Zoo Lights 2008...

The three of us had a great time tonight. There was quite a crowd, but the zoo members line went pretty quick to get us in as did the zoo train line. Charlie had a great time and it was surprisingly warm tonight (about 50 degrees).

Why I smiled today...This was the "warmest" trip to zoo lights we've ever had!!!

We were able to walk right in and see Sam, the baby elephant this time around...he's still pretty little and just as playful as ever!
















Charlie didn't really know what to make of the giant boa that her and Victor are standing under...She didn't freak out though.

An amazing sunset...

It was a beautiful day today and we had a pretty amazing sunset as well...Captured these two shots on the way to zoo lights tonight...Charlie kept saying, "Look at the moon daddy, look at the moon."

The last day of November 2008...

Started off pretty great! Charlie helping daddy make eggs for breakfast...




What else is on tap for today??

4 sets of all my photos from the CA-Green Family Unit's trip to PNW made, thank you notes written and envelopes going out in the mail tomorrow morning!

A couple of football games televised on the network stations today so we can watch--Go Giants & Colts!!!

A visit to Oregon Zoo Lights tonight...Yes, if the weather holds out....

Putting up our Christmas Tree tonight for the first time in our HOME!!!

Watch out December..you are gonna be one fun-fill/crazy month! We can't wait!!!

Fun times tonight at our house...

Garland was scheduled to come over to game with Victor tonight.

While we were at Susie & Shawn's earlier in the day for Tim's Celebration of Life open house at their home, Victor asked Shawn to come over to game with them and I made sure Susie came over to hang out with Charlie & I...I think it's safe to say everyone had (actually still are having) a fun time tonight. Susie got to help me brush Charlie's hair after her bath tonight...now the two of them are upstairs watching The Muppets and giggling their heads off!

Why I smiled today...Being with friends today and helping celebrate Tim's life with his family and friends.
















Susie worked on her Karen Russell homework and ordered their Costco.com Christmas photo cards tonight, Charlie supervised!
















Shawn, Garland and Victor -- war gaming...


The Civil War Game tonight (Oregon State vs. University of Oregon) was NOT fun if you are a Beaver fan...Sorry guys, better luck next year!!! Shawn of course had to text page Glenn to give him a hard time...(65 - 38 = ???)....

And people wonder WHEN I get things done...

It's called I'm a MORNING PERSON!!! I've been up since 4:15am (and it's my day off)...Since I fell asleep the same time Charlie did last night, I woke-up when the Oregonian newspaper driver was hurling our neighbor's paper against their garage door...Figured might as well get up and start being productive...

• Christmas card labels printed (Checked off the list)
• Christmas card return address labels printed (checked off list)
• 125 photo cards printed and picked up from Costco (checked off list)
• Stuff, seal, stamp, address those 125 cards (not quite, but will be by tonight)
• Additional Thanksgiving photos loaded to Costco.com (checked off list)
• Ready for a little (very little) retail therapy on Black Friday (getting ready to head out the door)...Happy Friday everyone...
  

Eldin will appreciate this...

This one is for you Maya....Charlie came downstairs on Wednesday evening dressed like this, "cooking" for Victor & I. Notice she even put a "hotpad" on her hand so she wouldn't burn it holding the hot pan....Gotta love it!

Happy Thanksgiving 2008...

Thank you Kellie, Mom & Victor for doing all the meal preparation! Thank you Tim/Kel/Jack & Kaylie for spending these last 8 days with all of us. Thank you Jack, Kaylie & Charlie for getting along so well today! Thank you all that called, emailed or text paged us today wishing us a wonderful Thanksgiving! We hope you also had a wonderful day with your family and friends.

It's a great life...here's a little look into our fun-filled crazy day today...



















Jack was very thankful for yogurt covered pretzels!!!


















Thank you Aunt Kellie for the matching PJs for the 3 amigos!!!
















Dad enjoyed playing Wii so much at Dave & Katie's last weekend, that he asked Victor & I to stop off Wednesday night to buy one (so he didn't have to go shopping)...Costco sold out right before we got there, so good old reliable Target took care of our shopping need!
















I actually did pretty good on my first go round...3 strikes in a row...I think I finally figured this game out (sorta)...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone...

