I should probably change the URL of our blog as we don't live in Seattle anymore! Most everyone knows we moved to Portland in late June. We finally bought our first house!
Here are the kids in the entryway. We love, love, love having enough space for everyone, our own little garage, and our very own washer and dryer! I so do not miss coin-op! A few weeks ago Max decided he wanted to sleep in his own room. We were gifted an amazing new and very comfy full sized futon from our sweet neighbor who moved up to West Seattle. So, lo and behold, just as Max was thinking about his own room, a nifty bed appeared for free! We've been enjoying showing the kids a bit of Oregon scenery. A few weeks ago we took a trip to Multnomah Falls. The next weekend Shawn and Max went back and hiked to the top!
Alice and I stayed home and baked a cake :)
It was quite an adjustment for all of us doing new things, but I think it's safe to say we all really love our new life. Shawn went from working in busy Queen Anne, to working at home in our quiet neighborhood in outer Northeast Portland. No more coffee shops three doors down, but we do have a fantastic library a few blocks away, and Max's school and a great playground are nine short blocks down the road. I've had quite the bumpy road with employment, but things seem to be working out. I took a job that was not a good fit with a wine distributor and was let go after about four weeks. I'm glad it happened, really, my boss and I did not click, and I was thinking that I should find something else anyway. So I went back to work for a medical clinic who I'd worked for years ago. Sadly I was laid off in January after just four months of employment. As luck would have it a good friend of ours needed some help in his office through late spring, so I'm working there three days a week. One day a week I'm working from home for the non-profit in Seattle that I have worked for for several years. I really love having Tuesdays at home with Alice, and Thursdays I am able to pick Max up from school and we have some one on one time. Alice started daycare four days a week. The first daycare we tried she did not like, with good reason, a very poorly run place. A friend recommended an amazing Reggio based preschool and Alice just loves it. She talks about all her friends and loves going to school everyday! She has blossomed socially, is more outgoing, and seems very happy to have a group of peers all aged 2 to 5. Max has adjusted to spanish immersion kindergarten, he's there a full day, and it's 90% spanish! He's clicked with two boys in the class and really loves playing with them after school when he can. He's surprised us and enjoys his after school care! He attends a YMCA program at his school three afternoons a week. When I come to pick him up he's never ready to leave at 5pm, he's working on making a paper airplane or a craft. We've enjoyed many cultural nights at his school, most notably Native American Cultural Night. We got to attend a pow-wow and see some amazing dancing.
Shawn's stepped up and is the PTA president this year at Max's school. He's put in many, many hours working to improve our neighborhood school. I've made a name for myself as the "snack lady" and I bring in treats for Max's class every Tuesday :)
We've enjoyed seeing more of my sister Grace as she and her partner live downtown. It's good being back in Portland! I like the more laid back pace of the city and the cost of living is really so much less that our quality of life has dramatically improved. We miss Seattle, and all our friends there. We've visited twice, and Max is asking for a birthday party up there. Perhaps the weekend after Memorial Day we'll have a beach bash at Golden Gardens?
That's all for now,
--Kilburn Family Portland
Here are the kids in the entryway. We love, love, love having enough space for everyone, our own little garage, and our very own washer and dryer! I so do not miss coin-op! A few weeks ago Max decided he wanted to sleep in his own room. We were gifted an amazing new and very comfy full sized futon from our sweet neighbor who moved up to West Seattle. So, lo and behold, just as Max was thinking about his own room, a nifty bed appeared for free! We've been enjoying showing the kids a bit of Oregon scenery. A few weeks ago we took a trip to Multnomah Falls. The next weekend Shawn and Max went back and hiked to the top!
Alice and I stayed home and baked a cake :)
It was quite an adjustment for all of us doing new things, but I think it's safe to say we all really love our new life. Shawn went from working in busy Queen Anne, to working at home in our quiet neighborhood in outer Northeast Portland. No more coffee shops three doors down, but we do have a fantastic library a few blocks away, and Max's school and a great playground are nine short blocks down the road. I've had quite the bumpy road with employment, but things seem to be working out. I took a job that was not a good fit with a wine distributor and was let go after about four weeks. I'm glad it happened, really, my boss and I did not click, and I was thinking that I should find something else anyway. So I went back to work for a medical clinic who I'd worked for years ago. Sadly I was laid off in January after just four months of employment. As luck would have it a good friend of ours needed some help in his office through late spring, so I'm working there three days a week. One day a week I'm working from home for the non-profit in Seattle that I have worked for for several years. I really love having Tuesdays at home with Alice, and Thursdays I am able to pick Max up from school and we have some one on one time. Alice started daycare four days a week. The first daycare we tried she did not like, with good reason, a very poorly run place. A friend recommended an amazing Reggio based preschool and Alice just loves it. She talks about all her friends and loves going to school everyday! She has blossomed socially, is more outgoing, and seems very happy to have a group of peers all aged 2 to 5. Max has adjusted to spanish immersion kindergarten, he's there a full day, and it's 90% spanish! He's clicked with two boys in the class and really loves playing with them after school when he can. He's surprised us and enjoys his after school care! He attends a YMCA program at his school three afternoons a week. When I come to pick him up he's never ready to leave at 5pm, he's working on making a paper airplane or a craft. We've enjoyed many cultural nights at his school, most notably Native American Cultural Night. We got to attend a pow-wow and see some amazing dancing.
Shawn's stepped up and is the PTA president this year at Max's school. He's put in many, many hours working to improve our neighborhood school. I've made a name for myself as the "snack lady" and I bring in treats for Max's class every Tuesday :)
We've enjoyed seeing more of my sister Grace as she and her partner live downtown. It's good being back in Portland! I like the more laid back pace of the city and the cost of living is really so much less that our quality of life has dramatically improved. We miss Seattle, and all our friends there. We've visited twice, and Max is asking for a birthday party up there. Perhaps the weekend after Memorial Day we'll have a beach bash at Golden Gardens?
That's all for now,
--Kilburn Family Portland
