Spokane Getaway

We went to Spokane for a few days of fun! Bryan and Mitchell joined Chad, Jack, Brad and Papa Dave at Lake Williams for a fishing campout. Monday the weather was perfect - they played in the creek, went fishing, played on the swings, and really had a wonderful time.

Mitch went fishing for the first time and he caught 2!

The boys got to stay up late and enjoyed making s'mores by the campfire. Unfortunately, it began to rain during the night and didn't let up AT ALL. The finally broke camp and came home Tuesday evening. Still, it was fun.

Meanwhile, Shannon and I stayed with Kim, Avery and Haylee. We got to go out to Greenbluff and see Sue and Steve for dinner Tuesday. Shannon got some cute new duds and she crawled for them.

Wednesday we all went to the Spokane Indians baseball game for a belated birthday gift for Jack. The kids liked the mascots, the bouncy house, the popcorn and drinks, and even some of the game. It'll probably be a few years before we try that again . . .

Much of the fun of the trip involved hanging out with the LaVines and getting some low-key family time. Haylee and Shannon were deep in conversation, I'm sure.

 

Avery kept her eyes on Shannon. These two are just about 2 months apart.

We had a great time!

Newport Vacation

We spent several days at the Oregon Coast in Newport this past week. It was our first vacation with just our nuclear family and we had a wonderful time!

We managed to play at the beaches, in rain and sun;

toured both the Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Head lighthouses;

visited the aquarium and Hatfield Science Center;

and we walked along the bay front admiring boats in the marina, played in a wonderful park, and enjoyed some very relaxed time as a family. We really enjoyed ourselves!

Driving both ways was long - extended by a restless little girl - but we got to make some fun stops along the way. We even walked partway up to see Multnomah Falls. We loved vacation!

Father's Day!

 Bryan is adored by his children!

He spends great quality time with them, has vast amounts of patience, lets Mitch help with all manner of projects, and is an excellent mediator in the constant struggle between Shannon's new desire for MBJ's baseball cards and MBJ's lack of desire to share. Happy Father's Day!!!

Welcome, Summer Vacation!

We made it to our summer vacation and are enjoying it thoroughly already.

Mitch is frequently in costume and his tools and related gear frequently play a role in his games.

Mom, the kids, and I went to Salem for the weekend to visit Russ and Laci. We relaxed together, played, went to parks, and had a great time.

Mom takes playtime at the park seriously!

Russ and Laci kept watch over us - and the dogs. Mitch arrived at their place Friday night saying hello to "Unky Russ-y". I do not know where that came from, but can imagine it's his Uncle Chad's fault. Chad has his kids calling Bryan "Unky Bry-Bry".

Shannon can now pull herself up to a standing position. She and MBJ had a grand time playing in the crib the other night. Shannon laughs and laughs at her brother's antics and he delights in entertaining her.

So, vacation is upon us and what a wonder it is!

Seven Months Old!

Shannon reached the 7-month mark today! 

Our girl continues to be a sparkly person. She smiles with her whole face, crinkling her eyes and even her nose in delight! Recently she's going through a shy phase, which involves tucking her little head into a parent's shoulder. It's fairly sweet to be the source of her comfort. Her hair is growing in a little mohawk and is currently strawberry blonde. We shall see if that continues! She has one little tooth up on the bottom and another trying to make a pair. She rocks on her knees and tries oh-so-hard to crawl. She can back herself up into a seated position and can scoot across the floor backwards. Gone are the days when we could leave her in one place and return to find her there! We love watching her develop and seeing Mitchell alternately love her, and wish she'd leave his toys alone!