Ruby & Willa's Christmas Recital

Willa's Big Debut

Willa's Christmas Dance Recital 2010 from Matt Stockton on Vimeo.

Ruby's Curtain Call

Ruby's Christmas Recital 2010 from Matt Stockton on Vimeo.

What do Unicorns, Ponies, and the 4th of July have in Common?

Daddy Post: Here are some pictures from a smattering of seemingly unrelated events over the past month. Along the way we participated in the neighborhood 4th of July Parade, attended a unicorn birthday party for Ruby's friend Amelie, and visited Grandpa Bill and Nanna Jan's friends out on the farm so the girls could go on a pony ride.

Ruby's Big Night

Daddy Post: Here's a video clip of Ruby's performance at her big dance recital. I'm a BIG fan of the jumps and spins starting around the 1:10 mark. Her class went first which meant we got to watch about 90 min. of girls we don't know dance for the rest of the show. Nanna Jan and Aunt Ann were kind enough to join us. This video is actual from her rehearsal because they banned cameras and other recording devices so they could gouge us for their "professional" production. Umm....no. Enjoy!

Ruby's Dance Recital (Rehearsal) from Matt Stockton on Vimeo.

Ruby the Ballerina

Daddy Post: Ruby's big recital is Tuesday, June 22. I'll try to get a video up soon after.

So Sweet...

Sweet Little Dancers from Matt Stockton on Vimeo.

Daddy Post: Just a little taste of how quickly Willa and Ruby are growing up. Willa reminds us everytime that we go to Ruby's dance class that she wants to enroll in a class all by herself. You can see why. We'll make that happen this fall.

Girls Gone Wild...Ft. Stevens Style!

Daddy Post: Great fun yurt camping with our great friends the Pace's. We can't wait to return next year. I've never seen anything as pristine in my life than the girls running feral in the sand and surf.

Sunday dresses

Kid Free Europe

Daddy Post: No kids in Europe = a good thing. Marty and I arrived in Amsterdam Thursday morning at 5:30 AM. We had a serene sunrise walk around town with our good friend and host Che. That afternoon we cruised the streets on our bikes which was a really fun way to experience the city. Bicycling is so integrated into the lifestyle here that it makes me wish I lived closer to PCC so I could ride my bike there. Amsterdam is an ideal bike city in that it is virtually flat all around. Thus, a simple one speed cruiser is sufficient for just about any ride. We also explored by foot quite a bit and took a canal cruise as well. By that time the jet lag really started to catch up with both Marty and I as we transformed into a couple of narcoleptics. 36+ hours awake will tend to do that I suppose. 11 hours of sleep helped us get a little more acclimated for today. No coffee shops yet. The Red Light District was about what you would expect: Erotic, Sad, awkward, and fascinating. Both Amsterdam and Prague locals keep insisting their beer is the best in the world. I'm yet to be convinced as their selection is basically european pilsner 1, european pilsner 2, european pilsner 3, etc., etc. That's fine though. I'm just hoping for more once we get to Brugges.

This morning we went to the Anne Frank house. Very inspiring and sad. After that we made it into Prague this afternoon following a short flight. It's a beautiful city. Marty and I spent the night exploring by foot amidst a busseling nightlife and old world architecture. We'll post some pictures soon.

Some Random Pictures

Daddy Post: So busy! Marty and I are off to Amsterdam, Prague, and Brugges in 5 days and we are in full duty mode until grandma Joan gets into town to watch the girls. Yes!!!! Here are some pictures to fill the space.

Mt. Hood 101 for the Toddler/Pre-Schooler Set

Momma Post: We ventured up to Ski Bowl last weekend with the Pace and Fitzpatrick families for an outing in the snow. For about a $50 tub rental, we had unlimited time on the bunny hill. Both girls were a little quiet at first, but quickly got the hang of it, to the point where they were asking to go down without a parent and Ruby switched over to on her tummy and head first. I think purchasing helmets will be in the very near future. After about two hours of tubing, we ventured into the indoor play area, complete with slides and a mini ball pit. Kristin mentioned that it was like three of four McDonalds' play areas put together, which I thought was an apt description. Everyone slept well that night.

Three Girls in a Tub

Momma Post: Suzanne and baby brother Milo came over for a playdate last weekend and this is how the girls decided to entertain themselves. Who can argue for some clean, wholesome fun.

Sweet Sisters

Jacksonville in January

Momma Post: Wow...it's been several months since I've written a post. Many times I've caught myself thinking something Ruby or Willa did was "blogworthy". My job transfer/promotion has been great in a lot of ways, but has really zapped my last bit of energy in the evenings.

Over the MLK Jr. Weekend, we drove down to Southern Oregon to visit my grandparents, Uncle Tom and our friends Ryan and Maisie and their boys. This was also our first trip to the area following Grandpa Doyle's memorial service. It didn't feel quite the same. I missed pulling the Stockton's large drive and seeing Doyle's impeccable garden; watching the girls entertain themselves with the remote controlled Lazy Boy chair; Myrtle's bold pink wallpapered bathroom; and Doyle...telling you exactly how it is. The girls love digging through Grandma and Grandpa's toy box that has entertained many children...cousins and now children of cousins of mine. The girls equally entertained my grandparents by showing off their dance moves. These trips are never long enough. I tend to feel rushed, distracted by the girls and wonder if we've made the most of our time with Grandma and Grandpa. With that said, I also feel incredibly blessed and look forward to visiting again in late Spring.