out of touch

A SUPER brief summary of the last few months.  I have obviously fallen way behind in the blogging world and it is not for a lack of events in my life.

April:

• Travelled to California and visited family- took a much needed vacation and sun break
• Aven's 2nd Birthday (April 21st) someday I'll actually get a post up about my darling girl's second birthday, it was an absolutely beautiful day and we had a wonderful BBQ with a small group of friends to celebrate, Aven loved being the center of attention
• Ahmah (Abe's Mom) came to visit and have some special time with Aven before she went off gallivanting around Europe with her hubbie
• My boss left the company and left a huge gaping opportunity- who would be the new manager?

May:

• Made the decision to apply for the manager position at my branch
• Grandma and Grandpa Bill came for a visit from Oregon and helped us start building our tool shed out back while they camped in our parking space :)
• Attended a lovely book club get together
• Went to a baby shower for a good friend and enjoyed a lovely girls night in
• We had someone work on the garage doing prep work for painting it this summer (whenever that happens)
• Attended an awesome Pentecost Sunday service at the local Mt. Baker Theater with 8 other local churches, it was a great message and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with believers of all denominations- truly a celebration of the family of God

June (so far):

• Drove to Oregon to help celebrate my mother in law's 60th birthday and my step-Dad's 70th birthday with back to back surprise parties and get-togethers
• Abe continued working on the tool shed out back, changing the original design and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes in the evening sun
• Let my grass grow way to long!  Still needs to be cut- I had been keeping up on this so well until the last 3 weeks.
• Celebrated our 13th Anniversary (June 12th)
• Officially started my new job and schedule as manager of my branch
• Will host a visit from my Dad (Grandad) to Aven
• Endured more days of rain and more rain, when will summer be here?

An afternoon treat with Daddy

One of Aven's favorite toys, her Baby that she got on her birthday, she will carry this thing all around and take care of it wrapping it up in her little hoody towel saying "baby okay, " "my baby is okay."  It is way too cute.
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As you can see the days turn to weeks and the weeks to months and before you know it the year is half over!  The dogs look forward to sunny days and spend their time lounging outside in the pockets of sunshine.  We look forward to dry grass and more walks in the afternoons and evenings and more days of BBQ meals and sitting in our new lawn chairs drinking iced tea.  The summer weekends already seem to be filling up with trips and weddings and projects and such and before you know it we'll be back to rain the like.  At some point when things get a bit quieter (yeah right) I'll provide some more details about all of the above!

family vacation & a few things learned along the way

Well, we took our first real family vacation a few weeks ago.  We went to beautiful Winthrop Washington and spent as much time relaxing in the sunshine and eating to our hearts content as we did playing outside and working hard.

The original plan had included a trip to Moab, UT where we went three years ago and really enjoyed the biking, hiking and change of scenery and weather.  We even had a great place booked but as the date loomed ever closer we realized how potentially miserable a 1,000 mile road trip could be with a 13 month old.  Then came the search to find a suitable place that wouldn't require 2 days of driving.  We wanted a place that could offer us great things to do outside (biking & hiking), sunshine and a place that we could stay with the dogs.  I considered and researched many places (Hood River, OR; Bend, OR; Boise, ID, etc.).  Finally a friend suggested Winthrop.  It was much closer (only about a 3 hour drive-150 miles or so) and typically good weather for this time of year and many options for biking & hiking.  Once we nailed down a place to stay with the dogs, we just waited for Highway 20 to open for the season.  It got down to the wire but everything was a go.

Day 1:

When we headed out on a Wednesday morning, things didn't look promising.  There was a lot of rain on the drive and looming storm clouds above.  Then as we wound up the highway towards the pass the snow was piled up on either side.  I began to wonder if I had made a mistake.  But then after beginning to wind back down the other side, I saw that all was not lost and the greater part of a sunny day lay ahead.

We arrived in early afternoon after leisurely driving Highway 20 from Bellingham, stopping at Que Car BBQ (delicious homemade honey BBQ sauce, and barbecued pork sandwiches).  We checked into our cabin on the north side of town and decided to head into "downtown" Winthrop to get the lay of the land.  Winthrop is an "old West" styled downtown with wooden sidewalks and mid to late 1800's styled architecture (most of it really is that old).  The downtown has several restaurants, gift shops and even a gas station (reminds me of Jacksonville, Or near where I grew up).  We headed over to the Old Schoolhouse Brewery for an afternoon pint and a snack.

ESB & IPA- some of our favorites!

