Our first camping trip...Loon Lake & Winchester Bay

This weekend we ventured out on our first family camping trip...I enjoy camping, Jeff not so much so we made the most of it by borrowed a friends ATV so that we could all go riding as well as camping.  We stayed at Loon Lake, about 20 miles from the coast (Reedsport), and aside from burning eyes from the camp fire smoke and having to use a nasty camping toilet, if you can even call that a toilet, we had a fun time.

Ethan helping daddy set up the tent.

Roasting marshmallows.

Riding at Winchester Bay.

We couldn't ride right down on the beach in this area of the dunes but still a really fun place to ride.

These people are definitely crazier than I am...not sure I would try it even if I had a more sporty quad as I like that all of my body parts work.

We wore him out, after almost 4 hours of riding he was asleep 2 minutes after putting him in the car.

My little helper

We have been enjoying quite a bit from our garden this summer (spinach, beets, a few carrots, a handful of blueberries and strawberries and lots of pea pods) and Ethan has done a great job of helping us pick them, especially the pea pods.  We had to replant the zucchini/squash as Copper, who previously has never dug, decided that he would start with the fresh dirt in the garden.  But they are definitely coming in now and I will be trying some zucchini out this evening for dinner.

If you know me well at all, you know that I can be quite OCD when it comes to cleaning and organizing.  If you don't know me, well, I like things overly clean and organized.  However, those tasks seemed to have become more difficult to get accomplished with a toddler and two dogs.  Now, yes, I have had two dogs previously so I can't really blame it on them even if they are two different dogs and they do contribute to it with the backyard full of dirt, but with Ethan's help of bringing in all kinds of things from outside I am amazed as to how difficult those tasks have become.  I am sure at some point he too will have a little bit of organization skills and cleaning skills, or so I can hope, just hopefully not to my crazy level, but in the mean time he has become quite a little helper with washing the windows and dusting and he is really good about putting his clothes in the hamper and cleaning up his toys before bedtime.

Jamison Square

E and I met Nicole and Peyton at Jamison Square in the Pearl District today to play in the water and take advantage of the last day this week of 90+degree weather.  The boys had a great time splashing and climbing and of course we always have to have a snack...

Making progress

We have been working on the pathway, and after a lengthy time-consuming process to get the angling right, we are now in the straightway going around the garden, then around the corner of the deck and another straightway to the side stairs of the deck.  There will be grass covering up the remaining dirt in the next couple of weeks and I am so excited to have less dirt in my house.

I am looking forward to roasting up marshmallows for smores!  

Yes, you can call us crazy...

but at least his head will be safe, even if it is as big as he is and probably weights about the same.  

The three of us are excited for our first family camping trip in two weeks to Loon Lake for ATV riding along the Oregon Coast.

Grammie & Papa Hadley & Aunt Lori are here visiting...

We have been having lots and lots of fun with Grammie & Papa Hadley & Aunt Lori this past week.  They arrived on Saturday with BoBo the bear for Ethan, he was very excited to see all of them and gave Grammie a very big hug when she got out of the car (we haven't seen them since Christmas but will get to see them all again this coming Christmas).

Aunt Lori helped Daddy make BoBo the bear several years ago.

Sunday morning we left bright and early for a trip to Seattle to see their first MLB game (Mariners vs Kansas City Royals), Pike Street Market and the Space Needle.  It was quite a different experience for us compared to going to a RedSox game but we had a great time and Ethan had all kinds of activities that Aunt Lori brought with her to entertain him as well as snacks.

Grammie, Ethan & Papa.

 Aunt Lori & Ethan...loving the Cracker Jacks!

Visiting the Space Needle.

Monday morning we took a ferry ride from Edmonds, WA, to Kingston, WA, then drove to Port Angeles, WA, parked the car and rode the Victoria Express Ferry to Victoria, B.C.

Victoria B.C.

 We had a wonderful time visiting Canada.  We did A LOT of walking and got a bus pass for some of our traveling but overall it was a great trip!

 Victoria Harbor with the Empress Hotel in the background.

 Dusty Road Ice Cream Sundae and Rootbeer floats and shakes at the Soda Shoppe.

 Craigdarroch Castle

And finally...

These is an awesomely beautiful place to visit.  Jeff and I have been there twice now.  It has so much awe and the dedication and green thumbs of the caretakers is incredible.

We borrowed a camera lens from a friend for our camera and got some really beautiful close ups.

Sunken Garden

E had to show off his belly for us.

Mama Hadley & Jeff

Ethan & Grammie.

Papa & Grammie

You can see the bee looking for pollination.

Ethan & Papa strolling through the roses.

The Japanese Gardens

We made it back home on Wednesday afternoon and with Grammie & Papa's help, while Aunt Lori kept Ethan entertained, we started paving the cobblestone pathway, which will soon wrap around the deck and will also be the home for the fire pit.