Babies, babies, babies! Four of them were born within 16 days--yep, you can blame our friends for the world's rapidly growing population. Peterson Gutierrez was born June 10 to David & Deanna; Shauni Quishenberry, born June 18 to Tom and Kim (no pics yet); Trevor Jordan, born to Jim and April on June 25; and Lonnie and Sherrice's son Christian Croft, who arrived just after midnight June 26 (no pics yet).
I'm Boise-bound to meet baby Pete in a few days, and will be in Seattle and Walla Walla to cuddle Trevor and Christian in the next couple weeks. Victor and I are hoping to make a trip to Southern California sometime in the fall to meet Shauni. Of course, that's not all... Sally and Daryl's little one will be here in December!
Speaking of Sally and Daryl, we were lucky to spend a long weekend with them (and Darlene and Wellington) in Sunriver a few weeks ago. The weather was perfect and we had a nice, relaxing, fun time. Pictures here.
Not much else worth sharing. Have a great summer!
Lovies--
June 2, 2003
The big exciting Manullang family news is that Daryl and Sally are expecting a baby! Check out the ultrasound pic here.
My poor friends. I know six pregnant women right now and except for Sally, all of them are getting quite miserable. You can be sure that as their misery is relieved you'll find pictures of their new additions here at manullang.com.
the latest
Victor and I went to Las Vegas. It was really wonderful and surprisingly relaxing. We stayed at Treasure Island this time. The location was good, since it was across the street from the Venetian where Victor's conference was, but we still like staying mid-strip best. One night we had dinner at Chinois, Wolfgang Puck's Asian restaurant in Caesar's Palace--loved it! Otherwise we spent most the trip wandering the nearby hotels and getting much needed rest.
We took Jack in for his 18-month portraits. Very "Dennis the Menace."
Made a trip to Walla Walla to visit with Mom and Grandma. Also had some time with Sherrice. It was a short weekend, but we packed in a lot of fun in the time we had.
Kathy came for a way-too-short visit. We didn't do a lot, but it was still wonderful to have her here. Except for Katie calling her "Sally," a fun time was had by all.
Debi's trip to Portland overlapped with Kathy's by a few hours. We spent most of the time she was here watching movies, which brings me to my next topic...
Everyone's a critic
I've seen so many movies recently--for me, anyway!--that I feel I really must share my thoughts on them. Don't care? Don't read!
A Mighty Wind. If you loved Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman, you won't want to miss this one. It's a mockumentary of folk music. Some of my favorite scenes: the candle, description of the Folksmen's first record, and pretty much everything Eugene Levy said and did.
Far From Heaven. This was a beautiful movie; the colors were incredible. I'm not a fan of sad endings, but it was still a very well-made film.
Catch Me if You Can. Big hard-to-believe fun and a great cast. I liked this much more than I expected to. Weird that even in a normal role Christopher Walken is still creepy.
Down with Love. There was some corny stuff in this movie, but mostly I thought it was very cute, and I loved the music! Ewan McGregor was, as always, fabulous. Even Renee Zellweger was good. It's getting harder for me to keep hating her.
Finding Nemo. Pixar has done it again. I loved this movie, and am having a hard time NOT buying every Nemo item at the Disney store--for Katie and Jack, of course! I got several free passes so I'm going to HAVE to see it at least a couple more times, hm?
Summer plans
We're looking forward to a long weekend in Sunriver this month with Darlene and Wellington. I'll be going to Boise to meet Deanna's baby boy--he BETTER be here by then!--in early July. Mom and Grandma will be stopping by during their long road trip, this time on their way to Medford and again on their way home. We're hoping to see Sean while he's in the area too.
The end
If you haven't seen our cruise photos yet, check them out. Feel free to skim past my very long trip report...
Buh-bye.
My poor friends. I know six pregnant women right now and except for Sally, all of them are getting quite miserable. You can be sure that as their misery is relieved you'll find pictures of their new additions here at manullang.com.
the latest
Victor and I went to Las Vegas. It was really wonderful and surprisingly relaxing. We stayed at Treasure Island this time. The location was good, since it was across the street from the Venetian where Victor's conference was, but we still like staying mid-strip best. One night we had dinner at Chinois, Wolfgang Puck's Asian restaurant in Caesar's Palace--loved it! Otherwise we spent most the trip wandering the nearby hotels and getting much needed rest.
We took Jack in for his 18-month portraits. Very "Dennis the Menace."
Made a trip to Walla Walla to visit with Mom and Grandma. Also had some time with Sherrice. It was a short weekend, but we packed in a lot of fun in the time we had.
