Tag Archives: year

Resolutions Check

We’re nearly a month into 2012, a time when many of us start forgetting our ambitious New Year’s Resolutions, but I’m really trying to keep up with mine this year. It helps that my goals for the year weren’t too lofty to begin with, and a few are so vague they allow for pretty broad interpretation of the word “success.” Here’s how I’m doing so far (in no particular order): 1. Give up the guilt: This is an ongoing goal for me and one I’m sure I’ll be working on for the rest of my life, but I have to say I’m feeling pretty good about my progress so far this year. 2. Don’t let fear stop me from living the life I want to live: Another broad and probably lifelong goal, this one has already come up in the form of a strange and possibly wonderful opportunity which I’m hoping my family can seize next month. (More on that if it pans out!) 3. Find more activities my pre-teen son and I can enjoy together: I bought my son a puzzle over winter break (an impulse purchase as I shopped for holiday trappings) and we had so much fun doing it we’ve started doing puzzles nearly every weekend. Our whole family enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles when my son was younger, but we hadn’t done one in at least a year. My husband cut a large piece of cardboard so we can move the puzzle off the dining room table every evening at dinnertime, and now we’re back in business. It’s a great way to spend snippets of time together throughout the week/weekend and talk about anything and everything as we hunt for the right pieces. 4. (Re)learn a foreign language: I started an Italian class at PCC a few weeks ago and although I was panicked before the first class (I hadn’t taken Italian in nearly 30 years but I signed up for the second level), it all started coming back to me as soon as the class started and I love it! In fact, when our second class was canceled because of inclement weather, I was truly disappointed! (“You’re disappointed you get a snow day?,” my son asked incredulously!) 5. Learn to make great pie crust: I haven’t started on this one yet, but there’s still time, right? 6. Travel more: I’m working on this one. (See #2, above.) That’s all I’ve got for now, but having written it all down I have to say I’m pretty proud of myself. How are you doing on your resolutions, if you made any? Please share your progress and your challenges in our comments section below -– it might help you stay on track, get back on track, or even make new resolutions for the months ahead!

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Resolutions Check

Resolutions for a Charmed Life

As the new year approaches, many of us have resolutions on the brain. What changes do we want to make in the coming year? How many of our resolutions will we actually be able to keep? My family just completed our annual list making – a Solstice tradition in our house – where we write down what we enjoyed most in the year that’s ending and what we hope to do/accomplish in the year ahead. It’s fun to look back on the current year and remember how much happened, and it’s nice to look ahead with optimism. And while New Year’s Resolutions lists often contain grand goals, it’s helpful to remember that the smallest gestures, when added up, often make the most difference. With that in mind, I’d like to share one of my favorite blog posts from the previous year: “ The Charmed Life Challenge ” from Pink of Perfection. In this mid-summer post, Pink creator Sarah McColl shares a list of small but significant gestures to make life sweeter, more beautiful and more fulfilling. I printed the list (actually a slightly edited version of the list; I don’t wear perfume or lipstick, for starters) and plan to use it to spruce up my own life in the new year. After all, happy mothers make happy families, right? If you have time, read through the list, and “ The Life Seduction Challenge ” on which it’s based. What items spark your fancy? What items would you add to your own list? What big or small changes have you included on your own New Year’s Resolutions list? Here’s to living the charmed life in 2012!

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Resolutions for a Charmed Life

Halloween & Harvest Fun

It’s that time again! Halloween and Harvest time! Whether your kids are into pumpkin picking, corn mazes and hay rides or haunted houses and other spooky spectacles –- or both! –- you’ll find plenty of tempting attractions to keep the whole family entertained all month! To help you plan your month of fun, we’ve compiled a pretty hefty list of options . Check our Family Calendar for even more harvest fun every day this month. What’s your family’s favorite harvest or Halloween attraction or event? Are there any new ones you’d like to check out this year?

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Halloween & Harvest Fun

Final ‘Parkways’ event in NE Portland Sunday

The fifth and final Sunday Parkways event of the year will take place this weekend in Northeast Portland, the city’s bureau of transportation announced.

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Final ‘Parkways’ event in NE Portland Sunday

