Hoyt Arboretum

The girls had yesterday and today off from school for conferences. They had their conferences first thing in the morning yesterday and we now have a long weekend to enjoy. We also have Nana Barbie and Papa Tom visiting for a few days. So, after conferences and a quick stop for lunch, we headed to Hoyt Arboretum. It was pretty nice - the views were lovely, the tree climbing was top notch (even Nana Barbie climbed a tree) and it appears that Hoyt Arboretum is a pretty nice spot for a nap as well.
We were actually at Hoyt Arboretum just a few days ago for a photo shoot with a long time client. So happy that the weather is holding up nicely, allowing for another visit so soon.

boat + water = fun

Emma's first time in a kayak looked just like this...

On the same day, Emma progressed to this...

Not to be outdone by big sister, Sophie spent a little time like this...

Now if only we had four of those kayaks right here at home so that we could keep playing (best idea ever, Papa Tom)...

strawberries galore

We got up early this morning and headed to the strawberry patch - again.  This time we went with another group of friends - a total of eight kids - and picked so many strawberries.  Then we ran home to quickly pack a lunch and headed to another house with the group to paint strawberries on canvases.  Emma is a monster picker - she seriously had the fullest bucket of the group, and every strawberry made it back to the scale for weighing.  6 3/4 pounds this time around.  It was a fun day of edibles and art. (you might not know it from the pictures, but Sophie did join us - she was just very insistent on not being in the pictures).
ps...Oregon strawberries are so delicious - just saying.  :)

We went camping

Last weekend, the day after our 9th wedding anniversary - we packed up the minivan and headed to the beach for a little camping trip.  We returned to a spot we visited last summer - Beverly Beach, between Newport and Lincoln City.  It was a completely different experience from last summer's visit.  You may remember that we woke up after our stormy night to find ourselves sleeping on a giant puddle of water.  It was sort of like pitching a tent on a waterbed.  Not this time though.
Our drive took us directly to Lincoln City and when we reached the beach we were surprised to find so much sunshine (not really in the forecast). So, of course we made an unscheduled stop to enjoy the beach - you just never know what you will find 30 minutes down the road on the coast. It was in the mid 60's with clear blue skies. We stayed and played for a couple hours before heading further down the coast to our campsite - it was dinner time and we were all hungry. But we managed to set up camp, take care of dinner and head to the beach for more fun in the sun and a wonderful sunset. A fantastic first day to a really nice beachy weekend.

unexpected sunshine

I'm pretty sure unexpected should describe all sunshine around here right now. It has just been the coolest and wettest spring. Sunshine is hard to come by (especially if you want it to show up with warm temperatures, seriously a big expectation). But, here it is and we are taking full advantage. I filled bird feeders, watered our newly planted plants, planted some green beans, etc. The girls moved their mini dollhouses to the back deck and have been enjoying the sun as well. Their little bodies really needed to soak up some Vitamin D too. Thank you, sun.

Sophie is going to have a birthday in just a couple weeks.  We finally agreed on a plan for her party (she really wanted a picnic in the backyard but it's just too early to expect sunshine AND warmth on that one day (not to mention that we still don't have a fence and whenever kids come here for the first time, they are always very disappointed that they can't play on the neighbor's play structure).  So, a gymnastics party it is!  And she is thrilled because they have a giant foam pit that she loves.
These pictures make me smile like crazy.  Sophie just loves, loves her Charley so much.  Everywhere she goes, she wants Charley there with her.  I think Charley loves her just as much. 

Hula hooping, part 2

We made our own hula hoops this weekend.  I have wanted to try this for a while now and it really is so easy and fun.  My neighbor's son asked me for one today.  Hmm, we'll see...

Anyhow, Emma thought it would be fun to try using three at once ... I was impressed.  I might have to find some classes for her to learn tricks.  Or for me...

snowday

It took this long, but we finally got a snowday.  It hasn't amounted to nearly as much as they originally thought it might, but then again it usually doesn't.  I suppose there is always the possibility of more snow this morning and again tonight - the girls would really like to go sledding.

But, true to our early morning style, we were all suited up and headed out for a family walk at 8:00 this morning.  And, usually when it involves the girls and the dog, we are pretty noisy.  Sorry, neighbors who wanted to sleep in today.  Fortunately, it is a work day so most people were probably already up.

Playing in the snow - a few days ago, I'm catching up here

We took the girls to Mt. Hood for some snow play last Thursday.  The conditions were perfect, and perhaps a little too perfect.  We left around 1:30pm from our house and by the time we reached Zigzag it was pretty backed up traffic-wise and we were stopped for too long.  Fortunately, we were stopped at an intersection so we were able to turn off the highway and reroute our plans for the afternoon.

We ended up on Still Creek Rd., and it was closed due to weather damage less that 1/2 mile in.  So, we parked and grabbed the girls, the dog and the sled and headed up the closed road to play.  It was quiet, few people and steep and they could go as high as they wanted.  The afternoon was filled with lots of giggling.  The only disappointment was that we weren't in a lot of snow so there was no point in trying out the snowshoes.  Maybe that will be next weekend.  Hoping, hoping...
For now, this will go down as our last super fun outing of 2010.  I hope for many more of these outings for our family, and yours, in 2011.