Kathy came for a way-too-short visit. We didn't do a lot, but it was still wonderful to have her here. Except for Katie calling her "Sally," a fun time was had by all.
Debi's trip to Portland overlapped with Kathy's by a few hours. We spent most of the time she was here watching movies, which brings me to my next topic...
Everyone's a critic
I've seen so many movies recently--for me, anyway!--that I feel I really must share my thoughts on them. Don't care? Don't read!
A Mighty Wind. If you loved Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman, you won't want to miss this one. It's a mockumentary of folk music. Some of my favorite scenes: the candle, description of the Folksmen's first record, and pretty much everything Eugene Levy said and did.
Far From Heaven. This was a beautiful movie; the colors were incredible. I'm not a fan of sad endings, but it was still a very well-made film.
Catch Me if You Can. Big hard-to-believe fun and a great cast. I liked this much more than I expected to. Weird that even in a normal role Christopher Walken is still creepy.
Down with Love. There was some corny stuff in this movie, but mostly I thought it was very cute, and I loved the music! Ewan McGregor was, as always, fabulous. Even Renee Zellweger was good. It's getting harder for me to keep hating her.
Finding Nemo. Pixar has done it again. I loved this movie, and am having a hard time NOT buying every Nemo item at the Disney store--for Katie and Jack, of course! I got several free passes so I'm going to HAVE to see it at least a couple more times, hm?
Summer plans
We're looking forward to a long weekend in Sunriver this month with Darlene and Wellington. I'll be going to Boise to meet Deanna's baby boy--he BETTER be here by then!--in early July. Mom and Grandma will be stopping by during their long road trip, this time on their way to Medford and again on their way home. We're hoping to see Sean while he's in the area too.
The end
If you haven't seen our cruise photos yet, check them out. Feel free to skim past my very long trip report...
Buh-bye.
April 16, 2003
We're home from the cruise, and you can read all about it here. I finally got Katie's 3-year portraits scanned and posted. That's the only new stuff for now.
This week we've been trying to adjust back to the Pacific time zone. The good thing is that we've been going to bed before midnight ever since we got home, and that's a rare thing for us.
Next week we head to Las Vegas for our mini-vacation. I plan to catch up on sleep, maybe see a matinee or two while Vic's in his meetings, and try out some new restaurants. We're excited to go, but having finally just unpacked the last of the suitcases from our cruise, the idea of packing all over again is exhausting.
I had a fabulous time in Boise a few weeks ago when Debi and I threw a baby shower for the lovely and pregnant Deanna. I plan to go back in June after Petey's born so I can meet him in person. You can read more about the party and see some pictures if you go here: Deanna's shower page. And PLEASE ignore that hideous picture of me.
Kathy's going to visit in May!
That is all.
This week we've been trying to adjust back to the Pacific time zone. The good thing is that we've been going to bed before midnight ever since we got home, and that's a rare thing for us.
Next week we head to Las Vegas for our mini-vacation. I plan to catch up on sleep, maybe see a matinee or two while Vic's in his meetings, and try out some new restaurants. We're excited to go, but having finally just unpacked the last of the suitcases from our cruise, the idea of packing all over again is exhausting.
I had a fabulous time in Boise a few weeks ago when Debi and I threw a baby shower for the lovely and pregnant Deanna. I plan to go back in June after Petey's born so I can meet him in person. You can read more about the party and see some pictures if you go here: Deanna's shower page. And PLEASE ignore that hideous picture of me.
Kathy's going to visit in May!
That is all.
March 14, 2003
Our cruise countdown is going to be in the single digits before we know it. We're all very excited about boarding the "Mickey Boat" for some sun, especially because both the kids have icky colds again. (Shhhhh... I'd prefer not to be known as the people who brought the Norwalk virus on board.)
I haven't scanned Katie's portraits to publish yet. Sorry. Lori's page, though, has lots of new pictures and they're beautiful! You may oooh and aaah over her kids for now, but get back to adoring MY children immediately after.
My sister has a funny job.
The latest on my friends' growing families: Kim Quishenberry is due June 8, and is having a girl. Deanna's having a boy sometime around June 17. Emma's bouncing baby brother is due to arrive June 24. Sherrice is due July 22 and ALSO having a boy! Trudy hasn't had her ultrasound yet; she's due in August (I'm crossing my fingers for a girl).
Vic is on call this weekend. It sucks to be him.
I haven't scanned Katie's portraits to publish yet. Sorry. Lori's page, though, has lots of new pictures and they're beautiful! You may oooh and aaah over her kids for now, but get back to adoring MY children immediately after.
My sister has a funny job.
