VACATION

We’ve been on vacation to Oregon for the past two weeks. Our little family took a few days to camp on the coast, which was completely fun. We got to spend a day with the Laus around Coos Bay. Their little girls are so cute and such good babies. Jeff and Lea are amazing parents. We also spent time with all of Jake’s siblings and their kids for a family reunion. I’m really glad Sage and Kei got this time to play with their cousins and grandparents. Finally, we spent some time with the Smiths in Silverton. Sage thought having a sleepover with Miley and Addison was the best. And baby Payton is just precious. After our flight home, we got to stop over at the Munns’ apartment in Albuquerque and see baby Bailey, who is too cute. Beth is doing such a great job being a mom. These past weeks were jam-packed, so we figured we’d just post a lot of pictures to show the fun memories we are grateful to have made.
Playing dress up with Macie at Gilbert House Children’s Museum
Rolling in the sand at Honeyman State Park
Haceta Head Lighthouse
The Laus
Trying to get the kids to smile at botanical gardens in North Bend
The coast at North Bend near Laus home. Looks like Sage is afraid she’s going to fall in!
Jeff showed us how to crab. You can tell how much Keiger liked them!
Beach-combing at Newport Beach. We all loved gathering interesting shells. We got into our campsite at 10 pm the night before!
All of the cousins on Grandpa-great’s six-wheeler
Sage on the tire swing at Grandpa-great’s where we had a family photo shoot
Stayed a few days with all the family at a condo near Redmond. Went on a little hike to a waterfall.
Our day at OMSI in Portland
Sage, Miley & Addison as cute as ever

Fishing at Minto Brown

The petting zoo at the Fair

Wind Rivers

Where is the summer going? We got back last week from my dad’s annual backpacking trip to the Wind Rivers. This was the first year I was able to go since Sage was born, so you can imagine I was sucking air on the hikes Jacob led. He has this way of picking out the craziest route possible to the top or bottom of things. Anyway, we all had a lot of fun. Thankfully, we all had good tents since one night it dumped on us for a good two hours straight—it even hailed on and off for the whole storm. I made a break for the tent while Jake stuck it out under the kitchen sun shade thingee. Our camp was a puddle of mud. Jake named the camp “Moose Haven” since we would wake up to moose munching around the tent. We also saw a few deer and four “nice bucks” (according to Jacob) on our hike up Sky Pilot Pass. My mom watched our kids for the week, so I spent most of my spare time reading a book (heaven) and we fished. It had been a LONG time since I’d picked up a fly rod, so I am happy to know I can still catch some, even though Jake does it far better than I do. Here’s a pic of me with my dad and Vern, my dad’s 80 year old cousin. He’s in better shape than I am…probably Jake too. Maybe. We drilled him on what he has done to stay so fit. He’s always been pretty active and eats healthy. In fact, Jake was eating some peanut M&M’s (he was eating the whole trip) during this discussion and asked Vern, “So I probably shouldn’t be eating these, should I?” Vern leaned in a little closer and said, “You haven’t seen me eat any of those, have you?”
The lake we camped next to.

The moose that "camped" 20 yards from our tent.
Peak Lake cirque

While we were in Utah, we were able to meet up with friends from Moscow and Ricks, even high school, who are living on the Wasatch Front. It was really nice to see what everyone is up to and to see how cute their little kids are growing up. It was sweltering HOT, though! So it was a fun visit, though I feel bad that with such a large group we weren’t able to visit with everyone more. Hopefully, there will be other times. Thanks everybody for coming!

Sage had a pajama party the other night before one of her little preschool friend moves to Colorado. Watching the pillow fight was pretty funny.
I get my copy of the next Twilight book tomorrow, and I can’t wait. I warned Jacob that I’m going to disappear for the rest of the week until I finish it. One last note from Jacob: If anyone wants to come visit us in New Mexico from August 31st thru September 22nd, that would be great so Jake won’t feel so guilty about being gone for hunting season. It has begun! Hey, you’d be impressed. Jacob actually planned a surprise date for my birthday. Jaws are dropping everywhere, I know. He hired a babysitter—this is only the second time we’ve had a sitter since we had Sage. We’re cheap. We went to a movie and then out to a fancy dinner at Taos’ “most romantic” and “best restaurant.” I can probably find the receipts for proof that this actually happened, if you’re still skeptical. Too fun.