Just a little blast from Thanksgiving 2006...Our first Thanksgiving as a family...

Why I smiled today...So very thankful for how blessed we truly are!!!

Have a wonderful day with your families...love the Cina Family.

Fun at the Children's Museum...

Victor & Charlie joined the Green Family Unit this afternoon at the Children's Museum. These are a couple of photos Victor managed. Kellie got a whole bunch more that I'll get tomorrow at mom & dad's place.

Why I smiled today...Last day of work for the week...looking forward to Thanksgiving tomorrow and lots of family time.

You can never have too many family photos...

Why I smiled today...These three kiddos were GREAT during the family photo shoot tonight! We got more great photos and had lots of laughs during the process!

These photos are pre-editing...They give you a CD with all the photos, you just can't make any changes (only they can)...but you get the idea of how things turned out. THANK YOU Mom & Dad for the photos!!!

Portrait Innovations is a great place to go for photos. No pressure to buy more than the $9.95 basic package (even though we always end up with more than that)...I highly recommend using them.

Monday night fun...

The Green Family Unit and Nana & Papa had a beautiful day at the Oregon Coast. They totally lucked out with amazing SUNSHINE and no wind...add in a pretty low tide and that made for some great beach combing weather. I'm hoping to get some of Kellie's great photos from today before they leave.

They stopped by our house to check out the additional rooms and beautiful paint jobs (our thanks to Eldin), then we were all off to dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory (so very kid friendly)...After a 30 minute wait for a table, everyone was ready for wine (adults) and spaghetti (kiddos). I took a couple of videos (I thought)...but only the one with Jack doing his eye brow movement actually taped (user error).

Why I smiled today...More fun times tonight for the three amigos!!!

My poor fish (mouse) pad...

It had seen better days until this weekend. This (along with a bunch of leaking Diet Dr. Pepper) was what greeted me when I arrived into work this morning)...This fish pad and I have seen a LOT of mousing over the years.












Poor thing must have known that I recently ordered a photo mouse pad from Costco recently for home...guess I'll be ordering another one for home in the near future and taking my home mouse pad into work tomorrow!

A long time ago....

34 years to be exact...Three little cousins loved to climb and hang-out in trees!!!

Thanks Aunt L. for sending me this blast from the past this afternoon. Memories (like the corner of my mind---picture Tom Hanks in BIG singing this song)...Unbelievable just how much Marilyn looks like Dave, Jack looks like Tim and Charlie looks like me in this photo!!! Now we just have to pose the next generation like this at a future family gathering (when M & C won't fall out of the tree)...I'm also totally diggin' the plaid pants the boys are wearing and the red cowboy hat my little brother is wearing???

For Tim...

Our friend Shawn's brother Tim lost his battle with cancer early Friday morning. Tim was only 36 years old. Here are a couple of photos I took of Tim this summer at our Hillsboro Relay For Life.

I will never forget just how happy and excited he was at Relay this summer celebrating his 22 months as a Survivor. He had just had a bunch of fluid taken out of his lungs and abdomen the day before, but he insisted on walking the Survivor lap and he pretty much literally danced his way around the track, smiling and waving as everyone cheered all the Survivors on!!!

Tim you are a true inspiration about living each day and making it count! You will always be with us and you will be missed!

















Celebration of Life for Tim.

Shawn & Susie will be holding a casual open house on Saturday 11-29-08 from 10 AM to 1 PM.

Please do not send flowers. Instead, Tim wanted donations to CANCER RESEARCH via The American Cancer Society.

Here is the link if you want to make a donation in Tim’s memory. Tim’s full name is Timothy Scott Turpin. https://www.cancer.org/docroot/DON/DON_1_Donate_Online_Now_Auto_Custom.asp?don_promo=WebMem

It gives you the option to send a card via postal mail to one of Tim’s family members. If you choose to do so, here are the addresses.

Lee and Dottie Turpin
11543 N Meadow Sage Drive
Oro Valley, AZ 85737

Jennifer Turpin
3120 NW John Olson Ave
Apt. #9-103
Hillsboro, Oregon 97124

Shawn Turpin
11755 SW Ridgecrest Drive
Beaverton, OR 97008