Puerto Rico Month 1

I wish we could tell you that this is where we are staying. 

A girl can dream right?

Here's where we are really staying:

Isla bela beach "resort"

We live in a fantastic area. It really is lovely, but the house is a little ghetto.(Needed a good cleaning, mold/mildew smelling, outdated furniture etc)  We spent the first four days cleaning it...but check out the location: right by the ocean. Another great benefit to this location:  see the play ground on the lower left? It just happens that we have some L.D.S neighbors who are doing the same thing as us.  Who knew there were people as crazy as us?

They are the Shaw family from Draper Utah and have three kids ages 6, 4, and 1.  They have been here for 4 months and are planning on staying for two more.  What a wonderful resource they have been (filling us in on the good local spots) and our kids love playing together.

So many people trick or treating, it looked like a street party.

They don't like pictures!

Halloween was really fun here.  Really low key for us.  We bought the costumes the day before at the local Walmart/ Kmart.  I don't think everyone gets into Halloween here, but the ones who do, really do.  We went to a neighborhood called Camaseyes (our property manager recommended) and it was an amazing turnout. There were lines of about 30 people waiting for candy at every door.  The adults were all dressed up too.  My favorite part?  Nothing beats trick or treating in 85 degree weather. Just watch out for the mosquitoes.  They are abundant here.

Isabela, PR

We started out in San Jaun, took a trip to Fajardo (East side)  for a few days then ended up in a cute little beach/surfing  town called Isabela where we will be staying for the rest of our time here.  Everyday I wake up and can't believe we are actually here.  I appreciate Jon everyday for making the sacrifice to bring us here.

I've asked everyone in the family how they would rate Puerto Rico on a scale of 1-10
Michelle= 7
Jon=  6
Jackson= started out as 4 but changed it to 6
Boomer= started out as 5 but changed it to 6
Sadie= " I want to go home, I miss my toys"

We'll keep working on Sadie....

My new Perfume

scratch scratch scratch...

It's time to put on more perfume....

Colors of Puerto Rico

One of my favorite things about Puerto Rico are the colors.  Amazing!  Every time I go running along the beach I have to stop to take pictures.  (Mostly because it's pretty...sometimes just because I'm too out of shape to run in this heat.)

The ocean:  Blue/Aqua/Teal

The foliage: Greens

                         The Reds:  My face after running...It's humid and hot here.

Not complaining but with the beauty also comes the heat....phew!

Almost first day of school

Boomer and Jackson decided they both wanted to do homeschool this year.  ( I think Jackson might have talked Boomer into it)  Home school gives us the flexibility to start the school year whenever we want so, we decided to start our new year in the summer and work year round only three days a week. This gives us Monday and Friday to do extracurricular activities (Piano lessons, Sports, Dr appointments etc.).


I should be traditional, and have the kids take a picture with their teacher on the first day of school.  (This would not be a pretty sight..the boys teacher would be wearing glasses and pajamas and look tired from staying up till midnight planning for school.) We therefore don't have a picture of the boys on their first day of school.

However, Sadie did start preschool this year. I loaned my camera to my Mom and Sadie lost my phone (which is a great story that I will tell below) the morning of her first day at school.  So we have a few pictures from the second day of school.


Story as promised.  First thing in the morning, Sadie got my phone and started playing games on it.  She then carried it out to the garage where I was cleaning up our mess of packing boxes.  When I came in from cleaning,  I was looking for my phone and calling it but could not find it anywhere.  After about an hour of looking, I started to check the garbage in fear it had gotten thrown out.  (It was garbage day as well).  Not being able to find it I turned to the internet and found this fantastic app that will help you find your phone if it is lost. It's called plan B.

 I downloaded plan B onto my phone and follow the instructions which eventually sent an email telling me where the phone was on a map.  The map pointed to a neighbors house about 200 feet away.  My kids were nowhere near the neighbors house, so now I'm guessing that the app isn't very accurate.  I search the house again, my car, my purse, Sadie's room again. I've already checked under beds and in the garage.  I'm about to give up when again the app tells me that the phone is at the neighbor's house.  There is no reason to believe the phone is at the neighbors house.  But what should I do?

On a crazy whim, I knock on the neighbors door.  She cracks open the door and her dog is barking like crazy.  She says "just a minute" and then comes back with my phone.  Whaaaaaa?????  Seriously, I had to give her a hug.  She found it when she was taking her Dog for a walk, on the sidewalk outside our house. She had tried to call and email me but I was so frantic looking for the thing I hadn't checked my phone messages or my email.  Thank heavens for technology....Now, I just need an app to help me find my missing keys.

Puerto Rico anyone?

So as we were thinking about where to move in Wilsonville, I got this crazy idea that maybe we don't have to stay in Wilsonville.  Maybe we could go somewhere warmer for a few months.  Maybe Puerto Rico.

Why Puerto Rico you may ask? Here are the answers my friend:

1) It 's another country but still part of the USA
2) It's warm and sunny year round (It's a Caribbean island)
3) They speak Spanish and we want the kids to learn another language (sooner than later)
4) We don't need passports to travel there.
5)  Beaches, forests, and glow-in-the-dark water!
6) It just sounded like a fun adventure.

Surprisingly Jon thought it would be fun too.  I can't believe he agreed to it.  We will be leaving Oct 19 and will stay a month or two or six (or maybe forever if I like it enough. And if we don't like it then...we will have a short vacation in Puerto Rico and continue on to the next island).  We would love for you to be our guest in PR. You can get tickets on Jet blue for $477 round trip (including taxes) or if you don't want to go back home: $239 one-way.

Missing tooth

July 28 (Just one month shy of his 6th birthday) Boomer lost his first deciduous (baby) tooth.  The tooth fairy came and brought him two shimmery/glittery dollar bills.  (she must have run out of the gold coins she usually gives).  Horray for Boomer. We love his little toothless grin.