Aven, playing the drums on the table.

After sufficiently christening their floor with food castoffs of all kinds ( and the first of many throughout the next few days), we headed out for our first hike of the trip.  Went up to the Sun Mountain Trails and took the doggies out for a much needed 4 mile hike while Aven caught some snoozes and Abe and I enjoyed the beautiful view and completely deserted trail.

There were so many unique and beautiful wildflowers growing along this hillside we were hiking along.  It was nice to get to see some new flowers & plants.

After all of this we headed to local favorite and staple since 1982, the Duck Brand restaurant.  We had a great dinner and got 2 slices of pie to go and headed back to the cabin for our first night.

Day 2:

Well, traveling with a child had many learning moments and our breakfast on day 2 was no exception.  It started with a hungry baby, a hungry mommy and an un-caffeinated Dad.  If you are not able to do the math, this can equal a real disaster in a restaurant.  Needless to say, we all survived and got going with an exciting day of adventures.  We headed up to the Sun Mountain trails again.  This time Abe and I split up.  Abe and Eleanor went mountain biking and I took Aven in my pack and headed out on the trails.  Save for a few mosquitoes and one or two bike riders, we again had the trails to ourselves.  There was a lovely breeze and I enjoyed the relatively smooth and easy trails.  We met back at the car and changed our plans from snacks at the cabin to Abe's revised plan: "take me straight to the brewery!"

We drove down the road about 7 miles to nearby Twisp and sat outside at the Methow Valley Brewing Company.  It was the perfect afternoon.  After a good hike and bike ride, we enjoyed sitting on the patio right next to the river soaking up the sun, enjoying a few pints and a delicious meal and taking in the relaxing and quiet weekday afternoon.  Abe kept saying: "this is the life; I could get used to this!"

Day 3:

The next day started out a lot more promising including a much more satisfying breakfast to kick off the day.  We went to nearby Sunflower Cafe and had some delicious Mushroom, Feta Quiche and an amazing Strawberry Scone with whole strawberries in it.  None of that spot-o-jelly type thing you typically find.  After our leisurely breakfast outside (I loved that just about every place there had outdoor seating available), we headed back to the cabin for Aven's nap and some rest and relaxation for the parents.  We sat on our cabin porch, read for hours and relaxed.  It was awesome.

One of my favorite pics from the trip, Aven playing with some
pinecones in the grassy area outside our cabin.  It was so cute.

In the later afternoon, we headed out for some more adventures outside.  Abe went to Buck Lake trail and met up with an outdoor rep who he ended up riding with.  I took the girls (Aven, Eleanor & Ethel) and we headed out to Falls Creek Falls.  After we hiked the initial 1/2 mile of relatively flat and paved trail we arrived at a misty and beautiful waterfall.  I noticed that there was a trail wrapping around off to the right so we headed on for more adventure.  We didn't make our way all the way to the end of the trail because Ethel pooped out and we had to leave her halfway on the trail but we did wind our way back closer to the start of the waterfall.  It was beautiful and again so nice to be in the warm outdoors.

After meeting up with Abe we hit up the brewery again for another delicious meal.  This time it was Friday night and the Methow Valley Brewery was hopping.  We voted again to dine outside and enjoy the river going by.  Aven caught the attention of many other diners and wait staff when after devouring most of her beans and rice she smeared it across her forehead in battle like fashion.  We could have been uptight and wiped it off immediately;  but this isn't our style- instead we let her enjoy it, grabbed the camera and shot some pics.  What a little cutie.

Day 5:

The last day had us planning for yet another kid-friendly strategy.  I voted for a family hike after breakfast, back to the cabin for Aven's nap and lunch and then splitting up for the late afternoon; Abe would bike and I would hike.  Well, to go along with the title, the best laid plans especially when it comes to kids, often fail.  It started out with a slow start in the morning....followed by a longer drive up a dirt road and then.....

A tree across the road made us stop in our tracks, literally!  We climbed out and loaded up Aven in the backpack just to see how much farther the trailhead would be.  It was really just around the corner so we started the trek up the hill.  I should mention here that I didn't do any research about how long this hike would be, the elevation, elevation gain or difficulty.  It just sounded nice: Copper Glance Lake.  Well, had we made it there it probably would have been.  We hiked a ways and then came across a wide creek with a collapsed bridge.  Abe offered to ford the freezing creek, carry the dogs and Aven across to continue on.  I didn't know how much farther we had to go or if there would be additional creek crossings so I chickened out.  I was a bit sad but the trek had already taken much longer than I thought and we hadn't brought any snacks with us.  So, we turned around and headed back.

