Oregon, The Saga: Part 3

We spent the fourth day of our trip at the Newport Aquarium - definitely a highlight for all of us.



Up close with a harbor seal.



Grace petting a starfish.



The otters really liked Marty.



We took a break for lunch at a nearby restaurant, then walked the pier and chatted with some people who were crabbing.



The sea lion feeding/show.



Jacob and Isaac looking too happy to be in a shark's mouth.



Quick family portrait.



On the fifth day, the boys made an attempt at kite-flying on the beach. Not too successful, unfortunately. I think it was the only time during our trip that it wasn't windy.



Beachcombing at Agate Beach.



Mart's best find: a nearly-whole sand dollar.



Grace just liked collecting the sand.



Sightseeing down at the Bayfront.



The murals that covered the buildings there were remarkable.



The boys' favorite part of the day - a trip to the Newport Candy Shoppe, where they sell lollipops bigger than your head.

Oregon, The Saga: Part 2

The "Devil's Punchbowl" - it fills with water at high tide, and is supposed to be spectacular to see during a storm.



Tidepools.



Isaac searching for crabs.



Jacob's catch of the day.

The kids really enjoyed seeing the wildlife in the tidepools, and beachcombing for treasures. We came home with dozens of sand-coated mussel shells and dead crabs.



Grace wasn't fond of the wind or the waves - a bit too loud for her taste.

{From here, we drove up to Lincoln City for an unanticipated visit to a medical clinic - turned out Grace had come down with strep throat the day we drove here. Poor thing! We were very blessed to find a clinic that 1) accepted walk-ins, 2) was open on a Saturday, and 3) took our insurance.}



Marty trying to convince Grace that the water isn't so bad. Grace didn't buy it.



The boys' first venture out into the waves.



Grace didn't know what to make of the jetted tub filled with bubbles, but after a while it became her favorite thing. Unless we turned it on.



Exploring the pier down at the Bayfront.

Our lucky sighting of a sea lion "in the wild." The boys were thrilled and talked about it (even to complete strangers) for days.

The sunset view from our balcony.

Oregon, The Saga: Part 1

We took our first-ever "real" (longer than a 3-day weekend) family vacation this summer. It was AWESOME. And since we've been back for six weeks, it's about time I post the photos.



Our drive to the Oregon Coast. Mapquest says 9 hours. Translation: 14 hours. We mistakenly took the scenic route, which was gorgeous but isolated. Think 200 miles between open gas stations and bathrooms. Not a good route for two little boys who suddenly had to go every 20 minutes.



{One of our bathroom breaks. Fortunately, this campground had facilities.}

It rained off-and-on, and the mountain portion was very windey. We would not have made it if it weren't for Baby Einstein. Whoever invented DVD players in minivans deserves the Nobel prize. We stopped in Corvallis for a late dinner, and finally made it to our condo in Newport at 11:00 pm local time.

Our condo right on the beach!

The owners really did a nice job with decorating and providing amenities. The place was so clean and comfortable.

The master bedroom loft. A perfect balance of privacy and ability to keep an eye on the kids.

The view from our third floor balcony. There is a lighthouse in the distance.

More to come....

Where's Waldo - I Mean, Jacob?

Can you spot the Jacob in this picture?

Marty and I found him here during a rousing game of Hide and Seek yesterday (or as Grace calls it, "Hide and Sink.") Never a dull moment.

Dear Isaac

It's been a rough summer for you so far. Strep throat twice, and a week-long bout of tonsillitis. And that was just June. Last Friday the day finally came for you to have your tonsils taken out. You've been dreading this day for the last six weeks, despite our attempts to play up the ice cream factor. The doctor gave you a comic book to help you know what to expect. You kept it in your bed for weeks and memorized it. Every few days you asked me "how many more days until...?" And the day finally arrived.

I know tonsillectomies are quite routine and safe as far as surgeries go, but nothing is ever routine when it's your own child. We worried and prayed for you, of course. Some brethren from the ward came over Thursday night to help give you a blessing. On Friday morning, Daddy drove you to the hospital. You had to be there at 6:15, but you were surprisingly cheerful considering the hour and what was to come. I met you there an hour later. You were already back in pre-op, dressed in Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird and Sylvester. The nurse (you had the best nurse - she was obviously born to work with kids) was checking your vital signs when I walked in. She said your heart rate sped up when you saw me. How sweet! You cradled blankie and kitty tightly and watched cartoons that we don't get on our channels at home. You were really excited to see Transformers, and didn't seem to care what was going on as long as no one got between you and the TV.

