Last week, the kids enjoyed their much anticipated fair day with their Auntie Noelle.  I was initially a little concerned they would be too tired after our camping trip, but they had so much fun!  This year, they were all able to go on the rides together, and Delaney loved her first roller coaster ride!  They also checked out the animals and big equipment vehicles, and had their faces painted (Cole and Auntie had their arms painted).  Every year, the experience they have at the fair is different.  they do a lot of the same things, but it is always new and never redundant in any way.  The only thing that is always constant is how much fun they have doing it with their Auntie. It always ends up being a very special day and one they always remember. 

Last week, we embarked on an all new adventure—tent camping!  We spent five days and four nights at Camp Sherman along the Metolius River.  The kids had the time of their lives—riding bikes, going on hikes, making smores, hanging out around the campfire, walking to the Camp Sherman Store—not to mention sleeping in a tent!  They all did really great and had an incredible time.  The nights and mornings were very cold, but we had warm sleeping bags and blankets at night and a campfire every morning.  It was a wonderful trip and we all can’t wait to do it again next year!

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Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery from T on Vimeo.

The week before our camping trip, Franny had a week long tennis camp.  She loved it!  It was a perfect introduction to tennis—oversized foam balls, short nets, and lots of games and age-appropriate drills.  Her coach was really fantastic and I was blown away with the improvement she made in just a few short days.  In the end, Franny came away with a really great experience, and is talking about doing it again next year! 

Lots of smiles at Suttle Lake…

Although we had lots to do today to prepare for our upcoming camping trip, there was no way we were going to miss Big Truck Day!  The event was noticeably smaller than last year (possibly due to construction), but there was still plenty of trucks and vehicles to see and horns to blare.  Cole was ear-to-ear grins almost the entire time!  If he were asked, he will say he loved it all, but I think his favorites were the monster truck, stretch SUV limo, fire truck, and riding the McDonalds lift.  All the kids had a fun time, but it was definitely a very special day for Cole. 

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Big Truck Day is definitely not just for boys.  Delaney—although a little overwhelmed by all the trucks and noise—loved making her own noise with the horn in the Susan B. Komen pink truck.

This year, we’ve enjoyed a number of hikes at the Hoyt Arboretum.  The kids have got a kick out of packing their backpacks with water and snacks, and heading out on many different hikes.  Their are so many different paths to choose from, we have yet to go the same way twice!  Franny and Cole especially liked it when we ended up at the Zoo!  It’s such a wonderful place to visit—we are so fortunate that it is so close to our home. 

Franny and I always have a good time cooking together.  Today, she was a huge help helping me make some yummy sweet potato black bean quinoa burgers.  When we were done, she wanted to help me make some veggie juice.  At this point, Delaney decided she wanted to join in.  Although they do look very serious about the whole process, they did have a really good time, as did I!  I love it when we cook together—everything goes a little slower and a little more mess is made, but we have such fun!

While Cole went to Tai Kwon Do camp at his school, Franny and Delaney had a slow and easy morning…

Last week, Cole had soccer camp at Indoor Goals.  I think it was a little overwhelming for him at first—it is a really nice, full-size facility, but it is big.  But, he quickly got into the swing of everything and had a great time!  They worked on dribbling, trapping the ball, kicking goals, and even had a scrimmage at the end of each day.  I was also very impressed with the coaches and how they were able to connect to these young kids and make it really fun.  Cole was so much fun to watch and it was incredible the improvement he made in just two short days!  I was so proud of him!  This experience was really great for Cole and am so happy he had such a great time!

Today, we took the kids down to the Eastbank Esplanade for a bike ride along the river.  It was a beautiful day, and Franny, Cole, and Delaney all had a great time.  Franny loved racing up the bike path. Cole hasn’t been as interested in riding bikes this summer as he was last year, so we weren’t sure how he’d do once he was away from the house, but he did a great job and rode right along at his own pace.   Delaney loved just riding along and seeing everything.  It was a really fun time for everyone!

While at the Zoo, we took in the dinosaur exhibit that is here for the summer.   The kids loved it!

Getting wet from the water-spraying dinosaur

Today, Auntie Noelle spent the day with us.  We all went on an afternoon adventure to the Zoo and took the train down to the Rose Gardens.  All the roses were in full bloom and absolutely beautiful.  I love spending time here, and the kids enjoy it as well.  Washington Park is such a wonderful part of Portland, with so many things to do and see, but these gardens are probably my favorite destination within the park.  We’ve been here many times, but never with Auntie, so it was a lot of fun to share it with her.  And, the kids always have more fun when she is with us!  Next time, we will definitely stay longer—this time around was just too brief when there was too much left to be seen and enjoyed.  Summer days in Portland just aren’t long enough!