The latest on my friends' growing families: Kim Quishenberry is due June 8, and is having a girl. Deanna's having a boy sometime around June 17. Emma's bouncing baby brother is due to arrive June 24. Sherrice is due July 22 and ALSO having a boy! Trudy hasn't had her ultrasound yet; she's due in August (I'm crossing my fingers for a girl).
Vic is on call this weekend. It sucks to be him.
February 24, 2003
We've all spent the past few weeks suffering from bad colds. Our house is no fun to be at right now, but I'll kick a path through the Kleenex if you really want to come hang out.
We had Katie's third birthday party at Build-a-Bear. If you haven't been there, you really must go! Pictures are here.
Katie's 3-year portraits are coming soon.
Vic and I saw The Producers in Seattle a couple weeks ago. It was hilarious! My favorite line from the show-within-a-show "Springtime for Hitler" was Hitler singing, "I'm the German Ethel Merman!" If you get a chance to see it, DO.
Yesterday was our sixth anniversary. Married life is good, and pretty much as hoped, except that we thought we'd be driving around in a van solving mysteries.
I'm headed to Boise in a few weeks for Deanna's baby shower. I'll refrain from further details until she updates her own site with the big gender news. C'mon Deanna, what's the latest?
Our cruise is just weeks away, and we're suddenly panicking over how we're supposed to get tan and swimsuit-ready in time. I've been taking careful notes from the Disney Cruise forum in the hope that we'll be well prepared for our adventure. We can hardly wait! For those family members joining us, I've created a section on the site with some basic info that you might find useful. Check it out. Anyone else will find it a complete bore, I'm sure. You've been warned.
Oh, I heard that wake-up calls on Disney cruises are made by Mickey Mouse himself! I'm working on finding a way to connect Mickey right into Ed's phone every morning. Ed, what's your new cell number again???
Later in April Vic and I will be taking a quick trip to Las Vegas. He's going to a boring medical conference and I'm tagging along for fun. He's worried I'll be bored for the two days he's in the conference. I'm thinking, two days to myself! Uninterrupted sleep! Coming and going as I please! And a Krispy Kreme right downstairs! The only thing I'm not looking forward to is seeing Celine Dion's big face all over town--her show opens next month. Double ugh.
Can't think of anything else to share. Toodles--
We had Katie's third birthday party at Build-a-Bear. If you haven't been there, you really must go! Pictures are here.
Katie's 3-year portraits are coming soon.
Vic and I saw The Producers in Seattle a couple weeks ago. It was hilarious! My favorite line from the show-within-a-show "Springtime for Hitler" was Hitler singing, "I'm the German Ethel Merman!" If you get a chance to see it, DO.
Yesterday was our sixth anniversary. Married life is good, and pretty much as hoped, except that we thought we'd be driving around in a van solving mysteries.
I'm headed to Boise in a few weeks for Deanna's baby shower. I'll refrain from further details until she updates her own site with the big gender news. C'mon Deanna, what's the latest?
Our cruise is just weeks away, and we're suddenly panicking over how we're supposed to get tan and swimsuit-ready in time. I've been taking careful notes from the Disney Cruise forum in the hope that we'll be well prepared for our adventure. We can hardly wait! For those family members joining us, I've created a section on the site with some basic info that you might find useful. Check it out. Anyone else will find it a complete bore, I'm sure. You've been warned.
Oh, I heard that wake-up calls on Disney cruises are made by Mickey Mouse himself! I'm working on finding a way to connect Mickey right into Ed's phone every morning. Ed, what's your new cell number again???
Later in April Vic and I will be taking a quick trip to Las Vegas. He's going to a boring medical conference and I'm tagging along for fun. He's worried I'll be bored for the two days he's in the conference. I'm thinking, two days to myself! Uninterrupted sleep! Coming and going as I please! And a Krispy Kreme right downstairs! The only thing I'm not looking forward to is seeing Celine Dion's big face all over town--her show opens next month. Double ugh.
Can't think of anything else to share. Toodles--
January 16, 2003
Only a few changes on this update. I added some pictures to our Christmas 2002 page, edited the Jen's List page, and am adding a few paragraphs here.
We're settling into the new year nicely... had a lot of company for a week, but things have quieted in the last few days and we're back to our regular routine.
After Mom and Len left on the 5th, Darlene and Wellington stopped by on their way home from Daryl and Sally's. They gave me and Vic a chance to go out--dinner and even a movie! They were also kind enough to take the kids away for a few hours and I managed to get a bunch of stuff done around the house, so it was a good day all around.
