August Update

We had a few highlights in August. The first was the Clark County Fair. The boys went with Jeremy and a buddy to the Monster Truck Madness on the last day of the fair. It was a bit loud, so we girls went through the animal barns instead. Ascha loved the goats and the chickens best.

The other main event was a last-minute trip to the coast. We decided to go to the Long Beach Peninsula and ended up happening to go the weekend of the World Kite Festival. We had fun watching kites for a while, and we had even more fun flying our own kite and playing on the beach.

We spent one day at the Maritime Museum in Astoria. The boys (including the biggest boy :-) had a great time. Ascha had her moments of enjoyment, but didn't want to go when we wanted to go and didn't want to stop when we wanted to stop, so it was an interesting day. Here she is on her little "seat." She found this perfectly-sized piece of concrete and didn't want to go anywhere else. She spent the rest of her time at the museum trying in vain to get back to this spot.

The hands-on room had a number of lifeboats the kids could climb into and out of.

Amazing! A picture of Jeremy and I! (Kudos to Taylor, photographer at large)

We made it to the Astoria column, which had opened just a few days before. The kids made it all the way up and flew a little airplane off the top.

On the way home, we stopped at Horseshoe Lake in Woodland.

July Update - Part 2 - MONTANA

The kids and I had the opportunity to join my parents on their "lake vacation" this year. It was, as always, a wonderful time.

The "painted rocks" that give our favorite lake its name

Taylor heading out with Grammy on the tube

Taylor's first try at kneeboarding. He did great!

Aric had no desire to do water sports this year, but he was quite happy to drive the boat.

Swimming with Uncle Shane

Playing in the water on a hot day - what could be better?

Hanging with Grumpy

"Camp Apple Pie" - toast surrounding warm pie filling, cooked over an open fire

The big frog the boys caught one day...they also caught a few minnows

Jumping to Uncle Spencer

Another of the spectacular views we really miss...this one is Trapper Peak

All the family except Jeremy... It was sure a rare but special treat to see all my brothers at once

We attended my parents' church picnic... Spencer was the MC. Here, Taylor's participating in a food relay. Lots of the kids ended up with candy or fun things to eat...poor Tay had to eat jarred baby hot dogs (he doesn't even like regular hot dogs, so this was a real challenge!)

Playing with cousins

Seeing the baby calves

We spent a day at my Grandparents' place revisiting a lot of my childhood favorite things to do, like playing in the ditch...

...eating raspberries right off Grandma's plants...

(Ascha and her little cousin had a great time together. Here, he's feeding her raspberries. :-)

...having popsicles, then sending the sticks down the creek in a race to the bridge...

...swinging with Papa...

...or jumping out of the swing yourself...

...going as high as possible on the teeter-totter...

...playing in the "Tiger Tree."

All these things are sweet memories from my childhood and it is such a blessing to be able to see my kids enjoying the same experiences. I'm so thankful my Grandparents are so happy to share special moments like these with another generation of kids.

Of course, on our way through Idaho, we stopped and hung out with our friends. Here we are at Coeur d'Alene's "Art in the Park."

Thanks to all our family and friends for sharing such a special visit! Much love!

July Update - Part 1

July 4th - cuddling on the hammock watching the fireworks

enjoying the sparklers

Hanging out at Lake Merwin on the weekend with good friends (so good they even watched Ascha while they sent us out on the lake in their sailboat! Thanks!)

Camping on the north side of Mt. Adams

It was beautiful but very buggy, and of course, I left all our bug repellant at home on the counter! We managed to survive the mosquitoes and have a good time anyway. We swam and even got to have a German Brown Trout for part of our dinner. We hiked around with Jeremy the next day while he scouted out potential elk hunting country. (Ah-ha! The real purpose of our family camping trip is revealed! :-)

"Good things come to those who wait"

The boys have wanted a ride-on ever since they saw one at the neighbor's house. We've always flatly refused, but they had sold some of their old toys at a garage sale a few days before we found this used yellow Corvette. The boys were able to buy it with their own money and they absolutely love it!

Our first parade! None of the kids had ever been to a "real parade" before. They are now big fans.

The same festival that brought the parade also brought a carnival to town. The boys rode a kiddie roller coaster. Taylor loved it, but Aric was upset because I wasn't riding it with him, so he pouted through the whole ride. It made for a pretty funny picture.