10 Degrees of Relief

Things in our families little world, have been rather stressful these past few months.  Running a business, the household, and still trying to get the kids to and from school, sports, friends, etc...all wear on a person over time.  It's life...we all experience it, and live it every day!  BUT...sometimes you just need to take a deep breath, leave it all behind, and enjoy time together as a family.

 

That's what we did on Sunday.  We are pretty blessed to live within 40 minutes of the coast, and although we don't take advantage of it nearly as often as we should, it's always a great time when we do!  This trip however, definitely topped my list of all time fantastic trips to the beach!!!

The weather report called for high 80's in the valley, and high 60's, low 70's at the coast.  So...we packed up a few things, loaded the car, and headed to the coast for 10 degrees of heat relief, business relief, and just plain stress relief.  The Oregon coast tends to be extremely windy 90% of the time, so we only planned on staying for a bit, letting the kids run in the sand, and maybe touching our toes in the ocean before they froze off in the characteristically cold water. 


We arrived to 71 degrees, clear blue skies, and a SLIGHT breeze...not normal coast wind at all.  Found a great little path to the beach...off the beaten trail for the hundreds of other people who had our same idea...and ran for the water!

Kevin doesn't like the sand...I know..."gasp"...he just doesn't like it getting between his toes, and all over everything.  So...when we climbed down the stairs and hit the beach, he was beyond excited to be walking on hardened sand where the tide once covered it earlier that day.  No soft blowing sand to get between his toes...it was great!

The water was the WARMEST I've ever experienced at the Oregon Coast...Seriously the Warmest!  It didn't take your breath away at all, and the kids ran right out and started swimming.  Unheard of I tell ya!

We even got to introduce the kids to everyone's favorite ocean activity...jumping over the  waves.

 
I sat back, soaked up the rays, enjoyed the giggles and laughter coming from the kids...Kevin included...all the while catching up on some reading!

These are the faces of the cutest kids on the beach that day!!!  They had more fun than they've had in a long time, and kept thanking us for the "Family Day".  A reminder that we need to have more "family days", and less "I've got to get this done" days!

Tricksters

Our kids are a bit obsessed with bike riding!  It's true!!!  If they had their way...they'd be out on their bikes, every minute of every day!  We're pretty blessed in the fact that we live on a street with very little traffic, so the kids can actually "own the road"...which only makes the desire to ride every waking minute...that much stronger!  Anyways...

Kallen got a new bike a few weeks ago, and decided that he had to race daddy...you know...now that he had a "fast bike" and all!  So, they pumped up daddies tires, and off they went...

Now, Kallen won of course...

So daddy had to start doing tricks...you know...to keep his "coolness" after being beat by a 4 year old!

The kids thought daddy was amazing...but the lil' miss still tried to show him up!!!  Standing and riding at the same time, no way!!!  oooh ah ooooh ah!!!

She was pretty proud of herself

and so was big brother!!!

I Love Them Oodles and Oodles!

Well, while I'm dying to catch you all up on life...it's going to have to wait!  I just don't have the time right now.  But...you can all enjoy my 3 favorite people while you wait!  I sure love these guys!!!

A Photo Update

Apparently we've been busy lately and I haven't found the time to update my blog. Ooops, sorry to all you faithful blog readers who check day after day only to find the same pictures staring back at you! At least they're cute, right!!!

Anyways...once again I've got no time to write anything cleaver or Witty (not that I ever do...but who's judging, right!) seeing that I'm chasing two rugrats around the house trying to get clothes on, teeth brushed and "Medusa's mop" combed so we can head into town! It's quite the production I tell ya...especially when I'm sitting behind my computer barking orders instead of helping! I'll get right on that, but first...a few new pictures to wet your blogettite!

There are also a few more from one of our little family "shooting" trips and the Sister's Rodeo this last weekend if you want to check them out http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=86331&id=655928868&l=53aaf8f5f7 .

Blessings,

Kati

Surf's Up!

For as far back as I can remember, Memorial weekend has always been a big "todo" in our family! We didn't plan things that weekend, nor did we attend other peoples plans! Our Memorial weekends, rain or shine, were always spent with the family at good ol' Triangle Lake! It has always been the "start" of our summer, if you will, and always a date on the calendar I looked forward to! When Kevin and I started our lives together, we too continued on the tradition and made our Memorial Weekends at "The Lake", a regular thing!

Well, not this year! Actually, the Holiday weekend kind of snuck up on us, and before we knew it, it was Friday afternoon, and we had no plans! Instead of rushing to get things together, we compromised on a day at the lake instead of the whole weekend. It definitely wasn't the same, but we got our "lake" fix, none the less! So Happy Summer to you all!!!

Kynz enjoying some yogurt!

Trying to put her swimsuit on...without help of course! Probably the funniest thing you've ever seen!!!

Not quite babe...but close!
Kal's "What do you want mom", look

Getting ready to surf with daddy!

Not a happy camper! He actually screamed bloody murder until I said "smile Kallen"...

...to which he stopped crying instantly and posed for the camera...

...only to continue crying.

Surf's up dude!

copy cat

Bapa and Sissy!

and this pretty much sums up my day! Ahhhh, the lake!

Blessings,

The Wind in our Hair...and the Sun in our Eyes!!!

With the purchase of our rental home last summer...the chances to take the boat out were few and far between. Sunny days were spent inside scrubbing, scraping, yelling, cursing, and only dreaming of the wind in our hair and the sun in our eyes!!!

So...last week when the forecast called for sunny skies...we took advantage. We dusted off the ole' watercraft and took 'er out for a drive!

Blessings,

Over the mountain, and Through the Woods

A few weeks ago the kids and I traveled over "the mountain" to spend a little vacation time with my mom and dad...nema and bapa...at Eagle Crest. Since our side of "the mountain" hadn't really seen sun in a few decades or so...the beautiful and much needed vitamin D was graciously accepted! So here's the proof, with a little added commentary that I'm sure you're all just dying to read!!!

We couldn't keep Kallen off his bike, though he was a little "brake" happy on some of the steep paths. You know...the ones that a pencil won't even roll down unless it's given a little nudge. yah...a little afraid of speed, this one!!!

I told Kynlee to say "cheese", and Kallen proudly rode up next to her exclaiming the same thing!

She then "told him off", because she was supposed to be saying "cheese", not him!

Later that week, we got all "dolled" up...pun intended, and took our dollies for a walk.

I'm pretty sure we stopped every few feet to adjust the babies because they were "crying"!

Then we were off again, and didn't stop until we were headed home!

Blessings,