After a late afternoon nap for Aven and Mommy back at the cabin, we headed out on our last outdoor adventure.  While it was scenic and beautiful it was a rather boring walk along a meadow and out to a river.  The mosquitoes were out in full force along with their other insect friends and the monotony of the flat land got to us at the end of a long day.  We wrapped up the evening with a truly delicious gourmet pizza at East 20 Pizza and of course, the water of vacation life: beer.  Luckily this place was across the parking lot from our cabin so when Aven started getting cranky at the end of the meal (it was after her bedtime) I just walked her over and got her ready for bed.

Day 5:

Would be a great Subaru commercial!

On the last day, we woke up when the baby did and got ourselves packed up for the journey home.  The sun was out, the pass was beautiful and we felt unhurried as we made our way back home.  It was a lovely day and we even had a chance to relax at home and get a hike in at home before the end of the day.

The Highlights & Lessons Learned:

• Going on a trip with a baby can force you to relax- there are lots of naps involved in their day, they tend to like to go to bed early and they will always make you late (it can make you anxious or you can let things go). 
• If you want to have a nightlife with a one year old on vacation, you'll be sorely disappointed.
• Trying to plan your day around the moods and naps of a kiddo can be really challenging.
• Spending time with your family is some of the best time you can have
• Be flexible, always!
• Never pass up a good cup of coffee, fresh homemade pastries or a great microbrew
• Be adventurous, often it will pay off.
• Take lots of pictures, even the ones that will embarass your kids later (Aven discovered how much fun it is to play naked after your bath or shower- we have some super cute pics of her being silly in the buff)
• Trader Joes is awesome - be sure to load up on snacks for the car ride
• If man can live on bread alone, then why can't babies live on beans & rice, honey wheat pretzels and dried cherries?

indulging

This past Saturday was a much needed day for our family.  I have had to work a lot of Saturdays lately and the last one I had off was taken up by our annual girls weekend.  I switched Saturdays with my boss to give Abe some Daddy time off and for us to spend time together as a family.  It started by sleeping in (so glorious) and then throwing on some clothes and heading down to a local favorite Rocket Donuts.  I don't know how I managed not to go here for so long, but I did- and I never should have, I am addicted.  I am mostly a purist when it comes to donuts: old fashioned, glazed cake, buttermilk bars or sugar/cinnamon twists.  I don't go for any fancy sprinkles or gluten-free stuff!  But with a cup of local coffee, it feels like a meal.  Ironically we took a healthy breakfast for Aven: banana, cheerios and a smile (mini-donuts Abe called the cheerios).  It was a nice way to start our day together.  When Aven napped I helped Abe in our workshop re-saw some 2x4 boards and I practiced my measuring and cutting skills with the bandsaw.  It was a nice day and we had a lot of time to spend together and just relax.

just a little bragging

Just thought I'd brag a little about what my husband has been making through his business

  Baraa Woodworking

.  He took this very cool retro desk chair that we got free on the street corner, had it recovered in leather and then made this super cool wood back that accents the metal and highlights the design.  It has really made this chair stand out and I get to enjoy it every day.

This is the reflection from a lovely little walnut mirror showing a reflection of our dining room.  Lately Abe has been making mirrors to put in galleries.  Currently he has work at Digs (a local mid-century furniture and eclectic fun shop), Artwood Gallery (in Fairhaven) and Northwest Fine Woodworking Gallery in Seattle.

Hop on over to Baraa's site to check out new work and pass it on if you know someone who needs awesome fine custom work.  We'd love it!

what Saturdays are made of

Taking pictures of curious images on buildings in downtown Edison, Wa at

Curator's Shop

The Lucky Dumpster -my favorite place to stop and browse...local crafty things made of reclaimed fabric, cards, wood, paper, vintage fabric, etc as well as fun thrift store finds. Very eclectic collection of items to browse through and friendly locals to chat with while you sip your coffee purchased from Tweets coffee (below)

Great lite and fun vintage sign on turn of the century building

Tweets

coffee & treats, wonderful homemade pies, pastries and coffee- a little overpriced but worth the beautiful drive to enjoy the sights and smells- roll up garage door lets warm afternoon sunlight in and locals roll on through and get their mid-morning or afternoon caffeine fix

Wishful thinking, outdoor seating in Washington....will spring be here soon?

