Welcome to the club! VW club

Well for a really good deal Tres found us a VW Van. We have both been wanting a VW Van for a long time. This one finally came to us, and for a price we couldn't pass. The interior and body of the van are in great shape too. As you can see it needs some work. Probably not the best first picture, but the engine needs some work. Which Tres has dove in and is totally going for it. I am so impressed and I have such confidence in him as our mechanic. He is really excited to get this van going. Tres will be sharing his experience on a blog devoted the the T3 VW van. You can take a look at T3VW.blogspot.com    Well an exciting new beginning here at the Tucker house this is going to be fun.

Strawberry Picking

fun car ride. these kids like to rock out in the car too! Spencer is "fake sleeping".

two strawberries...eating one and one on his elbow! that one came from a fall on pavement.

almost full

Strawberry pickers

We took a little day trip to Elmira and picked strawberries at Bush's Farm. Megan got to come with us too. We had a great time, it was nice a warm day and the strawberries are so abundant the kids picked more strawberries than I imagined they would. We left with plenty of berries to make jam, smoothies, muffins...the list goes on.

An evening biking at U of O

amazing new building here next to the new Mckninght Arena

dinner at Caspian. Lots of great people watching here.

sunset on the Willamette River

A ride through cemetery was fun. the kids had so many questions. they both agreed they watch a little too much Scooby Doo since they we a little spooked riding through. One of my favorite parts of campus...a cemetery in the middle of it.

Biking on campus this evening was so much fun. The kids did  amazing on their bikes. I was quite nervous to take them biking in such a busy area. But it turned out to be very quiet on campus, just busy surrounding. We walked our bikes near the traffic, but once we were to Oregon Hall we rode. What a good time. It was fun to share memories with the boys too. Tres and I both attended University of Oregon. We were there at different times and had entirely different experiences. I have always thought the campus was beautiful and spring is my favorite time to visit. We always make a once a year visit, usually a walk through and then a cold beverage near by. This time it was fun to share it with the kids. Hopefully planted an idea seed...two ducks to be! 

Happy Father's Day!

just hanging out at the swing with dad.

Thank you for loving our children the way you do.

Happy Anniversary!

Well this will be my one year anniversary of blogging. It was this week a year ago that I posted our first post and began a series of posts of our family traveling across the country for the summer. The ultimate road trip. We did not plan anything that elaborate this summer. We do however plan to take a few little trips...rock hounding in central and eastern Oregon, hopefully even make it to the San Juan Islands. Ruben really wants to take a ride on a ferry. Most of the summer will be taken up by staying close to home...the garden, beach, lakes, and Siuslaw river. There really is no place like home.

Enjoying the low tide on the Oregon coast.

buckets are always handy when searching the tide pools. never know what you're going to find.

I love seeing all the mussels and barnicles way above head.

I think it is a leather chiton

I just love this beach on a low tide. So many little caves exposed with tons of intertidal organisms just hanging out. We really had a great morning playing here, we saw chitons, anemone, sunflower sea star, eagle, and so much more.

Saturday morning at South Jetty

Ruben on a stand up paddle board, such a little man!

can you see the little mussels this sea star is eating for breakfast? I never get tired of looking at all the intertidal organisms, just so much fun and so beautiful.



Spencer on the board and me spotting and cheering for him!

 Today was an amazing day...the weather was rare, it was hot for us coastal dwellers and we loved it. We decided to head out to the Jetty for a morning of fun in the water and enjoy another low tide. Spencer and I surfed together, I pushed him into a wave and he immediately stood up, boy was I proud. After about 10 waves he was ready to go back to the beach and play in the shallow waters near the jetty and search for "critters". I got to back to the water and catch a few fun little rides. The water was so clear and clean I could see all the way to the bottom, I love that. After returning to the beach a friend came running to tell us there were three orcas in the river. We all ran to the jetty and climbed the rocks in time to see the orcas surfacing. It looked like a juvenile and two adults. Such magnificent animals! What a treat!

at home in the sun...

just relaxing enjoying the warmth that mud and sun create for our pleasure






I had a chance to play with water color paints, Ruben gave me a shadow show, and I got my Birks out, happy feet!



The sun was just so lovely today and what was even better there was no cold wind! We found a sunny spot in the yard and set up for some fun. This little pool, which has been used for salamander habitat for the whole winter was cleaned out and turned into a mini pool for boys and boats. Whenever there is water, dirt, and Spencer there will be mud and sometimes a mud bath too!

