Montana

Man.  If there ever was a most beautiful state in this country of ours... it might be Montana.  Now I'm not going to lie -- I think Washington is pretty much the champagne state of the U.S.  I mean, mountains to sound, wheat fields to the Columbia River, it pretty much has it all.  But it doesn't have Glacier National Park, like MT.  (which is fine because then it doesn't have the extra tourists either...).  But I digress.  Montana is freaking gorgeous.

Me and the littles got to ride the train out to visit our family of Saugens in Kalispell last month, and we had a lovely adventure.  Christie is a way better hostess than me -- she planned hikes, picnics, beach days, man -- we were set and had 3 days of non stop adventures :)  In the middle there she somehow convinced me to do a 50 mile bike ride around Kalispell.... now for dear sweet Christie, who is an amazing athlete, 50 miles is like 1/2 to 1/3 of what she could do.  For me it was like HOLY SHI* that was a long bike ride :)  The first 25 weren't too bad, considering I hadn't ridden a bike since May.  The last 25 (TWENTY FIVE PEOPLE) got progressively slower...  and slower... as my little quadriceps got tired...  But I completed it, and had a grand time doing it! So fun.  Next year Christie is going to do the full 100 mile ride.  I think I will just cheer this time.  

We had such a fun time visiting cousins and chatting over tea and whiskey at night.  I am going to have to plan another trip next year too.

And now for the photos!

All loaded up at the Whitefish train station and headed to Glacier!

The beginning of our hiking adventure.

Auntie Christie and the boys

BFF's.  Forever.  (Micah on the left, Olaf on the right, 2 weeks 6 days apart in age :))

Hot Dang.  Remember what I said about Glacier?  I don't edit these photos!

The traffic engineer in me was sketched out by so many things on the going to the sun highway...

Okay, Instagram edited this one for me :)

Huckleberry 100 ride!   (Well, 50 for us)

Post ride.  Still standing (barely).

Playground fun.  Forest Tucker and Kyler John.

 

Nerd alert.  Photo credit to Olaf.

Watch out for the bike gang on the streets of Kalispell.

Food Truth

This morning I had two cups of coffee, a chocolate chip cookie, and a mini twix for breakfast. My poor body -- It's a wonder it still functions some days!!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone. That's right, I am totally technologically hip and with it.

BIG KID

Olaf started Kindergarten last Tuesday at Beaver Valley Elementary.  

And on that day, I was that mom.

I took a billion photos that morning.  Of him, of he and his brother, of he and his cousins.  I put my 5 year old son on the bus, because he insisted on riding it with his cousins.  (plus he'd been waiting practically his whole life to finally RIDE THE BUS).  He walked right up those stairs with great delight, didn't turn back once,  and found a seat right in the front next to his friend Bohde.  I got all choked up when the bus pulled away and my eyes filled up...

Then I immediately loaded up Forest in the car and we drove over to the school to meet Olaf getting off the bus, so that I could take even more photos and walk him into his classroom. Did he need me to?  Nah.  He barely even realized I was there.  I needed to though.  For once in my life I needed to be the mom that went overboard on something.  That got to actually take a million pictures.  That got to talk to the teachers and say hello. Because you know what, that's probably one of the very few days I will get to do that this year.  I made that kid a Pinterest worthy bento-style lunch complete with heart shaped cucumbers and picks shaped like small animals.  Go ahead and roll your eyes now.  But that day I was an awesome mom.  I was the mom I wish I got to be every day today. 

And then I went to work.  Where I will be every other morning when my kiddo heads to school.  So I was super happy to have been that mom on Tuesday.

crazy all up in here.

Is every summer going to be freakishly busy like this from here on out?  Someone please tell me it’s not…  of course I have loved the things we’ve done, but I think I would love them more if I wasn’t so tired.  Though I pretty sure that parents of older kids have told me it just gets worse!  Ack!

