Life Lately {extended edition}

Oh boy, I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. Life! It gets so full and moves so fast! Here's a few things that have been going on, from the entire last month...

Kendall turned 15 and promptly got her drivers permit. We're taking it slowly on the lessons but I've learned I'm not a horrible teacher, and I only grip the dash or my seat about half the time so, really, things are going well!

Russ took Kendall out on a special date as part of her birthday celebrations and gave her a beautiful purity ring, one of her birthday requests.

They had a great conversation about what the ring stands for (to us)... not a binding vow of abstinance that would lead to shame or a broken relationship with us if broken (even though abstinance till marriage is our goal), but rather a daily reminder to live purely in thought and action, and to trust God (and her daddy) to help protect her heart as she gets older and eventually dates and falls in love. Russ put a lot of thought into how he wanted to present it and I could tell when they came home later that evening that they were both very pleased with their talk and time together :) 

Blake got to go on his first overnight backpack trip with his Grandma Wilson and had a TON of fun.

We ate a lot of fresh Oregon berries. A LOT.

My sister and I helped celebrate Christine's upcoming wedding to my brother with a bachelorette party totally up my alley... a private painting lesson followed by a dressy night out! 

This included a wine tasting where I finally confirmed the long-suspected fact that no, there is not a single wine on the planet that I like! Which is fine because: more money for white mochas, hehe ;)

We helped Kendall throw an end-of-summer class party for her classmates about to enter the 10th grade, and LOVED having our place full of fun teenagers. They swam in the river, had a water balloon fight, played volleyball and basketball, ate pizza and roasted s'mores, and all called their parents at the end of the evening to see if they could stay an hour longer :)

Russ left town on a hunting trip and wasn't home to celebrate my birthday at the end of August so it was extra fun to come home the day before my birthday to find this on my bed from my sister... a little hunting widows care package! 

And then my best friend picked me up that evening for a fun dinner out with a side of shopping, and had my fave drink waiting for me, and my heart was full and happy :)

Kendall's first time driving into town. She took me to my favorite coffee drive-thru and bought me a drink for my birthday (which I didn't dare touch until we were safely back home in our driveway, haha.)

Kendall serving at her first home volleyball game of the year! She is co-captain of the JV team and swinging up for varsity and is SO fun to watch. 

Blake the proud tooth-puller lost another tooth and is currently sporting a spectacularly lopsided grin.

We went camping over Labor Day Weekend and had a wonderfully relaxing time, playing games and kayaking, and playing so many rounds of corn hole that I actually got a sore arm and had to stop throwing! (Tricia and I were a pretty good team together though!)

The kids went back to school... 10th, 7th, and 3rd grade, and my house is now sad and lonely and I miss summer already. although shockingly, I find it amazingly easier to keep clean! ;)

Christine getting her nails done for the big day... it's tomorrow!!!

Christine's mom and aunt with me and Kelly and our mom. Nothing like a girls day of pampering to help break up the hectic chaos that is last minute wedding-prep!

And last but not least, yesterday was Cooper's first cross country race, a 3-man sprint relay, and his team came second! He ran 2 miles in 14 minutes flat and definitely deserved those cookies that were his prize :)

Happy Friday!

Summering along {life lately}

The kids have been on summer break for two weeks now, and things have not been more calm and relaxed hectic and chaotic!

(Celebrating the last day of school totally in sync.) 

Baseball continues on (forever and ever until I die.)

Summer league basketball has finally taken over ALL of our lives. The last two weekends in a row were 3-day tournaments and with a daughter on the team I finally had no excuse to avoid helping out down there.  (Look. I PAY MY DUES during the regular season. I like to pretend summer league isn't actually a thing and stay home and do more useful things like read and watch Netflix ;) That being said, I have to admit I really enjoyed myself. It's a fun environment!

Even more fun though is watching the African Children's Choir! They visited our church to perform on a Wednesday night and my own excitement was only surpassed by Blake's, who would join the choir in a heartbeat if they would let him. He helped entertain the front row but sitting on the floor up front and doing his best to copy every dance move they made. Don't grow up, Blake!

This is the breakfast the kids made Russ for Father's Day last Sunday. They are stepping up their game! Kendall made the apple flower (dipped in melted butter and cinnamon) while Coop cooked the bacon and eggs and Blake toasted and buttered the bread :)

We found Dory! We were all enchanted! We ate at Five Guys! It was a great Father's Day. 

And then Kendall left for team camp in Eastern Washington (at 6:30 in the morning) and I promised her I wouldn't watch When Calls the Heart without her for the next 4 days and it was VERY, VERY HARD. 

At yet another baseball game (remember: till I die), Blake decided to bring me "flowers" in the form of a whole weed bush. They were... pungent. I gave him a hug and a kiss and then made him take them far away from me. 