The day after they left, Debi arrived. We spent Thursday in our jammies and pretty much let the kids entertain us. Friday Victor took the day off and stayed home with the kids. Debi and I took advantage of a day to ourselves and got pampered with professional manicures and pedicures, a little shopping, a movie, and all that girly talking stuff we so enjoy! It was really wonderful to have her here, and the kids thought so too. Unfortunately, with her starting school again this week, she won't be able to make another trip here for a while. Our next get-together will probably be in March when I go to Boise.
Congratulations to Annalee, Mark, and Olivia Medici, who welcomed Eva Anastasia on January 6. Olivia and Eva have the same birthday, just two years apart!
Seems like almost everyone I know is pregnant all of a sudden. Kim Quishenberry, Deanna, and April are due in June. Sherrice and my neighbor are due in July. OK, well that's not even close to being everyone I know, but they all fall in the "my favorite people" category, and I think that's a pretty amazing thing. The best part is that I'm not even a teensy bit jealous, though that could change when I hold their sweet newborns in my arms...
Last night Vic trekked to the Asian market all the way across town because he's been craving natto. Don't know what natto is? Well, here's an excellent description I found on the Internet:
"Natto is molded beans. It gets worse. It's not the description of its make-up that makes this food disturbing. It is its smell. Imagine being locked in the trunk of a car for 24 hours with only a dozen rotten eggs and yesterday's socks to keep you company. I think you can get the picture..."
I'm pretty sure I've heard Sonya describe natto in exactly the same way.
I used to be flattered when Vic complimented my cooking, but because he eats that garbage (and that is what it is!) I'm not sure I trust his taste buds.
Smooches--
We're settling into the new year nicely... had a lot of company for a week, but things have quieted in the last few days and we're back to our regular routine.
After Mom and Len left on the 5th, Darlene and Wellington stopped by on their way home from Daryl and Sally's. They gave me and Vic a chance to go out--dinner and even a movie! They were also kind enough to take the kids away for a few hours and I managed to get a bunch of stuff done around the house, so it was a good day all around.
The day after they left, Debi arrived. We spent Thursday in our jammies and pretty much let the kids entertain us. Friday Victor took the day off and stayed home with the kids. Debi and I took advantage of a day to ourselves and got pampered with professional manicures and pedicures, a little shopping, a movie, and all that girly talking stuff we so enjoy! It was really wonderful to have her here, and the kids thought so too. Unfortunately, with her starting school again this week, she won't be able to make another trip here for a while. Our next get-together will probably be in March when I go to Boise.
Congratulations to Annalee, Mark, and Olivia Medici, who welcomed Eva Anastasia on January 6. Olivia and Eva have the same birthday, just two years apart!
Seems like almost everyone I know is pregnant all of a sudden. Kim Quishenberry, Deanna, and April are due in June. Sherrice and my neighbor are due in July. OK, well that's not even close to being everyone I know, but they all fall in the "my favorite people" category, and I think that's a pretty amazing thing. The best part is that I'm not even a teensy bit jealous, though that could change when I hold their sweet newborns in my arms...
Last night Vic trekked to the Asian market all the way across town because he's been craving natto. Don't know what natto is? Well, here's an excellent description I found on the Internet:
"Natto is molded beans. It gets worse. It's not the description of its make-up that makes this food disturbing. It is its smell. Imagine being locked in the trunk of a car for 24 hours with only a dozen rotten eggs and yesterday's socks to keep you company. I think you can get the picture..."
I'm pretty sure I've heard Sonya describe natto in exactly the same way.
I used to be flattered when Vic complimented my cooking, but because he eats that garbage (and that is what it is!) I'm not sure I trust his taste buds.
Smooches--
January 6, 2003
Happy New Year!
You may notice things looking a little different around here... I've spent the last few weeks sprucing up the site for the new year. The biggest change you'll see, besides the general look and feel of the site, is the addition of thumbnailed photos. Some of our pages were very slow to load and I decided that thumbnails were the best way to remedy that. Just about every image on the site is clickable, and most of them won't take you to porn (anymore).
Navigation has been removed from the top of each page, and can now be found at the bottom and/or on the left hand side. The Simpsons quotes are still here; I even added a bunch of new ones. Look for the link on the home page, where the quotes will open in a separate winder.
For you techie types, if you care, manullang.com's new look was created using cascading style sheets. No more FrontPage themes! Altogether now: Oooooooh, aaaaaaaah!
Anyhoo...
We had a wonderful Christmas, Santa was good to us, and we all got fat(ter) and happy. Our New Year's Eve festivities were kept to a dull roar--we've resigned ourselves to the fact that they won't be "normal" again for several years. Vic and I watched the ball drop, but we're always up late, so it was nothing really special. Poor Scout was terrified and hid in the closet until the neighborhood fireworks were long over.
