April: Hikes with friends, Biking, Sailing, Tulip Festival and Lots of Weeding in Corvallis

 April is a great month in Oregon because the sun is finally coming out for longe than just a few hours a week. My friends and I enjoyed a few hikes and Hyrum got the sailboat back on the river. We spent multiple weekends down in Corvallis at the house doing yard work. The weeds are crazy at the beginning of Spring. After lots of work it finally looks like people live there and it's not an abandoned property! It's been tough adjusting to no kids at home. Hyrum has enjoyed not having to cook dinner every night because it turns out we are fine with some toast and marmalade;) We get to FaceTime Julian once a week and it's been great to hear how he is doing. He has made some friends at his new school and is settling into his new home fairly well. I don't think he is 100% comfortable with his host family yet but time will help with that. April was a great month...I love the chance to get outside after the rainy months of winter!

I got to host a baby shower for my niece (Katrina's daughter Taylor) Andrea and Stephanie Merrill also came up from Utah to be at the shower. It was really great to see so much love and support for Taylor and Parker

With Andrea in town Hyrum's brother Jacob drove down from Tacoma Washington...so there were 5 out of the 6 Durtschi siblings all together in one place:)

We took the boys out for dinner after spending all day weeding in the yard!

Our "empty nester" dinner.  Nothing fancy but still yummy:)

The Skinny Dan is back in the water for the season. It's a good couple of hours to get this boat into the water but it's definitely worth it...This is Hyrum's happy place

We had some bees that were trying to make nests under our outdoor table so Hyrum made them their own little insect hotel

Sunday walk around Jackson Bottom wetlands with Jason and Katrina

A hike to punchbowl falls with Nikki, Marci and Heather

After our hike we stopped at Sugar Pine drive in and they had the cheesiest grilled cheese sandwich! The ice cream here was also super amazing!

Robin Mann and I made a stop at Pittock Mansion to enjoy the view before I took her to the hospital for an appointment. Another good friend has to go through cancer treatment...cancer sucks!

A mommy and baby outside the window at the hospital

Easter treats for the twins. I felt so terrible I didn't send a package to Julian for Easter...I need to be better at remembering.

Worked all day and still didn't get ALL the weeds out of this planter bed! I hate weeding!

Easter dinner with the family. We got to meet Jason's new boyfriend, Ivan. Seems like a nice guy. It was so weird how small of a gathering we had for this dinner...where are all my kids??

The Woodburn tulip festival with Sherry and Robin. I love spending time with these ladies:)

Out for a "family" bike ride...but this is all that's left of our family!

Cousin lunch with Becky Baker, Melissa Ashby and Dorothy Ashby and Katrina Doxey. So fun to spend time with these guys and catch up on how everyone's family is doing.

7 yards of bark dust to spread in Corvallis...another long day!

The weeds were out of control in the back of the house.

Happy Hyrum on his boat

Another gorgeous day for a hike with Heather, Molly, Nikki and Marci...we did the 4 T's trail in Portland

Coming down on the aerial tram...best part of the 4 T's hike

Then a very well earned and delicious lunch at Bibim (Korean restaurant) It's so nice of these ladies to invite me on hikes...I'm definitely the slowest one there but I think they invite me because I'm just so much fun to be around:)

And that's all of April!

Goodbye Julian

 When I was 16 years old I spent a year in Australia as an exchange student. I loved my time there and always hoped one of my boys would also like to go on exchange. When the twins were the right age for a high school exchange Covid-19 shut the world and all travel down so they missed out. When Julian came to me his Freshman year of high school and said he wanted to go to Japan I was so excited! I encouraged him, I spoke with his school counselor to make sure it would not interfere with his graduation. I drove him to Portland once a week for a private Japanese tutor. I was so happy one of my kids would get this life changing opportunity.  Then I took him to the airport to say goodbye for the last time and I thought, "Wait, whose idea was this? My baby is leaving the country and living on his own with a different family and I won't know what he is doing or how is feeling every day?  I'm not so sure I like this anymore." But I let him go anyway. I watched as he walked toward his airplane to fly away from me for a year and my heart broke a little but mostly I was super proud of him. Proud that he wanted to take this hard step into independence. We love you Julian and miss you every day but we know you are capable and will have an amazing time!

I got a little group of friends together so they could hang out one last time. Some of these friends have known Julian since kindergarten. He is lucky to have such a great group:)

Julian took his friend (that is a girl...not girlfriend) to get bubble tea. I think he has a little crush on Malia and I think it's mutual and I also think it's super adorable. 

A goodbye hug from Townsend

Love from Emerson

Heading into the airport

Our little bear is going to Japan!

I'll admit I started crying when he gave his dad a hug for the last time.

Love you Lou Bear 💕

One last photo with Mom

Goodbye my sweet boy, we love you so much and miss you lots but you will have an adventure of a lifetime!