Farm to Market Bakery

amazing pastries and yummy breakfast treats and sandwiches- enjoyed an "odds and ends" cinnamon roll for 1.50 with an unhealthy dollop of cream cheese frosting, polenta cakes saturated in fresh squeezed lime juice, quiche with local eggs and veggies

gosh how I love guilty pleasures....nothing starts my weekend better than a cinnamon roll, latte and my having a date with my husband....

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hope yours is happy too whatever you do

dreams & happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

“I have a dream that my [four little] children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

From his speech "I Have A Dream" delivered at The Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, 1963.

Well, my munchkin is almost 9 months old and her character is really starting to come out. I am so proud of her and how she is changing and growing and developing into a little girl.

She is weighing in at a whopping 15 lbs 3 oz.

It is truly amazing to watch a baby grow. No one tells them or instructs them on how to crawl or how to do certain things, it is just instinct. One day they just are laying on the floor and they scoot their knees up underneath themselves and start rocking back and forth! No one tells them this is how you suck out of a sippy cup- you just give it to them and they figure it out. No one tells them to smile or laugh but they do it when they enjoy something or are amused. It is a wonder watching them discover their world.

This picture is so cute to me because Aven is wearing a little corduroy overall set that was Abe's when he was younger.

Aven is really starting to enjoy playing with her toys and she is pretty good at entertaining herself. She will play for a good 30 minutes by herself just talking and jibber-jabbering and banging her toys together. She is also getting really good at moving around. Although she still hasn't crawled yet, she does a good backwards scoot as well as turning herself in circles. Just this last week she transitioned from being on her tummy in a crawling position to a sitting position and back down again. She also really likes to pull herself up if you hold onto her hands. Today she stood while I helped her balance. It is only a matter of time until she can pull herself up onto things without any help.

This weekend was pretty relaxing. I had my wisdom teeth (all 4) taken out on Friday so I just wanted to lay low and recover before going back to work. Abe also decided to take the weekend off after working the last 3 on the shop. It was nice to spend time as a family just relaxing and playing together. It was nice to have a bit of a routine with Aven and eat breakfast together before starting our day. Totally unprovoked, she went in for a kiss for Daddy (above).

Yesterday she had her first taste of chicken. I made her Chicken with Avocado and she ate the whole thing up (pureed of course). Then I also made a beets & pears puree and she ate a few bites without making any funny faces, I was surprised. Amongst the new foods she tried this weekend (chicken, avocado, beets) I also cooked up an egg yolk and let Aven try feeding herself. She did pretty well although most went to the bib, the high chair or the dogs but she didn't wince and she did okay feeding herself.

This week Aven also got to spend some time with Boppa. He was here helping us wire the shop and move the main panel on our house. He gave her a new nickname: scooter and gave her tons of smiles and hugs while he was here. Great to see them interact.

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shop update- the short version

Current state of the yard side- windows installed, last bit of papering to do

same view before sheeting and windows, paper, etc.

Large sliding door still installed, existing framing and supports put into place before this wall was rebuilt

view from the alley of the garage (leaning)- with two massive sliding doors and a roll up door on the parking space side, there was little to keep the garage from slowly tilting over!

View from the alley as it sits now- a variety of windows were obtained from the Re-Store, free from a neighbor and some new ones purchased to match the others-as you can see the alley side has some small windows up top for light but to keep the area secure. There will also be a sliding door (using one of the original) on the alley side to deliver and unload materials/cabinets/tools, etc.

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A quick update on our shop. It is a slow work in progress and while I cannot really take any credit, it is coming along. This last month Abe has put a lot of hours into the final push. Thankfully a few friends have donated many hours as well while I watch Aven and cannot really help Abe. The shop has been completely re framed from the ground up including new ground plates. All that really remains from the original framing are the trusses and a few 2x4's on the alley side. All windows have now been installed and the double glass doors that face the yard. Randy (Abe's Dad) is here this week getting all of the electrical done and prepped so that power will be available. The whole shop has been re framed and sheeted, doors and windows installed, 3 sides papered and the floor raised and re framed. As far as the outside goes the alley door will need to be fitted and installed (just in place right now to cover the gap) and siding, trim and paint! We have tons of rolls of insulation for the inside and after the electrical is installed we can begin that process. Then its drywall, trim and bring in the tools and wood. We are still trying to figure out the best source of heat but right now we have a free Fisher wood stove....just a matter of finding pipe that isn't too expensive. It is really exciting to see it all coming together. It is a really cool space. I know it doesn't feel big enough to Abe but I am really excited to have him here on site once he gets moved in and settled. The pictures really don't do it justice of how much work has gone into this project. More to come.

let it snow, let it snow

First time touching snow!

