the beach nearly deserted - just our style.

Sunday, we drove to the top of a mountain/hill to see the view out to the ocean. Absolutely spectacular!

Then out to the Koala Hospital to see them up close and personal. The kids loved this! They are even cuter in person.

We also drove up and down the beach for miles seeing only the occasional fisherman. Along the drive, we stopped to see a few Kangaroos, wallabys and sea stars.

Isn't this picture hilarious - the kangaroo was totally scratching his belly.

Ray & Joshua

Fun in Canberra

2009-03-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORMOR!!! We love you.

Our final days in Canberra were sunny and so enjoyable. We went back to the aviary, visited the National Museum of Australia and played with a few friends. I think the kids actually began to settle into life in Australia. Annika even began speaking with a little bit of an Australian accent.

Birds of Australia

2009-03-10T15:36:00.000-07:00

There are so many birds in Australia. On Monday, Colby and Tanner were golfing so I took Annika and Arik to the Aviary in Canberra. They LOVED it! We were given a bowl of sliced apples as we entered and were able to feed the birds. Funny story.... while at the aviary, we ran into a family that we had met at church on Sunday. We got talking and learned that they had recently moved to Canberra from Maryland.... they had been in Derrik & Jen's ward in Maryland and knew them well. It is such a small, small world!

The Northern Beaches

2009-03-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

Curl Curl Beach

The day after sailing on the harbour, we went on a lovely hike near the Tarango Zoo. Next we headed to Curl Curl Beach on the North Coast. There are many beaches in the harbour, but the kids requested an ocean beach with waves. Many of the ocean beaches have swimming areas with nets to keep out the sharks. We risked swimming right in the ocean and it was wonderful. We were told that there hadn't been a shark attack in 20 years, yet there have been three in the last month. Our friend, Rob, believes it is because they have cleaned up the harbour and the fish are returning, therefore the sharks are returning.

Kookaburra
Water Dragon Lizard

Sailing the Sydney Harbour

2009-03-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

Friday we had the wonderful opportunity to go sailing on the Sydney Harbour. Colby's friend, Rob, sails in his spare time and was kind enough to take us for the afternoon. We had the best time. It was a perfect day, so relaxing, and so beautiful. The harbour is amazing. When the sun is shining, everything sparkles and glitters, especially the Opera House.

Playing in Canberra

2009-03-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

The playgrounds and playsets in Canberra are amazing! We have had the chance to go to a couple of parks to play and the kids have had so much fun.

South Coast, Australia

2009-03-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

I am a little behind on blogging our holiday. Last Saturday we headed to the South Coast. It was an amazing drive. Around Canberra, it is very dry, but the closer you get to the coast, the greener the landscape. As we drove to the South Coast, we drove through dry, dry, flat desert then through a rain forest - all within 2 hours. We went to a few beaches near the town of Bateman's Bay. I have never seen such clear ocean water. The first beach had a jellyfish problem that morning (over 15 stings) and there were all over the sand. However, the current had changed and we didn't see any in the water. The kids didn't care, they got right in and played.

Australia National Zoo

2009-02-28T20:46:00.000-08:00

We headed to the Canberra Zoo a couple of days ago and had such a great time. The zoo was small, but filled with many Australian animals. The kids had the chance to feed the Kangaroos and Emus -- a wonderful treat.

We also saw Wallabys, Little Penguins, a sleeping Wombat, Dingoes and even a Koala. It was such a great day.

Afterwards, we headed to the gift shop for some postcards and souveniors..... and that is when the excitement began.

We were standing in the gift shop, when Tanner said to me, "Mom, there is a spider under my shirt" I casusally looked him over, then he began to freak out. He was scratching at his neck and body and quickly ripped off his shirt. A spider the size of his hand dropped to the floor! It scurried a couple of feet away and quickly climbed up the back of a little boy and sat on his head. Needless to say, there was lots of screaming. Tanner, who does NOT love spiders or bugs, was physically ill and actually gagging -- his eyes were the size of silver dollars. When everyone settled down a bit, the lady working at the zoo told us we had scared the little spider and that he was completely harmless. What a day at the zoo!

Sydney, Australia

2009-02-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

Our Trip Around the World

We left the States on Wednesday and arrived in Sydney Friday morning. The kids were so good on the airplane and actually slept quite well. Good thing, because when you travel with Colby and me, there is not time for relaxing, it is go, go, go. We like to see as much as we can on foot. Here are a few pictures from our first couple of fun days in Sydney before heading to Canberra to work.

