Summer camping...

Larry and I have always been campers.... I still remember spontaneous trips in college where we would meet my sister-in-law and brother-in-law a few hours later, halfway between us and camp for 2 nights! It has been incredible sharing camping with our boys. Instead of taking a big family vacation the past few years, we have been planning lots of weekend trips and really exploring our state and the ones around us. WE LOVE IT!

This past weekend we went to Woodland, Washington to an RV park on the columbia riverfront. It was great. There was a pool, playground and lots of beach front views to the columbia! We got to see lots of ships go by which was great for the kids. I unplugged for the weekend and it was just what i needed......

Make the time to explore with your kids - the memories are priceless. Our youngest keeps asking when we are going again! Most camping sites are fairly inexpensive too.

Happy Birthday Andrew!!

Hard to believe it has been 9 years. I LOVE YOU so much!!!!!

You are such an amazing person Andrew! We are so proud of you and love you so much! Enjoy your day!

BOYS, BOYS, BOYS!!!

Summer is finally here! I am amazed at how busy I am with the boys even if we don't have plans!

I am so proud of how well the boys did in school this year. Its not just that they did well academically but they both did well by respecting their teachers and others around them. Their report cards were fun to read and it has been an amazing year for both of them (actually all 3 of them). So now we have a 4th grader, 2nd grader and preschooler!!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the past month:

A HUGE GOAL ACHIEVED!!

i am not a runner.
Never have been, doubt I ever will be.
BUT, I have discovered how much I like to walk! I achieved a HUGE goal for myself last weekend. I walked (jogged a little) my first 1/2 marathon. It felt great! I didn't do it for anyone else but myself! I want to prove to myself that I could push myself.
A few months ago, I joined a local walking group, the Sole Sisters! I did a great consistent job of meeting the group but then May hit with baseball and life! So i hardly walked. But, I did not want to give up! I still wanted to achieve this and so I did it!
It helped to have my great friend, Carmen by my side! We helped each other get through it! I am very proud of us. I know this will not be our last 1/2 marathon.
It was the Helvetia 1/2 Marathon so it was a beautiful walk with a big burger at the end.

BEFORE

DURING: DURING - MAJOR SWOLLEN WEIRD COLORED HANDS:AFTER: 13.1 MILES !!! WOOHOO!!

ENCHANTED FOREST

After a full 2 days of baseball, we decided to take our day off and so something fun! I have lived in Oregon almost all of my life. I always wanted to go to Enchanted Forest when I was a kid but we never went. So yesterday, we loaded the boys up and the 5 of us went. We had a great time. I don't think it is a place we would go very often but we had a great time :)
Here are a few pics!

TULIPS...

WOW! I am giddy.... I got the chance to go to the tulip festival this morning. First of all, it is a fabulous day here in Oregon. We are going to hit over 80 degrees today with NO RAIN! Second, the tulips are in full bloom and were absolutely GORGEOUS! I got to go with my friend Paige and we had a blast snapping pictures together!!! Here are just a few..... (I think we took about 200 total between us!)

SPRING 2009 PHOTO RECAP

Wow - I am thinking that I am doing pretty bad with this blogging thing! Maybe its because I have 3 boys, a husband, a dog & cat, baseball 4 times a week, drum lessons, a 3 YEAR OLD, school field trips, homework, science fair, book clubs, birthday parties, the list goes on and on....

oh yeah and I have a scrapbook business! Which helps me keep my sanity and keeps me scrapbooking.

So to catch you up on the past few months, here are a lot of photos - its my kind of catchup!!

Valentine's Day 2009 - Lobster Time! First Sign of Spring - Love how Oscar had to check it out with Ezra

Andrew and Kayla Dennis's 70th Birthday Party

Good Friends :) We don't take pictures too much together since we are always the ones taking them !

St. Patrick's Day 2009

Spring break was great this year! We put Andrew in a ski camp with his uncle Eddie. He loved riding the bus and getting the lessons. He learned how to ski and loves it! His dad took him back at the end of the week with Cameron. They all did awesome! We also went to Eugene, ChuckECheese, movies an

Ezra enjoying some sunshine!

Cameron and his adorable freckles EZRA IS 3 NOW!!!

Easter 2009

Easter Egg Hunt 2009

This is a rare occasion, the cat and dog sitting still long enough for a photo....this is what it normally looks like - Oscar running crazy around Buster!