Sauvie Island

This is one of the many wonderful spots close in to Portland where we like to sneak away for a day or an afternoon. Once the weather decided it might be amenable to warming up, we packed up a Sunday picnic and headed up to Sauvie Island after church.

Here's the trick to Sauvie Island, you want to go to the very end of the beach road. Pass the big huge stretches of beach at the beginning because it is always crowded with drunk people (although it is where the ice cream boat comes in the late summer months and the ice cream boat is awesome), pass by the nude beach (distract the kids as you go through that parking lot because evidently the parking lot is also clothing optional) and drive all the way down until you cannot drive any more and there is a small circular parking lot. This is the best beach. Quiet and clean and a lovely spot to spend a Sunday afternoon. don't forget to pick up a park pass and if it is not Sunday, milkshakes at the little convenience store on the beach road.

Peter was in town this week so he joined us - he also played with the kids in the water.  That water was cold!

  

The huge boats are amazing as they slowly roll down the river. The kids especially like to watch the waves they create as they get closer to shore.  This one looked like it was going to come really close to shore for a while and the kids looked a bit nervous.

This piece of wood provided a little boating for the afternoon.

 

 I'm not quite sure how this kid gets so sandy, but he sure had a great time.

Sauvie Island is also a great place to go to pick berries in the summer and in the fall, we came here to pick pumpkins.  It is a beautiful little place and only about 20-25 minutes from our house.

Rose Parade

On Saturday June 9th, 2012 we took the train downtown to watch the Rose Parade.  I was asked to volunteer this year for the Oregon State alumni office so we had great seats on the parade route.  I brought camp chairs downtown the night before and my friend Jenn got up at the crack of dawn to set them up for us.  Thanks Jenn!

Before the parade started, everyone played the streets and the volunteers made balloon animals, painted faces, applied tattoos, handed out snacks and basically just kept all of the kids entertained until the parade reached our area.  It was quite chilly that morning and many of us were wrapped in blankets (summer starts on July 5th in Oregon).

These are some of our LDS Single Adult friends here in Oregon - both the guys above are named Russ and the girl below next to Sophie is Jenn who works for the Oregon State Alumni Office.

Here is a shot of our volunteer group -all LDS Singles.

This is a shot of the street before the parade started.  We had balls and bubbles and sidewalk chalk for the kids as well.

 Calvin went though about 10 different balloon hats and shapes.

After the parade we walked down to the waterfront to see the ships for fleet week.

Heather and her family were with us as well.

This is another friend named Russ and his three kids.

There was an amusement park set up along the waterfront as well but we skipped it - expensive and just packed full of people.  It was a lovely day in Portland and a parade I would recommend seeing if you are ever in this area!

Robin Hood Party

I have come to the conclusion that my only hope for this blog is just to add posts (out of order as they may be) when I find the time and just forgive myself for not keeping this blog updated or current.  These are memories I want to have recorded at some point even if they have to trickle in every once in a while.

This was an adorable birthday party for my nephew Soren.  He turned 5 this summer and Heather and Ross planned this great party in their backyard.  I made the cake and cookies - with a lot of help from my sister Koo.  The cake was three batches of citrus cake baked in 8 inch and 6 inch rounds and dyed various shades of green.  I made a citrus cream cheese icing for between the layers and covered the whole thing with fondant.  Sophie made the bugs.  I have to admit, this cake was kind of a nightmare - it too a LOT of fondant and it is really hard to make a tree stump look nice.  I love how it turned out though and the kids at the party thought it was great so I guess it was a winner!

Here is the birthday boy.  Ross whipped up these bows and arrow for all of the kids as party favors and Heather sewed the caps.  So cute!

There was lots of target practice and a balloon toss and the weather was just gorgeous!

 Ollie kept trying to steal the bugs.

Ollie helped his brother open his gifts and the clear winner was the pair of super-soakers from Koo which the kids immediately put to good use!

The kids brought their bows and arrows home and used some cardboard to make a target for our backyard.  Very fun party!