Feliz Cumple, Papi!

You're still my hero. Te quiero mucho y lo voy a cantar de las montanas :)

"Those schoolgirl days, of telling tales and biting nails are gone, 

But in my mind, 

I know they will still live on and on, 

But how do you thank someone, who has taken you from crayons to perfume? 

It isn't easy, but I'll try,

If you wanted the sky I would write across the sky in letters, 

That would soar a thousand feet high, 

To Sir, with Love..."

Feelin' the Love in Florida

Team Bartscher together again. Everglades National Park, 11/11/11.

Howdy, partner

Lucky 13

Feliz aniversario, mi amor. Here's to our next adventure!

"I'm four yeeuhs ode"

Mia was very, very excited about her birthday party this year which we celebrated at the Portland Children's Museum. [I think it finally hit me that she was turning four, and I couldn't stop thinking (and laughing) about the Bill Cosby "Jeffrey" bit.]

Thank you kindly to Mimi and Breanne for taking such great pictures. Check out the slideshow here.

Maui Memories (videos)

We had a wonderful time in Maui with the family a few weeks ago. It was a very special and fun trip, and Mia had a lot of quality time with her cousin/hero Adam.

Every morning we rose to the sweet song of the island birds.

One day we went on a catamaran excursion to see wild dolphins. Mia (well-trained after watching many episodes of "Go, Diego, Go!") decided it was her duty to summon the dolphins with a high pitched squeal, which she proceeded to do the ENTIRE boat trip.

We all shared our photos in an online album here.

Aloha!

Ten Things We Love About You

Dearest Mia,

In a few weeks you'll have your fourth birthday. How time has flown! You have left behind a lot of baby things this year and are quickly becoming a "little kid." Here are some fun facts about you at four:

1. You are starting to read, and you've been practicing writing a lot at Nana's house. You can write a few words pretty well, including your name, and you are always asking us how to spell a word.
2. You've branched out from Dora the Explorer ;-). Your new favorites are the lovely Kipper and Blue's Clues.
3. You've been playing "mommy" a lot more lately. Your baby's name is Freddy, and oddly enough, she gets in trouble for many of the same things that you do. :-)
4. Your vocabulary in English has grown considerably; you love to sound out words. You've also started speaking a little "Spanglish."
5. You saw your first movie in the theater this year, Disney's "Tangled." When they first dimmed the lights you were a little scared, but once the movie started you thoroughly enjoyed it. Canela the bear came with us for moral support, of course.
6. You've been trying out the "Jedi mind trick" lately when we give you a warning about your behavior. For example: "Mia, if you don't put on your pajamas now, I will take away one book at bedtime." And to that you say very calmly, in a matter-of-fact tone, "No, you won't." (It's very hard for us to keep a straight face after that!)
7. You are a big fan of group hugs.
8. You went on your first roller coaster a few weeks ago. We had to wait in line a little while, and you were jumping up and down yelling "I'm so excited! I'm so excited!"
9. We went camping for the first time as a family a few weeks ago, and you absolutely loved it. You were obsessed with roasting marsmallows!
10. Recently, you've started asking for a sibling (gulp) to which we say "What about Canela and Freddy?!"