Hot summer weekend, July 24th

What a great weekend!

This Saturday Intel Corporation threw a big Family BBQ for their employees at the PGE Park.  Everything was free, the food, the entertainment, the prizes.
We got there just after the start time to make sure it wasn't too packed yet, and that was a pretty good decision.  On the way in everyone was handed a bag for collecting their "goodies", which is always nice.  Beats carrying a bunch of junk in your hands.
There was a request to bring some gently used children books for a donation.  We were more than happy to get a few out of the boys' room.  The only thing was asked of us is to sit down and wipe them clean before they could be accepted.

Gabe got to try a potato-sack race and got to the finish line way before anyone else.
We got to spin the prize wheel at the Disney Radio table and won a t-shirt, some stickers and posters, and a few tickets to the upcoming Air Show in Hillsboro.

After lunch we sat in the shade and cooled off with a lemonade (and a cotton candy).  Even while sitting away from all the fun we couldn't help but "score" more free stuff.  We were handed a couple of free Intel shirts.

By the time we left, our "goody" bag was pretty full and everyone was exhausted!

Sunday was our recovery day.  We didn't go anywhere, other than a Sunday Market and a couple of stores, but instead caught up on to-do list at home.

Bike ride

Trying something new...  loading a video from YouTube:

Bike Ride

July 17th weekend

We didn't have any particular plans this weekend, so my goal was to finish as many postponed projects as I could, do some house cleaning, and then spend the rest of my time chilling out.

Larissa attended a Summer Camp every day this week.  She had tons of fun, making (high tech) crafts and learning about technology.  On the last day she got to bring all her creations back home. Oh, joy!

On Saturday Larissa, Jon and I went out for a sushi lunch, then did some light shopping.

I finished pressure-washing our driveway and a sidewalk.

Jon decided that he is ready to try his bike without the training wheels.  He quickly learned the concept of pedaling and keeping the balance, but now needs to work on stopping and making bike go where you actually want to go, not some random direction.

Gabe made sure to follow Jon, not that he could help him even if he wanted... (nice flip-flops with socks, Gabe...)

On Tuesday this week I got a call from the Water Department in Hillsboro.  Apparently, Jon's name got picked from the Library Summer Reading Program in a raffle.  He got for a water bottle, goggles, water balloons and some candy.

July 10th weekend.

Just as soon as we mentally prepared to deal with the hot days of Summer, temperatures dropped again.  The weekend was still very warm and sunny, but as the following week started off, it got cooler and cooler..

On Sunday I took Larissa and Jon to a Lavender farm.  We walked through a field of flowers, checked out local vendors selling their crafts, then for $5 we got to cut our own selection of lavender.

There were many bees on the flowers, which made me wonder if there is a lavender honey for sale nearby...

on the way out we stooped by a lama farm and (very carefully) admired the animals.  Kids were afraid that lamas would get spooked and spit on them...

Independence Day 2010

Looks like the Summer is finally here!  It took a while, but now that it is here, it is stinking HOT! 
First we have a record coldest and a record wettest Summer, then , fast forward to this week, and we are breaking records with the hot temperatures.  That's Oregon for you...

This Saturday I got busy with everything I meant to do when it gets warm (and I have some free time), including cleaning a back deck, and pressure-washing the backyard cement slab, putting up Jon's "igloo" for him to play outback, and finally making those "home made pop tarts".

Jon quickly settled in his tent with a portable DVD player and pretty much spent all day there:

I had a little bit of trouble rolling out pop-tarts' dough thin enough, but I think they came out pretty good.

I think the fact that they were all gone in two days speaks for itself...

On Sunday I took kids to the store and we picked out some fireworks.  Nothing crazy (not that we could with the Oregon's laws anyway).  When it finally got dark we joined our neighbors and put up some firework show!

June 26th weekend

This weekend we had only a few (but important) things to take care off, the rest was all unplanned.

First things first, Miranda's birthday.  She is now 17 years old!  I remember her mentioning that she never had a Boston Cream pie, so instead of a traditional sugar and dough cake we got a pie to share.  I think everyone really enjoyed it!

Second important thing was to get Gabe's rental baritone horn returned to the music store and to decide if we would actually buy a Euphonium for him to use in Middle and High School band.  We decided it was better money spent on buying it, rather than continuing renting it.
On Saturday we loaded in the entire family (and the instrument too) and headed to Vancouver Washington.  We hardly ever go that way, so it was almost a big deal...
We had so much fun looking at everything.  The store is huge and if you need something, you are sure to find it there!  With all the excitement, I didn't even take any pictures!

Since we were already in Washington, I got some Sudafed, I can breathe now! (Stinking Oregon laws!)

On Sunday we realized that a strawberry season is already here and we better not miss it, it isn't very long.
Hot day, dusty roads, running through a tall grass, that's when Larissa's allergies kicked in, times ten.  Poor kid had to take Benadryl, her arms got covered with red spots, and she couldn't open her eyes till the medicine kicked in. 

Monday through Thursday Gabe attended a Lacrosse camp.  It might have been a little more than kids bargained for.  Four hours of training and playing each day...  that's some Summer vacation

(Caleb & Gabe after practice)