Lazy Days of Summer at BBR

Friday to Tuesday at Black Butte Ranch. Jake did a lot of bike riding.
He rode over to visit Theodore the parrot quite a number of times.
8 of us went to dinner at the lodge restaurant, which was a nice treat! (8 of us also meant it was very full and fun at the house.)
Devin, Tyler, and Amy. (Devin and Tyler are brothers.)
Gramma, Papa, Jake.Lee and Mike.
Yum, apple salad.

This little boy wanted chocolate cake. He was very happy to get it. (Actually, all 8 of us shared it, and it was enough for everyone!)

The days were packed with playing outside, bike riding, and swimming every day. By bedtime Jake would be a zombie.
We had lots of fun!
There was ping pong and other games.

The last day Amy and Tyler took Jake to the sandbox while I worked.

Mini Vacation

At the end of spring break week, we spent a long weekend in central Oregon. After arriving Thursday night, we woke up Friday morning to snow!!

Throwing snowballs.

No, not at Mommy!
Yes, throw them at Daddy.
The next day it was 60 degrees and the snow completely melted. So it was time for bike riding.
Here we are riding back home after swimming in the indoor pool. All good and perfect for a very active little boy!

Happy Christmas!

Christmas morning breakfast.
Third generation Apple lover :) Music iPod, in orange, his favorite color.
Happiness is opening presents.
Jake was thrilled with his new bike!
And we immediately went out to ride it.

(Forgot to bring the padded front cover from home... thus a cheery substitute for now.)
Cute new Christmas shirt.
Outside the lodge after our Christmas dinner.
Happy Holidays from all of us -- Lee, Tyler, Amy, Mike, Jean, Jake, and Rich.

Labor Day Weekend 2009

Jake and I left for Black Butte Ranch on Wednesday night and got a ride with a friend (thanks, John!)
Because we weren't able to bring his bike with us, we rented a big kid bike with training wheels. Yes, it happened to be pink, but nobody cared and Jake had a wonderful time riding it! He rode it so much, that the second day when he got on the bike, he complained his bottom hurt. I had to explain that sometimes your bottom gets sore when you ride a bike after not riding one for a long time.

He also liked the helmet so much he didn't want to take it off, even when relaxing on the deck.

Daddy came over 2 days later and we went into town. At the grocery store, they happened to have a fire truck open for viewing.

Jake was rather serious about it. But he got to keep the hat, which he liked!
There was also some swimming.
All in all, a good time with biking, swimming, going to the playground, playing with legos, and just being with Mama, Daddy, Gramma, and Papa.

Baby and Helmets

Today my midwife, Lennon, came over for my monthly appointment. So nice to get to do it in my own home! Here she is listening to the baby's heartbeat with the fetoscope. All is well -- I am measuring as I should be and the baby's heartbeat is perfect :)
Once a year the Legacy Health Clinic has a 2 hour clinic where they have new helmets available for anyone for $5 each. Mike and Jake both needed bike helmets, so they went. There were many, many, many people there. Jake was actually really excited as he has been wanting his own helmet. His new one is covered with bugs!
Mama feels so much better that this guy has a helmet on. Even though his bike is pretty stable, he's becoming a daredevil on it. While at Black Butte he loved riding really fast down the hills, and taking his feet off the pedals and letting the bike go. Made Mama nervous. Now I won't worry quite so much!

June 2009 BBR

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 :)