Perfect Evening at the Beach

 We spent last weekend yurt camping at the beach with the Booths and the Wagners.  We all got in late Friday afternoon and it had to have been the most perfect evening on the Oregon Coast I have ever experienced.  It was fairly warm, the sky was clear and the lighting was amazing.  I took a few pictures :).  

Labor Day Weekend

 We didn't have much on our agenda for our holiday weekend and that was exactly what we needed.  Saturday was actually a drizzly day - which I loved.  As did the girls, Allison got out her new school rain gear.  Heidi tried to figure out her recently handed-down umbrella.  She gave up pretty quickly.

 On Sunday afternoon we did a family bike ride with the Booths & the Wagners and grabbed dinner and ice cream down by campus.  The big girls love 'holding' the little girls.  The little girls are a bit conflicted about it all!

 And we wrapped up our weekend with ribs.  Of course.  And friends to help us eat them all.  And these two girls got their first taste of ribs.  They thoroughly enjoyed them!

Snapshots - A Month's Worth!

I have not downloaded pictures from my phone in ages - I finally did and realized a lot has happened in the last month!  Here it goes:

 Allison went to the 'Family Staycation' VBS at our church and loved it.  One night on our way home there was a storm over in the mountains and we saw the most perfect double rainbow I had ever seen.  Very impressive!  Oh, and Heidi got lot of fun 1-on-1 time while Allison went to Staycation - here we were shopping for Allison's school supplies.  Which, admittedly, was much easier without Allison :)

 Piggies!

 Girl's Day - Heidi's first pedicure!

 And Allison got a mani/pedi

Heidi Art.

Heidi getting ready to ride with Grr for some coffee!

 Fountain park with a bucket - she loved it!

 We were in windy Lincoln City for our 9th anniversary.  Mom & Dad stayed with the kids while we went for a very romantic walk on the beach.  Well, it was a walk on the beach but I wouldn't necessarily say it was particularly romantic as it was super windy!  The sand had blown away around all these rocks and I thought it was rather pretty!

 Allison took swim lessons with her preschool.  She loved it.  We are going to miss this group of kids when she heads out to Kindergarten - especially Wyatt - these two have been in class together since they were just babes.

 The canoe ride on the last day - they love it the teachers push them all around the pool and rock the canoe!

 We rode bikes to campus with Grammie & Grr.  The girls and I got a normal lunch at Cafe Yumm.  Grammie and Grr got frozen yogurt for lunch.  You can imagine what Heidi preferred....

 Allison asks me to take pictures of pretty sunsets.  Or she takes pictures herself with my phone.

 We did a mountain bike ride with my Dad while he was here - we shuttled the cars from Starbucks so we had to get drinks at the end of the ride.  My Dad, the Alaskan, got hot coffee.  It was 94 degrees out.  Crazy.

 When Carrie, her Mom & Josiah came to visit I got some quality time with this little guy while his Mom & Grandma rested up.  My girls were at school so it was awesome.  I called Anita and talked to her and Jack at the same time....makes me miss my Alaskan friends something fierce!

 Allison at the Morris wedding a few weekends ago.  She loved it, standing at attention the entire time.  

 This isn't quite Brittney but it is pretty close!  I loved getting to see Margaret even if it was brief....maybe she'll be back next year!??!?!

 Allison and baby Josiah - she was sooo excited to hold him!

 Jodi & Bekah taught Allison about Slug-bugs a few weeks ago and she couldn't recognize one for the life of her (every car was a slug-bug to her).  So we had to watch the Herbie movie to get her more familiar.  The funny thing is - now that we're looking for them we see them everywhere!

 We had a back-to-school shopping date.  Bekah is getting so. grown. up.  Second grade - look out!  Something about the jean jacket, hair up and Starbucks drink made me realize she is getting so mature.

And Allison at the end of our shopping trip - all decked out in pink (Bekah got a similar outfit in pink, too).  Love it.  Even if it is totally floral.  And Pink.  It is totally her.  Look out kindergarten!

Balloon Launch 2014

 We finally ventured out to watch the annual balloon launch today - it was the last day and we were tired but we pulled it off regardless.  We were later than we like to be so Mark dropped the girls & I off while he parked the car (it actually didn't seem very crowded - perhaps Sunday is the day to go?).  The girls loved watching the balloons.  We stood between two that were getting ready to go while we waited for Mark.  Heidi was a little nervous about the fires but every time they turned them off she'd say 'Wow!'

 Heidi also waved at each balloon as it took off.  Here were some of our favorite balloons:

 The bumble bees - they hold hands and kiss before they head off.  There is also a 3rd bee but I didn't get it in the pics (it isn't attached so it drifts off pretty quickly).

 Getting ready to kiss - I didn't get a good shot of the real action, unfortunately!

Empty field.  Sun above the horizon.  Cold girls.  But we're so glad we pulled it off!