Happy New Year Valentine’s Day St. Patricks Day from our family to yours!

Our big news this year was Kyle finishing massage school in July. He worked hard to complete his intensive program classes all while studying, giving 120+ hours practice massage, continuing his web development work, and spending time with family. We are so proud of him! He is now working to build massage clientele at his home business Atlas Massage Therapy while also working in two chiropractic offices. While running took a bit of a backseat in 2022 Kyle still managed a few trail runs in the Gorge and Eastern Oregon, and he has big plans for 2023.

Leah is 10 and thriving in the 4th grade. She especially loves creative arts like drawing, sewing mini animals, pottery, and making rubber band bracelets. Leah continues with piano lessons and is showing real maturity in her practicing. She also loves reading nonstop to herself, especially magic stories and graphic novels. Leah started learning Spanish via the free app Duolingo this fall and it is such a delight watching her learn. She joined our church children’s choir and also the youth-group-type gathering on Wednesday nights called K2 which she loves.

Viktor is 7 and loves his first grade class. He is just starting to read to himself or to Warren but would prefer to skip all activities like school in favor of building legos all day every day. Viktor began ukulele lessons this fall. He has been able to try a local climbing gym a few times and really enjoyed that challenge. Viktor continues to be tall for his age, never quite catching Leah yet although the day is surely coming.

Warren turned 3 this year and started preschool a few mornings a week. He’s full of energy, mischief, and always trying to tag after whatever the big kids are up to. Warren still loves trucks and all kinds of transportation. He can sing the ABCs, tell you how to spell his name, help in the kitchen, and put together puzzles. After a decade of diapers in our house, Warren's potty training success means we have finished that season of life!

Stephanie continues to try to keep our family sane, safe, and organized. With all four grandparents close by, we get a lot of help with activity transportation and breaks from children which is greatly appreciated. She has really enjoyed being back volunteering at the elementary school, including occasional lunches with the kids. Stephanie is leading a women’s Bible study at church and co-coordinating the social committee for our HOA, including some play events with neighborhood kids over the summer on the front lawn and collecting goods for a homeless shelter in town. Our Laotian next door neighbor who used to run a Thai restaurant has graciously given her several cooking lessons at her house, which she has truly enjoyed.

Big events this year included:
• Spring Break in Seaside with Pat, Bob, and Tim Gillman. It was mostly cold and windy but we got lots of beach time and Leah loved learning how to play cribbage.
• Leah’s Culture Project and Parade. All 3rd graders in our town complete a big research project on a country they are connected to, and then participate in a big parade at Fort Vancouver where they show off some of their project. Leah’s Newfoundland vest with facts was adorable.
• Sunriver with the Bisches. We biked, swam, checked out the High Desert Museum, and Warren mostly wanted to play in the dirt/sand surrounding the house with his toy trucks.
• Leah and her friend Addy ran a lemonade stand in the driveway. Homemade cookies and Costco lemonade peddling earned them $75!
•Leah, Viktor, and Stephanie headed to Colorado in October with her college friend Erica. They stayed with Uncle Tim, visited a college roommate Katelyn and her family, saw the elk bugling near Rocky Mountain National Park, and had a great adventure.

We hope this finds you well this season and looking forward to the adventures ahead in 2023!

-The Bisches

(Click images to view larger)

As always...kids quotes!

Or you can just be quiet and not say a word, that’s what I like to do.
- Viktor

Mom, this is the best dinner in the universe! An alien couldn’t even make a dinner this good.
- Viktor

Leah: Mom, can I buy a house for $50?
Steph: Nope, that wouldn’t even cover the mortgage. Dad and I signed papers to pay more than that every month for 30 years.
Leah: If you live that long.

Rock, paper, scissors, poop!
- Warren

Warren: I’m a baby bulldozer. And you’re a Mommy bulldozer. Please sing baby bulldozer song Mama.
Steph: **changes the lyrics to Baby Beluga. This year we also sang Mommy/Baby Forklift, Mommy/Baby Fishy, Mommy/Baby Turtle, Mommy/Baby Cat, Mommy/Baby Tiger**

Mom! I know how to sing Jingle Bells with my tongue out. Wanna hear it?
- Viktor

Steph: **Talking to self** Hmm…where is the Stinky and Dirty show?
Warren: Prime Video.

Viktor: Did you see that?
Steph: Are you going to ask that after every throw?
Viktor: No, I’ll only do it after the heroic throws.

Mom! You brought a potty to a park?!? That is crazy! When I grow up I’m never going to do anything that crazy.
- Leah

You don’t have to come to the playroom Mom. Me plus Leah equals grown-up. Duh.
- Viktor

Viktor: I’m playing Spot It against Luna. (Our cat)
*5 minutes later*
Viktor: She beat me! She grabbed all the cards.

I don’t know why Tim thinks he doesn’t want to have kids. I just left Viktor alone for one minute with two popsicle sticks. I came back and he is pretending each has a creepy voice saying things like, “I’m evil…I’m crazy.”
- Steph

Steph: How many times should Dad have to ask you to do something?
Leah: *without missing a beat* Five

I want to stay in this hug forever.
- Viktor (Mother’s Day 6:10am)

I like big trucks and big naked.
- Warren

Leah: Ooh! That’s a Gouda hand.
Steph: *chuckle*
Leah: What? I love cheese.

I like making decisions. No, I don’t. Yes, I do.
- Leah

*Leah falls off scooter & scrapes knee. She squeezes a little blood out.*
Warren: I hope inside there is a monster.

Viktor: Would you rather be a warrior or an elf?
Warren: I’d like to be a truck.

Steph: What’s your favorite flavor?
Warren: My favorite flavor is water.

You can go now. You don’t have to watch me fall asleep. You can attend to your “Momly” duties.
- Leah

Warren: *singing/shouting at dinner table* “Charlie, Charlie yes ha ha, eating sugar no ha ha….”
Kyle: Buddy, you’re not supposed to sing at the table.
W: It’s ok. I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to that guy *gestures to Mommy*

No, no, no, we’re not going to grapple hook the cat!
- Steph to Warren

Mom: Happy First Day of School, bud.
Viktor: Happy 1st day of the house empty Mom. You can like get jobs done without anyone annoying you or take a super long nap with no one interrupting.

Steph: What Bible story did you learn at Chapel today?
Warren: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

Mom, I found a cool rock. I named it Blood Viper!
- Viktor

Viktor: *groans when Mom comes over for a bedtime hug*
Steph: Viktor, if there is a problem, you should have talked to Dad about it while he was reading to you in the last half hour. Or when he hugged you and turned off the light one minute ago.
Viktor: No, but Mom just a few seconds ago I started getting the mega worst headache ever and I can’t control my body and my foot hurts.
Mom: That sounds like a bummer. Maybe when I walked in you shouldn’t have been shouting across the room asking Leah if you could punch her in the face, then I possibly would have been able to help you.

Steph: Ok Warren, we gotta get you dressed. You can’t go to Costco naked.
Warren: I’m not naked. I have socks on.

Viktor: I need to get all this stuff into two piles: trash and domination.
Steph: I think you mean recycling.

Leah: You know, ninjas are supposed to be silent.
Viktor: Hi-yay! Huh! These are my attack moves

Warren: Mommy, want to know why I’m wearing this rubber band on my arms?
Mom: Sure
Warren: For no reason.

Baby dragons are basically baby humans with wings. And fire breath. And claws.
- Viktor