Sunriver!

My preference is to post in chronological order so I’ve been waiting for a friend to email me the pictures she took from our girl’s trip to Sunriver in September.  I left my good camera at home and didn’t take a single picture on my phone so she was deemed the photographer (though she only had her phone as well).  Anyhow, I gotta keep moving along even without great pictures.

My friend Sommer’s family (parents and siblings) own a rental home in Sunriver, Oregon and saved a weekend in September for a weekend away.  Her sister-in-law (also in our ward) invited three friends, Sommer invited three friends and off we went to paradise.  There’s so much about Sunriver that I love.  We had such a wonderful family vacation there back in 2012 (here, here, here and here) and have been anxious to return.  Justin wasn’t thrilled I was going without him.

Our car left on Thursday morning.  My first road trip with friends.  The six hour drive flew by.  We stopped at a Pine State Biscuits in Portland for lunch – featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.   It was super yummy.  Portland has nothing to worry about “Keep Portland Weird” couldn’t have been more true.  As we drove around some dicey parts of town trying to find lunch we saw some pretty strange people – including a man in slippers and a robe walking out of the post office. 

When we arrived at the house it didn’t take us long to jump on the cruisers for a ride around beautiful Sunriver.  So relaxing.  Since we were visiting outside of busy season it was even more secluded and peaceful.  And the weather was amazing all weekend!

We ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant in town and then headed back to the house to watch a chick-flick that proved to be quite disappointing.  The other group of gals arrived late Thursday night.

After everyone was up Friday morning we took a quick run/walk to the horse stables and back then it was back on the cruisers for a nice, long ride to Benham Falls.

Pool time in the afternoon – so relaxing , especially without keeping track of five kiddos!  I could’ve stayed on the lazy river all day.

Shopping in town at “Your Store” for $14.99 sweatshirts, followed by dinner and delicious ice cream at Goody’s.  Oh, how I love Goody’s!

Playing games, enjoying the hot tub, eating massive amounts of junk food then chatting, laughing, and playing games til we couldn’t hold our eyes open

Sommer took us on another long bike ride Saturday morning, but this one involved a few major hills.  Seriously didn’t think I would make it up that hill without having to walk it, but I believe my grunting and screaming helped me power through it – much like giving birth.  By this time we all had bruised bottoms from all the bike riding, but so worth it.

Our bike ride took us to some pickle ball courts where Shar and I dominated – never even played before.  Super fun!

 

Back to the pool that afternoon before cleaning up and heading into Bend for some shopping and dinner.

We caught sacrament meeting in Bend on Sunday morning and then it was time to make the trek back home. 

It was such an amazing weekend and truly guilt and stress-free knowing that Justin was perfectly fine managing things at home.   This was such a fun, easy going group of ladies and I loved getting to know them all better.  Hopefully, Sunriver will become an annual ladies weekend.   This was my second trip with friends (both this year) and I’m hooked - thankfully, I won’t have to wait long to do it again.

Grand Opening?

We’ve been waiting over three years for the promised mega-park to be built in our neighborhood – with turf fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, and a pavilion with BBQ’s.  We’ve been anxious since moving here for work to begin.

The long awaited grand opening was Saturday, September 6th.  Our family as well as nearly 2,000 others attended and enjoyed a free BBQ lunch, unlimited Swanson ice-cream treats, pop, candy, bouncy houses, etc… Snoqualmie knows how to throw a good party!

The picture below was printed in the local newspaper and sent to all the residents via email.  We’re probably the only ones that would notice, but that’s Jason and Katie sitting front and center enjoying some treats in the shade.

Jason spent probably an hour playing tug-a-war.  He was having so much fun until the rope somehow got caught around his neck and ankles and he ended up with some pretty painful rope burns.

Abigail even got in on the action.

Abigail took Drew though a bouncy house – he loved it!

The little playground is on turf which is so, so, so nice for mom’s with little toddlers.  It seems Drew could have stayed all night.  He especially liked the swings!

 

The irony in the ‘grand opening’ is that the gates closed after the party and here we are a month later still waiting for the final touches to be completed.  When that finally does happen it will be wonderful to have such a fantastic park so close.

