Owen entering toddlerhood

Well, Owen took his first steps yesterday back and forth between mommy and daddy. Just a few steps before falling into our arms. Today he was a little braver and actually stood up on his own without holding onto anything and stepped toward me about 5 or 6 steps. He really seems like he's wanting to get up and walk. He will be running before we know it. I can't believe how big he is.

I also cannot believe how fast this summer has gone. Hannah starts 1st grade next Tuesday. I cannot believe she'll be in school all day. I thought I was ready, but now it's coming fast. Justin doesn't start Pre-K until the 10th. He will only go 3 days/week for 2-1/2 hours/day. I've tried to get some more summer fun activities in during this last week. Yesterday we went to the zoo with my sisters and today we went to Grandpa Mike's and Grandma Carol's to go swimming and to pick berries and get veggies out of his huge garden. Tomorrow we go to watch the Gove kids while mom and dad are in Colorado and big sister Shell goes to volleyball practice. We did that Monday too and it wasn't really work because the kids love to play together. Friday Justin has his first Fall soccer practice (Hannah's starts next week) and then we leave to spend the weekend with friends up at their cabin in Snoqualmie.

I've got a few pics that I took of the kiddos at the zoo that I really liked. Still no pics of the kitchen. Keep checking back.

Finally, a vacation--sort of.

I mentioned in a previous post that we hadn't taken any trips this year. Well, we finally got away for a weekend. We went with some friends to Sunriver, a resort near Bend in sunny Central Oregon. Dale and I used to go there all the time to hike and enjoy the gorgeous weather, but we hadn't been there during the summer in forever. We were reminded of how much we love it there and now know that we'd like to spend more time there. The problem with this weekend was that it was way too short. It's about a 4 hour drive to get there, which the kids didn't really appreciate. Even though they had their movies to watch, they constantly asked if we were any closer. Our answer was always "Yes, we're a few minutes closer than when you asked before, but we still have hours to go." Owen, didn't really like being strapped in his seat, but Hannah is such a wonderful big sister and did her best to keep him entertained and supplied with whatever he wanted. We didn't get there until Friday night and just hung out. It was a bit of a task getting the 6 rambunctious kids who'd been cooped up in a car to settle down and get to bed, but we did it, and then we crashed. Saturday we hung out at one of the resort pools. It had a water slide and a lot of room to lounge all around the pool, although for some reason, Dale and I didn't get much lounging done. Go figure. Hannah and Justin have both come a long way this summer in enjoying the water. Hannah amazes me at how she just is constantly under the water and is starting to swim. Before this summer, she didn't want her face wet. Justin is not quite as confident, but is getting there. Owen loves the water and gets mad when you get him out. Other than the pool, we didn't do much else other than bike around on the trails (everyone except Owen and I) and go to a park. The kids enjoyed attempting to play tennis. We did go to the Village Mall, which is a very fun place to shop, but all we managed was dinner (which was mediocre pizze--we wouldn't reccomend Ponderosa Pizza) and very good ice cream treats at Goody's--although all kids except one opted for ring pops (suckers) instead. On the way out of town, we hit downtown Bend, which is also a very fun place to shop, but we didn't really get to do much of that again either. Can you tell I'm bitter that I didn't get to shop? ;) We walked along the Deschutes River and watched the ducks, geese and one beloved swan and fed them our day old mediocre pizza crust that had been sitting out--hopefully there aren't some sick water fowl in Bend now. We also hit another Goody's ice cream shop before hopping back in the car for the trip back home. It was fun, but we have decided that a week in Sunriver would be ideal. You could get in all the stuff you wanted to and still be able to relax and take it easy.

Here is a pic of 5 of the kids at the park in Bend. Next year Owen will be climbing with them, but this year I got a separate pic of him in Dad's Cougar hat.

I also promised pics of Owen's first birthday and Hannah without her two front teeth, so here they are. Hannah is hanging upside down, but it's what I have for now. I still don't have pics of the new kitchen. It hasn't managed to stay clean long enough for me to take a pic--maybe tomorrow.

Upside-down, toothless Hannah

We just gave Owen a cupcake (well 2) on his actual birthday while Grandma Sharon was still here (she had to leave that night to go back to Indiana).

Owen enjoying his first bites of his first cupcake.

Pretty much done with first cupcake.

Mad because there isn't anymore cupcake. We give him another.

Eats about 3/4 of the 2nd cupcake and is finally happy.

Some photos

There are some photos that I want to get on here, so that friends and family from afar can seem them. One is of Hannah with her new short haircut. For a long time now, she has wanted her hair cut, but I said she couldn't until after her ballet recital 'cause she had to have it long enough for a bun. She wanted short bangs, but I wouldn't let her get those. I do think it's cute and definitely easier to take care of--those tangles are a pain, and she never let me brush it. Another thing she has a lot less of are teeth. She's now lost 5 altogether. 2 on the bottom over a year ago that are already back in and then just in the past 3 weeks, another bottom one and the top two. I've still got to take a pic of her missing both of the top two.

This isn't a very good photo but the best I have right now showing Hannah's new hair a missing her first top tooth. She had just had her face painted at our family reunion a couple weekends ago.

About the only event we've had this summer other than moving and remodeling and the annual visit by Grandma Sharon was the family reunion in Washougal at Grandpa Mike and Grandma Carol's property. We camped in a tent (well the 2nd night, Owen and I slept in the house). The kids had tons of fun. There was a fishing derby in the pond. Hannah and Justin each caught 3 trout on the morning of the derby between 15-1/2 and 17-1/2 inches. Hannah also caught another fish or two the next morning. They now have their own poles, so I guess we need to go fishing again sometime. There was also a clown and face painting and my cousin's husband is a volunteer fireman at the local fire dept. and had some other firemen bring a truck up for the kids to climb on and spray the hose.

Waiting for a bite.

There was lots of time spent in the pool besides all the other activities.

The other big event this summer was Owen's first birthday. I can't believe he's a year already. I will post some pics from his birthday soon.

TTFN--Ta Ta For Now

Welcome to my blog.

Well, with a little encouragement from my dear friend, Annaliese, I finally started a blog. I've felt so out of it with everyone else having one. I'm not sure if I'll post much or not, but I wanted a spot that I can upload photos that family and friends can easily view.

I cannot believe that summer is almost over and the kids (well two of them) will be going back to school in a couple weeks. I feel like we haven't even had much of a summer between the cooler (and right now, wetter) weather and us moving and then remodeling the kitchen, there hasn't been much time or motivation for summer fun.

If you weren't aware, we moved to a new house only about 4 miles from our old one at the end of June. We live in a great neighborhood toward the end of a cul-de-sac (there aren't even any houses around the end of the cul-de-sac--it's green space). Our backyard backs up to the elementary school, so Hannah will just have about a 2 minute walk to school, although she says she'll miss riding the bus. The school is supposed to be very good, so we're excited about that. Justin's preschool is about 5 minutes down the road, so that is very convenient as well.

A couple weeks after moving in we tore out the old kitchen--cabinets, countertops, appliances and all--and had a new one put in. We just got our appliances back in less than 2 weeks ago after being without anything except a microwave and toaster oven for over a month. There are still a few minor fixups to the cabinets that need to be done, but for the most part, the kitchen is done, and although it was not a fun process, the results are great. We are very pleased with it. I am still trying to move all the kitchen stuff in and figure out where each thing should go. There definitely isn't a shortage of space, although somehow I am managing to fill most of it up. I will post a before and after pic when I take the after.