They came, they came! I am now a crunchy, granola, Birkenstock wearing mama! Miley approves. 

Taken at 7:08pm this week. A good sign we've been playing hard this summer! 

Next up: Halverson family beach trip! Weeeeee!

InstaFriday {Life Lately}

The most amazing spa in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where I was taken for administrative appreciation day last week by my boss and friend, Tracey. 

We had such a wonderfully pampered day together! 

My nephew, Lincoln, made for a great shopping buddy last Friday when I was watching him for the day and had to do all my grocery shopping. In the rain. He was such a trooper! And he didn't mess his diaper which was my one fear for the day! Hallelujah!

Russ took Blake fishing down at the creek he grew up on and Blake was pretty excited about his massive catch! haha.

Double dating with some of our faves, Tim & Cara, at a scottish pub in the old part of Oregon City. It was a beautiful evening! 

Our church was transformed last weekend into a youth conference that brought in over 300 kids from surrounding areas... 30 gave their hearts to Jesus on Saturday night! Kendall was on the praise team, drama team, and dance team... which means months and months of practices leading up to this event. It was all worth it! (But yay for no more Saturday and early Sunday practices ;)

Cooper spent the week at bible camp and just came home today... we all missed him but especially Blake, who didn't know what to do with himself without his usual roomie and main source of entertainment :)

And baseball is in full swing! 

(pics by my friend, Maggie)

This is how Kendall watches her brothers... such a supportive sister ;)

Happy Weekend!

InstaMonday {Life Lately}

It's Spriiiiiing Breeeaaak!

(I don't know why I get so excited about my kids being out of school for a week. I still have to go to my part time job, and Russ still works, so we're not on vacation or anything. I think it's just the break from making sure everyone's homework is done/is in bed on time/to school on time/picked up from school/etc.etc. And everyone can sleep in!

So I guess I do know why I get excited :)

And here's what we've been up to lately, according to the cell phone...

I tried this delectable selection of mini cupcakes from Fat Cupcake in Oregon City, did not share them with anyone, and decided, yes... they are the best cupcakes I've ever had. 

WILL RETURN SOON. 

Blake turned eight...

and requested a mini-trampoline for his gift. You know, so he can do dunks on the hoop outside.

We laugh in the face of imminent childhood injury. 

My husband's cute grandpa also had a birthday... his 90th! We loved celebrating with him last weekend, and look! Santa's photobombing! hahaha. 

My parents returned from New Zealand with gifts that only someone from New Zealand would understand. Like the Raro drink mixes we grew up with, tomato chutney that is waaaay better than ketchup, and salad tongs with the all important sliding closure thingy. Yes, we are weird about our salad tong preference. 

Birthday celebrations continued Saturday night with a double date with my sister and her husband for their birthdays... and we still have one more to go with Cooper's 13th this week!

After dinner we saw Allegiant and I found out the final book is being split into two movies, so really this was only part 1, and I felt TRICKED AND BETRAYED. On the other hand though, at least I didn't have to watch the horrible book ending yet and now I can still cling to my secret hope that they will totally rewrite it. 

A girl can dream, right? 

InstaSaturday {Life Lately}

Here's the quick rundown of life lately, according to the pics on instagram and my cell phone

 (aka, the highlights!)

Kendall went to a Valentine's progressive dinner. She wore my wedges and was as tall as a baby giraffe. And as equally graceful in them. Hehe. 

Max husband points were awarded for this sweet Valentine's gift: sugar cookies instead of flowers. He knows the way to my heart, that guy. 

Kendall does too. She left these paper roses she made and some little treats in my bed while I was showering one morning. I'm a lucky mama.

"Mom, come see! I'm window fishing!" (with a pool stick.)

Last Saturday night... district champs and league coach of the year! Yeah Cougs!

Late night fro-yo run because Russ was feeling the cravings. School night bedtimes suffered. 

Temps reached the seventies for the first time this year and I celebrated by putting on my CAPRI length yogas instead of my full length ones, because I'm classy like that. 

Kendall and I got to attend a local paint night on Thursday with some friends and we had so much fun! I am not a natural artist, but give me step-by-step instructions with a side of pizza and I'm in!

Realizing you have 3 blue gingham shirts in your closet. Justifying it with the fact that one's cotton, one's flannel, and one's clearly a different shade. Yep. Keeping them all. 

Ordered my first pair of leather earrings from Nickel & Suede. WON'T be my last. 

I love them! They are so light you can't really feel them. Next up, silver. And then ALL the colors.

And the very best part of our week... last night Russ's team won their 2nd round state playoff game and made it to the state finals in Baker City for the 3rd year in a row! WOOOHOOOO, ROAD TRIP!