First Day of School

The first day of school is one of the few mornings I’m up early enough to see Abigail.  I prepared her a pancake breakfast, helped with her hair, snapped a few pictures and then dropped her off at the bus stop down the hill.

Volleyball tryouts started immediately after the first day of school.  Abigail had soccer practice right after that, and then after a quick bite she headed off to youth.  This is our first time having a kiddo play two sports consecutively.  It’s actually been mostly manageable since soccer and volleyball are both at her school, but Wednesdays are non-stop for this girl.  Makes for a late night when you add in homework as well.   She continues to play the flute this year which makes for quite the load of stuff she needs to take to school everyday.

Carly and Jason left about an hour later.
  

This will be the last year these two go to school together.

This is also one of the few (quite possibly the only day) I walk them to their bus stop in the morning.

Carly has several friends in the neighborhood she rides the bus with.

Katie really wanted to help me make cookies for the kids to have when they got home from school so I gave her the task of unwrapping the Hershey kisses.  When she was done I found that she’d taken a nibble out of several kisses.  I was actually pretty upset and sent her to time out while I inspected each of them.  Then I saw the humor in it and took a picture.

I wish I could just be that Mom that laughs this stuff off, but I’ve got too much tiger-mother in me so as punishment Katie didn’t get to eat any cookies :(

Katie started preschool the following week.  A friend in the neighborhood teaches preschool in her home.  Katie has been SO excited for preschool to begin.  I love that it is so close and that there are only 7 kiddos in the class.

Katie looks forward to going to Mrs. Hammer’s every Tuesday and Thursday.  She loves homework, which has so far consisted of writing her name and letters of the alphabet.  This past week she was the VIP, an absolute thrill for her.

So far everyone has adjusted well to being back in school and in the full swing of fall activities.

Random Summer Phone Photos

August 5th – While Jason and Abigail were hiking Denny Creek with friends, Justin and I took Carly, Katie, and Drew to the police station for National Night Out.  Besides a free meal it was fun for the kids to roam through the various emergency vehicles on site.

Meanwhile…

Jason fell while running on the trail and totally skinned up his knees and elbows.  Thankfully someone had a first aid kit and was able to patch him up.  Of course, it would happen when we send him with friends. 

August 9th – Justin took Jason and Katie hiking to Twin Falls

Abigail’s registration day was August 27th – I dressed myself in identical clothes to see what her reaction would be to us going as twinners.  She wasn’t supportive of the idea.

On September 1st we went on a family bike ride along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.  We bought a bike rack last summer but didn’t get a hitch onto the van until late August.  We hope to get a lot of use out of it in years to come.  We only went about 4 miles since we wanted to get home with enough time to have our back to school FHE.

After priesthood blessings we had back to school surprises for the kids.  Carly, Jason, and Katie each received new backpacks.  This was thrilling for Carly especially- she’s been begging for a new backpack for ages.  Abigail got the biggest surprise – a phone!  She didn’t expect it all (but very much wanted).  A recent change to Justin’s policy allowed us to add another line without having to boot off one of his family members.  No longer is the almost teenage daughter of a parent who works for a cell phone company puzzlingly without a phone.  She’s got lots of rules in place and it’s actually come in extremely handy this fall.

September 2nd - The day before school started I was heading home from the hospital after Drew’s checkup and got in a minor accident.  We were stopped at the time because of a truck in front of the both of us that had stopped while merging onto a main road.  The lady in front of me made like she was going to pass him (which she should have) but then didn’t.  My bumper barely touched hers but her grown son insisted we needed to call the police.  

The police couldn’t even tell where contact had been made between the cars.  The lady was irate and overdramatic.  The cop said there was absolutely no need for the police to be involved but he had to write a report since he was.  So I had to deal with an overly tired baby that had just gotten shots, in the rain, on the side of a major road, for an HOUR!  Thankfully, Justin was able to come and get Drew after awhile.  I had a feeling the lady was the dramatic type, but the cop reassured me that that it couldn’t be anymore minor and took some pictures just for my piece of mind.  Turns out the lady is a crook and has claimed injury and damage – people are ridiculous!

That same afternoon as I drove Carly to soccer practice I spotted this.  Brightened my day a little.

And with that summer was over and school began…