Summer 2016- Part 1

The school year seemed to end very late especially since summer seemed to come very early this year. Many of our hottest days have been in April and May! So it's strange to think that the first half of summer is already gone! Paul and I have stayed busy with work. The other doctor in the chiropractic office took over two weeks off so Paul was gone even more than normal and I completed my first driver education class of the summer. I opted to do just two classes again this summer instead of three. I want to enjoy my family during the best weather months here in the PNW. The kids have managed to have some special treats this summer. They went fishing with Papa Will and daddy for the first time on his boat and really had a good day of fun and fish!

 We had a low-key 4th of July at home. We really just wanted to spend time not feeling stressed about going anywhere and letting the kids really enjoy the great display of fireworks we get here in Vancouver. This was the last year that within Vancouver city limits you are allowed to have fireworks (sad face) so everyone went above and beyond with their displays as we walked around the neighborhoods watching colors explode in all their patriotic glory! If you can't tell, I really love the 4th of July! We are a patriotic family who is devoted to the deep roots of the founding fathers and what makes America a free nation. Those founding fathers were definitely inspired and lead to the freedoms we now have. We love and respect all who have served our country and fought for liberty. It is heart-wrenching to see the abuse of power and laws that disregard the tears, toil and blood spilt in defending our liberty.

We went "all-american" style with homemade tie-dye shirts, an 8 mile bike ride around our childhood stomping grounds with stops visiting family and friends, and fast-food hamburgers for lunch.

We did our annual lake trip to Roosevelt with my side of the family. We missed Tarja and her family as they had a family reunion back east to attend this year. It's funny that last year I was very pregnant, and one quick year later I have a sand-eater crawling and keeping me from truly relaxing. Although who can resist this curious little blue-eyed, bald baby? Rowen seems to be advancing even quicker than his siblings at his age...I think he was the earliest to start crawling, and definitely getting teeth and eating. So far his personality reminds me a lot of Reina...quick as a wick, a talker, an eater, a singer, a bit demanding yet super engaging. His skin and smell even likens that of Reina's...super silky and a bit of vinegar smell. It will be interesting to see how he develops into his own little self these next months.

 The highlight for the kids this year was getting to ride the "easy wake" all by themselves. Reina looks nervous in the pictures but she actually enjoyed every minute of it. Baelor I think was oblivious to the fact that he could ever fall! We stopped at a cove and spent our time building a fort and boats, sliding down the sand into the water, and finding snakes and tadpoles- yuck!

Us adults did knee-boarding and a little wake-boarding. I did get up on the wake board but would immediately fall. After four falls I resorted to the easy knee-board instead. Paul looked like he should be in a Juicy Fruit commercial with some pretty sweet jumps and even managed to do a 360! Every time he was getting ready you could see him rehearse the Juicy Fruit commercial in his head or out loud. So fun...

We stayed an extra day at Teem and Emily's house and went to Silverwood! First time for us going to the waterpark side. We could have easily spent all day there in the wave pool and tons of waterslides. But of course since I was not preggers I had to go on the big rides! Sadly, Baelor was not tall enough for anything past the baby rides and Reina went on every single ride except for the two biggest rides that she wasn't quite tall enough for.

Everyone talks about "Tower of Terror" at California Adventure being so scary because it drops like an elevator falling down the shaft, but the one at Silverwood was WAY higher and you drop MUCH further. We seriously didn't have to wait in line for more than a couple of minutes for any of the rides so we got to do any and all.

We did some blueberry picking (of course) and swam at Cottonwood beach. I have been dancing regularly and am LOVING IT! I need one of those shirts that says, "I'd rather be dancing". Otherwise we have been working hard with projects around the house, church callings and the daily grind of life. I cherish the moments I get to spend with my family. Each of my children have such unique personalities and it helps that Paul makes me laugh every day. We really are the bestest friends. I love that.