I am adding a little to this post many days later. The Sydney Harbour is one of the most spectacular sights I have ever seen ... it is absolutely breathtaking. The harbour comes in from the ocean and then breaks off into many smaller "finger" harbours. There are so many little secluded beaches and it is beautiful. We had a chance to take the ferry to Manly Beach and Shelly Beach and here are a few pictures of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

President's Day Weekend

2009-02-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

Over President's Day weekend, we took a quick trip to Utah to visit family, friends, and ski a little. It was a great, although hurried, trip.

Hanging out with friends and cousins

Skiing at Sundance

Popcorn

2009-02-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

The Manwarings LOVE popcorn. When Colby and I were first married, I soon learned that Sunday popcorn was a family tradition. I quickly took it upon myself to try and make really yummy popcorn for him (aren't I just the doting & loving wife). I airpop the corn and then layer the butter and salt as the popcorn is popped. So YUMMY! Colby even took the tradition a little further by having popcorn every night at about 10:30 pm. You can always count on that smell at our house late at night.

Toothless Grins

2009-02-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

The kids have all been losing their teeth like crazy lately and their toothless grins are so cute. Annika was so excited last week to finally lose her first tooth so I am finally posting pictures of their adorable grins. Needless to say, the toothfairy has been very busy.

Thankful heart

2009-01-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Today I am feeling so thankful for a wonderful husband. He works so hard to keep our family happy and healthy and I am grateful for him and all he is and does. Plus, he is a super fun guy!

The coast in January

2009-01-18T17:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we were trying to decide if we should head to the mountains or the coast - how fabulous that we have a choice! Colby checked the weather and saw that it was suppose to be in the 60's at the coast. We decided we couldn't pass up the chance of a great day at the water and it was wonderful - we were not disappointed. The highest temperature was at Seaside, OR. At about 3:00pm it was about 67 degrees and to our surprise not even a breeze (unusual at the Oregon Coast). The kids splashed in the water, in their rainboots of course, as we all soaked up the sun.

Responsibilities

2009-01-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who says you can divide people into basically two categories: 1. Bakers/Cookers and 2. Cleaners. I am a cleaner. When I was growing up, my sister Becky would bake or cook and I would get out all the supplies and clean as she baked. It was fabulous! I love to clean and organized. When I got married, I just assumed that the responsibilities would continue, except that Colby would cook for Becky. Much to my dismay, that never happened. He will cook or bake occasionally, and it is soooo good, but not on a regular basis. Now, I CAN cook and bake, but so often things go wrong and I end up throwing it away. The problems arise due to the fact that I am a ditz, yes, a blonde ditz. I embrace the quality and have even passed it along to my sweet son Tanner. While we lived in Utah, I was able to master my cooking and baking, and even received compliments from others. Since moving to Oregon, I have failed miserably in my responsibilities. I don't know if it is due to the fact that my children are all in school and I am happy to clean and shop all day long, or if it is just the change in altitude and humidity. Whatever it is, my cooking and baking are disasters. Cooking is not fun to me, it is a chore, a job, a responsibility. Two nights ago, I gave up. I had tried a new dinner, and it made Arik gag. Granted, he hates food, but still, to physically gag.... So after mulling over my problem and discussing it with a friend, I have once again signed up for Dream Dinners. I am going Friday morning to make my 12 meals, and hopefully my family will be happy eaters once again.

Christmas Jammies

2008-12-31T21:35:00.000-08:00

Every year Mormor and Grandpa give all the Stark grandchildren jammies to open Christmas Eve. Our came a little late this year, so instead the kids had New Year's Eve jammies. Here is a picture of the cuties in their jammies.

Happy New Year 2009!

2008-12-31T16:36:00.000-08:00

In honour of all the upcoming football games, I thought I would post this picture of Arik. I am guessing he is about 15 months here, already obsessed with football, especially BYU. Happy New Year's Eve!

A Christmas to remember

2008-12-26T13:54:00.000-08:00

This has definitely been a Christmas to remember. Last Sunday morning, the power went out and our exciting week of "roughing" it began. As the temperature in our home slowly dropped, we began making plans to stay warm and entertained. It was so exciting for the kids to play outside in all the snow again. The sledding hills are great here, especially when no one is driving on the icy, snowy roads! Then we snuggled in for a long night. Monday morning we awoke to find the temperature in our house was 48 degrees, brrrrrr. The fireplace was not doing it's job, so we headed out to the store to buy a generator and a little portable heater. The problem was that there seemed to be no way to connect the generator to the furnace. We used it instead to run power to the fireplace fans to try and get the heat throughout the house. We dressed warmly and kept moving - the temperature rose to 50 degrees by the end of the day and we headed to bed.

