Let's play ball!!

This past week by brother Doug has been in town visiting and we also made our annual trip to Seattle to watch the Red Sox play the Mariners for two games, Friday and Saturday.  We always have a good time checking out the sites, Pike Place Market, Space Needle and the pier.

   Friday nights game, 100 level.

Always a favorite hang out!

 Pappardelle's Pasta...Yummy!

 Chatting with Uncle Doug about all the birds on the pier.

Then off to see the Space Needle and ride some rides, our hotel was just a few blocks away.

Saturday nights game, 300 level.

New do

Ethan was in desperate need of a haircut and I just have not had time so today Uncle Doug and I took him to a fun shop call Sit Still Salon.  Ethan got to drive a yellow taxi and watch Ice Age 2 while getting his hair cut and he did awesome while she was using the clippers on him.  He is definitely looking more grown up, it is amazing how thing with him change so fast.

 We have been having lots of fun with little Charlie.  Copper has had a few jealous times but overall is doing pretty well with him, although there have been a few snipes when treats were involved.  With the back yard being all dirt right now they are having a lot of races and dust flying everywhere but getting good exercise any way.

 

New pictures of Charlie...and the rest of our weekend.

All the boys are having lots of fun and adjusting well.  Poor Charlie does needs some sleep though and unlikely to get much with Ethan around, he looks so tired in all the pictures.  Both Charlie and Copper are sleeping on their pillows at night and Jeff and I are having a much better nights sleep with a new mattress for us, since we were sinking in the last one, and no dogs on the bed.

 

Nap time yesterday, they were all worn out.

We are finally starting to see the yard come together, all of our hard work, sweat and hand blisters are starting to make a noticeable difference.  This weekend we worked on sprinklers as well as placing the cement curbing to separate the rocked area from the grass area.  We have had the supplies in our garage for the front sprinklers for the last 8 years when we did the front flower beds but wanted to wait until we could do both front and back yard, so we rented a trencher on Saturday and started the process.  The front yard is done and now back to normal and the back yard is trenched and will be done soon.  We are both looking forward to the rapidly approaching day when we can sit back on our patio chairs, roast some marshmallows and enjoy all our effort.

This view along the back fence.  Ethan's sandbox is in the NW corner of the yard, the trees and rocks all the way across the back fence meeting up with the eventual home for the trailer in the NE corner of the yard, which is next to the covered canopy behind the garage.  

 Fun in the sandbox.

 Front yard trenching.

 The sun came out and all my flowers are now in bloom...love it!

 Ethan helping Daddy fill back up the trenches he just dug out in the back yard.

Ethan and Daddy playing in the new sprinklers.

Any my newly stained deck, just have the railings left to stain and my shoe cabinet to paint.

Uncle Doug is coming to visit us this Wednesday so we will be taking this weekend off and heading to Seattle for our annual trip to watch the RedSox play the Mariners!!

Charlie

I am now totally outnumbered with no hope...late evening last night I was looking on craigs list and found us a boxer puppy that needed a new home.  Jeff and I have been thinking about this for a while and were going to wait until summer was over, however, we just couldn't resist.

His name is Charlie, he is almost 5 months old, house-broken, and completely worn out from playing all night with Copper.  

More pictures to come later today after we are finished putting in the sprinklers that we started yesterday before getting him. 

Berry Picking

Ethan and I met Nicole and Peyton this morning at Smith's Berry Barn in Hillsboro today and picked us just over 4 lbs of raspberries.  The boys had a great time and did pretty good with picking.

We had a great time today and I think our next attempt will be to Sauvie Island for blueberries!!

 Overall's and bucket...Ethan was dressed for the occasion.

Ethan is definitely a friendly kid...

He asked Peyton to hold his hand and they ran off to look for more berries.

They had some really large raspberries.

I think we wore him out.

Now what to do with all these berries?!?

Ethan is loving his new bike!

After just one time of Daddy pulling him along to get him used to how the pedals work he has figured it out and is riding it all by himself...Way to go Ethan!

%'s & all smiles!!!

Ethan had his 3-year check up with Dr. Bob this morning and he did awesome!  He is now 27.5 pounds (10th percentile) and 36.5 inches tall (25th percentile).  Dr. Bob was impressed with him and how well he was doing...with exception of him tripping yesterday and the driveway meeting his face causing a pretty good scrape, but that definitely won't be the last time that happens for sure.

 

Yesterday we also had one more day off work and put up Ethan's slip n' slide to give it a try...not quite warm enough, it was probably only 65 degrees for the day, but he had a fun time anyway.  It is supposed to finally start warming up into the 90's this week so I am sure we will be trying it out again really soon. 

Later that afternoon Daddy pulled him along on his 

new bicycle to help him get used to pedaling.

It's going to be a great summer with all smiles!!!

Play ball...

Tonight we headed to PGE park to watch America's favorite past-time and fireworks, the Portland Beavers playing the Las Vegas 51's.  Ethan loves baseball and was so excited to go to the game and watch the fireworks afterward.  We first took Ethan to his first baseball game at PGE park when he was just 3 weeks old, and he just loves the game.  Ethan was completely spoiled...and not by Jeff and I.  There was a very nice gentleman usher, Marshall, who was so incredibly kind to Ethan, first by giving him a played baseball, which then was signed by the Beaver mascot, then a bit later gave him a free ticket to the jump house in the kids zone, and finally a ticket for a free attraction of his choice at Bullwinkle's Amusement Park.  Then he was later given a second baseball by another young boy, so incredibly nice.  We are looking forward to our annual trip to Seattle in a couple of weeks for RedSox vs Mariners with Uncle Doug.  Happy Independence Day!!!

Start of the 4th of July weekend...

Yesterday we started off our morning with the temperature at 55 and a complete downpour.  Jeff had taken the day off of work so that we could get started on our many trips to get rock as they are only open M-F, and finally around 11 am or so the rain let up and we were able to get 4 loads of rock before they closed at 2:30.  We were able to get the rock spread on the east side of the garage and right behind the garage.  Still will need several more trips but it is a good start anyway. 

Then this morning we loaded up the trailer again, with much better weather, and went to Portland Sand & Gravel.  After 1 1/2 tons of sand (2 trips), and putting Ethan to work, we finally have a fun place for him to play.

He is able to put the shovel Papa & Grammie Hadley gave him for his birthday to good use.

Then it was time to install the canopy...we will have so much storage at 10x20, and a great home for the quad.

The yard is finally starting to come together. YAY!!

Additional birthday pictures...

Ethan was ecstatic about the Woody doll and tag jr books he got from Grammy Berg & Papa Steve.  He carried him around all day along with Riley.

A real metal shovel for digging in the sandbox from Grammy & Papa Hadley, he also made good use of it last evening in the dirt helping daddy.

Puzzles are definitely a big hit with Ethan from Violet, a co-worker's little girl that works for Jeff.

And a huge puzzle and 4th of July shirt from Aunt Lori.

And along with his bike from Mommy & Daddy, we got him a Toy Story Shake n' Go with Woody, two tag jr. books and Tinker Toys...not sure who is more excited about the Tinker Toys, although Daddy was bummed that they are plastic instead of wood but fun nonetheless.

Thanks so much to all our friends and family who love and support our family, we are sad that we are so far away from our family and all you get to see are pictures instead of the expressions and surprise when he opened your gifts, but glad to have great friends close by to share this experience with.  We love you all!