Sweet Summer.

 

summer is nearing an end.  i can feel it in the air.  the warm weather will continue but it won't be the same.  schedules, soccer practices, school field trips replace sleeping in late and morning cartoons.  i am ready for fall and excited about mckenzie's new school year.

 

we are having such a great time on this mini vacation to the oregon coast.  i love cooking hot dogs over the fire and making smore's and watching my little one chase the sea gulls.  i will miss you summer.  see you next year.

Brookings.

 

we are at the beach having a wonderful time.  just one last outing before school starts.  the girls are having a glorious time playing in the sand or swimming in the pool at our hotel. 

Jackson Well Springs.

all of us went to jackson well springs with grandma alicia this morning.  our last visit for the summer to this new found wonderful swimming hole.  i just love this place and the gorgeous outdoor patio setting and all the yummy flowers that surround it. 

 

the photo of the girls looking down at something just cracks me up.  it's hard to see, but there was a dead praying mantis on the concrete and the girls were pondering whether it was alive or not.  i insisted it was dead and it was only the wind that was making it move but they just stood there in this position looking down for quite some time until they were pleasantly satisfied that it was not coming back to life.

 

before we left, we snacked on bagels and cream cheese, apple slices, grapes and bananas and a couple juice boxes for the girls. 

 

i will be so looking forward to this spot next summer.

Summer Goodness.

 

i have been such a slacker at blogging this summer but lots of fun stuff happening around here.  the only not so enjoyable thing is the very hot weather we are having today and tomorrows predicted high is 107.  i'm starting to melt just thinking about it. 

 

took the girls to get some yummy yogurt in hopes of a cool down.  we were sitting next to a couple that were visiting from Canada.  the husband was taking a picture of his wife and i asked if i could take their picture if they would take our picture.  "oh please would you?!" they said.  i need to get more of me in our photos.

 

tomorrow all four of us are heading to jackson well springs to meet grandma alicia for a swim and a picnic on their gorgeous shaded deck.  i can't wait.

Right Now.

 

Right now, i'm sitting in a Starbuck's, uploading photos to Shutterfly's website and will be so very happy the day I get my satellite for high speed internet at my house.  There is so much going on around me right now.  I've counted 17 people in this tiny coffee shop.  3 of these people are using laptops.  There is a group of 3 women sitting at a table having some kind of church meeting.  An older gentleman that looks like he's using an iPhone with an earpiece.  A young teenage girl reading a book and lots of yummy hot coffee, frappuccino's and treats being devoured.

 

Right now I'm so very thankful for some kid-free time.  McKenzie's still in Portland with my mom and dad.  Callie is with her great-grandparent's for a few days and matt is tending to his pumpkins. 

 

note:  this photo was taken a few weeks ago at North Mountain Park while McKenzie was attending a writing camp.

Lately You...

 

Lately You...

 

1.   Love holding the guinea pigs and feeding them yummy lettuce and green bell peppers.

 

2.   Have been taking swim lessons at our local YMCA.  You love it but won't put your head under water.

 

3.   You have a craving for donuts everyday now that we visit the farmers market in Ashland on Tuesday's for a fresh chocolate donut with colored sprinkles.

 

4.   You are doing a great job using the potty during the day if we just put you in a dress with no bottoms on.

 

5.   Love watching the Walt Disney movie "Bolt" everyday.

 

6.   You love it when I take you to daddy's pumpkin patch so you can run around and play in the dirt.

 

7.   You still drink from a sippy cup.

 

8.   You still get up in the middle of the night and crawl into mumma's bed.

 

9.   You could live off of apple juice, peanut butter and jelly or cheese sandwiches if I would let you.

 

10.  You won't take naps anymore even though you need one around 1:00.  I'll put you in your bed just for some "quiet time" and you'll just play in your bed and often cry because you don't like "quiet time."

Tuesday Happenings.

Callie and I did lots of activities today.  They included...

 

1.  trip to the farmers market for a special cookie treat. (we usually get our donut fix here but their machine was broken.)

2.  trip to North Mountain Park for some playtime in their giant sandbox followed by the smelling of all the lovely flowers.

3.  trip to Garfield Park where there was lots of water fun, swing time and slide time.

4.  time to cool off with a strawberry-banana smoothie.  One smoothie for Callie and one smoothie for mom.

5.  time to go home and let the guinea pigs romp in the yard and chomp on the yummy fresh grass and clover before daddy mowes the lawn. 

6.  and you would think this four year old would be plum tuckered after all this excitement but it's almost 9pm and she's still going strong.