Friday, November 28, 2014

Christmas 2014

The Rulz:
  • Jolene is the drawer and holder of names.  Use Facebook or texts to reach her (I can give you her number).
  • $50 limit for gifts.
  • Who you have is secret until we celebrate Christmas.
  • People participating: Pops, Therese, Kevin, Tony, Paddy, Kat, Ken, Tara, Gabe, Greg, Shelby, Maureen.
  • The Littles (Cyril, Alana, Lauren, & Emmett) are NOT part of it, everyone buy them TONS of gifts that they don't need.  Please. 
  • Don't forget to prep your UCS (Ugly Christmas Sweater).
  • Lists should be emailed to Therese and they will be posted here.
  • Merry Christmas!

Let the lists begin:

Maureen
-glass drinking glasses (app pint-size)
-hand mixer
-silverware
-metal clasp watch (not belt-closure) 


Kat
--Game: Cards Against Humanity
--Warm and/or fashion scarf
--Cookbooks: Middle Eastern, Chicken, or Desserts
--Anything Broncos, Red Sox, or Ducks related
--Picture frames--any size or style


Therese
--Two of these: CHEFS Natural Bakeware Jelly Roll Pan – Half Sheet, 18”L x 13”W x 1”H (Target)
--One of each size: Threshold Pierced Round Lantern – Blue, 6.8” & 8.3” (Target)
--Book: ‘The Liar’ by Nora Roberts (can be found multiple places including Target)


Greg
--Blender
--Kitchen Aide (um dude...$50 limit here???)
--Hand mixer
--Rice cooker
--XBox 360 Game: Shadow of Mordor
--memory card for my computer

Cyril
--leapfrog explore sesame street solve with elmo
--Abby and super grover 2.0 learning game
--leapfrog letter factory learning game
--any another 3-5 leappad 2 capable learning game
--clothes size 5t and up
--shoes size 11 and up
--Legos
--books of any kind 


Ken
--shirts size large
--metal watch with stretchy band
--chalk snap line box
--wool socks
--under armor
--long Johns 

Alana
--books
--puzzles
--games
--clothes (4T fits now, 5T will fit in the future)

Emmett
Don't bother, he won't know the difference :) 

Pops
Doesn't like lists--wants to be surprised.  He promises to not be disappointed.

Kevin
Books:
The Han Solo Trilogy (Paradise Sare, Hutt Gambit, Rebel Dawn) by A.C. Crispin
Iron dawn by Matthew Woodring Stover
The Color of Magic (Discworld #1) by Terry Pratchett
Hatrack River: the Tales of Alvin Maker Pt 1 by Orson Scott Card 

Lauren
--clothes, size 6 mos or larger
--toys

Shelby
--Shirts, size Medium
--scarfs
--sweaters
--perfume
--yoga pants 

Tony (NOTE: please pass on what you don't buy for Tony to Grandma)
-Stovetop grill (like the one in the link)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lodge-Double-Play-Reversible-Griddle/15215006
 -Grill press (like the one in the link)
https://www.google.com/search?q=grill+press&client=safari&hl=en&source=univ&tbm=shop&sa=X&ei=gZZ_VOChLMuUyAT8y4LAAg&ved=0CC0Q1TU&biw=320&bih=460#spd=3538197159070063664
-pizza stone
-Oregon Ducks water bottle (Nalgene style, Kmart, Target, etc)
-iphone 5 wall charger cable NOT made by apple! CVS, rite aid, etc, usually $10.
-camping coffee pot
-books: "Whirlwind" by James Clavel, "The Bear and the Dragon" by Tom Clancy, "Rainbow Six" by Tom Clancy (cheapo mass-market paperback versions printed by Berkley are preferred)


Tara
--Gibson home soho lounge square 16 piece dinner set; 

--digital scale; 
--size queen sheets, soft and in dark blue, red or green preferably; 
--Books: the fault in our stars by John green, if I stay  collection by gayle Forman, or the maze runner series by James dashner books.

Paddy
--Solid black Pick guard for a guitar. 
--A dry erase board 36x36 preferably. 
--A book called "On the Shoulders of Giants" by Stephen Hawking. 
--Anything that has to do with zombies.

