Back to Our Everyday Routine

It's been kind of a lazy week after our wonderful family vacation. The kids and I spent most of the week sleeping in and relaxing while Jeff went back to work. I also did lots of laundry and yard work this week. The flowers are all blooming now and it's so nice to walk around the yard and look at the lovely colors. 

 Ella and I polished off the rest of the saltwater taffy on Wednesday. I love that stuff. It makes me so nostalgic because it reminds me of all the summers spent at the coast during my childhood. 

 Ella had a first this week: her first ice-cream sandwich!

 She loved it as you can see...she licked all her fingers clean. Afterward, she was a crazy, hyper, bed-jumping, screaming, running-everywhere toddler. Soooo....I don't think ice-cream is something we will be giving her very often.

 Yesterday Nicholas and Ella took a bath together and Ella wanted to lay down in the water like her big brother does. They both had a ball laughing and giggling and splashing!

 Last night before Ella went to bed (Nicholas was already asleep), she watched some of the Olympics with me. We watched the end of women's volleyball and men's gymnastics and she was completely obsessed! She clapped and cheered whenever she saw something she liked. I couldn't stop laughing!

 This morning we had a play date with my dear friend, Holly, and her two boys, Victor & Rickey. It was so nice to catch up with Holly and see her boys again. They grow so fast! None of the kids really wanted to take a photo, as you can see, but bribes apparently work with toddlers. So they sat. Reluctantly. 

This photo makes me laugh so much! Taking pictures is pure torture, don't you know :)

 Tonight was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed being outside in the warm summer sunshine. 

 Ella played in the wading pool while Jeff and I sipped margaritas. Later, Jeff made burgers on the grill for dinner and it was nice to eat al fresco. 

 Here is Nicholas's view from his blanket on the grass...evergreens and beautiful blue sky. 

 The highlight of my week was being asked by my college friend, Catie, to be her youngest son's godmother! So next month, Ella and I will board a plane for a quick trip to Spokane for Cash's baptism at St. Anthony Catholic Church. I could not be more thrilled and honored to be this little cutie's godmama! Being a godmother is truly such an honor and blessing and I hope I will help inspire this precious little fella to live a life filled with love, joy, and compassion. I can't wait to smooch your sweet cheeks, baby Cash!!

Florence + The Machine Concert

 Drinking Rubys. Apparently I drink much faster than Jami.

 We got a great spot and sat on my comfy blanket while we waited for the concert to begin.

 Jami and me

After an opening act, Florence took the stage. 

She is so graceful and has an AMAZING voice!

Here is a short video clip of my favorite song...

 Last Sunday evening I took my sis-in-law, Jami, to the Florence + the Machine concert at McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater. It's a gorgeous outdoor venue and we got to sit, relax, drink some Ruby Ales and chat before the concert started. It was an awesome concert and we so happy Florence sang all of her best songs. We had a great time!!

Nicholas's Make-A-Wish Trip (Coming Home)

Saturday morning was our last day at the Oregon Coast. We spent the morning packing, cleaning, and loading up the Suburban. It was a beautiful, sunny morning which made it really hard to leave. We took one final look at the ocean and started toward home.

 As we got closer to home we spotted this awesome Red Bull car which was most likely going to the Washougal Motocross races. 

Coming home was really bittersweet. We can honestly say that Nicholas's Make-A-Wish trip was the BEST family vacation we have ever had. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and fun activities. We made memories that will live in our hearts forever. 

It's not easy knowing if or when we will be able to take another family vacation. We tend not to plan too far ahead as we don't know what the future holds. Today, Nicholas is healthy and thriving, but that can change in the blink of an eye, so the time we spend together as a family away from the routine of everyday life is treasured like gold. I know everyone takes trips like this one, and maybe to some people, Nicholas's wish doesn't seem super fancy or exciting, but it was perfect for him, and that is what matters most. Because Nicholas has a compromised immune system, his world is pretty small. We have to be super careful about where he goes and who he is around, so family trips like this are few and far between. To watch our son experience so many new things: watching the ocean waves, touching a sea lion, watching his daddy fly a kite, is pure pleasure for us as parents. It fills our hearts with joy and allows us to see all the blessings being parents to such an amazing child brings. To see Nicholas smile and laugh and experience the world outside of his little bubble makes every moment of this vacation perfect in our eyes. 

We want to say THANK YOU to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for planning such a wonderful trip for Nicholas. We are forever grateful for the opportunity to be recipients of such a special donation! God bless you all, especially Annisa & Gina, our wonderful wish granters!!

Nicholas's Make-A-Wish Trip (Day 4)

On Friday we went to the Hatfield Marine Science Center which is run by Oregon State University. It's a free museum that just asks for donations. It is much smaller than the Oregon Coast Aquarium, but it was really fun!

This is not the best family photo of us because the sun was so bright we were all squinting and trying to keep our eyes open was a challenge!

Nicholas thought this frog was pretty cool

 This is the skull of a killer whale found beached on Newport's shore

 A cute little turtle

 I would say this was Nicholas's favorite exhibit by far! I told him we found Nemo, Marlin, and Dory. He was thrilled and sat watching them swim for about ten minutes.

 Ella wanted to touch some of the sea stars. They were all so bright and colorful!

 A fossilized turtle shell

 This museum had a lot more interactive things for kids. But our children were too young for most of the activities which were science-based.

We did enjoy looking at the fish, though!

Nicholas liked feeling the soft fur of an otter pelt. 

He also liked looking at the cool boats.

My parents were so helpful with keeping an eye on Ella and Nicholas for us all the times we were out. It is much easier to parent with four adults and two kids!

 When we finished looking around the Marine Hatfield Science Center, we decided to stop by this cute toy store I had spotted a few days earlier when we drove by. It's called Sandcastle Toys and it is AWESOME!! It's a must-see if you have little ones. 

 The display in the front window

  Ella found a shopping cart just her size and starting looking for things to put in it.

 Nicholas ended up with a huge ball that has a frog face on on it, and a small ball with a fish inside. 

Ella loved this cool scooter they had called a Plasma Car, so we had to buy it for her.

 Then we went to the Newport waterfront and ate lunch at Mo's. Nicholas got restless toward the end of our meal, so Jeff took him to the docks to see the fishermen bring up the crab pots. One fisherman showed Nicholas a crab close-up. This is Ella and Grandpa while we waited for Jeff and Nicholas to return. 

 On the way home we stopped for Tillamock ice-cream. Delicious!

Ella immediately feel asleep after such a fun, busy day.

While Gramme & Grandpa stayed with the kids and rested, Jeff and I went for a romantic walk on the beach, just the two of us. 

 It was a beautiful, sunny evening, but it was also super windy!

 We saw lots of different flocks of birds...

 and a one-legged seagull.

 Someone built this cool fort out of driftwood

 Jeff found a walking stick for our walk back home

 We walked by the carvings in the sand wall

 And Jeff carved my name.

 (Okay, not really. It was actually already there.)

 It is amazing that plants can grow in sand with not too much water. 

 The Oregon Coast takes my breath away, it is one of the most beautiful places on earth!

 We also saw a vulture circling to eat a dead seal which was disgusting and smelled awful. 

 This was the path back to the beach house.

 And Ella was awake from her nap and greeted us upon our return. 

Later that night, after the kids were tucked into bed, we stayed up and enjoyed our last night talking around the campfire. It was the perfect end to yet another perfect beach day!