The rest...

So, I almost forgot about the 20 pictures from the pumpkin patch that I converted for this little blog here. I think I had grand plans for multiple posts with lots more details of the adventure and then got caught up in the 4 days of sick girls that we have experienced this week. Four days! Nothing major, but Emma got a cough that most likely was acid reflux related to a cold and stayed home from school for two days. The next day we went to see the pediatrician and got flu shots. She was up coughing so much that Andy moved to the studio (where a nice little bed was still ready for use with special thanks to our visit from Nana B and Papa T) and I proceeded to spend most of the night wide awake listening to Miss Emma's suffering. So a lack of sleep was the next culprit to keep me from the pictures (things are much better today, Emma slept all of last night in her own bed and not in my room). Here are a few more pictures from the patch...

a sunny surprise

It was supposed to start raining last night, and technically, I think it did. That forecast also said today would be rather gloomy. So, everytime I noticed the sunshine I had to whisper a little thank you. I'm so glad it is so difficult to forecast the weather for the pacific northwest - sometimes it works out in our favor. Sophie and I spent an hour at the park today - playing at the playground and hunting for leaves. This is the first leaf we found, it's a beauty.
ps... I am looking out the back window right now, and the forecast looks to have been right. The rain is just taking a little longer to get here than expected.

REI executives read my blog!

Well, that's what we decided anyway.

See, a couple days ago, I edited a previous post to add a link to the tent we would like to have. I put it there, partly just as a place to save it since the rebate doesn't happen until March. But, less than a day later I received an e-mail. It was from REI and it was offering 25% off one REI brand product. Uh, really? Did you read my blog? Because, now you just made it an even better deal. Thanks! So really - my grandparents, Andy's parents and REI executives read my blog. Today after lunch we took the girls to REI. The employee who went in search of one of these tents came back with tent in hand and moved another tent out of the way. We got to set it up right there - the girls immediately climbed in and checked it out. They gave it four thumbs up. So, it was decided. When Andy checks with work tomorrow, I will be online reserving some campsites in Crater Lake and Bend for a few weeks down the road. One problem though - we can't take Charley to Crater Lake. That is a serious bummer... so we are still deciding on that part.

Getting out.

With my hand in bandages, I'm not getting much done around the house right now. The way it felt this morning when I changed the bandages, it's not healing fast enough either. At this point, the main problem is the swelling and a few tiny blisters. The dirty house (I did manage to fold two loads of laundry yesterday) and the knitting break has been a bummer. I just don't know what to do with myself - I have to keep my hand clean and preferably dry. So, today we left. We went to the Woodburn Tulip Festival, about an hour away. It's opening weekend, so not everything is in bloom yet, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Typing left handed is tough enough, but image editing is rather difficult so I only have this one to share for now. There are lots of great photos from today, and I promise to add more soon.

a story...

about a bike, a boy, a frog and a burger...

Once there was a boy. He was riding his bike to a restaurant. On the way, he met a frog. The frog was going to the restaurant too. So, they went together. When they got there, the boy ordered a hamburger and he shared it with the frog. The end.

On our drive home this afternoon I told Emma there is a bike, a frog, and a hamburger. Then I asked her to tell me a story about them. That was her story.
Fittingly, we took a walk around the block this evening before taking the girls up to bed. On our walk, we met up with a few frogs. And Sophie stomped on a slug she found on our front porch.
This is how we start our last long weekend before school starts. In store for us this weekend:
*a massage for Andy (lucky guy)
*a haircut for me (the girls got haircuts today)
*a wedding (Andy's friend Sunil)
*a class about canning and preserving for me (at our local nursery - it's free)
*a first birthday celebration
*somewhere in there, some much needed R&R
Hope you have a lovely last weekend of summer (officially, anyhow).

But they're so cute, mommy!

Um, no. No you can't bring the slug babies in the house.

Um, no. No you can't put the slug babies on our plants in the backyard.

How about across the street. There are lots of plants that the slugs can eat over there. Okay?

This is how my girls enjoy a good hike on a rainy morning. We enjoyed it too. Oh, except for the part where Emma insisted that I carry the slugs for a while because she was getting tired. That should have been a really good opportunity to leave the slugs behind. But, I played along - until the big baby slug started slithering it's way to the edge of the leaf and showed interest in landing on my hand. No thanks.

Emma was in charge...

...and Charley mostly did well with the idea.

We tell the girls that the first number on the clock has to be a 7 before we all get out of bed. So, when the 7 showed up, we all got up, ate breakfast, got ready and headed out the door for a nice little morning hike in the woods. We went to the Wildwood Trail on the way to Mt. Hood and had a nice little walk. The girls climbed the rocks, ran all over, Charley went for a swim (I think she really misses her friend Goosie on days like this) and of course we took a few pictures. It was a good little adventure, and along with hanging with the "neighbs" when we got home - it really wiped out the girls. They asked (yes, asked) to go to bed at 6:45pm. Unheard of!