… and the Winner Is …

You voted. We counted. Now we’re happy to announce the winners of our 2011 “Family Favorites” Reader Survey. (Read our September issue for a more detailed recap of our survey, including readers’ comments and a few additional categories, beginning on page 30.) Family Favorite Restaurant (Our “Happy Highchair” Award) Our readers love their brewpubs, with Laurelwood Public House & Brewery (5115 NE Sandy Blvd.; laurelwoodbrewpub.com ) earning this year’s “Happy Highchair” award, and Hopworks Urban Brewery (2944 SE Powell Blvd.; hopworksbeer.com ) coming in a close second. Local favorite Old Spaghetti Factory (multiple locations; osf.com ) rounded out the top three. Coffee Shop Indie coffee shops still reign supreme, with Munchkin Playland (18335 NW West Union Rd.; munchkinplayland.com ) once again taking top honors. Café Sip-n-Play (3000 SE 164th Ave., Vancouver; cafesipnplay.com ) took the silver. Pizza Parlor (new category!) Hillsboro’s Out of This World Pizza (6225 NW Century Blvd., Hillsboro; 503-629-8700; outofthisworld.net ) ranked number one in our survey, with Papa’s Pizza (16321 SE Stark and 15700 NW Blueridge Dr., Beaverton; papaspizza.net ) close behind. Toy Store The region’s Toy Trifecta includes the same players this year -– Finnegan’s, Piccolo Mondo and Thinker Toys -– but in a different order. Thinker Toys (7784 SW Capitol Hwy; thinkertoysoregon.com ) grabbed the top spot, Piccolo Mondo (4768 SW Bethany Blvd.; piccolomondotoys.com ) in hot pursuit and Finnegan’s (922 SW Yamhill; 503-221-0306; finneganstoys.com ) taking third. But watch out guys –- Learning Palace (multiple locations; learningpalace.com ) nearly broke into the top three this year with plenty of loyal reader votes. Movie Theater Just like us, you love the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark; academytheaterpdx.com ) and McMenamin’s Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd; mcmenamins.com ) for family-friendly flicks. Book Shop It’s Portland. Naturally Powell’s (1005 W Burnside and other locations; powells.com ) took the top spot, but Annie Bloom’s (7834 SW Capitol Hwy; annieblooms.com ) is much loved by our readers, too. Birthday Party Place The Little Gym (17890 SW McEwan Rd., Lake Oswego; tlglakeoswegoor.com ) once again claimed top honors, with runners Club Sport (18120 SW Lower Boones Ferry Rd., Tigard; clubsports.com ) and JJ Jump (9057 SE Jannsen Rd., Clackamas and 7500 NE 16th Ave., #2-D, Vancouver; jjjump.com ). Fitness Center Club Sport (18120 SW Lower Boones Ferry Rd., Tigard; clubsports.com ) prevailed, with 24 Hour Fitness (multiple locations; 24hourfitness.com ) taking the number two slot. Place to Swim North Clackamas Aquatic Park (7300 SE Harmony Rd., Milwaukie; ncprd.com/aquatic-park ) was the individual pool named most often in our survey, Portland Parks & Rec (multiple locations; portlandonline.com/parks ) pools collectively garnered the most votes. The very big and very new Wings & Waves Waterpark (460 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way, McMinnville; evergreenmuseum.org/waterpark ) also got a fair share of mentions, considering they just opened in June! Indoor (Rainy Day) Destination Once again, OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave.; omsi.edu ) triumphed in this category, with newcomer Playdate PDX (1434 NW 17th; playdatepdx.com ) and stalwart Portland Children’s Museum (4015 SW Canyon Rd.; portlandcm.org ) both ranking high. Outdoor Destination Two diverse experiences topped the list: the Oregon Zoo (4001 SW Canyon Rd.; oregonzoo.org ) and Jamison Square (810 NW 11th; portlandonline.com/parks ), in that order. Family Vacation Destination Sunriver (resort: sunriver-resort.com ; area: sunriverchamber.com ) edged out the Oregon Coast for the top spot this year, though the coast still made a respectable showing! To read more about our Family Favorite winners –- including those for Ice Cream (Yogurt/Gelato) Parlor , Kids’ Clothing/Shoe Store , Bike Shop and Children’s Gym -– check out our September issue in print or online.

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… and the Winner Is …

Get lost in the giant Timbers-themed ‘maize’

The always popular “corn maize” on Sauvie Island this year features a Portland Timbers logo cut into the 5-acre corn field. Make sure to watch out for crazed Timbers Army supporters as you make your way through the field.

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Get lost in the giant Timbers-themed ‘maize’

Oregon State Fair under way until Labor Day

The Oregon State Fair is under way in Salem until Labor Day and organizers said more than 9,000 activities, events, celebrations and attractions are available this year.

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Oregon State Fair under way until Labor Day

Family Vacation in Newport, Oregon

Is your family looking for a new place to vacation this year? Do you enjoy kid-friendly getaways by the ocean? Then take a trip to Newport, Oregon.

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Family Vacation in Newport, Oregon

Portland Park Series: Elk Rock Island

Elk Rock Island is a hidden gem of a natural area in the Portland-metro area. It’s inaccessible by foot for the majority of the year, though.

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Portland Park Series: Elk Rock Island

Annual Beaverton festival raises funds for Japan

The annual Natsu Matsuri Festival in Beaverton is dedicating all the proceeds raised this year to earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan.

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Annual Beaverton festival raises funds for Japan

Portland’s Sunday Parkways start this weekend

The popular annual Sunday Parkways series will begin on May 22 this year, in East Portland.

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Portland’s Sunday Parkways start this weekend

Spring cold snap nips tulip festival

The Woodburn Tulip Festival has been hard hit this year by the record-cold and wet weather.

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Spring cold snap nips tulip festival

Headed for the coast? Firefighters ask that you stay safe

“Coastal communities have already experienced several drownings this year,” said Portland Fire Public Information Officer Paul Corah.

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Headed for the coast? Firefighters ask that you stay safe