Welcoming our newest bike rider

I will post pictures when I get a chance, but here is the video that I took of Shira as she learned to ride a two wheel pedal bike for the first time. 

She followed this feat up by riding all the way to Samuel's school to pick him up from summer camp, and then all the way home again.

 

Sorry, Steve, for doing this without you for the second time.  I had to strike while the iron was hot.  She was willing to get on the bike, and I just had to go for it.

Shira's 4th birthday

We commemorated Shira's birthday this year, with a party that was all her own.

 As requested, Bubbie attended.  And she couldn't show up empty handed.  The balloons are still inflated, hanging out in Shira's and Samuel's room, 3 weeks later.

 

Shira asked for vanilla cupcakes, she nixed chocolate, because she wanted to make sure Samuel would enjoy them.  I made my well loved cream scone recipe, adding in vanilla. 

Can't seem to find any pics of them, but Shira invited her bestie, Colette, and big brother Holden. 

 Shira's favorite activity at the moment is swimming.  Thus, we had a pool party.

 Shira is a big fan of the slide into the pool.

Here, she requested that Samuel catch her at the bottom.  He was happy to oblige. 

Oregon Road Trip



We road tripped up to Oregon for Lauren's graduation.  Considering it was 9 hours in the car each way, my best case scenario was that it would be only slightly unpleasant, and worst case was utter misery.  I was pleasantly shocked that the car ride was down right enjoyable.  Audio books were magical for Samuel, some of the travel was after bedtime and the kids slept, we ate mostly healthy food that I brought in a cooler.  On the way up we stopped to make dinner on our camp stove in a park in Redding, and happened upon a water park.  Since we had our swim suits in our suitcase, and had been in the car for 4 hours straight, we were ready for a break, and jumped right in.  We camped in Ashland and enjoyed their big park quite a bit.  Joan reserved a teepee bed and breakfast place for us outside of Eugene and we met up with the rest of the family. 

On the way home we did it in a day, with a stop to stretch our legs in Ashland and eat dinner in Redding.  Yay for fun car trips!  Yay for good travelers!  Yay for weird Tee Pee bed and breakfasts!  Yay for Eugeneites who have no problem accommodating no gluten and no dairy!

 

We mostly only have pictures of the spinny thingy at the park in Ashland that the kids loved, but here they are...

 

 

 

 And the famous track at the U of O - Hayward Field.  Steve was excited to get a chance to go take a look at it and he had fun racing the kids on it.