Sometimes I feel like I am living in a zoo.

Spencer takes a little bike ride through the house, until I see, then he heads for the door.

A letter to the tooth fairie...priceless.

Pancho the beloved! :)

Spencer gives Pancho some cuddles.

Now, Pancho likes this, really! The washable markers must feel like a message. Actually I think he likes it because the kids are laughing, having such a great time, giving him lots of fun attention, and he just soaks it up. Good dog Pancho!

Pancho tolerates this, but kinda likes it too. You are missing the bling necklace he is wearing and his hat came off when he finally had enough and jumped off the couch. They love this dog and every morning wake up and hug him good morning. He truly is two boy's bestfriend. Who doesn't love to play dress up with their dog?

The new uniforms make them run faster, so I am told.

No better way to end the day.

Fish are biting....

We have been getting some time on the river fishing for salmon. It is such a wonderful time of year to be on the river. Too cold to swim but just right for casting a line waiting for the big one to take home and grill for dinner. Luckily these boys never get discouraged as fisherman, if there isn't a fish there will be a crab or two, or even an otter like there was today! Yes an otter came onto the dock and pooped while they were on the dock! Spencer was most delighted about this and he told me more than once all about it. I think that was more exciting than Ruben catching his first fish, well not really, Ruben was pretty stoked about catching his fish. Although it was returned to the river so it could have a little more time to grow.

Another day of harvesting

All from my garden. Peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, basil, broccoli, sunflowers, and cosmos.

My first time growing sunflowers. I just love them.

Where it all came from...my little garden plot gave me so much pleasure this spring, summer, and now fall. I spent a lot of time here over the last four months. It was my solo retreat.

Garden bounty

Second harvest of cabbage from the Canary Road garden, isn't it beautiful!

I wanted to make plum sauce or jelly, but they were all gobbled up by my kids and the neighborhood kids, so the plums never made it into jars, just happy little mouths.

Same thing with these apples, didn't make into jars. The apples will be around for a while though so the next round will make into jars...apple sauce and pie filling, cobblers, and crisps, oh so yumm!

Jake on his quad

Jake as my guide, I get a tour in the dunes...if I can keep up!

Jake and I had an afternoon to spend together so he decided to take me riding. I rode a quad myself and he rode his quad. He is an excellent guide and great at entertaining too. This is what I call quality time, though we did not have a good long discussion, which is certainly not considered quality time by any means to this young man, but to go on an adventure that we haven't yet done was quality. What was even more precious was the smile on our two faces while we got this special one on one time together. Pretty rare for a mother with three children. I will take it any time I can even if it is riding an ATV in the dunes. I had a blast and got to see what a good rider Jake is.  

We rode out to the beach, what a day so warm! What a good looking guy!

Just a little showing off for Mom.

This adventure was not for those Moms who are faint at heart...a test of my own bravery.

Here we are at "The Face" Which I rode up! Not until he demonstrated the route first.
Good Times!

No Bad Dayz at the Beach

The weather here has just been so lovely. The view on the beach with the mountains right there, so nice to be here now. The look on the kid's face and the fun they have is priceless. Good times at the beach.

Cool fort kids found at the beach.

Pure Joy!

Good times with friends and the waves.

Fall Soccer Season

So my dream of becoming a soccer Mom came true! Now if the boys play basketball I will truly be thrilled...no pressure though. Here is the boy's first game. Spencer ran around with a smile on his face most of the game, except when he fell and skinned his knee on the dry grass. Spencer's team played first then Ruben's. Saturday mornings for the next 7 weeks will be soccer games. I am just so proud to see the boys out participating in a team sport, we engage in so many individual activities...bike riding, swimming, surfing. It can be a very valuable lesson being a part of a team. I loved team sports when I was growing up, so I just hope my boys will experience the satisfaction that I got out of it too. The main goal is to have fun, so far that goal has already been met, even by us spectators, Tres and I. 

Spencer with the kick

Yeah! Good Game Sting! I love that smile!

Ruben with friend Camp.

Half time, resting with Dad.

Good morning sunny September!

We just love having a Saturday morning breakfast on the deck. Eggs, pancakes, and bacon and family favorite for breakfast. I am grateful for these moments. One of my favorite things is eating outside...simple but oh so pleasing in this crisp and sunny September morning.

A little swimmer

Spencer's swimming skills really have taken off this year. He swam across the river several times and was willing to go even further. He just loves the river. I learned to swim in the same swimming hole, so you can see how this would make me just so proud to watch and join in!

Yachats motorcycle ride.

Tres and I took a ride to Yachats on the motorcycles to meet my mom, Deb, Alex, Melisa, and Cody for dinner at Ona. It was quite an adventure. Hwy 101 from Florence to Yachats is such a beautiful drive, yet on a motorcycle I don't dare take my eyes off the road. When riding a motorcycle your other senses are exposed to the outdoors...the smell of the outdoors on the coast were just as pleasing as the view. The challenge of the road was exhilarating too. It was fun to meet everyone there and share a nice meal together.

New biking adventrues! come on boys you can do it!

Really!? ride our bikes through the creek? Yep! come on you can do it! It's Fun!!

finding a snake...dead or alive is always a bonus on any adventure.

riding in gravel is a whole new experience

Here we are on another adventure in the woods. What a great place for a bike ride on a country road and through a creek! Now that is a good time! The boys did great riding on the gravel road, which can be a bit slippery when you are used to asphalt.

More summer fun on the river

beautiful boy

little explorer

tadpole hunting

adventrues on the river

our favorite swim spot on the river

We made maybe our last camping trip of the summer in Mapleton along the Siuslaw River. Here we are exploring the banks of the river looking for tadpoles, frogs, rapids to float in, and just having a great time. I realized that in my life I have not missed one summer of spending time along the banks of this river, nor has any of my children. Now that just warms my heart to have had these memories and now to share them with my children. This was the first summer the boys had paddled themselves in the flowing river in a kayak, swam down the river with no help from an adult, spent ALL day long on this river. Good times here and I look forward to many more.