I found this picture on the internet..Boomer spent his dollars before I took a picture.

Boomer and Jackson's Birthday Party

Our Little Boomer turned six at the end of August.  He, and Jackson are best pals (albeit sometimes best enemies too).  The two of them love to do everything together, so why not share a birthday together?

B&J had been talking about doing a party together for a while.  The reason's were as follows:
1) Boomer has a summer birthday and Jackson's is in the winter.  Thus, Jackson can never have an outdoor birthday party.
2)  There is a possibility that we will be in Puerto Rico for Jackson's Birthday and he didn't want to miss celebrating with friends.

Boomer, was completely willing to share his birthday party with Jackson. Which is typical of our little 6 year old.  One of the things I love about Boomer is he makes friends so easy and can get along with anyone.  (including his brother) Keeping in that vane of brotherly love, and being that the Olympics were still fresh on our mind we decided to throw an Olympic themed party.

We are lacking terribly on pictures because I was manning the games.

 Each of the participants received a shirt. Then we started out by "lighting the torch"  (passing a ball from one contestant to the next)


"

Next, my niece was the flag bearer which meant that she ran off with the flag while the rest of the kids chased her.

Let the games begin:  The kids participated in the long jump, fencing, synchronized snack toss, hurdles, archery, balloon toss and a 25 meter dash.  It was a crazy chaotic mess but I think the kids had fun.

We finished the party by opening gifts and eating olympic cake and olympic torch ice cream cones.

Phew, just thinking about the party makes me feel anxious again. It was the craziest thing I've been a part of. Definitely glad I did not choose event planning as my career. Happy Birthday Boomer (and Jackson). I love you sweet boys.

The Binky Fairy (an old post..that somehow never got published)

We've been talking about the Binky Fairy for a long time and after much persuasion, Sadie was finally willing to give up her binkies.  We told her that the Binky Fairy (hereafter known as B.F. not to be confused with B.F.F.)  takes the binkies to other little babies that need them.  In exchange, she would receive a gift. Next, we searched the toy isles of Fred Meyer to pick out the perfect present.
Sadie said she wanted:
1) candy (of course..she has a sweet tooth just like her mama and sniff it out just like a little truffle pig)
2) a strawberry shortcake
3) a small stuffed animal and
4) blanket to snuggle with.
5)and finally some lotion. (A true girl).

Sadie went down for her nap on the assigned day and left her binkies outside in a bag by the door.  When all was quiet, I went upstairs to find Sadie sleeping peacefully with her blanket pulled over her mouth so I wouldn't see the binky that she had snuck out of the bag and was sleeping with very peacefully.

Binky Fairy: Take Two
The next day Sadie gave her binkies to Mommy who promptly put them where the BF could find them but out of Sadie's reach.  It was a long ordeal for Sadie to finally fall asleep but when she awoke she was delighted to find:
1) a strawberry shortcake remote control car
2) a small webkin dog whom we named "pinky"
3) A blanket with fairies on it
4) candy of course
no lotion..I guess the BF didn't get that memo.

It was a hard few days of adjusting but with the removal of her afternoon nap she is now going to bed  "well" at night.
Goodbye Binky we'll miss you.... Goodbye afternoon nap....we'll miss you even more!

Dear Villebois Home,

We have loved you for over 5 years but now it's time to say goodbye.  We never really thought it would last this long.  You were suppose to be a 2-3 year fling. (Can you call it a fling if it lasts that long?) We thought we would have fun and move on to something long term but...well here it is going on 6 years and we are still together.  After much thought and inward searching it's time to part ways.  I know you will find someone who will love you as much as we did.  It won't take long.  (After just a week there is already someone interested in you.)  Thank you for letting us decorate you, learn with you, color on your walls, poop on your carpets, (shh don't tell the new owner) yell, scream, fight, grow, play, and generally love each other in your walls.  It has been a wonderful five + years.  We will always remember you and we are grateful for the time we had together.

Much love for the future,

The Pippert Family

Here's the RMLS pictures:

PS we hope to stay in the neighborhood. We really like Wilsonville.

Dear Blog,
I think about you all the time.  It isn't that I don't care about you, I'm just so busy and I know it isn't nice to say but there are things that I enjoy more than you. My husband thinks that I am having an affair with Pinterest but we are just very good friends.  There's also the online scrapbooking that I don't care for much either but it needs my time too.
  Most importantly, I have four people who need me more than you.  Three of them are small and need me constantly.  Jackson, the oldest, pretends like he doesn't need me.  But if I go out for the night, he stays up until 11:00 waiting to say goodnight to me.
  Since I'm being honest, I need you to know that even though I think of you often, it's more out of obligation than love. Truth is, you just don't excite me like you used to.  I hope you understand it's not you, it's me. I hope we can still be friends and that I can drop in once in awhile and say hello.

Michelle

skip counting 6

3.14 Pi day

Calling all math nerds. Today at 1:59 is Pi day.We decided to celebrate by making a pie, eating pizza (pie) and learning 10 digits of pi.  3.14159 (we're over half way there).

Expressions of love!

This 3.5 minute video is worth watching......so sweet!!

HGTV DREAM HOUSE

I have a feeling we are going to win this house this year!! It's in Midway Utah. Just 10 minutes from my brother and 45 minutes from my Dad...close to family. I've loved all the homes but Utah is my long lost home. Can't wait to go back.

Ps When we win it...You all are invited...anytime.

Pinterest

So far...pretty much the best way I've found to waste my time

Presidents song

We've memorized the states next on our list the US presidents...
Jackson and I are trying to learn the presidents this year.  I think this song will help us learn them.