We had a belated Christmas celebration with Len & Mary this past weekend. They were at Kathy's for Christmas, but came down to Portland at their first opportunity to see their other four daughters and families. Hopefully I can get the pictures from that part of Christmas posted in the next few days.
The Wondrous Debi will be coming out for a few days starting Wednesday evening. I can hardly wait!
After all my efforts in getting the site up and running smoothly, I'm left with nothing much to report. I'll try to update again soon. Please e-mail me if you notice anything working incorrectly or if you want to say hi.
xoxo--
You may notice things looking a little different around here... I've spent the last few weeks sprucing up the site for the new year. The biggest change you'll see, besides the general look and feel of the site, is the addition of thumbnailed photos. Some of our pages were very slow to load and I decided that thumbnails were the best way to remedy that. Just about every image on the site is clickable, and most of them won't take you to porn (anymore).
Navigation has been removed from the top of each page, and can now be found at the bottom and/or on the left hand side. The Simpsons quotes are still here; I even added a bunch of new ones. Look for the link on the home page, where the quotes will open in a separate winder.
For you techie types, if you care, manullang.com's new look was created using cascading style sheets. No more FrontPage themes! Altogether now: Oooooooh, aaaaaaaah!
Anyhoo...
We had a wonderful Christmas, Santa was good to us, and we all got fat(ter) and happy. Our New Year's Eve festivities were kept to a dull roar--we've resigned ourselves to the fact that they won't be "normal" again for several years. Vic and I watched the ball drop, but we're always up late, so it was nothing really special. Poor Scout was terrified and hid in the closet until the neighborhood fireworks were long over.
We had a belated Christmas celebration with Len & Mary this past weekend. They were at Kathy's for Christmas, but came down to Portland at their first opportunity to see their other four daughters and families. Hopefully I can get the pictures from that part of Christmas posted in the next few days.
The Wondrous Debi will be coming out for a few days starting Wednesday evening. I can hardly wait!
After all my efforts in getting the site up and running smoothly, I'm left with nothing much to report. I'll try to update again soon. Please e-mail me if you notice anything working incorrectly or if you want to say hi.
xoxo--
December 3, 2002
Most of our Christmas cards will go out in the mail today, and if you receive one, then you know we love you. If you don't get a card from us, it may not be because we don't love you, but you really can't be sure, now, can you?
Anyhoo, here's what I would've written in our Christmas cards if I'd written in our Christmas cards.
Seasons greetings to all you important people!
It's hard to be motivated to decorate or shop for Christmas when it seems like summer's barely over... but them goll-durn calendars don't lie; it's cold and gray outside, and that means it's time to write the Christmas letter. Here's a semi-brief summary of 2002 for the Manullang family, Portland branch.
Our year was off to a rough start when Kathy was in a car accident in early January. As if that weren't scary enough, I almost lost both my parents within a couple months--Mom in a car accident just a couple weeks after Kathy's, and Dad in complications from surgery in February/March. Fortunately, they're all doing better now, though each of them has lingering effects that they deal with daily.
On top of that, we were raising a newborn and trying to get through all that comes with having a second child. We're grateful that Jack was a fairly easy baby, and with Victor's long paternity leave, we adjusted better than we might have otherwise. Now, of course, is a different story. Jack's a typical 1-year-old who tests his parents' patience regularly.
But I digest...
These are some of the things that got us out of bed every morning this year:
Kathy visited in March and August; both were short stays and way too far apart.
Victor had his 20th high school reunion at AAA. Geezer alert!
Deanna and Debi made separate treks to Portland, which I thoroughly enjoyed--I'm so thankful for the fabulous friendships that we've had since our PAA days.
Summer Neil was welcomed to the world on April 22.
April, Debi, and I left our hearts in San Francisco on a fun-filled long weekend in May. More detail about our trip can be found here.
Communicating with Katie got a little easier as her vocabulary and understandability increased greatly (not unlike Mommy's skill of making up words).
We got tons of stuff done around the house: walls painted, backyard landscaped, misc. stuff sold/donated/discarded, shelves built, storage units organized, exterior trim and new garage door painted. We don't feel as productive as we sound when we see that our to-do list is still very long. Either way, though, we're proud of all we got accomplished! After five years in this house, most of the work was long overdue.
Fourth of July was extra special because we had Darlene, Wellington, Mary, Julianne, and Jacob here to celebrate with us! True, we spent most of the day working in the yard, but saved some time and energy for a BBQ and fireworks-viewing.