Last Monday night was a softball game which I (wisely) skipped because Steve was gone and the boys and I needed some time at home.  (because this was a busy repeat of the previous week).

Tuesday night was an evening BBQ with old TTR friends down at their cabin on the river.

Wednesday I worked late and had a late softball game.

Thursday night I volunteered at the Pantry food bank all evening with the boys.

Friday night my in-laws came to stay with us and we had a big family dinner next door.
Saturday was a birthday party next d

oor for my sweet nephew, lots of outdoor housework, and then a date night for Steve and I in L-Town.

Sunday was Church, the boys and I spent all afternoon with Jaimi, Mariya, and Jaimi’s boys, then softball practice and a softball BBQ for all.

Monday was a family dinner at the Krenz’s and then a Pampered Chef Party.

All those weekdays I had work.

But the evening social events... those are self inflicted! I don't think my boys went to bed before 9 any of those nights... oy vey.  (they loved it by the way)  This week I am working hard to get them back on a better sleep schedule so we don't get all grumpy but so far I am not making a ton of progress.  But hey, 8 is better than 9 right?

This week’s schedule looks similar to last… 5-6 busy nights a week.  I am going to lose my mind…  not that I feel there is much to lose these days!  Luckily softball ends this weekend and we can get some normalcy before school starts in a month.  Gulp.

Anyway, that's what we are up to these days!

we had fun

A lot of fun was had in the first few weeks of July.

I have been running (jogging) a lot.  Of course, I think running a lot means getting out 3 days a week and logging 10 miles total for the week.  I mean, that's almost two hours of my life gone to running!  Which is a lot for this girl.  I signed up for the half marathon in October again, so at least this consistency will pay off somewhere, though I know I'll have to log more miles before then.  This year I've got Jenny and her friend Stephanie, my little sister, and my dear friend Katie from Seattle all running with me!  I can't wait!  (I can't believe I just said that I can't wait to run...  what is the world coming to?)

Fourth of July was celebrated with friends and food and a lively game of croquet up at the Jenkins' home in Merritt.  (No seriously.  It involved getting cliffed-out, and waterfall type drops of ledges, teleporters, extension latter wickets and stump jumping.)  A good time was had by all!

Steve went on 6 fire calls that weekend.   SIX.  Oy.  Being a volunteer firefighter's wife is definitely a sacrifice.  Next time you want to poke fun of a volunteer firefighter crew stop yourself and remember THEY ARE VOLUNTEERS and they do this on top of their regular jobs, unpaid.  I have a giant soapbox I like to stand on for this subject, but let's not do that.  Instead I will just say, phew, glad that weekend is over!  And now I will move on.  Though I reserve the right to come back to this soapbox later.



July has been busy busy busy.  Good busy.  We went to the lake one day, hiked the ditch, went to Church, had playdates, played in the pool and got all tuckered out :)  Also we cut everyone's moppy hair (hallelujah!).  The littles look so grown up with short hairs!  Agh!

Lake Wenatchee on a calm day!!

These photos are all from a little hike/picnic we did at the Fish Hatchery.

 

Playing in Grammy's dirt pile.

Bee sting?  Spider bite?

Too much fun at the lake...

Dipping our toes into the ditch on a Saturday afternoon.

More adventures to come and July isn't even over yet :)

 

Summer Lovin'

It's finally warm enough for a little bit of wading pool action!  We really do need a bigger wading pool... ah well.  This one seems to be serving it's purpose.  Steve had just asked the kiddos to show him their muscles :)  They are so funny.

Recently Olaf has been very into hiking.  But ONLY if that hiking is "in the mountains".  Which is fine by me, though there are few mountain hikes in the area that a kid can summit easily.  Luckily we've get Beaver Hill so close to home, and you can drive a good part of the ways up!  Steve took Olaf up there the other day during Foresty's naptime (we are phasing out Olaf's naps).  And they had a blast!  Olaf really liked that he could point out our house down below.

june days

I think June will forever be a ridiculously busy month.