After meeting briefly with the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, and waiting some more, it was finally time for them to take you to the operating room. The nurse asked if you wanted to ride on the gurney or let her carry you. You said "I want my daddy to carry me." Sadly, that was not allowed. You looked up at us with that frightened Do I have to? look, but you bravely lay down on the gurney. You didn't cry or protest as they wheeled you out of the room and down the hall where Daddy and I couldn't follow. That was the hardest part for us - watching you go alone.

The surgery was very quick, and we were only in the waiting room for 25 minutes before the nurse came to tell us you were done. She had warned us beforehand that you might not be happy waking up from the anesthesia. "There are two kinds of kids," she said. "Some wake up like they're waking from a nap. Others wake up really, really mad." (We laughed - you're so gentle and easygoing, it was hard to picture you mad!)

Nevertheless, you turned out to be the latter kind. You were NOT happy at all, and we had to wait a short while before they would allow us to be with you in recovery. When we finally got to come back, the nurse was holding you and you were crying. She handed you to me, and made us comfortable in a reclining chair. You were pretty hysterical for a while. I don't think you knew where you were or what was going on. You just kept crying that your throat hurt and you didn't feel good. We sure hated to see you in so much pain.

Eventually we convinced you to take some pain medicine, and you spent the next hour and a half sleeping in our arms. Then we took you home - you were very glad to get out of there! You slept all the way home in the car, and for the rest of the day too. By evening you felt a little better, although you cried remembering how scared you had been and how it had hurt when they took your IV out. I cried with you. You cheered up some when you finally got your ice cream. :)

You've been living on pudding, bananas, and ice cream for the last week. (And not complaining about it, I might add.) We even went out Saturday evening for snowcones - a special treat. You've had rough moments, of course, but overall your recovery is much better than expected. It is wonderful to see you running around outside and playing. And you've said more than once how glad you are that it's over. "I'll never have surgery again!" you exclaim.

Isaac, I'm so sorry that you had to go through all this. It's a lot for a five-year-old little boy to endure. I am so very proud of you. You have been unbelievably brave throughout the last several months - doctor's appointments (sometimes three a week), various antibiotics, weeks of being too sick to do anything but watch movies.... Hopefully now you can get back to summer the way it should be. I love you!

Love,

Mom

Fourth Festivities

We had a very relaxing Fourth of July, which was just what we needed. For the first time in years, Marty had the day off from work. He took the boys to a large auto show in the morning, where they saw all sorts of loud motorized things and even got to make their own model Corvettes!



Picnic in the backyard for dinner.



I've always wanted to make one of these patriotic Jello desserts. Just once.





After dinner, we drove to a nearby small town to see the renowned annual fireworks display. We were not disappointed! We managed to get a perfect viewing spot, away from the crowds but quite close to the action. The show was VERY impressive. Isaac spent the first half of it in the van (he decided this year that fireworks are too loud,) but ventured out after a while.

Notice Grace's viewing posture:

Grace surprised me, though. She went from "Done! Go home!" to "Wow! Pretty! I wike it!!" in less than ten minutes. She wants to do it again; every day now she tells me "It's a fireworks day!"

Family Portrait

A rare occasion when all five (and a half) of us are in front of the camera at the same time.

{Taken at the Boise Temple on Saturday, where we enjoyed a lovely Primary activity.}

Look Mom, We're Aliens!

Their words, not mine.

Father's Day - The Aftermath

I know this is a little late, but I wanted to post about our Father's day, lest Marty forget sometime in the next 12 months how deeply he is loved and appreciated.

If I had done my job as family photographer on Sunday, you would see close-up shots of thickly sliced homemade French toast - stacked high, dusted with powdered sugar, topped with piles of strawberries and a swirl of whipped cream... a tiny crystal pitcher of maple syrup... steaming sausage links lined up on a crystal platter... and a goblet of milk, all served to Marty in bed on a beautiful wooden tray complete with heirloom white cloth napkin and red rose cut from our garden.

