We arrived on a Wednesday. Took a short walk and then shortly after that it POURED. It actually rained each evening for 4 evenings in a row, but the days were clear and partly sunny.
The next day in the morning Mike took Jake to the playground while I worked. Then late in the afternoon we headed to the pool. I didn't swim this time but Mike and Jake had a great time!
The next day we went into Sisters. Stopped by the coffee shop, which we think is the best in Oregon. Walked to the bakery for bread and a marionberry treat, then went to the playground and Jake played for a full hour with all the other kids there. Later that afternoon all 3 of us went back to the pool and we were able to play in the big outdoor pool. Jake has been reluctant to put his head under water, but I discovered that if I sing "Ring around the rosie" while moving in a circle, then both of us going underwater at the "we all fall down," he actually loved it and went underwater so many times!
The next day we rented a bike trailer and went for an hour long ride. (For those who want to know, went from the Glaze Meadow bike shop to Bishops Cap, across Big Meadow, over to Paulina Springs where we played with the water for a bit. Then back home via Hawks Beard, Bishops Cap, Aspen Lake, Steeple Bush.) Jake LOVED it when Daddy rode really fast and especially when bumping down hills.
We had lots of good food. The watermelon was awesome.
Three days while we were there, we raked pine needles around the property. For fire season, pine needles have to be raked 30 feet from the nearest point of the house and picked up.
There was a popsicle break.
Jake thought his dirty popsicle hand was hilarious. (I didn't let him lick it.)
The pine needle pile at the end of the second day. My dad had already started the pile. It was even bigger after the third day!
We went over to the lodge playground for a change of scenery. It is an awesome sand-pit playground! Only in a place where cats don't roam outdoors... (due to coyotes).
There was playing and chasing and spinning on the grass.
Another day we went for a hike to a place called Rebel Creek. It was a long drive away but a really beautiful drive down scenic roads. The hike it self began and ended at a creek that had lots of space to sit on the rocks and enjoy the surroundings, which we did after the 2.2 mile hike. We didn't see a single other person, so nice!
Other than that, lots of relaxing, playing with legos, Jake riding his bike, and generally loving it. We returned on a Wednesday, one relaxed family :)
I carried Ryan on the way in, and Mike carried him on the way out. Turns out that Ryan is more comfortable on the shoulders/back than a backpack!
After having our lunch, taking a little break from rock-throwing.
Hiking back, Jake was tired (read: bored). So we had him see how fast he could get to the top of the switchback trail, then found him a walking stick which was cool for about half a mile, then had him count to 100. By the time he finished counting, the car was in sight. Success!
