Saturday, June 25, 2011

First week of summer

 

P1090714-2

What a week it has been!  It started off with three birthday parties, Father’s day and a Timbers game.  The boys absolutely loved the game and can hardly wait to go to another one!  Thanks Aunt Chris for taking us and Uncle Brian for the cool masks!

I’m thinking maybe (hopefully) Trace is hitting a growth spurt.  He ate three of these chicken sandwiches during the game!

P1090715-2

On Monday the boys and I went to help close up the classroom I worked in all year.  While the boys were a help, they also had some fun with the toys…

P1090720-2

On Tuesday Trace and Caden helped their grandpa wash two cars and a trailer all afternoon; Wednesday they mowed lawns and did yard work with Papa; Thursday they weeded at cousin Brady’s business, Friday was a day “off” and Saturday was back to weeding in the morning a birthday party in the afternoon and a graduation party the rest of the day!  Whew!  When do we get a break?!

P1090724-3

Missing these little guys though!  Wish we could go visit them in Hawaii…

P1090651-2

Thursday, June 23, 2011

I think it’s summer

2011-06-17

But I’m honestly not very convinced.  The roar of the school bus has faded, the bickering has escalated, strawberry jam is made but so far we’ve only seen that yellow thing in the sky once.  In a week.  Tomorrow’s high is supposed to make 68.  I just told Rick I’m ready to move anywhere that isn’t muggy or have big bugs.  When moving is joked about Trace panics and Caden gets excited.  We can’t win can we?

So far we have spent each day working in various locations.  Trace is trying to earn money to go to Young Life camp this summer, Caden just likes to spend and knows he has to work to have the money to spend.  I’m planning to join them soon in order to pay for three kids in orthodontics and multiple other activities.  What else is new?  So much more but this program hasn’t been working very well and I hate to type a bunch only to have it not post again!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Outdoor School 2011

P1090574-2

I remember going to outdoor school as both a sixth grader as well as a counselor a few years later.  Now I can add to those memories the time I went as a cook!  The kids go to the same school I went to and it has always had an amazing outdoor school program.  This year, for the first time in 7 years, they went back to a three day/two night sleep away camp.  It is by far the best memory most of these kids will have of their school years!

P1090585-2

I was given the honor of being able to go along as a cook.  I didn’t realize what an honor it was until after it was over though!  We hit the ground running on Wednesday morning and didn’t stop for three days.  We worked from 5:45 AM until 10:30/11:00 PM and I had one one hour break in three days!  It was an amazing experience to see what goes in to feeding 150 people (cracking 15 dozen eggs and making over 300 pancakes were my personal highlights!).  What I learned though is that once you go, you keep going.  No one wants to give up their spot on the “team” and there were people there who had been coming since their children were in sixth grade.  One man’s last child graduated high school this year and he is thinking he still may be back next year!  It’s that awesome!  No sixth graders in our family next year, but I hope to be there!

P1090589-2-3

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Columbia River

P1090563-3

The kids and I went down to check out the river the other night.  Though it was just above flood stage it wasn’t up to the sidewalk where we were.  It was however very high compared to what it usually is! 

Friday, June 17, 2011

The Demon Bird

So we have been hearing the sounds of birds in the vent above our microwave for probably about a month.  I finally got Rick to to out and take a look.  After much poking and prodding he eventually had to take apart the cupboard above the stove.

This is what he found…P1090558-2

It was no small task to pull all of that out of there either!  I don’t think that bird was building a nest so much as a nestmansion!  Criminy, that thing was huge!  Rick cut a piece of chicken wire and put it over the vent and after several hours we were finally done.  At least that’s what we thought…

After dinner Trace told Rick he thought the bird was back – to which Rick scoffed.  Then I agreed with Trace and Rick said there was no way they could get in again.   I went out to have a look and here is what I found…P1090559-2

Apparently those blasted birds are pretty determined little buggers!  After that Rick took four screws and screwed the chicken wire on!  There is strong evidence that the birds do not appreciate his handiwork but they have yet to defeat it this time!