Tuesday morning, the house was back to 48 degrees. Colby went to work and I spent the day keeping the fire going. You can just call me little pioneer woman - I had no idea how much work it would be to try and keep a house warm. I burned through a truckload of firewood, but the house was a whopping 52 degrees - Success! Luckily, I am married to a very smart man. He had figured out a way to hook the generator up to the furnace. He took a cord, cut off one end, hooked up the wires and plugged in the furnace - HEAT! I have never been so grateful in all my life (even though I was looking forward to the Marriott). Early the next morning, the power was on, but then back off again a couple of hours later. We ended up having a beautiful, quiet (no Christmas music, tree lights, etc.) Swedish Christmas dinner (we have a gas range) and Christmas Eve night. Christmas morning came and was wonderful. Santa found our house, even without any lights, and the kids were happy. I was amazed at how well the kids handled our little trial. Many of their presents didn't get delivered to our house, yet their attitudes remained positive and happy. I am so greatful for a warm house, lights and a happy, healthy family.

God Jul!

Nutcracker

2008-12-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

Annika had the chance to dance the part of a Rosebud in her dance center's production of the Nutcracker. She loves to dance and had a great time, despite having a terrible earache. This was from Friday night's performance. It was cancelled today due to all the snow and ice. She was so upset because she loves to be on stage!

Snow!

2008-12-15T09:05:00.000-08:00

Can you believe this snow in Portland?? We probably got 3-4 inches of snow at our house. They cancelled church yesterday (Colby was thrilled since he was suppose to speak in Sacrament Meeting!) and school today. It is unusually cold, 21 degrees, so we think the snow may stay for a while. Yea! This is a picture of our back yard. You can't even see the pool.

2008-12-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Tanner!

Christmas Trees

2008-12-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

Nine years ago, Colby and I were out with our friends, Thayne & Lanae, Christmas tree hunting - a tradition for the next many years to come. I was VERY pregnant with Tanner, who was due Christmas Day. Of course, we had to search and search to find the cheapest and best tree we could possibly find. We had been to so many tree lots and I was feeling so tired. My legs were hurting badly and I was having a tough time walking. Colby got the tree and we headed home, finally. It was such a great afternoon, but I just couldn't figure out why I could no longer walk at all and just needed to go to bed. Early the next morning, we were headed to the hospital and Tanner was born a few hours later. Ever since then, we always get our Christmas tree the first weekend in December. This year we decided to go out a little early since Grandpa & Grandma, and Dustin & Bre-Anna were in town.

Thanksgiving - 2008

2008-12-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Manwaring came for Thanksgiving and to help while Colby and I headed to the hospital with Arik. It was great to have them here!

Arik - the saga continues....

2008-12-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

So our sweet little boy, Arik, has been ill since May. We are not sure what is wrong, but we are working towards helping him get well. Last Monday, he had surgery and they removed his tonsils and adenoids. He was such a brave boy and is doing so great. In fact, he even went to school and basketball practice yesterday! Here are a few pictures from the exciting day.

November 24, 2008

Before surgery...

After surgery...

The wheelchair ride out of the hospital. He was a little loopy from the morphine.

A few hours later, Annika had to snuggle because she was so worried about Arik. There really is nothing better than twins!

Saturday

2008-11-22T21:52:00.000-08:00

When I was a little kid, it seemed like we always worked on Saturday. I remember my mom hating it (now I know that she just wanted to play on Saturday since she worked at home all week long). I am sure the tradition came from my dad and grandma. When I got married to the "yellow man" (he used to be all yellow, as in personality -- now he is mostly red, with a little yellow) -- we, of course, had to play on Saturday. Since our kids have become old enough to be in extra-curricular activities, our Saturdays are often filled with sporting events. Today our schedule went a little like this: 12:15 piano recital (for 3 kids), 1:00 basketball game, 3:30 Nutcracker dance practice, 4:00 basketball game. I absolutely LOVE being the "soccer mom". However, I think my sweet hubby would rather be swimming or skiing or hiking. But at least we were NOT working in the house or the yard!!

Hawai'i

2008-11-21T12:02:00.001-08:00

Aloha!!

We are back from paradise and I still don't have a computer where I can download my pictures. Sorry. They will have to follow at a later date. The island was beautiful, relaxing and WARM! I love the way that climate can literally melt your worries and troubles away. Colby and I snorkled and lounged and ate -- over and over again for a week. Could anyone ask for anything more?

Pictures!!

What a hunk!

Snorkling at Hanauma Bay

Snorkling at Sharks Cove - North Shore

Here I am swimming under the waterfall in Waimea Valley.

