Pilot Rock

It smelt like summer yesterday. I was leaving the grocery store and I smelled that burning air and hot concrete smell.  It smells feels like eating popsicles after playing on the slip and slide, floating Idaho rivers, the sunflowers that line Utah highways on our way to grandma’s house, afternoons at the splash pad and loading the car for camping trips. It smelt like nostalgia. I love the dry heat of summer in Medford. 

To kick off our Father’s Day weekend, we decided to hike Pilot Rock! It was a beautiful morning and we knew we could finish the hike before Cate had to work, and Johnny had to go to a movie with friends. 

It’s about a mile and half up, with a steep ascent at the end involving clamoring up rocks, for about half of the hike we are on The Pacific Crest Trail. The hike oozed Oregon beauty. There were yellow, lavender, deep purple, red and white wildflowers scattered along the way. The views were spectacular. John carried Emma most of the way, which was quite impressive, seeing as I was dying at parts of the hike.  

The kids did well besides a squabble at the beginning and it was really sweet seeing them ask each other questions, joke around, play the the sling shot and race up certain parts (the boys in particular getting impatient with their slow mother!  

The rocky ascent at the end was more difficult than I predicted, especially with nonexistent core muscles- ha! John maybe had to hoist me from behind at one point, yes I’m a little embarrassed about that- but mostly grateful. The views at the top were worth it though. 

We scurried back to our car, Matthew and Johnny trying every trail before the right one a couple times, Emma scream-singing the whole way down calling out to her siblings, and Cate and Will target practicing with the sling shot. 

By the time we reached the car, Heaven felt a little closer, and I know that sounds cheesy; but it’s true. I need to remember the value getting out and adventuring as a family. 

We got home in time to get Cate to work, and Johnybto his haircut. Then Johnny went to a movie with his friends and the rest of us went swimming at the community pool. After that, we made a fire to roast marshmallows for smores, and roast hotdogs. Johnny brought the TV to the backyard and Emma set up blankets and we watched “The Parent Trap.” 

It was a great summer day!

 

Thanksgiving

Posted from Instagram:
Grateful. For all of it.
Today we went four wheeling in Tillamook and I snuck off into a little grove of trees. The further into the forest I walked, the heavier the silence blanketed my heart. Soon it was just me, my thoughts, and beautiful Oregon. In that moment I saw everything as it really was, and I was overcome with gratitude for a Heavenly Father who has never abandoned me, and has blessed me so immensely. I thought about my husband and my kids. I thought about the ups and downs, the hopes and doubts, the joys and pains, the lessons learned and the ones I'm still learning. I embraced the many warm, happy moments in my mind where I felt encompassed by love from heaven. I considered the hard experiences that have propelled me to a deeper place or understanding and love for others. I couldn't count my blessings because they felt innumerable, so I just kind of gave them a mental hug and launched a thank you prayer to my Heavenly Father. I felt the spirit whisper to my heart, "This is life. And it is good." And it is.
I'm choosing to be grateful, for *all* of it.
#thanksgiving2018
And not to ruin the spirit of this post, but we also had a wall ball tournament in which I beat e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e,💃👊 beating young children at a game I bombed in elementary definitely made the highlight reel (coming close behind the mashed potatoes and gravy and William eating everything on his plate....even if all he dished up was sweet potatoe casserole.)

Monday at Sauvie Island

Monday morning I packed up my crew for a day on the Columbia river. Sauvie Island is seriously dreamy. As soon as we crossed the bridge, we were affronted by ideallic pastures, farms, and streams. It was a peaceful step from civilization and it took  me back to Idaho in a comforting way. We passed pumpkin patches and sunflower fields, and I sensed summer's end approaching with a content anticipation. It's been a great summer and we are excited for school start!  The Sauvie Island beach (the non-nude one, of course) was one of the funnest places for my family.  It is only a thirty minute drive away, making it an easier trip than the coast. The Columbia River separates Washington and Oregon. It is a strong, large,  beautiful river and Sauvie Island is in the middle of it. Kids under 16 are required to wear life jackets, which eased my mind, and to be honest,  stressed me out! I don't have strong swimmers yet, and I was so nervous my little adventurers would push boundaries and drown, or get swept away and float their way to the Pacific Ocean (the last one is completely irrational, but you never know! I mean- right??) I tried to be brave and chill, as all the other (more seasoned) moms were pretty confident, but I did make sure to pull my oldest two aside and gravely say: "if you drown, you will die." (Just to be sure they knew what was on the line here, and to scar them from truly enjoying the water.) Luckily any admonition I ever give them seems to have a short shelf life. As they got comfortable exploring limitations, I did realize I was over reacting and they were going to be OK in their life jackets. There were a lot of older kids watching out while they swam too, which helped.