We had a fabulous summer spent with family and friends. Chris & Sonya were in the states for a few weeks. We had a mini-reunion in Sunriver with Vic's siblings, parents, and Dennis, Dee, and the girls. Got to see Daryl & Sally's beautiful new home and have been green with envy ever since. Made a couple trips to Walla Walla to visit with Mom & Len, Grandma, and the Crofts, one of which coincided with Uncle Paul and Claire's visit. Celebrated Emma's first birthday on a very hot August day in Seattle.
Jack started walking around 9½ months. Yikes!
Drove to Boise and back, and were amazed at--and very happy about--the kids' relatively good passenger behavior. It was a very fun extended weekend with two of my favorite girls, Deanna and Debi, and the perfect way to end our action-packed summer.
Since mid-October the kids and I have been attending a weekly neighborhood playgroup with five other families. It's been an excellent experience for Katie and Jack to get some social interaction (and we moms to get ADULT interaction). I'm so fortunate to have such wonderful neighbors--they're nice people and fun to hang out with.
Halloween? Don't get me started.
This may be the first year in forever that we didn't take a big vacation. That unfortunate trend will end next year, though: we're going on a Caribbean Disney cruise in April 2003 (hopefully that pesky passenger illness thing will be fixed by then). We also have plans to go back to Europe in the fall.
The kids really are doing great. Yep, Jack's a handful right now, but he's also a lot of fun and such a cuddly boy. He's starting to say a few words and learning how to torment his big sister. Katie's a social butterfly and loves playgroup, play dates (favorites are with Jonathan or River), church, and riding in the car with Mom or Dad (but not both--that's not special!). She's enjoying "reading" books, and catches on to song lyrics so quickly, it amazes us! The two of them wear us out, but they're such a joy.
Geez, that sounds trite, but it's true! We still look at them sometimes and can't believe we made them.
Scout is finally enjoying Katie and Jack's playfulness, now that they can actually play with her. She loves to cuddle with Katie at bedtime, and brings her toys to Jack for tug-of-war. Jack usually just puts them in his mouth, but Scout's patient. She's also quite fat--sitting under the high chair is one of her favorite activities. ...mmmmm... floor Cheerios...
Victor's doing well, still toiling away at AMC and trying to catch Mariners or Seahawks games when he can get the remote from one of the kids. His Christmas wish is to get more sleep. I told him Santa doesn't have room in his bag for it.
I'm doing alright too. I'm finally getting some treatment for my migraines and chronic muscle and joint pain. My doctor's still not sure what's causing it all, but some of the remedies have been effective and that's good. I'm working as much as I can (still contract training/consulting), and try to keep just busy enough not to get bored or extra-aggravated being at home with the kids for too many days in a row.
Life in general is not too shabby, and when I fret about teensy things I just have to remind myself that it could all be much worse. We are very thankful for what we have.
Continue reading down this page for more detail on what I've written above--it's copied from the "Latest News" page of the site. Follow the links at the bottom to read last year's stuff if you're interested and have a half hour to waste. While you're here, take a minute to sign the guest book and/or message board, and explore a little--you might be surprised (hopefully not offended) at what you find!
We think of almost all of you often (heh heh). Happy holidays and best wishes to all--
P.S. I think the cruelest Christmas gift someone could give a person is an ear/nose hair trimmer. Why are they "Gift Ideas" in every store ad I see? I didn't get one, or buy any, I just wanted to share that thought. That is all.
Anyhoo, here's what I would've written in our Christmas cards if I'd written in our Christmas cards.
Seasons greetings to all you important people!
It's hard to be motivated to decorate or shop for Christmas when it seems like summer's barely over... but them goll-durn calendars don't lie; it's cold and gray outside, and that means it's time to write the Christmas letter. Here's a semi-brief summary of 2002 for the Manullang family, Portland branch.
Our year was off to a rough start when Kathy was in a car accident in early January. As if that weren't scary enough, I almost lost both my parents within a couple months--Mom in a car accident just a couple weeks after Kathy's, and Dad in complications from surgery in February/March. Fortunately, they're all doing better now, though each of them has lingering effects that they deal with daily.
On top of that, we were raising a newborn and trying to get through all that comes with having a second child. We're grateful that Jack was a fairly easy baby, and with Victor's long paternity leave, we adjusted better than we might have otherwise. Now, of course, is a different story. Jack's a typical 1-year-old who tests his parents' patience regularly.
But I digest...
These are some of the things that got us out of bed every morning this year:
Kathy visited in March and August; both were short stays and way too far apart.
Victor had his 20th high school reunion at AAA. Geezer alert!
Deanna and Debi made separate treks to Portland, which I thoroughly enjoyed--I'm so thankful for the fabulous friendships that we've had since our PAA days.
Summer Neil was welcomed to the world on April 22.
April, Debi, and I left our hearts in San Francisco on a fun-filled long weekend in May. More detail about our trip can be found here.
