Megan's Best Day Ever - Part One

We decided while we were out Friday night that Saturday would probably be Megan's "best day of her life". First a birthday party which she loves, then the fair and being able to do the rides for the first time AND farm animals to see. Oh my gosh! But it was oh so hot!

Here is Megan getting on her very first ride. She barely made the "You have to be this tall" quota and thank goodness because she had so much fun!

Then on to the alligator ride....

and the trucks.....

(Blogger isn't letting me arrange my pictures so I have to do them in separate posts.)

Date Night

I don't have any pictures but what I do have is an amazing husband. I finally graduated from school on Thursday night and my sister Tami (and helpers) took Megan overnight so that Josh could meet me and go out to celebrate. She ended up staying two nights so we had Thursday and Friday nights to ourselves. I woke up Friday to a pig sty of a house, a list a mile long of things to do and I did NONE of them. That's the problem with Megan being gone, I end up doing nothing! It was very relaxing though. I picked up Josh from work and we went to his new favorite salt water fish store. I think he wanted me to have an idea of what he's talking about and what he's interested in. It was fun to see all of the colorful fish and all of the other things you can put in the tank. After that I had the genius idea to go to Lloyd Center and have dinner at Stanford's Happy Hour. Unfortunately the parking situation was not helpful and we couldn't find a seat once we got in there. We ended up just eating at the little 50s diner they have in the mall. We came home and Josh changed and we headed to the Washington County Fair. We thought it would be fun to walk around and look at stuff without a toddler in tow. I'm not sure what the deal was but there really wasn't anything to look at this year. Usually we're interested in something but it seemed like this year, if you didn't need new windows on your house, there wasn't anything for you. That was a little disapointing. So after a quick trip there we went back home and walked down the street to the new bar and grill that opened. We had a couple of drinks, came home and watched a movie. The next day we went and picked up Megan from Tami and drove to Vernonia for a birthday party (next post).

I'm so proud of Josh and to say that he is my husband. Not a day goes by that I don't realize how lucky I am to have him. He is my best friend and I love getting to spend one on one time with him. The one guy that was in my clas was telling us about how he adn his wife haven't been able to have a "normal" marriage because they got married in the middle of our program. Well, let me tell you.......married a month and a half and then pregnant and then baby. It's all we know! We will cherish the years of our kids growing up but I think "empty nest" will just be date after date nights!

Hunter's 3rd Birthday Party

We had a busy weekend! We picked up Megan from Tami on Saturday morning and drove out to Vernonia for a birthday party. Hunter was turning 3 and his family was having a campout to celebrate. It was a ways out there but it was a beautiful drive (especially with a sleeping baby). Every time I drive through a small little town like that, I wonder if I could live there. I always think I could but Josh says no way! Hunter got a big boy quad for his birthday from his aunt and uncle and lots of fun toys to play with - which Megan had fun playing with too. This picture was supposed to go on the bottom but it is the end result of blue cake frosting and her first try with Kool Aid. Both were love by Megan of course!

This quad has a tether (like on jet ski) where an adult can follow behind the kid and if they start going to fast or out of control, they can pull on it and kill the engine. Hunter has a ways to go before he can ride on public land but his dad assures everyone that he will learn on private land! He'll also have to take an ATV safety course/test when he's old enough to read and write - at least write. I think we were fortunate that Megan didn't really pay any attention to it and went off with Hunter's new scooter instead.
Megan has played with a friend's scooter that was similar to this one, 3 wheels in the back. She loves it and does pretty well on it. She's getting so big!

Cake time! Megan loves cake and blowing out the candles, which she did for Hunter unfortunately. She got 2 of them before he had a chance. He didn't seem to mind much so that's good!

Singing "Happy Birthday!"

Eating cake

We Love Our Pool and Air Conditioner!

While people have been suffering in the heat, we haven't been suffering at all! We have put our pool to great use, more than any other summer. Josh thinks its because we're not used to having so many hot days in a row. The pool has gotten up to about 85 degrees and it feels really good! Megan has absolutely loved it. I told her last night that she was going to turn into a fishie! We've had Tami, Kelly and my mom over to enjoy it with us and we've gotten into it at least once a day it seems for the past 10 days or so. I try not to complain about the heat but know it would be a different story if we didn't have our pool and A/C. It always makes me think of what Josh went through in Iraq. No relief from the heat, ever.

