Bye Bye Co Kris

Bye Bye Co Kris... it's been a fun journey... It has been a fun three plus years of lots of eating, laughing, missing all things Hawaiian together... congrats on finishing up at Concordia... we will miss ya staying over at the To-Banker abode during breaks and long weekends.
Thanks for loving on Kaden... and watching your guys' love/hate relationship... he really loves ya and will miss seeing you on a regular basis. It's been fun to watch how you guys play together... it's crazy that you have been around since before he was born.
May you experience God's goodness in your daily life, may you live in Jesus' grace and spread it... may you teach students how to love and respect each other and that you will show them Jesus' love through your actions.

We will come visit you on the island or where ever your journey takes you... as long as it's warm and has good food! hahaha!!! Blessings friend. Aloha.

Happy Birthday Chlo-Chlo!

Our niece, Chloe, turned ONE! We headed on an adventure to Seattle to celebrate with her! Too bad she was cutting her first teeth and had a pretty high temperature and wasn't in the best of partying moods. But she was still adorable and all she wanted to do was cuddle! So, being one of the best aunties I got to just hold her so my bro and sis in law could hang with their friends.

It's always so sad to see a baby not themselves. We wanted to see her interact with people who loved her and showered her with presents... we wanted to see her eat her cake and play with her new toys. She was totally out of it for party #1 on Saturday and felt more up for playing and celebrating for party #2 on Sunday. Here's some shots of Kaden and Chloe playing with each other before all the partying commenced. And another fun birthday pics of the beautiful princess!!! We wish we lived closer to be able to be in her day to day life. We love you Chlo-Chlo!

Carnival Excitement!

Carnival season is in full bloom in the To household. If you didn't know, Joel's parents have a food cart and sell bento, teriyaki, egg-rolls, all that kinda yumminess! They have been doing it since Joel was 8. The To family are experts in all things cooking and all knowing in the carnival world. They can recite acts they have seen day in and day out at the county fair. They can tell you who owns which booths, which to eat at and what to stay away from. They trade and barter food like their lives depended on it. I (lisa) was lucky enough to marry into this wonderful family. I actually think it's fun to work at the fair...but again, I didn't have to do it since I was 8. It's a lot of hard work and long hours.This week Joel is helping his parents at the Rose Festival. It's their first year there... and you know what comes along with the Rose Festival in Portland is RAIN!!! Yep...it's the joke of the city that it ALWAYS rains for the major events of the festival. So... my brave husband is working in the rain... and the hard work is much harder when there is not a lot of people at the carnival and muddy working conditions.

The To-Banker (plus Kristina) family decided to go down to opening night at the waterfront village to support the family and see Grandma and Daddy. (and for some yummy dinner). We decided to take the Choo Choo MAX down there so we wouldn't have to find parking and pay. BEST IDEA of the week! Kaden loved every minute of being on the light rail. He waved at every other MAX passing by... he said BYE BYE every time we pulled out of the stop... he was adorable.

So, we got down there and walked around a bit, ate some dinner, walked around and awed at the rides that were going FAST FAST! And then walked around a bit downtown looking for some coffee to warm ourselves up...but didn't see any in close radius. So, we got back on the Choo Choo MAX. Kaden was kinda sad cause we passed the MAX station and didn't get on... he moped for a block until we said we were going to get on the MAX and he got a bounce in his step again!

Spring is in the air...

Spring is in the air here in Portland... it's been on and off the last few weeks. The rain has come and made all things green in the rose city! Kaden is fully equipped now... he got some mud boots, a trowel, a ho, a wheel barrow and the latest addition to the gardening/yard work equipment is a LAWN MOWER! Yep... with the bubble feature and all! (Although, all four wheels must be touching the ground at once for the bubbles to blow, and on not even grass.... it's kinda a manufacturing FAIL.) Anyways... he's constantly saying "ZACH MOW MOW" "KADEN MOW MOW"... very cute! He loves getting his hands dirty and grass in his hair (and I found some in his diaper... weird, I know.) The garden is growing and the lawn is mowed. It's going to be a good fruitful crop this year! (Mostly thanks to our housemates, cause Joel and I maybe contribute 10% of our time and energy).