Put up your feet and stay a while...

Please allow me to explain a little...I lost the cable to our camera in the move and so have sadly not been able to post until now. So I encourage you (if you are still checking into our lives) to get comfy and enter this sojourn into Brooke's blog book with some patience, it just might be a long stay:) ************************************************************************************* CHAPTER 1...Packin the bags ************************************************************************************* We left Tucson on the 20th of July with some sad hearts, but mostly anxiety and anticipation of what our new lives would be like in Oregon. We packed up a POD (okay, Kristian packed it up) over a weekend and then I went on a plane to California while Kristian had the fabulous opportunity to travel with Piper (our cat) for two days. I really can't complain about that deal:) We will miss this house. We managed to live in four different places in the six years spent in Tucson. We will miss each one for different reasons, but this last house felt like home. We were there for two years and it is all Finley had ever known.

The slideshow above sums up the last few days in Tucson. We will cherish our friendships and memories there and always keep a special place in our hearts for the old pueblo. ************************************************************************************* CHAPTER 2...on to sunny California ************************************************************************************* I think for the sake of space, I will do all slide shows...so first off enjoy a look into our four glorious days soaking up the sun with Grandma A in Los Angeles.

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CHAPTER 3...hotel week ************************************************************************************* So when we got to Corvallis, we spent our first 10 days in a hotel until we could move into our house. At first it sounded like a lot of fun, but we soon found out that no matter how nice your hotel is...a week with two kids in a hotel room is not luxury living. We did however get to spend some much needed quality time with Kristian. The girls and I finally have our man back and couldn't be more thrilled! Kristian does not start teaching until January and while he is working on research at this time, his schedule is fairly flexible. I hope we (me in particular) always remember the times when he couldn't be around as much and not take our situation for granted. We are very blessed and I hope we always remember the journey that got us here. Anyway...we spent the week checking out our new city. The campus is amazing and we are still in awe at the beauty that surrounds us here. Everywhere you look there is green...such a stark contrast to the desert! We are in a great location less than an hour from the ocean, about an hour from some amazing mountains, and an hour and a half from Portland. So come on out and visit anyone and everyone!!

************************************************************************************* CHAPTER 4...the ocean ************************************************************************************* Being so close, we have been to the ocean a couple of times now. We just love it!! While it is much colder up here on the coast than in California, we still have plenty of sand and sun and fun! We discovered a love of water in both of the girls, but particularly in Finley. She could be shivering from head to toe and still she heads back into the waves. She absolutely loves it! And Avery thinks the sand is the greatest thing since ice cream...they are beach kids at heart! Rebecca (Kristian's sister) her husband Mark, and their two kids Ella and Arlo came over to the coast for a weekend and we met them there one day. They live up in Portland as does Aunt Adriane and Uncle Tiago. We are so excited to live closer to them all now!

************************************************************************************ CHAPTER 5...settling in ************************************************************************************ The girls seem to be adjusting pretty well and we are starting to establish some normalcy. We have had the opportunity to get to know Oregon a little with a few trips to Portland, and a trip over to the Bend area for a faculty retreat weekend. We have been enjoying the bike mecca that is Corvallis and are dusting off our walking shoes just about everyday. There are bike paths everywhere and everyone is so active here! We look forward to living a healthier lifestyle and enjoying all that this new green state has to offer.

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Well...you survived, I think. That's it for now. We are happy to be back blogging and I will post pictures from Finley's second birthday in a few days...or maybe even tomorrow if I have the energy! We miss you all and love to all...please don't forget us and keep in touch!