Beach Trip!

We had a great time visiting our friends in Waldport this weekend. Karen, Senate, and Thea were super hosts and let us stay at their amazing beach house! Hank, Brian, and baby Maude came too! It was a gorgeous couple of days and we all fell in love with the incredible tide pools right by their house. But the best part was cozying up with friends and watching the waves!

Ape Cave Lava Tubes

We took a trip up to Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Mount St Helen. So gorgeous this time of year with the leaves changing and mist hanging in the mountains. I had to collect soil for my OSU class and it turned out to be the perfect spot.
Bijou had gone to the lava tube this summer with her class and was a masterful tour guide showing us all the way down into a cave and 2 flights of slippery stairs to the main tube. Without a flashlight you can't see your own finger in front of your face. We took the easy route descending to the bottom of the tube, a mile and a half round trip. There's an extended version where you travel up the tube rock climbing over 10 feet tall boulders.
Bijou was our trailblazer walking comfortably through the rocky darkness while most of us stumbled! Jack was super brave carrying his huge flash light and yelling hi at other people coming through. It was a great experience.

Silver Falls

We surprised dad with a hike at Silver Falls for his birthday! He had no idea where we were headed as we packed in the car that morning. We were treated to a gorgeous sunny day and an almost empty state park. During the 4 miles we hiked we saw 6 falls, wild flower, ferns, banana slugs, and some big spiders. Half way through we had a picnic on the top of one of the falls and Jack lost his apple but was excited to see it bob and fall over the edge!
One of the falls you could walk right up to the base and get a refreshing cool off. Which we could have used after the grueling trudge out! We were exhausted and proud of our 4 miles! Especially of the kids!

Baby Elephant

Jack and I went to see the new baby at the zoo... After waiting in a 30 minute line we got to see her. It was exciting and sad all at the same time which is my overall feeling at the zoo. The frenzy of people and the animal on display. We both agreed that our favorite were her sweet big ears flapping happily and how mom would grab onto his tail with her trunk.

Back to Sauvie!

We had our first fall shopping trip to Sauvie and went to the Pumpkin patch. Picked some flowers, got corn and squash, played in the animal barn and on the hay tower, and tried our first run through the corn maze. Miss Bijou wanted to do the whole maze.. she's a trooper! We did the bottom half and were happy! They are also doing a haunted maze this year. Spooky.

Redwoods!

We just got back from our final family camp-out for the summer! It was our favorite so far and we vowed to go back next year. The Paxton fam were camping next door so we all had our friends to adventure with. We swam in the Smith River everyday... this was Bijou's fav... the water was gorgeous and there were eagles soaring overhead. We had towering old growth everywhere and were treated to a super incredible hike amongst the oldest of these... that were the size of houses! There is a special peace that comes when you stand amid these giants. My favorite was laying in the tent with the rain cover off so you can look up at the canopy and at night at the stars. Such a great trip!

First Day of 2nd Grade!

This young lady got up before the clock, picked out her own outfit, and did her very own super hairstyle! I was jealous!
Jack wanted to wear his spidy swim shirt to his first day back at Pre-K and was happily
running around the house shooting webs the whole morning.