sunriver

This is where my family vacationed at least once a year growing up. It was so neat to go back with my kids and husband and see all that has changed and yet all that has stayed the same in Sunriver. I love this place and have missed it.

Here's some pics from our deck, some videos and much, much more...

The big kids played so well together.

If there was ever a white boy who could dance it would be my brother and just maybe my son...

Liam just got the biggest kick out of his belly button!

And here's two more sweet kids dancin' the night away...

Auntie Jan arrived Saturday afternoon!

We thought that Liam was a little jealous that she was holding Luke but when Aunt Jan went to give him a turn all Liam wanted to do was hug Luke. Funny boy!

Our first bike ride was down to the Deschutes River. It was beautiful!

And our first time at Goody's!!!

Enjoying our ice cream bought by Auntie Pam! Thank you! Thank you!

Here we are at the great new pool in Sunriver, SHARC. Fortunately, we found a good cover for Liam's cast so he could enjoy the water too. 

Floating the lazy river with my babies.

Our two baby boys coming back from the pool. They were tuckered out.

Saturday night we celebrated my brother's 31st birthday! He requested to cook on his birthday and made us an amazing tri-tip, coupled with some yummy pasta salad from Leeanne!

Later that evening us parents got to sneak away for a while! Long story short, our transportation ended up being a cycle pub! We pedaled our way down the streets of Bend to different breweries. It was a blast! A night we'll never forget!

I think the picture says it all. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and needed a night out!

Meanwhile, this is my brave mom and aunt watching all four kids with the help of Dale too. They took them down for a little train ride and then back home for bed. Thank you again for letting us out!

And we had to hit the High Dessert Museum! It lived up to it's reputation!

These are pics from our last bike ride. It was a gorgeous evening with the sun setting on one side of us and the almost-full moon coming up on the other side.

I've been on this path with my baby brother many of times. This time we were riding as adults, pulling some pretty important cargo behind us.  The photo credit goes to mom, who helped make this and countless other trips to Sunriver all happen.

Addie and Liam fell fast asleep. 

Time to say good bye. As we were driving away from Sunriver Addie said, "Awe, it's not good we're going away from all our friends."

meeting great grandpa baker

I remember on our drive home from the hospital with Liam, I said to Kevin, I want to go to Sunriver next summer (I knew summer of 2012 might be pushing it) and I HAVE to see my Grandpa. Grandpa Baker has had some major surgeries and health problems these last couple of years but he is one tough old guy and he was just as I remembered, when we finally got to see him in Sunriver!

Grandpa lives in Sisters and when we come up to Oregon during the winter it is usually too treacherous over the passes to go and see him, so this was Luke and Liam's first meeting with GGB and Lynn!

Grandpa got down on all fours to play with Liam and Liam came up to him and gave him a nice open mouthed kiss. He's pretty stingy with his kisses so that was a pretty big deal that GGB got a kiss from Liam! 

Happy boy cracking us all up.

One of my favorite parts of our trip! Thank you for coming Grandpa and Lynn!

a big load

No, I'm not talking about one of Liam's diapers! Bah! Ha! Ha! 

But our garden, it's going crazy this year! 

As I always say though, I take no credit, except for picking. 

I'm a good picker.

timeout

Addie was sitting in timeout for allegedly pushing her brother. As she was sitting there, this transpired...

Hmm...I'm wondering what really happened now!

a little trip to sausalito

Kevin was gone in Utah last week and sometimes I go a little stir crazy being the kids' sole provider 24-7, so it was great to get out and hit the Discovery Bay Museum in Sausalito!

Yep, that's the Golden Gate in the background!

Grabbing some lunch from the Slider Shack Truck!

I love this pic of Liam looking at books while Addie makes a craft in the background.

Look at that view!

and just like that she turned four

1.     What is your favorite color? blue (although on most days she can't get enough pink and purple, this one surprised me!)
2.     What is your favorite movie? Rapunzel
3. What is your favorite song? Ariel (can you sing it?) Ahhhh, ahhh...ahhh, ahhh!
4.     What is your favorite toy? Ariel dressed up as Princess Rapunzel
5.     What is your favorite book? My Barbie Book
6.     What is your favorite activity? measuring papers (What?! Ha! Ha! After some clarification...) painting
7.     What do you like to eat for breakfast? toast with jam on it
8.     What do you like to eat for lunch? peaner jam sandwich...peanut butter jelly sandwich
9.     What is your favorite snack? cheerios
10. What do you like to eat for dinner? corn!
11. Who is your best friend? Allie and Paige
12.  What do you want to be when you grow up? I wanna be a Mommy!

Click here for last year's responses to her birthday questionnaire! 

family celebration

It was a weekend of celebrating Addie Ann. Here's memories from our little family celebration...

celebrating our little girl

We had a small artsy-fartsy BBQ with our good friends the Hulbert's, as part of Addie's 4th birthday celebration! It was such a fun night! Addie felt extra special and enjoyed her time with her friends! Thanks again for the fun night Hulbert's!

Four years! I love that she still loves to wear the special birthday hats I make her!

The girls were painting some fridge art. 

Poor Liam wanted to join in too. 

Then they did some veggie art and I wish we could of gotten a picture of their Dad making some mad noodle necklaces!

I just love Allie's earrings and noodle necklaces in this picture! Too cute!

am i really this lucky?

week three ~ american holidays

Happy 4th of July Everyone! I hope you all had a happy and safe day celebrating our nation! Here's how we spent our week...

Read Alouds: These were some great books we read to explain our patriotic holidays! I especially loved The American Flag book because it was very simple and Addie was able to read most of it on her own! I love watching that magical moment when she realizes she's reading the book by herself!

Thematic Poem: We just did the good ole' Pledge of Allegiance. We got the flag out and we talked about right hand versus the left and that we place it over our heart. It was so funny hearing her own interpretation of some of the words such as "Republic" and "indivisible." I think I need some video! Hee! Hee! Here's the link for your own copy!

Word/Phonic Hands-on Activity: Stamps: These stamps were one of the first items I purchased as a classroom teacher and I've gotten my money's worth! I believe I bought this set at Lakeshore Learning but I've seen them other places too. They are perfect for teaching word families as well as sight words. First Addie and I went through the word wall and any words she was shaky on, I wrote down. Then I wrote down our short e families. Next she read it, stamped it, wrote it!

Fieldtrip: If you haven't had a chance to pick up the schedule of events from one of our libraries, check out the website to get a copy (there's a link to the right)! Our libraries are fabulous and have tons of great summer activities planned at each branch. This week we went to the Flag Day event at the Vacaville Cultural Center Library. Addie got to make her own flag and then parade it through the library! 

Not the most patriotic flag but a flag very representative of my girl!