Summer in Vermont 2013

 We were so excited to go to Vermont!  The kids even made count down chains.  Here they are on the flight out.  They did a great job on the plane.

 Waiting in the Chicago airport for a layover.  Of course the plane was delayed.  We flew into Albany New York, stayed in a hotel and got picked up the next morning by Lanny.  We then drove to the Great Escape 6 flags amusement park.  I didn't take my camera in, but we all had a great time.

 A day later we are in Vermont at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  First thing on the list, ride the 4 wheeler!

 Next thing on the list,  eat snow cones from Aunt Maralee!

 Carson never gets enough driving.  He could do that all day long.

 Another snow cone.

 Getting some maple goodies at a local farm.

 

 I never get tired of visiting the Morgan Horse Farm.  Sydney was to the only one who wanted to join me.  I think the boys have gotten tired of it.

 Lance and I left the kids with grandma and grandpa and took a little trip of our own to Boston.  It started with sight seeing in Boston, then a Red Sox game later that night.  The next day we headed up to Maine, stopping in Salem to visit a Witch trials museum.  Then we took a little sailing trip around the bay in Portland Maine, and finished off the evening with Lobster.

 Fishing at Uncle Lucas's pond.  It's first time our kids have ever caught anything.  They loved it, even though they got spiked by the pokey little fish.

 Building a bon fire with grandpa Smith!

 One of the many frogs we found in the pond.

 Just handing out at grandma and grandpa's house.

 Setting up for Uncle Lucas and Ally's wedding.

 Sydney and Maggie are the flower girls, and Tyson and Carson are the ring bearers.

 One more snow cone before we leave!

And of course some rides on the BIG tractor.

Summer Time Hikes and Bike Rides

 

 I do love the summers here in Oregon.  Very beautiful!  There are lots of places to ride our bikes  and blackberries to eat along the way.




 

 I think Carson's eyes are hilarious in this picture.  Lately he's been making a lot of funny faces when I take pictures of him.  Then he asks to see the camera afterward because he knows it's going to look silly!

The Gator

These boys still can't get enough of this!  They ride it almost everyday, rain or shine.

Extra Pictures of Linnea

 I didn't have my camera with me in the hospital when Linnea was born, so my sister Erica took a few pictures for me with her phone.  I had forgotten about those for a long time, but recently received them.  Each picture is so special to me since I have so few. 

These pictures are the kids meeting and holding Linnea.  We were advised by the grief counselor to let the kids do so, as it will give them understanding and closure.  She says that what the children imagine in their mind is often scarier than real life.  Instead of a traumatic event, it became a special event.

Independence Day 2013

 

 Every year I have pictures of the kids with fireworks.  Somehow I never get tired of them.

 

 

But this year the highlight of our day was running into a civil war reenactment.  We knew the reenactment happens every year at a park nearby, but we had little interest in watching.  What we planned on was a nice hike through a different part of the park to pass the time, so we could hurry up and get to the fireworks time!  We hiked until we came out of the trees into a clearing where a crowd had gathered to watch, and we just happed to be right on time.  The battle was about to begin!  We stayed to watch it, and everyone enjoyed it.  There were cannons and guns for the boys, big pretty dresses for Sydney, and horses for mom!  As for dad, well, he's just happy if  the rest of us are happy :)

 

 

The Reptile Man

Earlier this summer we visited the Reptile Man at the library.  It turns out Carson loves snakes!  He wanted to touch it so bad.  Luckily the kids were allowed to touch one of them at the end. 

 

We recently found a snake in our back yard, and Carson kept trying to grab it while Lance was trying to remove it.  We ended up putting it in a big brown paper bag, loading it onto the back of the john deere gator powerwheel, and driving it down the street to some empty lots and releasing it.

Father's Day 2013

 The kids worked hard on a big poster for dad.  First we had fun painting the signs,  then we took pictures of the kids with the signs.  Next we picked the best pictures and made a digital scrapbook page, printed it at Costco, and then framed it for dad to take to work.  Here are some of the pictures we took.

Mother's Day at the Iris Gardens

 For Mother's Day I wanted to walk around the Iris Gardens. 

 

 

 Several years ago I took pictures of the kids running at this same garden. I decided to have the kids reinact the picture.  Sydney didn't want to participate, she was in a bad mood.  That's why you'll notice she's not in many pictures.

 After so many good smiles, the boys just had to get crazy and do silly faces.

 To lift Sydney's mood I let her have the camera to take a few pictures.  It was her first time using the camera and these were some of the pictures she took. Pretty good I think!