Gabe
--OSU Beaver's flag (to hang on the wall)
--Beanie that rolls up, not a skull cap, I don't know what it is called.  No words on it or fluffy balls.
--photo album (with real pictures) of family, home/Oregon, pets, etc.
--rugby ball (ask Tony or Paddy for recommendations of balls with good grips

Saturday, September 27, 2014

LJ's Bday

September 27, 2014
8:40 a.m. PST

This date heralded the anticipated arrival of Miss Lauren Jeanne and what a cutie-patootie she is!  All 7 pounds, 14 ounces and 19 3/4s inches of her.  She has wee little hands, a decent amount of dark hair, giant feet (or so we've heard) and smells delicious!  Wonderful job to Greg & Shelby!

And now, the photo-bomb the family has been waiting for:

 (her cousin,  Alana, took this picture, believe it or not!)

The absolutely gracious yet exhausted parents.

 GG looooooooves her some new baby!

Alana kept saying 'Oh, she's so pretty/cute!' and it is true!


And one more of the lil' doll-face----sleep well, new family and happy birthday, Lauren!

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Exactly What It Should Be

I so absolutely love our little town--the one we were all raised in, same as our dad, same as his dad...and so on.  A small rural town surrounded by grassfields, cornfields, blueberries, hazelnuts (or filberts, depending on who you talk to), cows, Christmas Trees and million dollar views.  We're nestled in the gorgeous countryside between the state capital and the state's largest city--just far enough away from the 'city' to be arrogantly relieved but close enough for things like Costco and state-of-the-art healthcare and airports.  The ocean is a mere hour and a half drive, the desert two, and the mountains one. 

And it's exactly what it should be.

On Friday nights the pizza places are jammed before and after the football game.

We rally behind the family who loses a home to fire.

A bond enables the high school to be a safe, stunning, and educational work of art.

The local FFA hosts a 'drive your tractor to school' day and the town itself has a Poetry Festival, Fine Arts Festival, Founder's Festival, Strawberry Festival, a Pet Parade and truly believes and celebrates that Santa lives in our town.  

Our families boast astronauts, state legislators, NFL players, and internationally renowned doctors, researchers, and writers.  We have food carts and are the gateway to two of Oregon's top tourist attractions. 

And yet we're still exactly what we should be.  

With penny parking meters, antique stores, and a Homecoming Parade that shuts down two state highways.

We're proud of our town.  Believe it's the best.  And wouldn't trade it for anything.

This last weekend when my little family and I were sitting at a wooden picnic table at one of the festivals, eating a Hawaiian Chicken Bowl, Elephant Ear, and Root Beer Float, one of the food carts was blaring a country song that made me look at the moment through a different set of eyes and whether it was the pregnancy hormones, or the picture I'd seen on the news of a father using his body to protect his infant son when the bomb sirens screamed over his Israeli town, I was incredibly overwhelmed with gratitude for how lucky our family and our little town are. 

And so I teared up (re: sobbed) and my husband freaked and we got another elephant ear and that country song played in my head the rest of the night as images from the day constantly replayed in my head.

 When you hear twin fiddles and a steel guitar
You're listenin' to the sound of the American heart
And opry music on a Saturday night
Brings a smile to your face and a tear to your eye






Sing the rain on the roof on a summer night
Where they still know wrong from right
Sing a song about the Heartland
Sing a song about my life




Sing a song about the Heartland
The only place I feel at home
Sing about the way a good man
Works until the daylight's gone





Sing the rain on the roof on a summer night
Where they still know wrong from right
Sing a song about the Heartland
Sing a song about my life
~Lyrics compliment of Gentleman George

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Road Race Rivalry Renewed! ~submitted by Tony



Annual autumn festivities unearthed the embers of enduring rivalries that had most recently taken the form of the Oktoberfest Road Race.  The prior contest had seen one head held high in euphoric triumph, while others exhibited the tightly set jaws and narrowed eyes of the determined defeated.  The battleground was revisited by returning veteran combatants set on proving themselves through blood, sweat and tears…okay, mainly just lots of sweat!  The tales of heroism and conquest drew in new volunteers, eager to take part in the 5000 meter struggle and slice off a piece of victory pie.  This day would be remembered forever by the inhabitants of Mt. Angel as the day the Fenn Clan overwhelmed the road race participants by force of numbers and the indomitable spirit which binds us together and spurs us on to greatness.