{Insert photo of Marty's three-hour uninterrupted nap here. Oh, and presents.}

Fast forward several hours to dinner, and you would feast your eyes on broiled sirloin steaks, gigantic baked potatoes adorned with sour cream and chives, and succulently ripe slices of summer watermelon. And of course, dessert: Tillamook mountain blackberry ice cream, accompanied by homemade shortbread cookies and chunks of Ghirardelli dark chocolate.

Unfortunately, I was a tad busy, and didn't manage to snap any photos until the next morning; hence all you get to see is what was left of my kitchen. You'll just have to use your imagination.

Jesus Loves Grace

Lately, I've had the privilege of watching Grace's spiritual side blossom. She has really enjoyed family scripture study for the past few months. She got so excited when we read the book of Alma - she misunderstood and thought we were reading the book of Elmo. :)

She is also learning how to behave during Sacrament Meeting. When the sacrament is passed, she can be heard repeating softly to herself: "Jesus loves Grace." Sometimes she sings Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, producing giggles in the row in front of us. Last week she got a little rowdy, and I gently encouraged her to quiet down. She looked me in the eye and said "Shh. Is a quiet time, Mommy."

Grace is very particular about what I play on the piano now. Every time I try to practice the choir songs I need to learn, she stands next to me shouting I Am a Child of God!!! until I play it for her. (All three verses.) She'll often sing along.

This week, she took her first turn at family prayer. She actually asked us if she could say it. Barely audible, she repeated each sentence I said: "Thank Thee for scriptures.... Thank Thee for a prophet.... Please bless us to be safe...." She was so very proud of herself. A priceless moment.

And There Was Silence for the Space of 24 Hours

Well, almost.

Marty took the boys on a father-son campout last weekend, leaving Grace and I alone to spend a little girl time. We picked up Chinese food, watched a chick flick, and did some scrapbooking. {Okay, Grace went to bed early - having skipped her afternoon nap - and I movie-watched and scrapbooked by myself. Not that I'm complaining.} I had to laugh at Grace's fortune cookie message, though: "Impatience may be appropriate at this time." That about sums up her life these days!

The boys returned Saturday afternoon with dirty clothes, and tales of "the one that got away." And there hasn't been a moment of silence since. Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Hello, Summer!

Break out the popsicles and bring it on.

Summer Means...

Fresh salads


Joyriding


Baseball


Tree-hugging


Swimsuits and Ponytails


More time to laugh

And it all begins tomorrow!!!

{I'm so ready.}

Chocolate-covered Gracie

It is unbelievable how much ground one cubic inch of chocolate on a stick can cover in the space of half an hour (the time it takes for us to drive from the mall to our house.) This is what I get for bribing the children to behave while we shopped for maternity clothes.

Amazing Grace

A few of her favorite things right now...



This is where I keep finding Grace - out back on the patio, pants down, sitting in a flower pot. Especially if it's not bath day.



She loves to be outside. "I wanna play ou'side" is a request I hear many times a day.

Occasonially she plays quarterback.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but she is completely obsessed with books. She won't go to bed without at least a couple, and we can hear her "reading" to herself in the dark long after bedtime. She also refuses to go anywhere in the car without her stash. I've tried to teach her the concept of "one book" because she gets so frustrated trying to carry six or eight at a time. She will repeat the words with enthusiasm - "one book! ONE book!" - but can't seem to apply them.

She also loves piles. Of anything, but especially - you guessed it - books.

She recently learned to take the covers off our heating vents. (They're installed in the floor.) Now she makes piles inside the ducts. A few days ago Marty went to put a cover back on and found the following stuffed inside: five board books, a flashlight, a toy camera, a bag of crayons, two pencils, and two ping pong balls. I'm guessing this lowers our energy efficiency.

We've reached the two-year-old run away stage, where if I'm not holding her hand, she's gone. She can run a solid quarter mile without stopping. (Mommy can't right now, and Grace knows it.)

She definitely has her two-year-old temperamental moments, but overall she's a happy, determined, carefree little girl.

P.S. I just noticed that in half of these photos, Grace is not wearing pants. That's very typical. Yes, I dress my daughter. But taking off her pants (several times a day) seems to be Grace's chosen way of asserting her independence right now. I do insist that she keep them on in public. :)