We were there five hours and it was seriously the best way to spend the day. We swam, played in sand, explored the shore line, picked berries, climbed trees, and even got the courage to jump off the wood posts! I met a lot of new people and by the time we left, I felt so uplifted.

I love these two pictures of Matthew! He was so cute playing in the sand with Tonka trucks, and he felt so adventurous whenever He stood in the water up to his knees.

There were these huge boats that would stream by and cause massive wakes. All the kids ran to the water and squealed as they bobbed up and down in the mini waves. They'd cheer for the boats. It was so delightful to watch. Johnny always had to be one of the farthest out- he is fearless; I love it and hate it! Caity was right out there with him though. 

 Here's Caity and Johnny after a failed attempt to jump from this wonky (do I call it a dock?) Wood-post-thing. They got half way when they remembered their crazy-mom telling them if they drown, they die. I will say, glad they got more comfortable before they actually took the plunge.

 Here's kids watching the boat, waiting for the wakes. William is in the red life jacket, Johnny is that far little head in the distance then you can see Caity and Matthew up close.  There were about 60 kids just bobbing in the water- really something so childlike and magical witnessing it all. Matthew was standing on the shore, not sure what to do in all the excitement. I ran up and grabbed him from under his arms and jumped through the waves with him. His instant delight was so gratifying. He was giggling so loud.  I promised myself to never forget that moment and how happy motherhood makes me.

Johnny and Caity finally got courage to jump! I was so proud of them. (And grateful for their supportive friends who believed in them but didn't pressure them.)

This kind of stuff makes me oddly emotional. It's like I get to witness these little souls evolve into their own persons as they take risks and feel the joy of successes.

I don't have pictures of William! He was a busy little bee playing in the water, burying friends in sand, and asking me to hold his sandwich while he took bites so not get sand on it.

Again- it was simply a magical August day. 

We spent five hours playing with friends and left anticipating when we could bring our dad back with us.

Oceanside Beach

We moved to Portland with exactly one month of summer before school started for the older kids. I remember making a deliberate goal that my kids would have Oregon memories of summer.  I know that doesn't seem like a big deal now that I am writing it out, but it was. It meant really getting out of my comfort zone quickly. Before feeling settled in, I wanted to act settled in so my kids would have a strong foundation of our life here when starting school.  This meant saying "yes" to everything, no matter how much out of my comfort zone it made me. 

We really ended last summer right: park dates, zoo trips, beach trips, soccer games, library visits, bike rides, hikes, picnics, making friends with random people at the park/library/MAX station...it was a busy last month. I'll be honest, it was hard for me at first. I have become somewhat of an introvert over the last few years, so getting together with groups of people I didn't really know really stressed me out. I did however feel like it needed to be done. It wasn't only a goal with myself, but one I took to the Lord, and I know I was really blessed in my efforts.  My kids were able to make a strong foundation of friends much quicker than normal, their confidence grew, and we made some memories that have buoyed me in depressive moments.

The following pictures were from our last Friday night of the summer. Earlier in the week, I went with a group of friends to Oceanside Beach and seriously fell in love. It was breathtaking.  It was my favorite beach I had been to so far. So when John got home early that Friday at five, we bee-lined it to Tillamook so he could experience it with us.

It was such a perfect night and really, a fitting cap to a magical summer.

Then, here a couple of pictures from when I went with the kids earlier in the week:

Matthew and my favorite game is to get his hands dirty then I carry him out to the waves and carry him in just a way so his hand can get clean.  Then I will hold under his arms while his stands in the ocean and when little waves come I swing him up to jump over them. Then, when a big wave comes, we both run away as fast as we can. I know, the same game everyone plays- but does everyone get to listen to Matthew's little laugh??