This season’s contest would prove to be a Vegas bookie’s nightmare as the favorites fell short of pre-race hype.  No amount of facial hair or spandex garments would avail this year, as Gabe’s warrior spirit shined through, burning pavement on the home stretch to leave Paddy in his wake.  Greg and Tony were front row witnesses and saw the whole thing from just a wee bit further back… Before we could even finish catching our breath, Mighty Mo was making short work of the women’s division with Therese just seconds behind her. Naturally, the rest of us stood by the finish line to declare our support with roaring cheers loud enough to drown out the timekeepers! 
 

The post-race water squirting race:



 And the post-race brother-mounting and nope, not gang-signs flashing but race completion documentation sign flashing:




Heck of a group effort.  Let’s see how we can top this one…





Sunday, July 20, 2014

Nostalgic

Once upon a time everyone was home.  All the time.  Still crazy busy.  But home.

It seems just like yesterday but in reality has been...been...well years, to be exact.  And for some reason tonight I felt the need to look back to those times and look at what summer fun I discovered!

1. We were still crazy.  Likely always will be. 
2. We were still cute.
3. We had a lot of fun together.  Likely always will.
4. There are some crazy-ass girlfriends in some of those pictures...bro, what were you thinking???

And now for some of that blast-from-the-past-cuteness:






And of course, a group shot (not sure where Gabe is in this one?):


So there ya go, happy nostalgic summer!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

So Much Summer

We're still shy of being halfway through the sunny season and yet we've already had SO MUCH SUMMER!  May just want to call us Fenns the 'Packers' because of all the crazy fun we've packed into June!


There was a zoo trip with Uncle Paddy and Kat, Uncle Gabe and cousins Cyril and Alana!  Anyone want to pet a giant cockroach?


A wedding...




Birthdays (one real and one contrived)!




Fishing at GPA's pond (who're you calling a fish-kisser?):



Um...Uncle Tony and Auntie Momo?



A brother!!!

And, finally, it ain't summer unless we get a couple family pics...




So July, how're ya gonna top that???

Sunday, May 18, 2014

For the Two Who Missed the Party for Two

We celebrated our little darling's birthday today, even though she's not two for another week (in fact, in 15 minutes it will be EXACTLY one week from her birth time!) and it was a wonderful morning birthday brunch with family (some from far away--thanks Uncle Tony!) and cinnamon rolls and fun gifts!



You may have noticed that Alana has started returning to her roots.  What does that mean, you ask?  Well when she was a wee babe we called her  Alana the Pirate Princess because she frequently had only one eye open.  

Now two years later when we tell our Princess to smile, we get a one-eyed grimace that renders visions of stomach cramps, not pure birthday joy.  

That's okay, we still think she's adorable.




I stressed and fretted, and maybe even sweated, over what to have her birthday cake be.  
Cake and ice cream at a brunch?   Seemed odd.
Coffee cake as a 2-year-old's birthday cake?  Seemed inappropriate.
Just have muffins?  Well she really likes muffins...but still not feeling it.  I had envisioned something with frosting.

And finally, 1 1/2 days before the party, GG (Great Grandma) said, "Go with cinnamon rolls" and suddenly it was so simple!  Of course!  It was sweet, met the brunch theme criteria, had frosting, and everyone likes them!  Winner winner!

And on a whim I sprinkled hers with M&Ms (or m's, as she calls them)...her cousins and uncles also followed suit.  

We had to blow the candles out as a family, but that was okay, she pulled the wax stick out after and licked off the frosting so we're not completely inept as parents.

And then there were gifts and even a cousin to help open them!


And help play with them!  Note the Grimace Grin that only family can truly love.


Then it's time to share our toys with our cousins!  And yes, apparently the close-eyed 'smile' is hereditary.  Please also note that this time she's holding on to her cousin's shoulders instead of his neck.  Hey, we're a big 2-year old now, right?


The gift that keeps on giving: once Alana gets on her new trampoline she can't help but sing (shout!) loudly the song 'No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed' while she hop-hop-hops.  Even after five minutes and she's panting from exhaustion, girlfriend doesn't give up!  Someone's gonna have a 24" vertical by Kindergarten.


And one last gorgeous picture of our Pirate Princess.  Happy Birthday!