Monday, August 27, 2012

Camping 2012

A few weekends ago we went camping with our friends Donald and Ruth and their 3 kids.  We went to a place called Florence, OR, along the coast.  It is a really pretty spot, with the campsite not being too dirty.  I guess the one thing we had to contend with this year was the mosquitoes, but other than that, things were really great.  The weather was warm, which is nice.  I can handle a lot of things while camping, but I really have a hard time if it's cold, especially at night.  The camping location also was next to a small lake.  Donald has a canoe that we were able to take out and enjoy.  We also were about a mile and a half walk from the beach.  On Saturday afternoon, we decided to walk there, thinking it would be fun to play on the beach.  However, it was very windy and rather chilly, so we didn't stay long and quickly returned back to our campsite. 

The food is always one of my favorite parts of camping.  Donald and Ruth bought a camping stove this year, which was fun to use.  We made cinnamon rolls one morning.  And of course there are smores and lots of yummy snacks to eat while camping too. 

This year was the first year for Simon to use a sleeping bag.  He did pretty well and stayed warm, which is good.  The second night he woke up crying, I think scared because he was unsure of his surroundings.  But once he figured out he was safe, he was okay. 

The kids had such a fun time playing.  They get along well, which is wonderful.  They love to run around the bushes, playing make believe games.  They also entertained themselves with bikes and bubbles. 

We've only managed to go camping once a summer the past few summers.  Perhaps we'll be able to do more as Jeff's schedule gets easier and the boys get older.  But for now, we can say we went, and we had a great time!

Eating Lunch
Baby Tyler

Canoe Rides

Daniel & Natalie

Bubbles!

Digging for lost treasure

Sam got buried


Monday, August 20, 2012

Simon is 2!

I can't believe my baby turns 2 today.  It has been difficult at times watching him grow, knowing he's my last baby to go through the various stages.  I vividly remember a time when he was about 7 months old.  I was giving him his bottle, right before bedtime.  He often would grasp onto my finger with his little fist when I was feeding him.  That night he seemed to hold on tight, like he would never let go.  His eyelids closed and he began to drift to sleep, but I just wanted to hold him forever.  Now, even a few months later, I know these precious moments won't last forever.  He is growing more independent every day.  And while I'm thankful he is a healthy boy, growing up as he should, there are times when I wish I could freeze time and hold on to him just as he is.  I love you Simon!  Happy Birthday!

Minutes Old

1 Day Old

1 Month Old

1 Year Old

2 Years Old

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Swim Lessons

The last couple of weeks, the boys took swim lessons.  I was really proud of how they did and the progress they made.  Here's a few pics of our eventful week!

Simon, ready to jump in

Simon & I

Sam, getting his floating in

Sam enjoyed his goggles

Daniel got his float down

Daniel had fun!