Anyway, Megan is doing really well learning how to kick. I'm trying to get her to use her arms too. She loves her arm floaties though and they work great and let her be independent which is probably what she loves the most. We'll definitely be packing those for our trip to Mexico!

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

You know I've been busy when Josh is even telling me I need to update the blog.

But honestly, we haven't been all that busy - event wise. Not a whole lot of pictures taken lately which is usually what over abundantly takes over my posts. But I'll catch everyone up for those who have been asking! Thanks for your love and interest!

I have been busily finishing up my final weeks of school. My last official day is the 30th but as of right now, my only obligation to them is to show up. I completed my final project last night with a research paper and presentation. I will admit the paper was not one of my best but it was turned in on time and I'll pass, that's pretty much all I've been concerned with lately. The topic was Isotretinoin which is just a technical name for Accutane. I learned a lot about the drug and who should and SHOULDN'T take it. So, I learned something, I turned it in on time....ALL DONE!

I've also decided that I need to do something about the size of my booty to put it nicely. I have started the "Couch to 5K" running plan and by telling everyone about it, the more accountable to it I will be. I just started this week but you have to start somewhere! My goal is to run the 5K in the Race for the Cure on September 20. It will be right at the end of the training program so it is perfect timing. A surprising source told me yesterday, "Hope and you will fail, DO and you will succeed." So I am removing the words I hope and hopefully from my vocabulary and I will just do it. Pardon the Nike pun, but now I guess I know why they use it! I've started another blog focusing on my journey and basically a place for me to complain about how much things hurt and how much I don't want to do things so that when I actually do them and push through, I will see the results in the end. That's at www.kristieto5K.blogspot.com.

Josh has been actively pursuing a larger fish tank so that he can have salt water fish. Remember, this all started with my suggestion that he and Megan take a little bonding trip to Petco to buy A fish and A bowl. Soon we will have three empty tanks in the garage. But it has been a hobby of his and I'm glad he enjoys it. He found a great deal on a whole salt water set up worth about $3000 that the guy was selling for $100 and it was sold out from under him. He came home to talk to me about it first and when he called the guy back he said he had sold it. I'm so grateful to have a husband that would take the time to talk with me about what to us is a large purchase but I feel so bad that he didn't get it. I know how disapointed he was and I'm sure he was sick to his stomach. I think he's found another one today, not as set up but still a good deal. Oh, and he told me the Elk rack will have to go to make room for the new tank. Hmmmm.....

Megan is up to her usual self. She is talking a ton and we are realizing more and more everyday that she is no longer a baby. We can have full conversations with her and she is so funny. She has definitely been loving the sunshine being able to play in the backyard and taking trips to the park. We tried the Forest Grove Aquatic Center last week because they have an outdoor spray park but she didn't want to walk past the pool to get there. We spent more time in it than we did outside. I was hoping to get some sunshine for myself!

Blogger isn't letting me move around my pictures so they aren't in order which for my personality is really annoying to me but whatever. This first picture is of our 2 year old iPhone genius. Kelly has a bunch of games that she can play on it. She can unlock the phone, scroll to where the games are and pick the one she wants. It's pretty hilarious. I'm not sure Kelly appreciates being used for her boyfriend and her iPhone though.

This picture is from when we got back from camping. We had so much food leftover that we invited The Foster's and my parents over for a BBQ. I bought sparklers for July 4th but we weren't able to use them at the campground so I pulled them out when we got home. Let me tell you, they were not very fun. The sparklers "back in the day" were much better. But Megan and Lesly loved it as you can see.

We have also been generously invited by my dad and stepmom to go to Mexico with them. We offically got our passports in the mail yesterday, yes my 2 year old has a passport. We plan to go at the beginning of September and we can't wait!! I will definitely blog about that!

