August '09 -- Camping at Metolius River

My family goes camping at Camp Sherman (Metolius River, near Sisters, OR) every summer for about a week. It is such a beautiful area, and we love camping right on the river. This year my parents reserved their favorite two sites, and the entire family was able to camp together. It was such a fun time! I took Zac and Ty up during the week, and Jeremy came up after work on Friday for the weekend, since he couldn't get that particular week off from work. My dad loves putting up tarps. He's got quite a system down for putting up the lines and tarps, it's pretty cool. And we definitely love the shade! :) You can kind of see the tarp-shower he set up in the background behind the table.

My parents' tent ...you can see the river right there on the other side of the tent. I wish I had more pics of the river, and I wish I'd gotten a picture of our tent! I can't believe I forgot. Our tent is huge. You would have laughed to see it, it's a regular mansion! :) But it was so picturesque, with a little evergreen tree right in front of it.

We brought a fun little play tent for the boys. They LOVED it, and spent a good chunk of time in it playing and looking at books. We also brought a great big astroturf rug to put the tent on. It was a great place for Ty to hang out and roll around. Also a great place to change diapers! Here are some fun shots of them in the little tent. Also pictured: Grandma (my mom) and cousins Kaleb and Micah

Aunt Kirsty playing with the boys in Uncle Tim's really cool hammock.

Aunt Charis and Ty. My sisters' tent behind them.

Ty took some of his naps in the tent, some on the floor of the van, (although I didn't really like the chipmunk that was hanging out in there with him, so I had to sit right there the whole time babysitting the chipmunk!), some in the stroller on a walk, and some just in his carseat. He was such a trooper!

Give Ty a kiss, Zac. :) Maybe.

Jeremy surprised us by getting off work early on Friday and getting to our camp before the boys went to bed. The boys were so excited!!

This was probably a walk-with-a-purpose ...to get the boys to sleep for a nap. It was nice having Tim and Mandy's stroller/bike trailer there, the boys liked riding together.

Trip to the lake. It was a bit windy, but BEAUTIFUL!!

Zac taking the canoe for a spin. All by himself! Well, mostly.

Tailgate cooking! :) My parents prepping dinner for my dad's B-day.

Playing Settlers of Catan (above) and Ticket to Ride (below)

Fun at the fish hatchery.

The trip home. :)

July '09 -- Trip to Washington Part 3 (Ephrata)

After Leavenworth, we headed back to Ephrata to visit Uncle Ray, Aunt Merrie, and the cousins for a couple more days. On our trip from Leavenworth to Ephrata, we stopped at a beautiful park (for a couple of caches, of course) along the Columbia River...

Ty and I found some shade down by the water where we hung out for a bit while Jeremy and Zac went in search of a couple of geocaches.

When they returned from their adventures, Jer and Zac joined us in the shade (it was a VERY hot day). Zac enjoyed watching the boats, and especially a couple of nearby jet-skiers, who surprised us with their wake, getting us quite wet. We didn't mind. :)

Jer found yet another cache as we walked back to our car.

Jeremy took his cousins out geocaching, and a few of them got hooked! They've now purchased a couple of GPS devices, and are still crazy about geocaching today! :) In the picture: Michael, Ian, Olivia, and her boyfriend Steven.

Aunt Merrie took us out to one of their favorite lakes for a swim on Thursday (Jul. 30). Zac enjoyed riding in the back of their Tahoe with Keara and Ian.

Ty, out at the lake.

July '09 -- Trip to Washington Part 2 (Leavenworth)

Jeremy's Grandma lives in beautiful Leavenworth, WA, and we enjoyed visiting her Saturday evening (Jul. 25) through Tuesday (Jul. 28). We went to church with her on Sunday, and also enjoyed celebrating her 83rd birthday with her. Jeremy's mom was able to join us for part of the week, and it was nice to have help with the little guys. She watched Zac while Jeremy and I (with Ty) spent part of a day walking around Leavenworth. Then she kept both boys that evening while we went out to eat in celebration of our 4 fabulous years of marriage! :)


Ty with his Great Grandma


This is the view from Grandma's livingroom! All that you see this side of the river is part of her beautiful property.



At our favorite bratwurst joint, in Leavenworth.

Jeremy signing the log for a cache we found in Leavenworth.

This is the patio where we went out for dinner. It had a really cool shade-thing above.

The view from the patio where we ate dinner.

...and another from the patio.

Great Grandma reading to Zac (distracted from getting into his PJ's) and Ty. So sweet!

July '09 -- Washington Trip Part 1 (Ephrata)

Jeremy took a week off this summer and we took a long-awaited trip to Ephrata, WA, where Jeremy's Uncle Ray and Aunt Merrie live with their five kids. They live in the house that Jeremy's Grandparents lived in when he was a kid. He's been wanting to take me to Ephrata for a very long time, and we finally got the opportunity. We had such a fun visit with his aunt and uncle and cousins. Zac & Ty especially enjoyed all the attention they got! :) We arrived in Ephrata Friday night (Jul. 24), just in time for Pizza Night, a weekly event with friends and family at Uncle Ray and Aunt Merrie's.

Jer's cousin Johnny is a fire-fighter, and is living at the fire station. On Saturday (Jul. 25) he took us on a tour of his fire station. Zac was thrilled!!!

Zac's reaction when he layed eyes on the first fire truck!

Keara and Ty. Ty loved Keara, and he loved being held all day every day!

July '09 -- Camping at Timothy Lake

We had such a delightful time camping with our friends Joe and Emily and their little girl Katelyn this summer! We had beautiful weather, enjoyed the beautiful Timothy Lake and Mount Hood, and got a PERFECT camping spot (without reservations, we were a little bit worried about even finding a spot at all). The weekend was so much fun ...we swam, hiked, sat around the campfire, ate delicious camping food, and even managed to find a few geocaches while there! Camping with babies was definitely a different experience from any camping any of us had done before. A little more work, I suppose, but oh so much fun and so worth it!

Emily and I took the kiddos up on Thursday (Jul. 16) and got the spot. We set up camp all by ourselves--no small accomplishment with three babies between us! Joe and Jeremy came up after work and spent the evening with us. They went home and returned Friday (after work) for the rest of the weekend. So much fun and so many good memories!


Ty awake, and all ready for that morning campfire. Come on, wake up, Daddy! :)


Jeremy, Zac, and Ty, staying warm Saturday morning.


Cutie Pie Ty!


The beautiful lake and mountain!


Emily (nursing Katey), Joe, and Zac. We stopped during a hike to nurse the babies and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.


Zac loved running on the trails!


Mommy and Ty, takin' a little break.