An ode to a boy

He thinks a lot.
He worries too much.
He is kind, oh so kind. (Except to his brother and sister. Obviously they are exempt ;)
He embarrasses easily.
And when he's not embarrassed, he's worrying about getting embarrassed.
(Sometimes it makes me want to embarrass him just to help him get a tougher skin! ;)
He is polite and thoughtful.
And a hard worker, especially when getting paid.
He comes out of his shell and is loud and obnoxious and hilarious when comfortable with those he's around.
He is SMART. Way too smart.
And talented. I can't wait to see how far he goes.
He is funny.
He LOVES Jesus and is growing in Him in new ways.
He is proper. Literal. Analytical. Naturally pessimistic. Sarcastic. Deep.
And sweet. He is the sweetest.
He is the reason we have a poster in our bathroom called, "How to Care for your Introvert".
He is the opposite of me in every way you could imagine.
He stretches me (sometimes to my limits!)
He is my favorite.
He is LOVED.

The camping trip

Yesterday we arrived back home after a happy four days spent camping with friends at Honeyman State Park in Florence, Oregon.

It's a GORGEOUS campground. And we had equally gorgeous weather, and it was all pretty much top-notch as far as fun and family shenanigans go. Games, swimming, biking, s'mores around the campfire, trips for ice cream, laughing till we cried, CHECK.

The only weird thing was that we were missing Cooper, who was off having fun at 5/6th grade kids camp up on Mt. Hood. Boy, did we miss him! Russ and I mentioned it at least once a day... it's just not the same without Cooper! Word on the street is that he had a pretty fantastic time though and got by juuuuust fine without us ;)

And now for some pictures!

^^My girl Valerie. We have about 3000 things in common (perhaps most importantly, our love of the game nerts and our deep aversion to unnecessary cleaning ;) We get along like a house on fire.^^

^^The clown car shot^^

^^This shot sums up the weekend pretty well^^

We only met Shawn and Valerie last Fall, when they coached Blake in soccer. Some people are just extra easy to become fast friends with though, and it wasn't long before Shawn and Russ were planning hunting trips together, we were getting together for meals, and next thing you know, we're camping together for four days and playing board games like "Spouse-ology" together (highly recommend).
There's nothing better than new friends that feel like old friends. 
(Except maybe reuniting with your 11-year-old after being apart for 4 days and then every single family member taking wiped-out naps when you're all home ;)

Reunions

Wilson Family Reunion 2014

I can't even tell you what a great weekend it was.

But I will tell you this: family is so important!

This weekend was the first time in 9 years that my dad and his 4 siblings had all been together, and we didn't waste that opportunity. Sunday afternoon we all gathered at my Aunt and Uncle's and just spent time together (mainly eating, because as a family unit, we are pretty darned good in the kitchen), and it was just all so fantastic.

There was even entertainment!

Earl and his brother Earl, the long lost Wilson brothers ;)

It made my heart so happy to see my Nanna surrounded by all five of her children, ten of her grandkids, twelve great-grandkids, and one great-great grandchild. There were many happy tears :)

And then yesterday my Grandma and Granddad (my Mum's parents), arrived from New Zealand for the first time in four years! Reunions everywhere!

Since it was also my dad's birthday, we hijacked their drive home from the airport with a surprise visit at Shari's restaurant to give him some birthday love and my grandparents some, "we missed you!" love :)

And to top it off, today one of my oldest and closest girlfriends from high school is visiting me from Arkansas, along with her husband and two kids, and I am giddy-excited. We haven't seen each other in probably almost ten years!

Reunions are so my favorite :)

Wonder Mum

My mother, Miss hike-the-entire-Pacific-Crest-Trail (from Mexico to Canada) SOLO, has now decided to train to bike across the States from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean next summer with a friend. 

Before last weekend she hadn't ridden more than 45 miles in a day. But that didn't stop her from attempting the STP ride (Seattle, WA to Portland, OR), a 200 mile ride over two days, and not only did she complete it, but she did it in awesome time! 

So you understand, of course, why I obviously must brag about her. 

SHE IS AMAZING.

Aaaaannnddd, she's a cutie-patootie!

Dear mother, friend, shopping partner-in-crime,

and laugher at all my shenanigans and mishaps:

I'm so, so, SO proud to call you my mother.

Ride on!

Awkward and Awesome Thursday returns

Awkward is going to bed with your husband, coming back out to make sure the kids are all settling in for the night, and your daughter pointing out that your pajama top is now on inside out and backwards.

Note to self: step up your game, your children are becoming too observant.

Awesome is living here and having friends that live on the opposite side.

Aka, we owwn this perfect swimming spot ;)

Awkward is being called outside to help your husband with a tricky part of the deck building process three different times in one evening and all three times getting in a heated argument within approximately 36 seconds.

Note to self: some couples just aren't meant to do carpentry together. EVER.

Awesome is watching instead.

And seeing this...

Turn into this!

(Awesome is also having a skilled husband who loves to do it himself ;)

More deck pics to come as progress continues!

Happy 7th of July!

Just doesn't have that same ring to it, does it?

Yes. Our Fourth was awesome, thank you very much. And it was followed by a super-mellow Saturday, fun fellowship with friends after church yesterday and, for certain male members of my family, an after-dark pond bullfrog hunt last night.

I'm afraid to say I don't have any pictures of that.

I'm even more afraid to tell you there are now skinned frog legs sitting in my refrigerator.

FROG LEGS.

But back to the Fourth. Please enjoy this brief photographic tour of our day!

(Actually our celebrations started the evening of the 3rd at the Molalla Buckeroo Rodeo.)

We went with Erik (Russ's brother) and Tricia and their family and all together probably consumed more than $80.00 worth of carnival food. We chose not to think about that though as we enjoyed our elephant ears and strawberry lemonade and fry bricks, corn dogs, slushies, and cotton candy. (Rodeo only comes to town once a year, folks.)

Kendall and I looking as close to cowgirls as we ever will. We try. 

 And on to the Fourth, aka parade & BBQ day!

 This guy rode on a "float" for the local pool with his Grandma, tossed beach balls to the crowd, yelled, "happy 4th of July!" to everyone, and was generally cute and awesome at his job. It was weird not to have him watching with us though!

Next up was a barbeque at my parents, where friends and relatives managed to be very color-coordinated in their patriotism. Good times.

And after that, we drove to some friends for ANOTHER barbeque, this time with lots of friends and fireworks involved.

 Cousins + sparklers = fun for all. Until the sparklers run low. Then it's every man for himself!

And at the end of the night we had to say it was a pretty fabulous Fourth!

(Little did I know I would soon be dealing with frog legs in my fridge.)

Happy almost Fourth!

The festivities have already begun so I'm saying adios to the ol' blog until after the weekend!

The fourth of July is soooo close to being my favorite holiday (nothing quite beats Christmas), I just love it so much and I'm sure I'll be back with tales of glory and splendor (ie: the massive elephant ear I ate at the rodeo and just how amazing it really was.)

To take me out, here are a couple of pics from the last couple of evenings that sum up how we've been enjoying July so far...

^^swimming in the river behind our house on an almost 100 degree day^^

^^sky gazing with my honey^^

^^brothers riding in the kiddie parade^^

^^how farmer Blake takes himself swimming on a hot night^^