Travis’s Birthday!
He makes everyone smile. We love him so much!
24 June 2009
04 June 2009
Our Family
A friend from high school took these pictures. She is a fantastic artist- every picture tells a story and is filled with emotion! Thanks Kara- you are amazing!
01 June 2009
The Coast
Our drive to Oregon was long, but certainly worth the effort. The kids were great sports on the road- even Little Em was an angel despite being strapped in her car-seat for hours at a time with few opportunities to stretch those little legs. If ever she did become restless we just turned up the radio and she happily bobbed her head to the beat. The kids read books, played card games on the laptop, listened to their IPods, and Carly nearly completed a small cross-stitch. Eric and I discussed in length the barren stretch through Idaho and the lush green beauty of Oregon beyond the Blue Mountains. The drive through the lofty and rugged forests that flank the coast inspired many spiritual conversations, as nature has a peculiar way of reminding us why we are here.
We spent the majority of our time with family. We ate clam chowder with Eric’s cousin Jeff, discussing filmmaking and baseball. His cousin Wendy was more than kind to let us stay three nights in her gorgeous and spacious home- set on several acres amid thick woodland and only a short distance from the ocean. The first night I was certain I could hear waves crashing against the rocky shore. Wendy provided us with a gourmet breakfast every morning- French toast, oatmeal, and my favorite… raspberries!
We ate most of our meals with Aunt Laura and Uncle Walt. Two nights straight we devoured the Salmon Eric caught with his Uncle- it was delicious, owing to Laura who is a fantastic cook. One evening following dinner we all laughed while Grandpa lectured Eric about removing his hat at the table.
Together we all watched the final week of American Idol. Grandpa was still bitter over his favorite contestant, Allison, receiving the boot a few weeks prior, though he was satisfied to see Chris Allen claim victory. “America got it right”, he said. And I agreed.
Grandpa has a fantastic wit and Eric and I always enjoy listening to his stories. Of course most of them revolve around fly-fishing, as they should… fly-fishing was a great passion in his prime and has been nothing but a limitation in his later years. Grandpa enjoyed holding and playing with Emily and called her his “little friend”. When I hugged him goodbye he gave me a kiss on the cheek. Grandpa stood on the driveway and waved until we were out of site. Eric was silent for a few moments and I could sense his heart was heavy. He has always had a special love for his Grandpa and we both worry that we may not see him again in this life. “That is exactly why I hate goodbyes”, Eric said.
While in Tillamook we ate lunch at the Blue Heron and pet the animals at the adjoining petting zoo. We walked up and down several local beaches as well as a short drive to Cannon Beach, and of course we sampled the ice-cream and cheese at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We also took opportunity to place flowers on Grandma’s grave. The grounds had recently been mowed and we swept the lose grass from her headstone. Memorial Day was just around the corner and many flowers already adorned the hillside. On the drive home we reflected quite heavily on life and death and what must certainly be a glorious reunion beyond the veil.
The highlight for my kids was without question the beach. Carly loved the seashells, starfish, and sea anemones found inside the tide-pools. Travis collected pocketfuls of rocks. Emily sang songs while comfortably riding on dad’s back. Tyler stood right at the water’s edge, mesmerized at the approaching tide. On our way home we stayed in Lincoln City at the Inn at Spanish Head, the beach just a stone’s throw from our room. I loved listening to the soothing Ocean sounds at night. We ate dinner at Mo’s, our favorite seafood restaurant, and toured memorable spots from our honeymoon and other past trips staying with Grandma and Grandpa on Devil’s Lake.
We drove down the coast to Newport. On our way we stopped the car to watch two whales swim out to sea. The Newport Aquarium was a highlight. Eric and Carly, especially, were in their element… sharks, jellyfish, sea lions, and other ocean creatures! Carly was ecstatic at being able to touch a small shark. I bought her a seahorse necklace to commemorate the occasion and add to her growing collection of animal jewelry.
Memorial Day we woke up in Boise, we swam in the hotel pool and hot tub and then took the kids to see Night at the Museum 2- a fantastic comedy! Nevertheless, four hours later we were thrilled to be home amid our familiar and magnificent Wasatch Mountains. There is undoubtedly something to be said about “home sweet home”.