Camping in Mossyrock, WA

We were invited to go to a family reunion for July 4th weekend with Josh's cousin Jeff's family. We went to Mossyrock, WA and stayed at a campground that was probably the best that any of us have been to. The rangers were all very nice, it was clean, they had playgrounds, a swimming area and a great view. We had so much fun and the weather was great, between 85-90 everyday. We had to look for shade because it was so hot! This was Megan's second camping trip, her first was last year for the same event at a different campground but only one night. This time we got to stay 3 nights. She was so tired and slept really good Sunday night. She was basically covered in dirt the entire time we were there except for the first 5 minutes after the two showers we took. We kept her lathered with sunscreen - which we think might be the culprit of the rash she has again but at least she's not burned. She swam, dug in the dirt, rode her quad, played on the playground, got to enjoy her first s'more and all sorts of stuff. Jeff's family was very nice and welcoming and they really know how to camp! Just about everyone has a trailer or RV and made our wishlist even longer. Do we get a camper so that we can pull a boat too? A toy hauler for our eventual family quads or just a trailer for camping purposes? That reminds me, I need to buy a Powerball ticket.

Cousins, Hunter and Megan

The "neighbor" boy came over to play and found a quad of his own. Unfortunately Megan and Hunter had the battery powered ones.
This is Jeff's mom and her husband Gene. Everyone there was basically from Gene's side of the family and then Shirley's two sons and their families + us.

Megan and Hunter watching Handy Manny in the trailer on Saturday morning. Another reason to get a trailer.......

Enjoying her first s'more!

Getting settled down for bed by the campfire. She went to bed really easily for us which was very nice given that she was in unfamiliar territory in a tent! Two of the nights she woke up pretty early and we brought her into bed with us and she slept awhile longer. Overall she was a very good camper which we appreciated immensely.

Megan and her hot camping mama!

There was one or maybe a hundred gophers and resulting dirt mounds around the campsite. It was always an opportunity to dig and get dirty.

Pigpen face.

Playing at the swimming hole. Of course......we had the playground problem again and all she wanted to do was swing instead of swim!

It was fun for about 5 minutes though.

Megan sunning next to Dash.

Memorial Park

Last week we met Sheila, Natalie and Harrison in Wilsonville to play in the water. As expected, once Megan saw the playground, all she wanted to do was swing. Maybe her baby swing soothing backfired on us. Megan always points out little girls with ponytails and says, "Natalie?" so we put ponytails in her hair that day so that she could look like her. She thought it was pretty fun! It was a beautiful day and it's always fun for Mommy to get together with her friend Sheila too! I just can't tell you how appreciative I am that Billie invited me to the mom's group and I finally tried it out. I've found two great friendships that never would have happened if I hadn't gone. It got me through Megan's first year to hear other moms going through stuff I thought I was alone in and I found two great friends - Sheila and Danielle. Luckily our kids love eachother too!

Berry Picking

I've been buying strawberries at the farmer's market for jam - FYI Unger Farms has the best! I also bought blueberries and made jam but I thought I'd give Megan the experience of picking berries herself. I thought she's get sick from eating them (good thing the sign said "all you can eat - FREE") but that didn't seem to be an issue because she wasn't as into it as I thought she'd be. She probably would have just liked to run up and down the rows. But....I got a couple of pictures.

Pirate Park

A few months ago on an unusually warm day, we went on an adventure to find a new park. Megan had a lot of fun so I've planned to go back when it was closer to summer when they would have their water feature up and running. It's basically just a sandy pool which was actually quite mucky today but what do the kids care? I also love it because it's not completely covered in the bark chips and they use the rubber stuff instead. Anyway, Megan had a great time and it was a really great day for both of us. She buried my feet in the sand, went on the swings A LOT, down the slide and ran and ran and ran.

Here she is trying to wash her feet but mostly just play in the water.

Lesly wants to meet Vanna White

As most of you know, our niece has been battling Neuroblastoma cancer since she was five. She just turned nine. Her prognosis is not good and recently got worse. Her body has now become transfusion dependent and must have transfusions every 5 days. More tumors are growing and becoming larger. Her parents are trying to see to it that all of her wishes and dreams are fulfilled. Right now she is in Hawaii because it is something she's always wanted to do. She's been to Disneyland through Make-a-Wish, she was a veterinarian for the day recently at our local vet's office because that is what she wants to be when she grows up. Another thing she has mentioned is meeting Vanna White. So I thought, maybe through Facebook someone would know someone that could make it happen. Please pass on this note to anyone that you think might be able to help. We appreciate it so much.

Love,
Kristie

Lesly at our wedding in January 2006

Turning seven

Turning eight

Easter 2009