Summer Camps

The boys got to take part in some really fun camps this summer and while we didn't get pictures of all of them, I thought the ones we did get pictures of were worth posting. These first two photos are of what we commonly refer to as "Mama Camp". Basically it means the boys didn't have another camp so we were able to go on an adventure/outing together. These two were at the zoo and of course the boys were just as interested in posing with the statues of animals as they were looking at the real animals. Go figure.

{Parker and his friend Finn at a combination Basketball and Football camp}

{Conway and his friend Reid at Sounders camp}

{Parker and Finn at Moss Bay camp where they sailed, paddle boarded, and kayaked!}

{Parker and his friends Roark and Gray at Sweetlines mountain biking camp}

{One day of mountain biking camp was cancelled because of the smoke from surrounding forest fires so in the morning I took Parker an his friends to the zoo...}

{...they went to Gray's house for lunch...}

{...and played at Roark's house in the afternoon. Not a bad day of camp!}

{More Mama Camp at the Woodland Park Zoo...}

{… and a Discovery Park hike!}

And just like that summer is coming to an end...

Rivergirl's Reunion

About a year ago I did a pretty lengthy post titled Smoked Salmon detailing an epic river trip that I was fortunate enough to be a part of. Well, four out of the five of us girls on that trip decided to have a reunion (we were missing Laurie who was busy guiding another river trip). Anna, Elly, and I met up at my mom's farm in Camas for a lovely weekend of glow in the dark Bocce Ball, floating on the Washougal River, a hilarious round of golf at The Edgefield, and lots of catching up and reminiscing. Even though Sarah wasn't able to join the original trip on the Salmon River, we were so glad that we got to have her with us for a portion of this reunion. 

And here are a few photos... 

 

 

And the weekend concluded with a peaceful walk through the woods. 

Until next time, ladies. 

Attack!!

Terrible Twos

{"No Mama! I don't want to take a nap!"}

Sailing with Boys

 

Parker Turns Seven!

Parker at 7 Years Old

Height: 48.0 in (38.8%)

Weight: 49.6 lb (39.6%)

It's hard to believe, but my baby is now seven years old and he continues to grow into an amazing young man. Parker is caring, silly, inquisitive, fun-loving, empathetic, and energetic. And here are a few notables about Parker right now. He...

• still loves riding his bike and would still prefer to be off road than on the sidewalk or street. 
• is a pretty fast runner. Just ask him. He'll tell ya. 😉
• has really taken a liking to sports. For a while he's enjoyed watching sports with David, but now when we go to the playground all he wants to do is shoot baskets, play soccer, or do something else with a ball. And now that he's actually participating in these sports we've noticed that he has pretty good hand-eye coordination. Go figure.
• didn't start talking especially early in life, but he seems to be making up for lost time. What this really means is that he is constantly talking...or singing, or just making noises. I love talking with him and hearing his perspective on things these days - the random noises I could usually do without.
• has become a truly confident reader. He's actually been a great reader for quite a while now, but it wasn't until sometime during the course of first grade that he realized it...and then it really took off.
• is still showing signs of being an engineer someday. He loves to build things, take them apart, and figure out their inner workings.
• is still very social and loves to say hello to people he knows...even if that means yelling across the street.
• continues to have lots of energy and some difficulties staying focused and in control of his body. It doesn't usually take much of a reminder for him to gain focus and control again, but the older he gets the more this stands out.
• loves his brothers, but can be rather bossy. He definitely thinks that being the oldest means he's in charge. Conway and Monroe don't usually agree with that assessment.
• is very empathetic. Seeing someone get sad or hurt, even in a movie, can still bring him to tears. 
• is surprisingly good at sharing. This is not to say that he has never taken a ball or toy from someone, but if Parker gets a treat when he is without his brothers he will usually save some of it to share with them later. 
• currently seems to have very little concern for keeping things organized. I realize this probably isn't so different from most boys his age, but it is interesting given his need for organization and straight lines when he was little.
• switches back and forth pretty frequently between being open to eating anything and being fairly picky. Favorite foods: mint chocolate chip ice cream, cookies, macaroni and cheese, hotdogs, and carrots. Least favorite foods: broccoli, jelly and jam.
• has not yet embraced the concept of using manners at the dinner table. I swear he sometimes looks the way I would imagine someone in jail looks when they're eating, as if they have to shovel it in as fast as they can for fear that their food is going to be taken from them at any moment. As hard as I try, I still seem to be raising a frat boy instead of a well mannered young man. Maybe next year...

Happy Birthday Parker!!

Diner en Blanc Seattle 2018

P.S. Le Diner en Blanc Seattle 2017