Still the best money we ever spent

Two years ago we bought this big swimming pool, and decided to give up about a third of our yard each summer. One of the best decisions we ever made. It has provided us with hours and hours of fun.



It lets us burn off lots of vacation energy.




And keeps us cool and comfortable on hot summer days.



Plus, it gives us a chance to try out some new hair styles!

Home

Sometimes I get the strangest feeling, like Portlandia is belting out her siren song, calling me home. Four and a half years later and I miss Portland more and more. Sometimes I long for it. I mourn the distance between where I live now and all of the restaurants, stores, parks, libraries, culture and diversity that I want to be with. I know our reasons for moving were many, and some of them extreme (like a drive by shooting on our street). I work really hard to focus on the good of where we live now, but it doesn't hold a place in my heart. Portland was and always will be "My Hometown".

Lately I have really been craving Portland. I think maybe it's how much fun Summer in the city can be. I love all of the green space, the parks with their well manicured lawns. My niece and nephew are here for the week, so today I took everyone in to town. We went to the Kennedy school for a movie and some tots, and to the Peninsula Park rose garden. We used to live just a few blocks from this park. When the weather was nice, or sometimes even not so nice, we walked through this park every day. We watched the squirrels play, we waited for the roses to turn, and we ran on the rich green lawns. Today it was just as glorious as I remembered. The roses are divine, and their heavenly smell still hits you right as you start down the stairs into the garden. Just like I remember it.

Happy ,smiling faces

This is my final reunion post (at least I think it is). I had a few more favorite pictures, and I just wanted to share some of the wonderful faces that made the reunion so special.

The REALLY fun stuff

I have to say, almost everything about this reunion was super fun. That's what happens when you get to spend time with so many enjoyable people. There were however a few activities that were a little extra fun.
Like "The Great Marshmallow Shooter War"




Pop rocks sizzling on our tongues






The bubble-gum bubble blowing contest




Riding quads






And catching a ride from Uncle Aaron

OH....just so many fun memories!

Fishing

The kids really wanted to catch some fish at the reunion. None of my poor kids have ever caught a fish before. They tried catching fish at the pond by Uncle Aaron's house, but only one frog was caught. Then they tried for a little while at Willow Lake. In the end someone got the fantastic idea to take the kids to the fish hatchery, so they would all have a great chance of catching something.









Finally! Grayson was one of the last kids to catch a fish. He had been getting pretty frustrated and tearful. I think fishing is definitely not his sport, not enough patience.


New friends


Fish gutting 101 with Grandma B.





And now I have some lovely little fishies in my freezer, just waiting to be fried up.

Willow Lake

For one day of the family reunion we all packed up and went to Willow Lake. What a gorgeous place, just spectacular! The kids were all ecstatic to get to go out on Uncle Aaron's boat. They had been eyeballing it since we got to his house. We had a lovely day relaxing at the lake; with boat rides, playing in the water, visiting and eating good food.

My boys all now want either to get a boat, or get adopted by their Uncle Aaron.
Here are a few of my favorite photos from that day:
Grayson and Jack


Fuller on the boat


Paul and Rowan


Grayson and Mojo


The guys

The fam

The Cousins

This was a really special gathering, since it was the first time that all of the cousins have been in the same place at the same time. It was fun to see them all together, and see their friendships forming and growing. They are quite a crew.

In order form oldest to youngest we have: Gabe(12), Fuller(12), Holland(12), Elsie(10), Lakota(9), Grayson(8), Jack (7), Cozette(7), Rowan (6),and Ben(5).
Sometimes they all played together, and other times they would break into smaller groups. There was pretty much a prefect span of kids at different ages so that everyone had someone to play with.
Here's the "big kid" gang. They got along great, and only tried to hold their "status" over the "little" kids a few times.

For the most part the kids required little on no adult intervention. Uncle Aaron and Aunt Sandy's place is just fantastic. They had so many options of things to do, and the kids generally came up with their own games and activities.
They all spent a lot of time playing on the trampoline.


"Dead Man" seemed to be the most popular game.


Sometimes they all played games together. Aunt Barb is the BEST at getting kids going on a game.


They also swam together, even though most of the time it really wasn't THAT warm.


But mostly they just spent time hanging out and catching up.

And it was wonderful to see those friendships pick right up where they left off.