First time tasting snow!

Enjoying the fresh snow fall Thanksgiving morning. We got about 3-4 inches of beautiful snow that day. Very festive! Hope yours was happy. So Thankful here.

family vacation (a double meaning)

Mommy's cousin Gina & baby Ava; Mommy & Aven

Daddy & Aven in La Jolla/ San Diego, Ca

Aven & Ava with silly hats

Cousin Ava at the park, San Diego Ca

Aven's first slide w/Daddy

Great Grandma Bates

Mommy, Aven & Linda P.

Daddy, Great Grandma Bates, Mommy & Aven

Aunt Elisa, Uncle Bryce & Aven

Aven & Mommy

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Well, we just arrived yesterday home from our first official family vacation. The trip was filled with lots of firsts.....Aven's first long car ride down to So. Oregon; first flight; first visit with Great-Grandma Bates; first visit with new cousin Ava; also first time sitting up on her own; and first taste of banana. It was a very busy trip but all survived, baby, Mommy, Daddy & doggies.

the itinerary

Sat:

drive to Portland & see Uncle Bryce & Aunt Elisa

Sun:

drive to Medford & have baby meet & greet- stay at Grandma & Grandpa Bates

Mon:

visit with Grandpa Glen and have dinner with Great Aunt Linda & Great Uncle Gary

Tue:

drop off baby with Grandma Ilene and have massages in Ashland, drive to Grandma & Grandpa Grimm's Ranch

Wed:

hang out a the Ranch and then get on a plane bound for So. California; spend the night at Great-Grandma Bates' house

Thur:

meet up with family friend Linda for a snack; having dinner with Great Uncle Guy, Great Aunt Linda and Daddy's cousins Jenny & Sarah (and get lost!)

Fri:

have breakfast with Great Grandma Bates & drive to San Diego, spend the night with Mommy's cousin Gina, hubby and baby Ava

Sat:

drive from San Diego to LAX, take plane to Medford and drive from Medford to Portland

Sun:

drive home!

whew!......we made it.

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the highlights:

food:

Portland OR: Pine State Biscuits, Random Order Coffeehouse (amazing pie)

Eugene OR: Mucho Gusto (great healthy & fresh Mexican food)

Medford OR: Kaleidoscope Pizza, Senor Sams, Pony Espresso (Jacksonville)

what we loved:

Aven's temperment, although she didn't sleep that well, she was never grumpy during the day because of it (thank goodness)--she was great at being passed around from person to person and being schlepped around and being in so many different environments; also she took some really great long 2 hour naps...almost better than at home!

the sun: gosh, although the home prices are insane in CA and it feels like a bit of a busy rat race, the 75-80 degree weather was awesome....no shoes for baby and guaranteed blue sky every day--we could get used to this although I will admit it didn't feel like November, I did miss it when I got home to drizzling rain

cheap flights: Allegiant air was awesome....$29 tickets each way from Meford to LAX...can't beat that for savings of time and money--1 hr 20 minutes, heck yeah!

family: it was really great to see Abe's Grandma and have her meet Aven--she thought she was so cute and sweet (because she is); it was nice to spend time with my cousin in San Diego and get to know her better & see her baby who is only 1 month older than Aven; always wonderful to see my brother & his wife and they just adore Aven; great to see all of the So. Oregon Grandparents and have them see how much Aven is changing; great to see Abe's sister and her little 1 year old: Asha.

my phone: thank goodness for Sprint Navigation and free GPS on our phones....got us out of a whole lot of binds when we were driving in circles in Orange County, made our trip super easy

the trip: for all of its hecticness, it was a great time to see and catch up with family and well worth the effort of going all over hill and dale to see everyone; that said, glad we are home

what we could have done without?

sleeping so many places, I miss my bed when I am on vacation

being sick, on any given day, one of us was sick--this of course made things stressful and not as enjoyable as they could have been (thanks for taking care of me Abe & Mom when I was sick)

having to get to the airport so early before only a 1hr 20 minute flight! luckily Aven was super chill and this wasn't a problem but it could easily have been another stresser!

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Overall the trip was great. It was wonderful to see family and meet new people and catch up with others. The doggies and Aven were super flexible and went with the flow making a busy trip less stressful. Thanks too to all of the family who made arrangements for us and hung out between other engagements just to see us. Happy fall and a happy Thanksgiving to you all.