portlandia, here we come!

So it's time to make this blog-official: Doug has a job!

He'll be working as an associate dentist for our brother-in-law, Ben, a dentist in Hillsboro, Oregon. Doug is thrilled that he gets to work in private practice for such a successful, well-running office. Plus, he gets to keep wearing scrubs (a/k/a pajamas) every day to work, and he'll be allowed to do dental work without a professor breathing down his neck. What's not to love?

Hillsboro is a beautiful, moderate-sized city about 20 miles west of Portland. We'll be super close to family: the same area as my sister, and 1.5 hours from Doug's parents up in Washington. We'll also have killer access to the Oregon Coast, delicious berries, gorgeous wooded areas, and extreme liberalism.

Doug's psyched to be going back home to the Pacific Northwest. I actually lived in Hillsboro for over 3 years when I was little, and I have super fond memories of it. The only reservation my grown-up self has about the area is the weather, but really... who needs sunshine? (Gulp... ME!)

Virginia has been so good to our family that we're sad to roll out of here in less than a month. But it's time we started adult life, mowing our own lawn and griping about taxes like the rest of the grown-up world.

So buckle up, Oregon... the Shafers are coming!

hanging out

thank you, baby

Grace is still enjoying celebrity status at our house, and this week she really earned it: the girl took a bottle right away like it was no big deal. HOLLA! No crying, no resisting, and she's still happy to nurse.

We had to practically pay Addy to take a bottle, so this rocked our worlds.

PS- For those that care, Gracie is still dealing with the atomic spit up. We've been giving her Zantac for over a week and a half now, but it's only helping a little bit. Since she's gaining weight, the doctor said she may just be one of those kids that spits up a ton. "It's not a medical condition... it's a laundry issue." I hope that means the doctor's coming over to do a load for me today.

worm

Our neighborhood is crawling with green inchworms. They hang down from the trees from their silk threads. One is cool, two are interesting... thirty are terrifying. Going for a walk is extremely dangerous.

I didn't realize it, but apparently the worms have made quite an impression on Addy. Here's the proof:

At church Addy was looking through this board book we have of paintings of Christ. She found this painting of Christ and Mary, and turned to Doug and said, "Worm!" Doug was super confused until she pointed at Mary's sleeve and said it again.

What. The. Heck.

The little eagle-eye had found an inchworm. Obviously she was pointing out a little-mentioned part of Mary's experience at the tomb. Thank goodness it was only one.

and so it begins

Addy had her go, and now it's Gracie's turn.

egging

Hunting at our neighborhood's Easter Brunch

Dyeing Eggs

Making (and eating) birds' nests

The family's loot

Hunting for eggs on Easter morning

(this video is more for the grandparents... she doesn't juggle eggs or anything, just looks for them)

It was an egg-cellent weekend! (Yes!)

the new normal

Maybe it's more "getting by" than "normal," but I'll take it.

Family of Four

Open eyes, big hair

Addy does me a solid and watches another show whilst I try to get my act together

Her post-bath hair is unreal!

Taking Addy on a date

"Sure, you can climb on there. Yeah, leave your sweatpants on all day."

Finding her thumb already?!