Communicating with Katie got a little easier as her vocabulary and understandability increased greatly (not unlike Mommy's skill of making up words).
We got tons of stuff done around the house: walls painted, backyard landscaped, misc. stuff sold/donated/discarded, shelves built, storage units organized, exterior trim and new garage door painted. We don't feel as productive as we sound when we see that our to-do list is still very long. Either way, though, we're proud of all we got accomplished! After five years in this house, most of the work was long overdue.
Fourth of July was extra special because we had Darlene, Wellington, Mary, Julianne, and Jacob here to celebrate with us! True, we spent most of the day working in the yard, but saved some time and energy for a BBQ and fireworks-viewing.
We had a fabulous summer spent with family and friends. Chris & Sonya were in the states for a few weeks. We had a mini-reunion in Sunriver with Vic's siblings, parents, and Dennis, Dee, and the girls. Got to see Daryl & Sally's beautiful new home and have been green with envy ever since. Made a couple trips to Walla Walla to visit with Mom & Len, Grandma, and the Crofts, one of which coincided with Uncle Paul and Claire's visit. Celebrated Emma's first birthday on a very hot August day in Seattle.
Jack started walking around 9½ months. Yikes!
Drove to Boise and back, and were amazed at--and very happy about--the kids' relatively good passenger behavior. It was a very fun extended weekend with two of my favorite girls, Deanna and Debi, and the perfect way to end our action-packed summer.
Since mid-October the kids and I have been attending a weekly neighborhood playgroup with five other families. It's been an excellent experience for Katie and Jack to get some social interaction (and we moms to get ADULT interaction). I'm so fortunate to have such wonderful neighbors--they're nice people and fun to hang out with.
Halloween? Don't get me started.
This may be the first year in forever that we didn't take a big vacation. That unfortunate trend will end next year, though: we're going on a Caribbean Disney cruise in April 2003 (hopefully that pesky passenger illness thing will be fixed by then). We also have plans to go back to Europe in the fall.
The kids really are doing great. Yep, Jack's a handful right now, but he's also a lot of fun and such a cuddly boy. He's starting to say a few words and learning how to torment his big sister. Katie's a social butterfly and loves playgroup, play dates (favorites are with Jonathan or River), church, and riding in the car with Mom or Dad (but not both--that's not special!). She's enjoying "reading" books, and catches on to song lyrics so quickly, it amazes us! The two of them wear us out, but they're such a joy.
Geez, that sounds trite, but it's true! We still look at them sometimes and can't believe we made them.
Scout is finally enjoying Katie and Jack's playfulness, now that they can actually play with her. She loves to cuddle with Katie at bedtime, and brings her toys to Jack for tug-of-war. Jack usually just puts them in his mouth, but Scout's patient. She's also quite fat--sitting under the high chair is one of her favorite activities. ...mmmmm... floor Cheerios...
Victor's doing well, still toiling away at AMC and trying to catch Mariners or Seahawks games when he can get the remote from one of the kids. His Christmas wish is to get more sleep. I told him Santa doesn't have room in his bag for it.
I'm doing alright too. I'm finally getting some treatment for my migraines and chronic muscle and joint pain. My doctor's still not sure what's causing it all, but some of the remedies have been effective and that's good. I'm working as much as I can (still contract training/consulting), and try to keep just busy enough not to get bored or extra-aggravated being at home with the kids for too many days in a row.
Life in general is not too shabby, and when I fret about teensy things I just have to remind myself that it could all be much worse. We are very thankful for what we have.
Continue reading down this page for more detail on what I've written above--it's copied from the "Latest News" page of the site. Follow the links at the bottom to read last year's stuff if you're interested and have a half hour to waste. While you're here, take a minute to sign the guest book and/or message board, and explore a little--you might be surprised (hopefully not offended) at what you find!
We think of almost all of you often (heh heh). Happy holidays and best wishes to all--
P.S. I think the cruelest Christmas gift someone could give a person is an ear/nose hair trimmer. Why are they "Gift Ideas" in every store ad I see? I didn't get one, or buy any, I just wanted to share that thought. That is all.
November 28, 2002
Happy Thanksgiving! We spent the day at home doing a lot of nothing, and then went to Dad & Dotti's in the evening to eat their leftovers. Two of Dotti's kids and their families were there, and we had fun visiting with them until Jack had a meltdown and we made a quick exit.
We're preparing to put our Christmas cards in the mail, and I wanted to get the latest news posted, given that this will probably be one of my last updates for a few weeks. The holidays, no matter how un-busy we try to make them, always end up being hectic, and I doubt I'll have time to update again until after the new year.
