Guest reader at Spencer's school! ...Florence Montessori School alumni Ruben Tucker

Bike safety at Cub Scouts

I just love this picture of Tres with all the kids in Ruben's Cub Scouts Club. Ruben invited Spencer and I to join him this evening while they met at Miller Park for biking. More biking for us! We arrived on Monday at 6pm...this is right in the middle of baseball season and the park is packed with ball players. Spencer thought there was a carnival happening because the parking lot was so full of cars. We have never been to the park when so many people were there. With that in mind, Spencer still rode the park like he was the only one there, so...a little stressful for mama bear. He is so independent and loves to ride his bike! The scouts practiced hand signals for biking. Tres volunteered to demonstrate the bike riding etiquette and signals. He received a lot of compliments on his custom home made bike seat. Good times...I was thinking his bike could be named Orange Crush and mine could be Blue Crush...isn't that silly!

MIller Park morning...biking in the skate park!

Here was one of the most impressionable and inspiring moments for Ruben. We arrived at Miller in the morning, since most teenagers aren't out and about riding during this time, I promised the boys we could ride in the park, but not if it was full of other bikers. To our luck we shared the park with just one other biker...Josh. Ruben was truly impressed with Josh's skills in biking. He made the park and his bike seem like a toy. Ruben loudly cheered him on and told him how great his tricks were..."That was awesome!! Mom did you see that?!"   "This guy is really really good!" I agreed he is good and fun to watch. Josh was humble, he smiled and went on another run through the park. No handers, at least 3 feet in the air, jumping, spinning, and landing just right, with speed and grace. It was very cool! So this post is for Josh...we think you are an awesome biker, keep up the good work! and don't forget a helmet my friend...impressionable minds are watching you and your mind is a precious thing to have!

A visit from Dad at school.

Tres came to mine and Spencr's classroom today. He came in during his lunch period, so he didn't get to stay long. Spencer was so excited to have his dad in class. He was just finishing lunch, and then wanted to show him the steelhead eggs we are hatching in a tank, introduce him to friends, and show him his favorite animal matching game. The other children we interested in Tres too, they had all sorts of questions. Children are so curious and funny. It is such a delight to witness children trying to figure out their world and the people in it.

A suprise to see so many snakes out so early in the season.

This was one of the six snakes we say today. I think they were all the same kind of snake.

Wildlife from the dyke hike

Ants with wings...we saw at least 4 anthills, 6 gardener snakes(Ruben picked one up and made me scream & then him too when it wiggled and opened its mouth), and red winged blackbirds in the tree. Always on the lookout for wildlife. The boys always bring up the alligator and manatees we saw in FL when we were canoeing, the wildlife, water and woods reminds them of it. They have to be reminded alligators do not live in OR.

A hike across the dyke...another family adventure.

We were blessed with some warmed weather. Warm enough to leave down and wool behind and go in fleece. We knew the water would be to high to get to the dunes. I didn't think today would be a day to take my shoes off and cross the flowing stream. We did though and it was exciting and cold to get to the other side. Spencer on my back and Ruben on Tres' we crossed the flowing water to get to the dunes. In a previous post...maybe frog eggs and ice, we were in this same area, but the dyke was a different access. This wilderness area is so wonderful. We are so lucky to have such easy access to secluded nature so close to home. This adventure as any other is what fills me up and I realize the power of this family time. I thank my adoring husband and our children for the love of the outdoors. This is one of the many moments that fill me up.