District and State XC meets

Sebastian competed in the district (all-Portland) cross-country meet on Monday, and the state-wide middle school meet on Sunday. 

He ran the District race in 11.42, coming in 16th place out of 83 runners (the top 10 runners from each middle school qualified to run in the championship race). The race very flat but super muddy, at Westmoreland Park on the east side.

This Sunday afternoon he competed in the state middle school championship race, hosted at Western Oregon University near Salem.  Only the top four boys from West Sylvan ran in the race -- Seb, Wyatt, Connor, and Luke. Sebastian ran his best race of the season, finishing in 11.36, for 95th place overall. His friend Wyatt ran a personal best, finishing in 11.05, for 62nd place. It was a great season for both of them, and I'm really glad they finished strong.

Liesl turns 11!

Liesl turned 11 on Wednesday, and we celebrated her with favorite foods, presents, and cake!

We enjoyed challah French toast, mixed berries, and bacon for breakfast, with some presents: a puffy vest, fine-tipped markers. And then a birthday crown at school -- and more presents: caramels and raspberry chocolates -- before she went to jazz and ballet classes.

For dinner, steak, polenta, peas, carrots, Caesar salad, and baguette w butter, and some final presents: books and painting supplies! We talked to both Grandma and Grandpa Raab, and Popo and Bompy over Facetime, which was sweet.

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for the birthday girl.

soccer trip to Bend

Steve and Liesl went to Bend last weekend for a soccer game on Saturday at 12 noon. They opted to drive down on Friday after school, taking Elia, and staying overnight at a hotel. Liesl gets a little carsick in the mountain passes, so she can't really drive 3+ hours and then hop out and play a soccer game. The game was fine/okay -- they lost 4-3 -- but Liesl and Elia had an amazing time together in the hotel swimming pool.

And then they came home, and played another game on Sunday, this one in the pouring rain. It was pretty nice all morning, and nice again midway through the game, but for the first half it was just buckets of cold rain drenching the girls. Crazy soccer weather.

school photos

Liesl in 5th grade and Sebastian in 8th grade.

Jasper

I know he's just a dumb (sweet) doggo, but there are times that Jasper really seems to understand the point of a camera, because I swear he poses for pictures.

I mean, seriously, look at that soulful gaze into the middle distance... the profile on display... get that dog a contract. :)  In that vein, a blog post full of Jasper photos, written as he lies at my feet loudly snoring.