The Laie Hawai'i Temple

Shrimp shack

our main goal every day was to find a great beach and eat good food

There really is nothing better than a great vacation with wonderful friends!

Halloween

2008-11-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

So I still don't have *MY* laptop, just a loaner with strict no downloading rules (due to my magnetic personality that seems to break all electronics). I did take some great pictures at Halloween that will have to be posted at a later date. The kids had a fabulous time and it even stopped raining in the evening, just in time for Trick-or-Treating!

Ballerina, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker

Ballerina, Dragon Ninja, Luke Skywalker

My Laptop

2008-10-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Three days ago my laptop died.... I woke up Thursday morning and the screen had some white words written on a blue screen. I followed the instructions, and it has been a black screen ever since. My sweet, smart husband tried to fix it, no luck. He currently has people trying to recover all my important *documents* (mostly pictures) from the hard drive. In honor of Halloween, we believe our house is haunted. In the past two months we have lost the following electronics.... one TV, one DVD player, three hard drives, and my favorite MP3 player (no, I do not have an IPOD --- my old MP3 player worked just fine!). Colby cannot decided if our house is haunted, or if my magnetic personality is, really, magnetic.

Soccer fun

2008-10-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

Last night, Tanner's soccer team had a parent/child scrimmage. We had so much fun and laughed and laughed. I think the kids really loved playing against either Mom or Dad and always wasnted to be in the game when his parent was in the game. However, I am so SORE this morning. Now.... I run and strength condition, but I do not run sideways or kick a ball for an hour and my body is feeling it this morning. Sad, so sad, but mostly pathetic.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

There is something magical about going to the farm in October. I always feel like I have stepped back in time, to the less complicated time of childhood. There is a crispness in the air, the excitement of autumn, playing in a hay maze, and picking pumpkins. The first graders had a field trip last Thursday to French Prairie Farms and we had so much fun. Here are Annika & Arik with their pumpkins. They were suppose to pick a pumpkin they could easily carry -- look at Arik, he even put down a larger one in favour of this *smaller* pumpkin.

TWISTER!

2008-10-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Annika LOVES babies!

2008-10-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

Annika loves babies and always has. It is all she asks for when it is her birthday, or Christmas, or any other occasion. Colby always wants to give her something different or more exciting -- she will not hear of it. This past weekend, her Aunt Becky let her take care of little Meggin. Here are the results:

Mormor & Grandpa

2008-10-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say we are having the best time at Mormor & Grandpa's house. We woke up this morning to 3" of snow!! The kids were so excited. It is the earliest recorded snowfall in Idaho since they began keeping records in the 1800s. Global warming?? I don't think so.

Nik, Arik, Tanner, Annika & Alex

BYU Football

2008-10-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

Since we are no longer living in *Zion*, we have a more difficult time getting the BYU Football games on TV. It always depends upon the team they are playing. Well, last night, the game was on BYUTV -- Yipee for us. Arik immediately put on a football shirt and Annika quickly slipped into her BYU cheerleading outfit. There was jumping, there was yelling and there was dinner in front of the tv. BYU won, again -- YEA!!! Go Cougs!

The rain has returned

2008-10-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

Autumn has been so wonderful for the last couple of weeks and I am just not ready to let it go. The rain returned today and I am so afraid that it is here..... to stay. And when I say stay, I mean until July. I am not sure I can face that reality or be ok with it. I actually enjoy the rain. I love to walk in it and I love the smell of the earth, so clean. HOWEVER..... I don't love it everyday and I don't love what it does to my hair. I have to work so hard to keep the frizz from taking over my head. I used to have soft, curly hair. Well, after babies, it is now just frizzy. And in the rain, really frizzy. The best invention in the world is a flat iron, and I LOVE mine.

Girls Night Out

2008-09-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

I am trying to teach my daughter early in life that "girlfriends are great". She had a late night with a couple of friends on Friday night. So much fun! They watched tv, painted tonails, sat in the hot tub, and played. I have to admit I was a little jealous and found myself itching for a girls night out of my own.

Sunday Treat

2008-09-21T18:49:00.001-07:00

When I was a little girl, my dad always made a Sunday treat. He is such a great baker and his desserts were divine!! I have tried to follow that tradition in my home as well. Today, Tanner decided that he wanted to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies for our Sunday treat. Arik was the helper, and the cookies turned out great.

The Music School

2008-09-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

The kids are all taking piano lessons at The Music School. I love to take pictures of them with their first piano teacher. Music seems to jumpstart the brain and get it working with just the right balance. We have noticed with our children that once piano is underway, then their reading skills get so much better -- everything seems to click.

Not a Care in the World

2008-09-17T08:52:00.001-07:00