Pool Time!

There is a great free wading pool in Oregon City that the kids and I hung out at one sunny afternoon.  It is very shallow and the girls loved being able to play around and not feel like they would go under water.  I enjoyed watching from the outside of the pool.  They played for 2 hours and want to go back!  We will look forward to more sunny days at the pool!



Happy 4th Of July 2012!

On 4^th of July we went down to my parent’s house on the river.  The girls and I (Bryan had to work) had a great day with my parents and brother feeding the ducks, enjoying the sunshine, watching the boats go by, having a BBQ, making blue star cookies and Maddie went on a boat ride with PaPa. 

In the evening, we watched the Fort Vancouver Fireworks from the road above the house.  The sky was clear and the moon was big and beautiful!

We spent the night so we did not have to drive home late that night.  It was a fun 4th and we were happy to spend it on the river. 

Thanks Mom and Dad!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Mac!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Dibs!

Trampoline Fun!

We had a garage sale and told the girls if they sold their Little Tykes play structure and their blow up bounce house, we would get a big trampoline for our yard.  They agreed and we sold their toys, so we are now enjoying every day on our trampoline!  The kids love it.  They run out there right after breakfast and spend their days jumping.  We have all enjoyed our trampoline time together and it is great exercise. 
When it is hot outside we put a sprinkler under the trampoline and jump in the spray!  It has been a great way to cool off on hot days!  
Here are some pictures of the girls and I being “goofy” on the trampoline.

Chuck E Cheese!

While Madison was at Trout Creek Camp we told Peyton she could choose one thing that she really wanted to do that was special with just us.  She chose Chuck E Cheese and wanted to invite Grandma to come too.  So, we took her to lunch at Chuck E Cheese and let her play some games.  She was happy to have all of the attention on her and enjoyed her time.  It was nice to give her a little Peyton time.

Trout Creek Bible Camp

July 1-3rd Madison went to her first overnight camp.  She loved it and was able to stay in a cabin with 3 other little girls she knew from school.  This was a great camp to try out for 2 nights to see if she will be ready for a week long camp next year.  At Trout Creek she rode horses, went swimming in their heated pools, did crafts, played games, ate meals, had chapel, campfire, learned new songs, and paddled a canoe. 
She says she wants to go back next year and be a part of the horse club.  The horse club is where she will learn to care for/feed a horse and ride her horse for the entire week.  She is really excited for this experience!     

                        It sounds like she had a great time. 

A Beautiful Sight

I looked out the window and saw this BEAUTIFUL and BRIGHT rainbow.  I could see the entire thing as it went right over our neighborhood.  It looked so close. The picture really doesn’t do it justice. It lit up the dark sky.

Genesis 9:12-13

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Oregon City

The Oregon City Trolley is a fun and free outing that we like to take every summer.  It just drives around Oregon City and you can see some of the different historical sites around town.  We have had drivers that stop and talk about the different areas like we are on a tour. Then we have had drivers, like the one we had this day, that just drive us around like we are on a public bus.  O-well, the kids still enjoy the ride. They especially liked it when we went down a really large hill and all slid to squish Madison who was at the end of the bench.  They thought this was pretty funny… well, everyone but Madison. 

On this same day we saw a free Magic Show at the Oregon City Library.  Mia and Aidan were both called up to help with a trick.  The kids thought the show was fun and it really kept their attention. 

  

We ended our day with $0.99 (big & messy) ice cream cones from Mikes Drive In…Yummy!

Portland Aerial Tram

We have been wanting to take a ride on the Portland Aerial Tram for a long time now.  Whenever we cross the Ross Island Bridge the kids see it and talk about how they want to go on "that".  So, we made a day 0f it by packing a picnic lunch, riding up to OHSU on the Aerial tram, and eating lunch in a tucked away little area at the top of the hill. 

It was an AMAZING view and the kids were just thrilled with the ride.  We could see 3 different Mountains, the Willamette river, and downtown Portland. 

 I think it would be fun to take this form of transportation to work everyday. 

 There were a few really neat drinking fountains up at the hospital that the kids had to get a drink from.  One looked like a bird and one looked like a nest with a small bird sitting on the edge.  There were also some neat fountains and statues tucked away in little nooks here and there. 

It was a fun outing that all enjoyed!  I would highly suggest it and would love to go on this little adventure again some day!        

Tryon Creek Hike

One afternoon we spent about an hour and a half  hiking at Tryon Creek.  It was not supposed to be a rainy day, but, by the time we were a quarter mile from finishing our hike it poured!  I don’t mean sprinkled or even rained…I mean poured buckets!  We were all soaked!  We should have wore our rainboots and coats.  It was still fun to explore the muddy paths, bridges, and little streams.   

The kids brought notebooks with them to write about the nature they saw.  It was pretty cute to see them stop and write about a plant or tree that was along the path.  They looked like true scientist.