happy holidays!

We love you, and if we haven't seen you in a while, we miss you!
Hope your holidays are peaceful and delicious. Much love, the Leaps

I think we met the real Santa

Craig's solo exhibition at Springbox

From Stranded

Craig Leaper II Stranded
December 4, 2009 - January 10, 2010
view exhibition in Picasa
view exhibition on Facebook

Artist Reception
Friday, December 4, 5:00 - 9:00 pm
RSVP on Facebook

Springbox
2234 NW 24th Avenue
Portland OR 97210
springbox.us

lots of photos on Snapfish

Omi and a tractor

2009 fall - kindergarten, goblins, and turkeys
View photos

2009 Jennifer + John - a Sauvie Island wedding
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2009 summer - fireworks, baby Love, puddletown
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2009 Omi is five - a seashore celebration
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happy birthday Karl!

Karl is the second child and first boy in our family. We are only a year apart, so we've known each other our entire lives. Almost all of my childhood memories include him. He was basically fearless; I remember him jumping off the front porch (breaking his arm) and starting fires in the field (he got in a lot of trouble for that one). He married an amazing woman and now they live on the east coast and are the parents to three boys. He is smart; he engineers networks and can explain complicated technology in layman's (that's me) terms. He has had many adventures, but I can tell family life is his favorite by far. Love you Karl!

hello, baby

Mira Tanya Nuttall
November 20, 2009 at 1:30 am
7 lbs, 14 ozs
21 inches

You are so beautiful! We can't wait to meet you...


baby Mira


Mira and Mom

happy birthday Kim!

the great Harrison pumpkin caper, circa 1981

Kimberly (the baby above) is the fourth girl and the fifth child in our family. The photo doesn't quite do her justice; Kim as a baby and toddler was utterly adorable (OK, she's still pretty adorable). Strangers would stop us to coo over her. Now she is an amazing mom to an adorable child of her own. Kim is a smartie; she has a master's in social work and lives in sunny California. Despite this fact, she and her (also adorable) husband spent their summer vacation on the Oregon coast. It was so amazing to hang out with her as a mom and enjoy their family. We hope they come back soon... Love you Kimmercakes!

happy birthday Dad!

My dad (aka "the general") has led our family through thick and thin. His independence, optimism, and sense of adventure have shaped my world and the way I live. I love you Dad!

happy birthday Jamie!

Jamie (the baby above) is the fifth girl and the seventh child in our family. If she looks surprised in the photo, it may be due to the fact that she just became a part of our rather boisterous and attention-seeking family. Jamie is a tad more reserved (OK, OK, maybe it's more "sophisticated") than your average Harrison and is therefore less loud. But still waters run deep; she is an amazing designer and has worked in couture bridal for the the last few years. Now she works in jewelry retail and lives in our favorite city. Jamie likes music and I fondly recall the way she patiently explained the virtues of the current Britney Spears album to me when she was a teenager. She loves food (especially graham crackers) and has been happy to sample all the deliciousness Portland has to offer. We are so glad to have her here and will gladly feed her cheesesteaks as long as she stays. We love you Jamal!

happy birthday Lance!

Lance is the third boy and the ninth child in our family. He was born on my twelfth birthday, so we are "twins". At the time, I was not thrilled (to put it mildly). Let's face it, in a family of twelve you really only get one day that is all your own, and I wasn't happy with a sibling crowding my day. However, I soon learned that Lance is an amazing guy and I am now honored that he shares his day with me. Lance is a snappy dresser, which I fully realized when he visited us recently wearing Italian loafers and a button-down shirt that still looked crisply ironed after a 10-hour road trip. He is really into biking and just bought a touring bike. He's also into food and I call him for advice while cooking all the time. In high school he carried the recipe for German pancakes in his wallet so he could make them anywhere, at any time. It was so fun to hang out with Lance this summer, I hope he will bring his Burberry trenchcoat to Portland for the weather it deserves this fall. Love you Lancer-pancer (bellydancer)!

happy birthday Brooke!

