Summer in Sunriver

With a baby due in early September we decided our family vacation this year would be to Sunriver.  We knew we would be spending several long weekends down there, but we wanted to make a point of Brian taking a full week off and us making a real trip out of it.  It turned out better than we could have imagined and is one my top vacations of all time.  We left to spend the July 4th weekend down there and Auntie Steph and Uncle Sammi made last minute plans to come to Portland, which became Sunriver too!  It was such a treat to have them there, not knowing the next time I was going to see my sister I was so excited they could come.  My parents were there and the house was full of lots of laughs and celebrating of Stammi's recent engagement.  After a fun long weekend everyone left except the 3 of us.  We spent the week golfing (Brian), riding bikes, going to the pool, playing in the dirt, looking for fancy rocks, scooter riding, squirrel and deer hunting, bubble blowing and everything in between.  We visited breweries for dinner, sat on the deck to relax during nap time and made it feel like a true vacation.  One of my favorite nights we rode bikes out into the meadow on kind of a warm stormy evening.  We took Jake to the stable and the airport, both of which he found less exciting than a practice putting green…and then ate burgers on the lawn in back of the lodge while Jake played.  It was simple and special and great end to our time together.  

At the end of the 10 days I wasn't ready to come home so Jake and I spent another week there, the last few days of that with my Dad who then gave us a ride home! Jake and I then came home for a week and headed down for one more week of fun with my parents.  We had the best time and Jake was in heaven every second.  Jake and I had our little routine…every morning we would go out and look for the rocks (that I would hide the night before), then around 9:30 we loaded up the bikes with the chariot with all of our pool stuff and ride down to the SHARC for their 10 am opening.  We played in the toddler pool, the sand area, the fountains, and the shallow end of the big pool.  As the Summer progressed Jake became more and more confident in the water, less afraid of getting splashed and more eager to "swim."  He still won't get his face in the water, but we started with a simply lean over to Mama from a sitting position to "jump" into the pool to him backing up for a running start to jump to me by the end of the Summer.  We had a snack at the pool and then rode home for a nice long nap (Jake) and then more play and dinner.  We had an awesome time and we got a great tan too…especially my little bronze baby.  

I am so grateful to have these memories in the Summer before we became a family of four.  I know it won't ever quite be like that again and it really was a special time.  I am so grateful that my parents bought this house that we can all spend time together in, so grateful that Jake can wake up and see deer out the kitchen window, so grateful that we can all sip wine on the deck in the sunshine, so grateful we are in the mecca land of breweries, so grateful to make memories in a place that has always been so special to me.  

Four Decades - My Parent's Anniversary

Dear Mom and Dad - 

I'm only here because forty years ago today you became husband and wife and decided to build a family and life together!  Forty years!!  Thats amazing!  Congratulations on your fantastic marriage, your amazing children (had to add that), and the fun lives you so deserve to be living together.  This is your day and I hope you take some time to reflect on what an incredible accomplishment it is to be celebrating this milestone.  Together over the last four decades you two have proved that to make a wonderful marriage you not only have to love your partner, but you have to like them a lot.  It takes growing up and maybe even marrying someone myself to truly appreciate all that you both are as parents and a couple and all that you have done. Stephanie and I could not have been luckier to be your kids.  We had parents that would have sacrificed anything to make their daughters safe and happy.  For a better part of your 40 years together you have put the two of us first, always first.  Whether it was Kick-and-Chase soccer games in the rain, ski trips with tons of gear, long weekends of volleyball in Medford, evenings listening us complain about dinner, wrecking our cars (maybe just me), going to out-of-state college, planning a wedding, or looking for a job we always knew we could count on both of you.  You make marriage look easy, you are great friends, you laugh at each other, you laugh at yourselves, and it is obvious to anyone that spends time with you that you were really meant to be together.  Thank you for choosing me as your daughter and for being an example everyday of what it means to build a life together.  Keep laughing and keep loving. Cheers to 40 more!

I love you!

- Elizabeth

Hooray for Mom and Dad and 40 years together!!

Jake in the Big Apple

In early January Brian headed to Bandon Dunes for a boys golf vacation and Grammy and I packed up Jake and headed to New York City to see his Auntie Stephanie aka Ti Ti Boom or The Boom.  We had an early morning flight and as he screamed in the car seat on the way to the airport I thought I was probably in for a very long flight...but poor little man was just sad to be up so early.  Once we got through security and his Mom was sufficiently drenched in sweat he settled down fine and was excited for his trip.  He nursed on take off and landing and other than that he just was charming the other passengers with smiles and sweet glances. 

I think he had a sensory shock when we walked out of JFK to hustle bustle that would be his life for the next several days.  My Mom and I would get settled at Stephanie's apartment with Jake and she was going to stay with her boyfriend Sammi.  Everyday was about the same, wake up late and take our time getting ready, have a Jake photoshoot.   Nurse Jake - strap in the snap and go stroller and head out the door.  We walked a lot, we shopped, we ate, we people watched and we worked on our strategy for the next time that Jake needed to eat and where we would change his diaper.  I NEVER could have done this little adventure without Grammy.  She took special care of both of us everywhere we went.  We started with breakfast at Starbucks and then explored different parts of the city - The Upper Westside, Soho, Chelsea, Flatiron, East Village.  We walked and walked and Jake ate everywhere from Starbucks to Whole Foods to Bloomingdales.  At night we met up with Stephanie and Sammi for delicious dinners.  A few we had our, where Jake was great and few for take out at Sammi's apartment.  Every one was delicious and fun.  Jake slept well at night even though he would nap a lot during the day.  He was just a good little guy all the time. 

It was a great trip to enjoy New York, spend some time with my Mom, visit my sister and meet her boyfriend that we adore.  Finally - Steph is dating someone I actually want to hang out with.  He is smart and funny, he has his head screwed on right, he gives my sister a hard time, he laughs with her and at her and seems like a real keeper!

Trips like these I will never forget!

Jake's first airplane ride

Gtand Central, Flatiron building, Chelsea Market

Snowy Sunriver

The day after Christmas we packed up the car to head to Sunriver with my family for a few days.  Packing the car for our first road trip with a baby was very interesting.  To say we had a lot of stuff would be a major understatement.  We somehow got it all in and managed to get Jake and ourselves in the car for a stop at the pediatrician before heading on the road.  Jake had his check-up, his shots, and something to eat and we headed on his first road trip.  As usual he was an angel.  Just slept and ate all the way down there.  

Sunriver was absolutely beautiful.  There had been several snow storms and there was a couple feet of snow on the ground.  It was just perfect.  Our days were spent hanging out and watching football, playing with Jake, getting coffee, taking walks, or a couple of snowshoe adventures on the golf course. I think we could have stayed another week.  It was fun to have some relaxing time to just enjoy the winter wonderland.  Jake was a trooper the whole week.  A few things we discovered (the hard way) was that it is not good to let Jake get overly exhausted.  Poor little guy cannot wind down and will fuss more than he ever normally does.  Totally our fault too.  The other thing I learned...Jake was too big for is 0-3 month clothes already.  I wasn't ready to let go of the little tiny outfits that he had been showcasing his first two months of life.  Time was already moving too fast.  We really tried to take some pictures of things other than Jake...at least we tried.