More eating pics.

Couldn't resist.

Belly laughs with daddy.

Gordita!

Ok, not really, but we're working on it.
Ev had her weight-check appointment today! She's up to 14lbs, 12oz from 12lbs, 13oz last month and she's grown 1.5 inches!
Doc is happy with her growth and there's no further concern.
Here's a pic I took last night... I think she truly looks like a gordita!

Solids!

Tonight Ev tried solids for the first time. We started with rice cereal, mixed it up using a spoon Brendon had as baby, placed Grandma Powell's handmade bib on and went for it! She was pretty unsure of it, and did more playing and spitting than eating, but we think it's a start!

Ready with my bib!

Hmmm, unsure of this!

A little palette cleansing with the bib

ok. no thanks. all done.

Trip to Montana

The Traveling Powells truly were traveling the last few weeks. Last summer, Brendon had completed an off-road motorcycle trip across Oregon with some good friends. This summer, it was Montana's turn. So, a few weeks ago, Brendon headed off across the country with Evelyn and Khaya. They stopped in Kansas to visit Brendon's aunt and uncle, as well as his Grandma who was visiting from Oregon! I flew out there about 5 days later... (someone has to stay home and make the money! :-) ) Brendon embarked on his trip, leaving Ev and the dog with the grandparents and aunt and uncle. I joined up and we went to Glacier National Park, where we met up with some extended family. We were in Glacier for 7 days. Brendon finished up a very successful 868 miles across Montana and joined up with us for the last few days in Glacier. The whole fam then proceeded to Flathead Lake, home of my grandparents, where we enjoyed some relaxation on the lake and Ev got to meet all the family hadn't met before. We had a blast! Brendon drove back home from Montana (this time, my sister Katy rode along) and got home last night. Whew. We are all tired, but had an excellent time!

Visiting Aunt Arlene, Uncle Bruce and Grandma Powell in Kansas

Headed across Montana...

Brendon, Christopher and Josh standing in Canada (they started in Southern Montana)

Looking out over Many Glacier

Playing with Auntie Katy at the campsite!

Evelyn in the pack

Avalanche Lake hike

Mom and Ev hiking in GNP

First "swim" at Great Grandma and Grandpa Lucas'!

After Ev's swim!

Sitting with Great Grandpa Lucas

Fun on daddy's shoulders in Whitefish

The Powell family can move on.

Last Friday, we sold our home in Portland. Finally. 

While we are overjoyed that we can now avoid paying for a mortgage and rent, and put the stress behind us, it is also a bit tough to think back about living there.

This is the way it looked when we bought it in 2005.

This is how it looked on June 7th, 2010... literally in our last 5 minutes there. 

Beyond the cosmetic work (we *completely* remodeled it inside and out), we also accomplished much more while living there. And we absolutely loved, loved, LOVED the neighborhood.  

In those 5 years...
Brendon bought and ran his small business and Annie got a Ph.D. In that neighborhood, both of us made running a part of our daily lives. In that neighborhood, we would bike all over. Every weekend, we would walk to Starbucks, where they knew our names and our drinks. The house was a home to our first garden, scooter, to our first dog and our first child.

We knew that if and when we moved back to Portland, our little 1926 bungalow would be too small for the family Powell, and thus, we made the tough decision to let it go.

We know that Portland, the Westmoreland neighborhood and little 6022 SE 17th Ave. will always be with us, and so this makes the transition and moving on a little easier.

tummy time