Brooke is the eighth girl and the eleventh child in our family. She is (of course) fashionable and can walk in very high heels. She is also a new college student and just started classes last week! Brooke is one of the sweetest people I know. She was a server in high school and is constantly clearing plates and refilling drinks whenever she is at our house. She also offers to make me food all the time...at my own house! She is mellow yet funny, a delightful combination. We are sooooo lucky to have Brooke in our city! Love you, Brookie-cookie!

happy birthday Renée!

Renée is the tenth child in our family and the seventh girl. Since she was born when I was a teenager this is the youngest photo I have of her! She is a skateboarder, snowboarder, biker (fixies only, please), and fashion designer. She is also an accomplished chef and until recently was in charge of the dessert menu (including crafting her own recipes) at a well-loved Provo restaurant. She is the genius who created "taste for taste," our family food blog. I can always count on Renée to look cool and go big, all without drama. Very soon she will soon be in Singapore learning to speak Indonesian! Amazing. Love you, Naenae.

happy birthday Matt!

Matt "Hacksaw" (front and center, in the adorable sweater) is the sixth child and second boy in our family. He is funny and likes to remind people of that fact. He also is in law school, tailors his own clothes and somehow manages to post photos of all his outfits on his family fashion blog. His blog posts are hilarious; the best are are his solo road trip videos. He loves Michael Jackson and just got back from a pilgrimage to Neverland Ranch. Matt is awesome because when I needed a hoodie from H&M he called me from the store and described each and every hoodie in the the store individually over the phone until I could decide on one, then he bought it, packaged it, and mailed it to me. Love you Matt!

performance

happy birthday Trent!

Trent is the youngest child and the fourth boy in our family. He is awesome because he is a laid-back kind of guy and he knows how to sew. A few years ago he was excited about sewing a fleece jacket for himself and with very little prompting he was persuaded to create a Google profile (the "Fleece Maker") with this photo as the icon. He is really into music but is polite enough to remove one iPhone earbud while he is talking to you. Sometimes on the phone I have to remind him to do this but I know the feeling of needing to listen to your music at all times so I understand.

I still think of Trent as a little four-year-old in a corduroy hedgehog costume at Halloween (so, so cute). I can hardly believe he is almost grown-up! I am proud to say that I personally drove my mom to the hospital when she went into labor with him. I was 17 and so nervous that I could hardly drive, but we made it. Happy birthday Trent, we love you!

hello, baby

Amelia Francine Love
July 20, 2009 at 5:42 am
7 lbs 10.5 oz
20 inches

You are a sweetheart and your mother is amazing. More pics soon...
Also see Craig's dad's photos on Flickr.


Dad and baby Love


Uncle Craig and baby Love

thinking about longtails

I really, really want a cargo/longtail bike, so today I did a test ride on the xtracycle radish. I liked everything about it except the fact that it wasn't a step-through. It felt compact and nimble plus it's cute (I know, I know, but cute counts). The stability was fine; I could touch the ground while seated, which is important to me because I don't want to have to hop off or lean the bike over if Omi is on the back. The only problem is throwing my leg over the top tube. I like to bike in a skirt and it just isn't graceful on the xtracycle.

So, I'm considering options. I didn't like the Townie/xtracycle combo; it felt too loosey-goosey and the geometry isn't set up for climbing hills. The Breeze/xtracycle combo is nice but spendy. What I need is a step-through under $600 that I know will work well with an xtracycle.

I just came across the Madsen, which is a step-through and looks nice. I like the price and the fact that the kids sit inside the bucket. I think a locking top and rainscreen for the bucket are in the works.

