Sweet Trixie, Sweet Auntie

Trixie took such good care of her daddy after his surgery. This was a particularly rough day of migraines and exhaustion.

Baking cookies with Auntie Mel before her big adventure overseas. We miss you, Auntie Mel! <3

Andrew's 7th Birthday

Mr. Andrew is 7! Can we believe it? I can't. He's turning into the most amazing young man. I'm super proud of him. I'm so lucky that I get to be his momma!

At his request, I baked a dirt bike cake for him. It's a 5 layer Willie's, decorated with cocoa puffs, crushed graham crackers and donut holes. It was so fun to make!

(My new blog format loads smaller pictures - in order to see them larger for more detail, just click on the picture itself and it'll open in a new window for you.)

The pinata was a lot of fun...Grandma June took a good whack at it.

Andrew gave it the final blow...

Cake time!

Trick candles!

Matthew helps blow them out for good! (This was blowout #6 or so!)

Thank you to everyone for coming to his celebration, for all of his fantastic gifts and for being his life!

Black Butte Ranch, Thomas-style

Back to my childhood mecca - Black Butte Ranch. Mike and I drove the kiddos over to central Oregon for a weekend of sun, fun and family! Black Butte is positively gorgeous....see?

The boys hit the driving range shortly after we arrived... 

Matthew and Noah are one month apart, best buddies and golfing partners...

It was really cold and windy (what happened to HOT central Oregon?)

Matthew had a solution for his top quarter, but is getting too tall for his own good - his belly was cold!

Matthew, Noah and Andrew enjoying the driving range.

Serious golfing.

Andrew caught on pretty well! He's hoping for some golf lessons in the future.

Matthew could use a little assistance on his form.

Mike is always a great teacher.

My handsome athelete, using his shoulder one last time.

Andrew digging up tees while Matthew chills.

Mike, Papa Robin and Glenn retrieve some nearby balls.

Matthew gives up, takes a siesta while the big boys finish up.

My cutie patootie on the putting green.

I love central Oregon.

Stopped at a playground near the lodge for some fun before lunch.

Sunset

The determined one.

No idea what this was all about.

This is what fresh air looks like.

Again - no clue what the horses are all about, but the boys enjoyed roping them!

Ponderosa pinecones.

Time to go in for the night.

Not without some wrestle time first!

Black Butte Ranch

Unfortunately, our trip was cut short. After a wonderful birthday celebration for Andrew - pizza, cake AND pie, we cozied up and hit the hay. Andrew was a little stuffy at bedtime, but I didn't think twice....until he started wheezing and waking up every 10 minutes. After over a dozen wakeups before 2 am, Mike and I decided to scoop the kiddos up and get them home. We were anticipating much more illness in our future, and wanted to be home if it happened. Plus, Mike needed to rest well before his surgery just days later! NanaDee and Papa got up (yes, at 2 in the morning!) and helped us load up. We drove the kiddos home - they slept the whole way - and wonderul Auntie Mel and Maisha took over in the morning once the boys woke up so Mike and I could sleep in. Turns out Andrew was just croupy, most likely due to the very dry air in central Oregon - but it was good that we played it safe. Looking forward to the next family trip that we can fully participate in! Thank you all for a wonderful time, for Andrew's very special celebration and for understanding our early departure. I'm telling you...we are SO blessed!

Island Time

We had a wonderful family trip up in Friday Harbor at Pop's house. The WHOLE gang made it...our family of 5 (Trixie included!), Auntie Mel, Uncle Jon, Lindsey, Uncle K and Auntie Teresa even drove in from Montana. We had a beautiful time...

A bunch of pictures from our trip...

Matthew at a pit stop - sleepy boy with his headphones...

Both boys are incredible travellers - they just listen to their music and hang out. This was a long trip, too! No complaints from them. :)

Andrew rode with Uncle K - here they are getting onto the ferry...

Trixie LOVES the islands! Freedom, fresh air, critter company, the ocean to swim in, lots of sticks, new smells...

Uncle K teaching Matthew how to whistle with grass...Matthew got confused and rubbed it back and forth, cutting his little cheeks up - it was kind of sad, but cute also...

Blowing wishies!

Cotton candy sunset...

Mike always has a bug on his finger...Matthew watches on as a cricket hangs out...

Love bugs...

Birthday celebration #1 - Pop gave some awesome Imaginext toys and a Razor Spark Scooter!

Going out to test the scooter...

She's the best...so loyal to her boys...

Kevin swam at South Beach. Dad said it's the first time he's ever seen someone swim there. It is ICE cold!

See? Always a bug on his finger. :)

Matthew likes to tie things to himself...

Super sweaty from scootering...

 Eating a lime...

Matthew was a little less than cooperative, so Uncle K stepped in to fill in the gap...and Andrew's lap!

He insisted that the crotch strap be this tight...

Trying to shrimp, sans nets...

Wedgie time...

There's a sleeping Matthew somewhere under there...

This is how we spent the little bit of down time we allowed ourselves...playing Plants Vs. Zombies...ha ha!

Thanks for an amazing trip, Dad! You are SO good to your whole family...we are truly blessed!