A walk in the neighborhood...perfect for now.

come on Mom...put the camera away!...not a chance son, I want to remember everything.

I am trying to get every moment possible with my biggest boy. His life is transforming before my eyes. I wish it could slow down some to savor these moments just a little longer. Is that even possible? I don't know, but what I do know is that I am taking more moments out of this busy teenagers life right now. Hopefully it will last for later on. What am I talking about?...things are changing around here and for now I will take what I can get. This big brother, this boy who is not so much a boy anymore but a bit of a man too. He has big plans for his near future and I will share the details later. For now this mama wants to keep it all close to home & heart, like a walk in the neighborhood together is the most precious thing right now.

South Jetty...it doesn't get much better than this.

beach ride! oh what fun it is!

Tres with Luke, Owen, Pancho, Spencer and Ruben. So many things to see!

Luke and Collin loving the ocean's waves.

This time I am not talking about the waves, but the pure joy of the ocean's low tide, sandy beach, and sunny morning for the five little boys who find the delight in nature. It was such a beautiful morning and sharing this special place with our traveling friends was just what every boy here wanted...sea stars, waves, water, mussels, clams, anemones, and more! Made all of our children squeal with delight and inquiry. We are just so lucky,  I know I have said that before, but really I can never be too grateful for this special place we live and to share with friends who drive 16 hours to see it too makes it extra special today.

More summer fun...looking for a waterfall

a drive on a country road.

a walk in the woods

ahh... the waterfall

Spencer, Luke, Collin, and Ruben at Kentucky Falls.

even slugs seek the balance of ying and yang.

happiness is...a frog in the palm of one of my sons.

While our friends were visiting from Utah we thought a drive down a long country road to a hike in the woods in search of  waterfall would be just the adventures our two families would just love...and we did. What better activity for five little boys and their parents?

Kayaking on the Siuslaw River

This was on my list of summer fun...kayaking in Mapleton in the tide water. I just love exploring new places, yet this is not even new for me; the Siuslaw River. It had just been so long since I had floated along this peaceful part of the river. We paddled to a place that we called "the island" which was just a sand bar that is exposed during low tide. We paddled up a Knowles Creek too, and under two bridges. I love checking off the items from the fun list.

Salamander whisperer...Spencer and his infinite intrigue to the amphinbious life of water.

temporary holding fully equiped the a lily for shade and a few sticks.

waiting in the weeds....searching for the orange bellied salamanders.

Spencer has always had a profound interest in amphibians. He has them on his mind always. Wherever we are he asks and or searches for any trace of a salamander, frog, or toad. He has an amazing ability to spot them in the water and an even more amazing ability to catch them too. He is gentle, sweet, and just plain in love with these little creatures. He follows a strict capture, view, study, and release policy. He is sure to tell you all he knows about any creature he catches or looks for with a few embellishments a five year old boy will throw in his description of each little critter. It is such a sight to see him wading through weedy grassy areas of the water, where most people do not dare to go. All the other kids at the lake will watch from a distance and or keep playing only to stop when he returns with two hands full of the orange bellied newts. I found that I really can't stop him when he is 100 yards away from me and the roped of swimming area, I just trust and let him have his space to watch and wait looking for the "Sallys" in the weeds. It has made many parents concerned over the distance he covers and when other kids try to follow him their parents call them back or they turn back on their own account as soon as they feel the weeds at their feet. While he scours the edge of the lake his Ruben plays "marco"..."polo" in the background of this video.

A lake day with cousins

Dayla having a great time visiting cousins. Never to big to play.

going for a swim

yummy picnic! summer food.

building sandcastles

We had our cousins Dayla and Lakia stay with us for a few days. We all had such a good time playing at the lake, beach, and at home. They are both such sweet and fun girls. I am lucky to have nieces.

Biking in town...new adventures

shoes always come off when we get to sand.

We had some work done on our car at Les Schwab, which was to take a few hours. Instead of getting a ride I decided to take our bikes and then ride to the park and play on the playground. The boys have had little or no time riding bikes on a road with two lanes of traffic. I was a little nervous about taking them, but with coaching before we even got on our bikes and discussion on bike lanes and our responsibility as cyclist on the road we went for it. It was fun to ride to the park that we have visited so many times before. It gave the boys a little glimpse of what it would be like if we lived in a place where you could bike to do all your errands and fun instead of driving, which is what I wanted for them. They both did great, they were safe, and my confidence in their riding and following directions grew too. Good boys.