I guess I'll keep up the test rides for now. Somewhere out there is the perfect longtail bike for me.

mexico photos posted on Snapfish

Omi falls in love with Mexico

Ahhhh, Mexico. Our favorite bartender persuaded the gardeners to harvest a fresh young coconut for fresh young Omi. We hung out with iguanas, marveled over dead blow fish, bought molé by the pound, and ate warm tortillas. Naomi and Craig swear they are moving back for good.

We had an amazing time hanging out with friends old and new. Check out the beachiness, the pools, and a pelican!

View photos

happy birthday Mom!

My mother raised twelve kids and had fun doing it. I brag about her supermom powers all the time. Lots of love from Leaperville!

lots of photos posted on Snapfish

Asher rocks the party

2008-2009 winter - snow, sisters, and roller skates
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2009 spring - rock stars, Utah, and pirate ships
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happy birthday Kendra!

Kendra sporting a Harrison favorite - the side ponytail

Kendra is my fifth sister and the eighth of our twelve siblings. She a rock star. And not just because she is the lead singer in a rock band, but because whatever she does, she does it all the way. Love, design, music; it's all or nothing. She has fluorescent teal luggage, people! She is also an amazing interior designer and is a manager for a national design retailer.

My favorite Kendra quote of all time:

Craig - "Those pants don't do you any good."
Kendra - "They do me justice, but they don't do me any good."

Watch out for this one, she is unstoppable. Love you Bendie!

happy birthday Lisa!

Lisa and the general

Lisa is my first sister and the third of our twelve siblings. As a child everyone always said "she has so much energy!". She still does; she is one of the most fun moms I know and recently hosted a "rock star" birthday party for her three-year old, complete with tiny drum cupcakes and backstage passes! She is always up for a night on the town or a tea party when siblings visit. I have loved, loved, loved having her and her family in Portland (sorry, Seattle, your loss). I still have plans for her to buy the house behind ours so we can have a secret gate in the fence and our kids can run back and forth. Love you Lisa!

let's hear it for Bob LaBlog

For those that are so inclined, I've started an experience design blog to catalog articles and publish work related to the master of science degree I'm pursuing at the University of Oregon. It's an interdisciplinary degree focused on information design, business, and applied research. My personal focus is on user experiences and information technology in arts environments.

Also, be sure to subscribe to Craig's art blog - he has photographed a new body of work and will publish it online soon.

As if that's not enough blogging, check out the new Harrison obsession - a family fashion blog. You know you want to.

remembering Ryan

My dear friend Ryan Mouritsen died on Friday after a tragic plane crash. I miss him; the world is suddenly so much less. He was ambitious, funny, caring, and my best friend during an intense time in my life.

I love you, Ryan. Your inquisitiveness, intelligence, drive and humor will inspire me always. I'll see you at the big Arby's in the sky. Peace.

If you knew Ryan, you can share your memories at his family's tribute blog.

from us to you

happy birthday Tracy!

Tracy's fashion sense has always been impeccable

Tracy is my second sister and the fourth of the twelve kids in our family. She is the first sister I can remember holding and taking care of when she was a baby. When she was little, she was very girly; she refused to wear pants for a few years and would only wear dresses! She still loves fashion and has an enviable personal style. Tracy is the only person I know of besides me who blogs about cleaning. She loves music and married a sax player; now he's an MD and she's in law school. I call them the Huxtables, but no one else seems to think it's funny. They are both excellent cooks and love to make difficult recipes. They used to live in Portland and they say they are coming back some day. We miss them!

Happy birthday, sis, we love you.

skin deep

The Cosmetic Safety Database rates product safety according to ingredients. Try a search for the items you use most - the results can be surprising, even for natural products. The amount of information is often overwhelming; check out the tips page for a manageable list of best practices. They also have printable parent buying guides for safer kid's products and sunscreens.

happy new year

To "sisters"! Heck, why not, "to the ceiling"! We had an amazing time with Kendratown, including gadding about town and live karaoke. And yes, I performed "Dear Mr. Fantasy" with Jeremy as my backup dancer. Miss you, sis.