Picking Pumpkins

Our annual Pumpkin Patch trip was FAB! The weather was perfect: A perfect fall day! We went to a farm about 15 minutes away that had a horse drawn carriage with 4 Clydesdale horses to escort us to the (overpriced) pumpkin patch. The only rule to picking a pumpkin: You have to be able to carry it.

Sunriver--My Paradise!

Up top of Lava Butte

Pretty view of river, TONS of mosquitos, and a pointless walk to a faraway falls

Talmage finally taking some steps...at almost 16 months!


Photogenic Kesley lounging on the beach

T-Dog hanging with me on the shore

Ben and kids experiencing a paddleboat for the first time

My childhood vacation home--revisited!

Kids in their own private mini pool

So, in late August of this year on a kind of last minute whim, I decided that it would be fun for our family to get away on a vacation just as a family. My immediate thought was my childhood (and adulthood) favorite vacation spot: Sunriver, Oregon. I spent many years of my childhood roaming the bike paths of Sunriver, spending all my saved up money to binge at Goody's, and go to the pool on a nice hot day. I have SO many fond memories of my days of going to Sunriver as a kid.

For the past several years my Sundwall family has gone every other year there as our family reunion spot. This was the off year but I want my children to have the same fondness for Sunriver as I have (which seems to be happening!).

We got to stay in the home that I remember staying in the most. I hadn't been back to stay in this house for YEARS and years. It was a trip to see my kids sleep in the same bunk beds I did when I was a kid. There are few places that have stayed the same as when I was a kid and Sunriver is one of them. This little utopian paradise!

We had a blast! The Baileys joined us for several days. It was fun to show them all the places I loved so much! We managed to squeeze in several bike rides, pony rides, lava cave hike, pool trips, paddleboats at a nearby lake, and an unsuccesful hike to some falls nearby. My kids enjoyed every minute of it! We also enjoyed playing "Stone Age" with the Baileys every night. Even though I got spanked every game!

Goodbye To Jake....

Jake, Ryan, Wyatt, can't remember, Nick, Logan

Two Best Buddies

Wyatt's best little friend, Jake, and his family moved to Colorado in October. This was seriously devastating...for me especially. It's hard to know that someone who your child loves so much, is not going to be able to make memories anymore. I seriously took it harder than Wyatt. Plus, Kelly, Jake's mom has become one of my favorite friends. Jake and Wyatt met in Preschool and landed in the same Kindergarten class. They are two peas in a pod and get along so well.

As a final goodbye, we had Jake, along with his closest friends over for pizza, Wii, and movie night. The boys had a blast...even if I was choking back tears the whole time!

Mom and T

Having my parents live near us (for the first time in our married life) has been SO nice. My parents moved from Minnesota to Everett about a year and a half ago and I love it. It's so nice to be able to see them often, and more importantly, for my kids to be able to have consistent contact with them. They have had fun memories so far, and I look forward to many more!