The Twins In Wyoming

 Townsend and Emerson were able to shadow Stan Israelsen in his surgery center in Wyoming. Townsend went one week then Emerson joined him for the weekend and then Emerson stayed on by himself the following week. They were able to observe many surgeries as well as out patient clinic. Stan and DeNae were so fabulous and took really good care of my boys. I'm not sure they came home wanting to become surgeons but they were so lucky to have Uncle Stan show them what life is like as an orthopedic surgeon. Not only did they get to explore the medical side but Stan took them out into the wilds of Wyoming for a fun camping/ATV adventure. Thank you DeNae and Stan for being such wonderful hosts! And thank you Tanya for being my Gillette, WY airport uber driver getting the boys to and from the airport!

Townsend all ready to observe in the operating room

At the camp site.  Both of my boys forgot their coats! Luckily Stan had an extra coat and a wind breaker that he shared with them.

Skipping rocks. Stan had 2 ATV's and he let Townsend drive one and Emerson drive the other. They had the best time!

Mountain biking

They were so hungry by the time they got back to civilization! Luckily Gillette has the best pizza place!

DeNae showed them how to make bread

They got to spend some time with their Grandma and Grandpa Johnson as well as my sisters Tanya and Riann.  Thank you Wyoming family for all the love you showed my boys 💞

Hyrum's Big Sailing Trip

Hyrum had a real adventure at the end of August. He took a sailing class which entailed sailing with a group of 4 other guys from Anacortes, Washington, out to the Pacific Ocean, across the Columbia River Bar, and up the Columbia to Portland. The trip included sailing through the night out on the Pacific. It really was a fantastic adventure. 

Hyrum enjoyed getting to know a group of great guys, and he loved the chance to sail from port to port over the course of several days-- Quite a different experience compared to daysailing on the Columbia!

Rachelle, Emerson, Townsend, Saki, and Ella Duncan came down to Astoria to welcome the guys as they crossed the bar from the ocean. 

Overall, it was a great trip, and made Hyrum a little more confident with the notion of ocean sailing. Maybe someday?

August Fun and Welcome Saki!

 

Out for a sail and a swim on the Columbia River

The twins and I went on a bike ride around North Plains and enjoyed a little fro-yo treat

Jackson Bottom wetlands walk...with a rainbow 🌈

Out on the river again with Jason and Katrina

Katrina and I went to Cannon Beach one afternoon to see if we could spot any puffins on haystack rock.  Sadly we didn't see any puffins but a walk on the beach is always fun!

Summer sailing on the Dan and another great swim on Sand Island

Family fun on Cannon Beach. Townsend is so good at handstands!

The twins playing in the waves...this water was freezing!

Kite fun

I love this picture of Emerson flying a kite

Haystack rock

Petey relaxing in the sun

A little walk through Forest Park

I took the twins into Portland for a bite to eat at our favorite Korean restaurant (Bibim)

This is Hillsboro...I get to live in this beautiful place!

FaceTiming with Julian in Japan.  He hasn't cut his hair since he left home in April!

One of our favorite walks close to home is around the trails in Rood Bridge park. One day we discovered little green frogs love to hide in the wooden fence around the pond.  Now every time we go to this park we try to see if the frogs are still in their fence homes:)

You have to go to Burgerville when  they have Walla Walla onion rings on the menu. Best onion rings ever and they only have them for a few weeks every year:)

Hyrum took the twins on a 50 mile backpacking trip. The night before they left we weighed all the bags.  Hyrum's was 32 pounds and the twins were both under 20! I think Hyrum believes his knees are still just 25 years old!

Andrea, Katrina and I went to visit the friendly Ole-Bolle troll in Portland

I made a welcome sign for our exchange student, Saki, who is coming from Japan and staying with us this school year. We are all so excited to meet her.

Saki sent me this photo from the Tokyo airport. Saying goodbye to her parents and heading our way!

Welcome to Oregon Saki!! Hyrum and the boys were on their big hiking trip so I was the only one that was going to meet her at the airport. Luckily her AFS liaison offered to come with me so I wouldn't be alone. Priscilla is super sweet and will be great to work with this year.

First meal in the US...tacos 😆

I took her to play pickle ball for the first time. She is so excited to try anything new and is always happy participate even if she has never done it before.

She tried root beer for the first time...not a fan

When Hyrum and the twins came home she showed us all the treats she brought us from Japan. Lots of fun food to try!

Spin class with Saki, Townsend and Katrina

FaceTime with my favorite 3 year old:)

Some friends invited us to go to Jones Creek. Saki had never kayaked before but she did a great job.

Bike ride on the Banks-Vernonia trail. Saki hadn't ridden a bike since she was very young but she did a great job.

We saw a beautiful owl on our bike ride

Had to stop and eat some delicious ripe blackberries along the trail

Emerson and Saki joined my friends and I on a hike to punchbowl falls. It was a beautiful day for a hike. Saki hadn't done much hiking in Japan but she did great on the hike.

Emerson and Saki

Fun water crossing on the hike

Beautiful punchbowl falls

Another water crossing...this time on a narrow log. Everyone did great and no-one fell in the river!

The water was very cold but after a long hot hike I thought it felt wonderful!

Lunch at Sugar Pine after the hike

Saki and the twins making yakisoba

It turned out so delicious!!

Saki mowing the lawn for the first time in her life...she said it was fun:)

Another great walk around Rood Bridge park

The twins were so great with Saki. They made her feel very welcome and loved talking with her in Japanese and learning about the things she likes to do. I'm so happy she is fitting into our family so nicely.

Saying hello to our little frog friends in their fence homes...

...so cute!

Our friends (the Duncan's) were in town so we met up at a delicious Japanese restaurant. Saki and their daughter, Ella, got along really well.

Such cute girls

After dinner we went back to their hotel and the kids went swimming in the pool

Ella spent the night at our house and she and Saki got up to some shenanigans during the night 😆

Hyrum spent 4 days on a sailboat from the San Juan Islands to Portland. Here he is coming into the marina in Astoria, OR. The kids and I plus the Duncan family drove to Astoria to say hi and see his fancy boat he got to sail on. It was super cool to see this big boat and meet the other guys he spent the journey sailing with.

Watching Dad sail down the river

These two were inseparable 

Waiting in line at the bow picker for the best fish and chips in Astoria!

At the maritime museum in Astoria

We met up with Hyrum and had a great walk all along the waterfront. 

After saying goodbye to Hyrum so he could keep sailing we took the Duncans up to the Astoria Column. The kids climbed to the top and threw wooden airplanes off from the top of the tower. 

We met a little deer friend eating some blackberries below the column

What a great month full of fun and adventure...and a new addition to our family.  I can't wait to share our family with Saki this school year. She is such a fun girl to have around.