Somehow, Gravity always has a good amount of work in June, which means Steve is off working a bunch.  Got to pay the bills ya know :)  But that definitely means my days get crazier.  And June is also when Leavenworth's summer softball league starts up!  Every year I get totally stressed out over trying to figure out how to play softball and rally children to games and line up sitters at games and wonder if it is even worth it to play... then I start playing and remember YUP, I love this game and I love these people that I get to play with.  My team is pretty awesome (all "Plain" folk) and I also love that there are a ton of people from L-Town that I only see once a year -- softball season.  So that's fun too.  Plus I play on a team with my dad (have been for years) and I love that!

And... here's all the other stuff that June is full of:

My 32nd birthday was in June.  In honor of the day I threw Olaf his 5th birthday party (since his follows mine 5 days later).  Ha!  It was pirate themed and we had fun decorating and making the cake (thanks for your help Sue!).  Not pinterest worthy by a long shot but we sure had a good time.  And who doesn't like dressing up like a pirate wench every now and then?  The weather was perfect, friends were abundant, and the treasure hunt went off without a hitch.  I am constantly reminded how blessed we are to live in a place where the kids can run around like crazy, no fences, just fields and trees.

Later that evening we also had a few more friends and family over for a BBQ to celebrate my birthday which was great.  Haakon even took pity on me in croquet in honor of my birthday, and waited to kill me off until he had taken everyone else out of the game.  If you know my brother in law, and how good he is at all games, you will know this was a big gesture :)

I really can't believe my baby is 5 years old.  Remember this face?



Crazy.  He has really developed into a sweet and kind little boy.  I love watching him interact with friends.  Obviously he is 5, and still has issues with sharing and obedience and whatnot, but on the whole he is such a sweet and fun kiddo.  Olaf really enjoys hanging out with older boys (10-12 age range) and the ones at our Church are SO amazing with him.  They intentionally seek him out to play with after Church or VBS (which was also this month) which makes a mama so happy to see.  Time will tell, but so far it seems that he is a little introverted and likes to have quiet time to himself.  Little brother's don't mix into that very well :)  And he is a little more of a follower than a leader.  The world needs followers too, right!

Let's see, what else.  Oh yes, our cousins from Olympia came to play one weekend in early June! We were so happy to have them in Plain with us :)  Highlights included seeing a giant black bear cross the field between our home and the Sorensen's, which is nutty to see in broad daylight.  And I have never actually seen one on our property before, though I know they have been there.  Anyway, it provided a little excitement.  The photo below doesn't do it justice -- the bear was BIG and pretty close to the house .  

Other highlights included ice cream on the porch of the hardware store, riding bikes everywhere and (for me) staying up late talking to Tara!  I was so exhausted after that weekend :)

We were able to travel to Portland to help our dear friends move out of their home of 6 years (sad!) but also to celebrate Jeremiah finally being done with 11 years of dental/medical/surgical/residency school/work (happy!).  It is always fun to get together for a big event.  The weddings have slowed down significantly, so now we have to find other ways to all get together I guess.  It was great.

Jeremiah and Jon B.

Emily and I

Jon B. and Steve.  Friends for years :)

Seriously love the girls in these photos.  Katie (above) and Molly (below) are kindred spirits that I got lucky enough to meet through our husbands.  I dream of Katie moving to Plain someday (please oh please!!).  For now I'll just take the fun 3 or 4 times a year we get to see each other!  And if I pray really hard there is a chance that Molly and Jeremiah might move to Leavenworth next year!!  Hoping so!!!

Also in June -- my dear friend Jaimi had her baby!  My kids are already in love with little Oliver.  The funny thing is -- he was actually born on Olaf's birthday!  So now they share nickname (Oly) and a birthday too.

Olaf wanted to read Oliver and Indiana Jones book, while dressed up as Indiana Jones.  He calls him "Indian Jones".

Here's to hoping July slows down... probably not but a girl can dream!!