Low tide on Friday morning...a good day to spend outside the classroom.

trailblazing...in search of the waterfall. we found it! no photos though...well a few from the phone, but camera went dead on arrival. thats ok though some things are better left a secret.

animal tracks...what could it be? Ruben thought either a racoon or otter. I agree.

Tres and I are both educators, we know the importance of regular attendance. Yet there are somethings that are more important than classroom time, since that is the majority of the the year's time spent. A sunny day, a low tide on coast, and a mother's desire to keep the love of wilderness alive in her sons hearts. So here it is...the boys and I took Friday to explore the banks of the Siuslaw River on a low tide. There is a mysterious "waterfall" that we had found, a rocky and sandy shore that we had never explored, a steep sandy dune we had not climbed, and sun that we had not seen in months. All of our goals were mastered this day.  I consider my lessons taught and my students (sons) well educated on the important items...exploration, fascination, excitement, and fulfillment of the outdoors. A wonderful morning on the coast of Oregon, walking the edges of the Siuslaw with two little boys who love the outdoors.

Look who's five!

Its a big  deal turning 5. Birthdays at our house are a big deal too. It is a special day. I just love to remember the day this little boy was born, his actual birth day. He was born at home on hill top drive on a sunny day in May. One of the  most beautiful and precious days of my life. This little boy of ours turned five the time just goes on by, but I can remember the day so well. Tres on the phone buying and old flh mexican police harley davidson, me sitting on a yoga ball with contractions less than 2 min. apart and lasting up to 2 min. Jen makn' a smoothie, boiling water, starting chicken soup, a watchn' out for little bro Ruben. In record time for me the birth of our third son Spencer Tres Tucker at home in our bed. The place he was conceived with Tres right there with me, and this little boy. A shout out to Jen...she just gave tres and I the "go ahead" to have our baby. she was just so wonderful. I had been holding out, trying to wait a little longer, but some things just can't wait. When Jen told me well push if your ready and so I did. Tres caught our little boy. I hear him telling Spencer that when they first made eye contact, before his whole body had even entered this world of ours, baby winked at daddy and then stuck his tongue out. Then with a little encouragement mama pushed and our little baby was born. His first name was given by his eldest brother, middle name given by mama. Third child....only made sense to name him after his daddy the third...tres. So here he is five years old already. Just as strong, smart and beautiful as any mama would dream of. His favorite place to go and favorite thing to do was honored on this day..."take me to the lake mom! I want to look for salamanders and frogs"! So this is what we did, just he and I. I loved every moment and so did he. Happy Birthday Spencer! xo mom.

Rhody Days festivities

We all loved this booth of leather work. The boys just watched the man work the leather and were so intrigued by all of his tools and the results of his work. I was so impressed and had to get out of there quick before I spent all our money...purse, belts, key chain, bracelet oh my so many wonderful handcrafted fine leather goods! 

lots and lots of bikes!

One of our favorite places to visit...the bake sale.

We have always participated in the events during the Rhododendron Festival. Each year we go to see the arts, crafts, flowers, bake sales, car shows, motorcyles, and more... Tres and I have truly enjoyed this time with our family and look forward to it each year. Although there has been a few years, where I had wanted to stay home all weekend and not even notice the influx of thousands of people into our small community. That has yet to happen and each year when the weekend is over we both say to each other, " that was a lot of fun!" so here we are another Rhody Days. Tres and I recently attend Team Oregon's Basic Rider Traning Course at LCC in Eugene. We both got our motorcylce endorsement, so seeing all the different bikes and riders was inspiring to me. It did make me want to jump on a bike and go for a ride, but not this year. I need a little more practice before I get out and ride with all those bikes and traffic. Tres did take his bike out for a ride twice over the weekend and loved it. I hope to join him one of these years.

Rhody Days...means the carnival!

on the ferris wheel with meg and jen. fun time!

View of the Siuslaw bridge from the ferris wheel. The bridge is 75 years old this year!

Spencer spotted the carnies coming in to Florence days before they set up. He spotted the dragon ride on the back of a semi truck on the Monday before the festival began. Which got him so excited for the day that we would be going to the carnival. We chose Friday night, we were met our good friends Megan, Zoe, and Jenny (I just love those girls) for rides and running all around in the rain and sun to ride as many rides as the kids could. We were there for hours! We all had a good time, despite the rain. We have such a good time with this crew of friends, Jen and I made a good team too, since our two sets of kids like to go in two different directions. I usually go on one ride a year and that is the ferris wheel. I love the view, seeing the town so busy for this crazy festival of motorcycles and rhododendrons.

Hello again! we're back...after a few weeks off line, I have lots to share...