Random May

Hyrum took the boys to the Father's and Sons campout

Julian at the campout

Hanging with my friends while all our husbands and kids were on the campout.  One of the main perks to having only boys is that I get at least one night a year to myself while they are at the campout:)  We watched Pride and Prejudice, ate lots of chocolate and braided each others hair.  Super fun girls night!

Our cat thinks she is queen of all she sees

This is Julian's bean sprout plant he brought home from kindergarten.  I have never seen one of those bean seeds take off like this before!  He was super proud of it and always made sure I watered it every day:)

Anniversary Get Away

May 8-10 2015

Hyrum and I celebrated our 16th Anniversary this year.  I still have a hard time believing he has put up with me so long:)  Hyrum's niece Taylor Doxey stayed with our boys all weekend so we could get away to the Oregon Coast for a few days.  It was wonderful.  I loved staying up late walking on the beach, sleeping in, eating at restaurants that don't include chicken nuggets on their menu...generally being a couple free from kids for a few days.

The view from our balcony.  I loved hearing and smelling the ocean from our room.

We drove to the coast after work on Friday.  The next morning when we got in our car to drive to our hike there were flowers all over the hood.  The tree we parked under wanted us to feel loved:)

Hiking is Hyrum's favorite activity.  He loves to get away from the crowds and enjoy nature and it's beauty.  Even though it's not my favorite activity I'm glad Hyrum drags me along, we sure see some beautiful places!

The weather on Saturday was gorgeous!

There were lots of pretty flowers on our hike.  We also actually saw a whale out in the ocean.  It came up for air 2 or 3 times before we lost sight of it.  I have lived here for 3 years and it was the first time I had ever seen a whale at the coast.

Hiking around Cape Falcon.  We actually saw a falcon soaring above the waves...pretty cool!

Hyrum hiking in the forest.

After our hike we got to do one of my favorite things...shopping!  We walked all around the Cannon Beach shops.  I loved looking at all the artists boutiques.  I never get to do that with the kids:)

Our anniversary gift to ourselves bought in Cannon Beach.

Sunday's weather wasn't so sunny but we still enjoyed walking around on the beach.  Here we are with the famous Haystack Rock behind us.

Us with a cool lighthouse in the distance.  I love you Hyrum.  Thanks for sticking with me these many years.  I know you were the right choice for me!

Julian's Fun Run

Julian's school held a "fun run" fund raiser.  I was sure Julian would not make it more than one or two laps but he ran for 9 1/2 laps!!!  I was so super proud of him.  He had lots of fun with his friends and I think he felt pretty proud of himself at the end of the run:)

Julian and his friend Caitlyn before the run

Look at my boy go!

After the run, hot, sweaty but happy to have a popsicle!

11 Year Old Campout

May 1-2:  My twins got to go on their very first scout campout.  As far as I know there was only one knife incident (I think Emerson cut himself).  They brought our 7 man tent and squeezed all their friends inside and stayed up way too late talking.  I think Townsend and another boy actually switched tents so they could get some sleep.  Hyrum went with them because they needed some extra leaders.  I think overall they had fun, they sure look happy in the photos Hyrum took!

Townsend (L) Emerson (R)

Townsend

Emerson and a friend trying to knock each other off the log

Townsend at the shooting range

Since I was home alone with just Julian he got to have a little play date with his friend Leah and then we all went out for Hawaiian shave ice:)

Nehalem Bay State Park, Oregon

The weather was going to be beautiful out on the coast on April 18-19th so we decided to break out the tent trailer for the first campout of the year.  I love Nehalem Bay because the campground has a playground, flush toilets, showers and the beach just a few hundred feet from the camp sites.  We had so much fun!

We stopped at Camp 18 on our way out.  This is an old logging camp turned yummy restaurant that we sometimes stop at on our way to the coast.  Their cinnamon rolls are delicious and about the size of a dinner plate!

Julian at Camp 18

The campground was full of these great climbing trees.  Each of the boys found a "resting spot" in the trees.

Townsend in his "resting spot"

We can't go to the beach without the twins having a mud fight with each other.  I was really glad our campground had showers:)

My boys Emerson (L) and Townsend (R)

Julian drawing in the sand on the beach.  When you live in Oregon and the water is FREEZING, you find other things to do at the beach:)

Emerson flying the big kite

At breakfast the next morning.  Daddy made us yummy pancakes and sausage:)

Some deer we saw while hiking

We found this huge sand dune and Daddy and the boys all hiked up it.  They came running, tumbling, somersaulting down!  Julian only went up and down one time but the twins went up about 10 times, each time rolling down in the sand!  It was pretty fun to watch.

Family photo op.  Townsend was sort of hidden behind me but we couldn't pass up the chance to take a photo with this stump.  Imagine the size of that tree!

Random April

Julian got to sing in "Chapel" with the other kindergarten classes in his school.  I love that he goes to chapel each week with his class, I'm going to miss the Lutheran school next year.

A shot of the inside of the chapel.

Emerson made this creature as a part of his writing project at school. Each child had to write about a new creature they discovered.  I think it turned out pretty cute:)

Townsend and Emerson went to our State capitol, Salem, Oregon on a field trip.  This is a shot of Townsend (L) and some of his friends.

I just had to get a shot of all my boys new shoes.  Their Uncle Steve works for Nike so we get to go to the employee store and buy stuff at a discount:)

Happy Birthday...Happy Easter!

Two weekends full of chocolate is not good for the waistline.  As you can tell from the photos my family and friends know what I like for my birthday...and it's chocolate!  Easter is always a fun holiday to celebrate but again...lots of chocolate.  I think I started my diet on the wrong weekend!

Happy birthday to me...glad Hyrum didn't put all 38 candles on the cake:)

Lovely gifts from Hyrum and the boys

I had a lunch date with friends for my birthday and this is the loot I came home with:)

Easter season always starts with decorating the tree outside our house with eggs.  It's a Bavarian tradition I brought back with me from Germany

Our cat really liked the hanging eggs:)

The weather did not cooperate for an outdoor Easter egg hunt so Katrina hosted the egg hunt in her house.  I'm pretty sure we hid over 500 eggs!

Julian finding some eggs

I love Emerson's happy face in this photo

Townsend showing off his "Silver Egg"  Each of the kids (10 and older) got to find one gold or silver egg.  After the egg hunt is over they all opened them at the same time to find money inside.  There was a $20, $10, $5 and lots of $1's.  The older kids love this tradition and love seeing who gets the $20 each year:)

The Easter Bunny left a few treats outside the boys rooms on Easter Sunday.