End of Summer

The summer was coming to a close so we tried to fill it with lots of fun activities. 

Some of our favorite people, the Wallaces, asked us to watch their girls for a few days while they went on Trek with their ward. Maria and Malan are dolls!

This is a Puppet Show about Pioneers.

We went to the Willamette River a couple times and tried to be as awesome as possible.

During that awesome/ghetto/white trash period we also had a run in with lice. It's a four letter word and that's all I'm gonna say about that.

Phone pictures:

 

Glad Emory captured this mom rescue.

 Special.

 Blackberry harvest.

 Dinner at the park.

 Trip to Tillamook. Checking off our summer bucket list.

 Phone stealer.

 Picking Peaches.

 Girl's trip to Cedar City.

 Amanda Rose couldn't come on the trip, because she was doing more important things... 

like bringing this babe into the world so I could see him while I was there ;)

 Graham J. Christiansen, plotting his parents demise already.

 Children's Museum, another thing off the list.

 Lots of trips to the river.

 Emory waited a year for this Christmas present. She asked for a Pose 'n Stay Skeleton for Christmas, but she saw it in August at Costco. Needless to say, it was impossible to find by the time she told us about it. The Blessed Day!

 More Bucket List checking off.

 Shark tooth.

 Snowball.

NW Day of Service with this handsome guy and breakfast with the kids at ACME.

4th of July Weekend

What a GREAT Fourth of July!!

Uncle Chase flew in on the 3rd for a 2 week visit, all by himself.

We took him to the Oregon Zoo.

We also made these face plates to encourage eating (and fun) at the dinner table.

That night my brother and sister-in-law, who just moved to Seattle, decided to bop down for a quick and awesome weekend visit.

We attempted to go to the Ward Breakfast but ended up bike parading around our neighborhood, marching to "The Stars and Stripes Forever"! We also picked cherries from a neighborhood tree and thank goodness for Fizgig's poop sacks to hold our spoils.

We slip 'n slid the afternoon away and my kids just adored their Aunt and Uncle.

The Scotts came over for food and then we went to their house for dessert and Fireworks.

On the 5th we did something during the day?? and had a weenie roast at the Markus'. Fiz galloped in the grass, Sydney whipped her hair and we all played Kubb.

We're so happy to have some family in the Great Northwest with us!!

Phone Pictures:

 He made it! Chase flew here all by himself.

 We made a stop at the Oregon Zoo,

 Fourth of July spread.

A movie theater in town donated popcorn for a Mutual party.

Fun with cousins.

Later in July we had another relay, Ragnar's Northwest Passage. Lots of Cory's family came up for it and some friends ran with us too. It was beautiful and we had a blast, all except Grandma, who stayed home and watched all the crazy kids!

 14 Passenger Van, ya'll!

We stayed with one of Karen's friends the night before the race and it was beautiful.

 Oh, Canada.

Deception Pass

These two are not lacking in self-confidence.

 Done.

 I tricked my sister-in-law Sydney into racing too.

 Nice Running Sharts. Our team name.

 The Fam.

The ferry ride home!