At Jack's 1-year checkup he weighed 24½ pounds. He's a monster. I mean that--he really is! Lately he climbs on top of all Katie's Little People toys, ala King Kong. He's making Mommy & Daddy crazy because he's at the stage where he screams if something isn't right, which is way too often than we really think is necessary. Anyone who can truly remember having a 12-month old will understand. We are not especially fond of this stage, and looking very eagerly to him moving on to something else.
We've enjoyed several weekends at home in the past couple months. It's nice not to be on the go all the time, to actually relax and spend our weekends the way the gods intended.
What's kept us busy this month are play dates, work, Christmas shopping, and doctor's appointments. I'm finally getting some treatment for my chronic pain--I figure nine years of dealing with it is pa-lenty long enough. We still haven't identified the source of the problem, but I'm finding a little relief in some medications and a little yoga and Pilates.
I've almost completed my Christmas shopping, thanks to my favorite Internet shopping sites. Amazon has been especially good to me this year, as well as SmarterKids.com. If you need any help or suggestions on finding stuff, let me know--I've got tons of new resources for coupon codes and discounts, just haven't had time to update my Shop with Jen page.
This past week we've been getting some of our Christmas decorations up. This will be our first Christmas at home since Katie was born, and we want to make it very special for the kids. Darlene & Wellington will be down to spend the holiday with us, and Curt & Dotti will also join us on Christmas morning. We're drawing from our childhood Christmases to create some traditions of our own, and are thankful that our families were dedicated to making the holidays special in so many ways.
No new additions to the site except for pictures of Katie's bedroom and our Christmas letter. I'll try to get some portraits published in the next couple weeks, but otherwise I'm signing off for 2002.
With love and warm Christmas wishes--
We're preparing to put our Christmas cards in the mail, and I wanted to get the latest news posted, given that this will probably be one of my last updates for a few weeks. The holidays, no matter how un-busy we try to make them, always end up being hectic, and I doubt I'll have time to update again until after the new year.
At Jack's 1-year checkup he weighed 24½ pounds. He's a monster. I mean that--he really is! Lately he climbs on top of all Katie's Little People toys, ala King Kong. He's making Mommy & Daddy crazy because he's at the stage where he screams if something isn't right, which is way too often than we really think is necessary. Anyone who can truly remember having a 12-month old will understand. We are not especially fond of this stage, and looking very eagerly to him moving on to something else.
We've enjoyed several weekends at home in the past couple months. It's nice not to be on the go all the time, to actually relax and spend our weekends the way the gods intended.
What's kept us busy this month are play dates, work, Christmas shopping, and doctor's appointments. I'm finally getting some treatment for my chronic pain--I figure nine years of dealing with it is pa-lenty long enough. We still haven't identified the source of the problem, but I'm finding a little relief in some medications and a little yoga and Pilates.
I've almost completed my Christmas shopping, thanks to my favorite Internet shopping sites. Amazon has been especially good to me this year, as well as SmarterKids.com. If you need any help or suggestions on finding stuff, let me know--I've got tons of new resources for coupon codes and discounts, just haven't had time to update my Shop with Jen page.
This past week we've been getting some of our Christmas decorations up. This will be our first Christmas at home since Katie was born, and we want to make it very special for the kids. Darlene & Wellington will be down to spend the holiday with us, and Curt & Dotti will also join us on Christmas morning. We're drawing from our childhood Christmases to create some traditions of our own, and are thankful that our families were dedicated to making the holidays special in so many ways.
No new additions to the site except for pictures of Katie's bedroom and our Christmas letter. I'll try to get some portraits published in the next couple weeks, but otherwise I'm signing off for 2002.
With love and warm Christmas wishes--
November 10, 2002
Nothing exciting has been happening since I last updated... work, home, work, home... business as usual 'round these parts.
Our throng of trick-or-treaters was at about a third of normal. Not sure why, except that Halloween in Portland this year was exceptionally cold. Still, the kids and Scout loved answering the door that night. Pictures of them in their costumes are on our Halloween page.
Last night was Jack's first birthday party. Check out the pictures here.
Not much else to report as we look ahead to a less-busy holiday season. I suppose I'll keep pretty busy Christmas shopping for the next few weeks!
Our throng of trick-or-treaters was at about a third of normal. Not sure why, except that Halloween in Portland this year was exceptionally cold. Still, the kids and Scout loved answering the door that night. Pictures of them in their costumes are on our Halloween page.
Last night was Jack's first birthday party. Check out the pictures here.
Not much else to report as we look ahead to a less-busy holiday season. I suppose I'll keep pretty busy Christmas shopping for the next few weeks!
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