DEQ FAIL

Our 2008 Dodge Mini-Van cannot pass DEQ.  Apparently it is not "ready."  I've made two failed attempts to pass, talked to a DEQ technician and our dealership, all to no avail. 

So in my spare time I do the "drive cycle" in an effort to get the van "ready."  We have passed the 100 mile mark, the one week mark, and the drive cycle, all potential requirements for the car to be "ready" to pass.

Oh Dodge, why do you give me so many reasons to hate you.

Oxbow Regional Park

We went to Oxbow Regional Park over the weekend to hike.  It was our first time going to the park, but we would definitely go back.  We saw a few deer and Nora met a horse on the trail.  The kids really enjoyed hiking along the Sandy River and throwing rocks into the water.  The campground was quaint and would be a great spot for an overnight trip.

Garden

My potted garden is somehow thriving!  We have tomatoes and beans to snack on!  Our mint is also doing well and the kids love to sample the leaves on their way to the backyard.  Who thought we could keep these plants alive?

Washington County Fair

On a whim I took the kids to the Washington County Fair.  We had a great morning walking around visiting all the booths and animals.  

We found some miniature ponies!  Nora was amazed to finally meet these tiny ponies.



We also met a mother horse and her two month old foal.  The kids that were caring for the animals let Nora pet the pony.



We happened to be passing this horse while her owner was caring for her.  The owner was a 13 year old girl who was so happy to tell Nora all about her horse.  Nora listened so carefully to everything she said. 

Dream Lites!

The kids have dreamlites!!!  Nora earned a dreamlite for letting Jeff pull out her first loose tooth.  We didn't realize at the time that there was a shortage in Portland.  And of course we began a two week search before finally finding one at a Walmart Market.  The kids love these toys!

Names

We pulled the kids rooms together one weekend, but never finished the last little details. We finally painted and hung their names on the walls. It is so much more official now!

Bike Wash

Jeff built the kids a bike wash last weekend.  We found the idea on pinterest and were able to replicate it pretty easily.  The best part is that the entire project was under $5.00!
We set it up in the drive way out front and the kids would ride their bikes through it.  We moved it to the backyard and used it as a sprinkler. 
It hasn't been warm enough in Portland yet for the kids to willing run through the water, except Ronan.  He basically begs for us to spray him down when we water ever night.  Imagine if the weather was actually over 80 degrees!

Visitors



We were so lucky to have so many visitors come to the cabin and visit!  The kids looked forward to the next group and had so much fun!



Olivia came to visit with her family.  The kids all wore matching skirts and shirts.  I wish I had captured more pictures!

Bonnie brought Great Grandma Luella up to the cabin too.  We had a great time playing on the shore.

Jeff's friend, Jake, and his family came to visit for a night too.  The kids had so much fun playing with their girls.  They even all snuggled up to watch Cars at night.

Tresure Hunt

Jeff's parents came up with the best idea to celebrate the kids birthdays while we were visiting.  They planned a giant treasure hunt around the cabin.  The kids had to follow clues to find presents!  It was such an awesome hunt and the kids really had to earn their treasures.  It was a great idea to do a special activity to celebrate their birthdays.  And the treasures kept us busy the rest of the visit.

Cabin

We took our recent trip to Wisconsin this summer and tried something a little different.  We went directly from the airport to the cabin.  This was a fantastic idea and we had a week of nonstop fun.  The weather was warm, which meant more time in the water.  We also had a steady supply of visitors which kept us busy!  Overall it was our best trip yet!

This is the favorite picture from the trip.  The children were in their element, playing near the water from morning to night.  They would actually wake up and run to the dock where Jeff's parents would be drinking coffee.  Before we knew it they'd be in their undies throwing rocks in the water.  It was the best way to start each day.

This was the first trip that Jeff's dad was able to get away from work for an entire week.  The kids has so much fun sitting on his lap and helping him drive the boat.  Papa got a workout throwing the kids into the water again and again and again.  Nora and Ronan helped him each morning feed the birds and deer.

Grammy had a ton of activities planned for the kids.  Nora and her even made a quilt! And this was on top of all the cooking and cleaning she did for us and all the guests.  We always get spoiled when we visit!

And then there were fireworks!  As you can tell from this picture, Ronan takes after Jeff!



Zoo Photo Shoot

One of my Hood to Coast teammates works for the zoo, and she put out a casting call for a photo shoot for summer camps. It was a great experience and the kids had a lot of fun. These are the pictures that the zoo released of Nora and Ronan.

Piggy Back Ride

Happiness is a piggyback ride from your dad.

Helvetia Half

I ran the Helvetia Half Marathon this year with my friends, Jessi and Sonja.  It was an fantastic course and I would definitely run it again!