Spray Park

We met up with one of my friends here and her little boy today. She has a spray park by her house. The girls had a blast playing in the water and having a picnic. I only took one picture but here it is!!

Sunburst Gymnastics

We just found this great gymnastics place and the girls love it there! I signed them up for a camp there and I think they'll love it.

Jordyn can walk all the way across without any help.

Ashlyn likes to hold Mommy's hand.

This swing Ashlyn loves. Coming from the girl who used to vomit if you swung her around. I'm still nervous she will vomit when she gets off, but she goes on it at least 2 times while we're there. She video below and you'll see why I'm shocked she doesn't get sick.

Jordyn tried the swing once, but said it makes her sick. I don't blame her.

Jordyn found a friend that is in her class at preschool.

Ashlyn at the end of the trampoline

Multnomah County Fair

We went to the Multnomah County Fair and they had duck racing there. Jordyn was picked out of the audience to hold the duck and put it in the water when the announcer said "Go". I was asked to help her because those little ducks were squimers.

We put our duck in a little late. He came in last place, but Jordyn wore her duck racer sticker proudly the whole day.

Gotta have the pony rides

Our favorite part was this...they were holding the Northwest Challenge there. It's a qualitfying event and the best dog moves onto the finals. Now I don't know what the actual name is but it was when they throw a fake duck into the water and the dog runs down the ramp after it and jumps into the pool. The dog that jumps the farthest moved onto the finals. The furthest jump we saw was 21 feet.

The girls sat for an hour and we all enjoyed watching these cute dogs! They didn't want to leave but we had the petting zoo to get to.

Jordyn feeding the donkey

They were both so afraid to feed the cow. Darrick did it first and his hand got so messy. He was a hungry cow and very slobbery. Eventually both the girls fed him though.

They were selling these little piglets. So cute but I don't think Murphy or Max would appreciate a new brother.

The Bird

The other morning Jordyn and Ashlyn were playing downstairs. Jordyn ran upstairs and said, "Mommy hurry, there's a bird in our house." I said, "Are you sure it's in the house? It's probably just by the window and it looks like it's inside." Jordyn said, "No Mommy, I promise...it's in the house. It keeps hitting the window." So I run downstairs and this is what I see...
Max watching this bird INSIDE our house so closely. This bird keeps trying to fly and hitting the window hard each time. So I do what any wife should do...I scream for Darrick to hurry and come down because this bird is hurting himself. So Darrick comes to our rescue and when he gets close to the bird it flys into our other window across the room.

Now he's hurt himself and Darrick is able to scoop him up and take him outside. He sets him down on the picnic table to see what he will do and backs away. Well just as he does that Max jumps up and puts his whole jaw around the bird. Darrick gets him to let go and we are sure that this bird is not going to make it. We get everyone (including the dogs) into the house and watch the bird from inside. After about 2 minutes, he just flies away.
I had to get the camera because I just knew Jessi would enjoy this story and I'm so glad this birdie came to our house and not hers. This is the second bird that Darrick has saved. The first one flew right into our window, he hit it so hard he just fell to the ground. Darrick picked him up and put him on his feet and after about 15 mintues he flew away too!
So we'll see what other bird adventures we have in store for us here in Oregon!!

Matching Dresses

About a month ago Ashlyn kept wanting to wear the same outfits over and over again. It was about 3 shirts and 1 pair of jeans with a hole in the knee. It was driving me crazy. So I thought maybe if i took her shopping for new clothes, it would change her mind. Well that didn't work out so well. Everything she tried on looked "funny" to her. Until we found a dress that had a matching dress in baby Emma's size (her new cousin). She was so excited to get the dress because she'd be matching baby Emma. Then Jordyn saw one in her size, so we had to get that too. So because they are in California, we had to take pictures of them seperate in their matching dresses. But they did wear them on the same day because when the girls put them on they said, "Call auntie Jessi and tell her to put Emma in her dress too."

Jordyn usually wears white leggings under hers because it's a bit short, but they had just woke up from naps so I took it as is.

Could you just eat her up?

They were in the mood to pose!

Oh I miss her so much...

This whole process helped Ashlyn to try new outfits. We have now retired the jeans to the trash and the shirts to the Good Will. We are all so much happier!!

Happy 9th Anniversary

Today is mine and Darrick's 9th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been that long. I thought I'd start off with a picture from my 18th birthday. Darrick's family and my family all went out to dinner at Chili's to celebrate. We dated for 7 years before we were married, so that puts us at 16 years together total!!
Darrick put cake in my face and I of course got him back. This was the only time he put cake in my face because I told him I did NOT want cake in my face at our wedding! He was good and listened well.

My senior prom

I have no idea why we got these pictures done, but we had been together about a year here.
I think I had a free sitting or something like that!

Our Wedding Day...Grand Tradition in Fallbrook, California

After dating for 7 years, our wedding was planned in 6 weeks!! I wouldn't have it any other way. Lots of stress, but over in 6 weeks!

I was so happy to be able to have the horse and carriage!!

I am so happy to be married to my Best Friend!! He is truely the first person I go to for everything. He works so hard to support our family so I can stay home with our girls. I always knew he'd be a great dad, but he has exceded all of my expectations! His family is #1 and that is so important to me. We have had a great 9 years and I can't wait to see what else our future together holds for us. I love you Honey!!

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Let me start by saying that Ashlyn is obsessed with Clifford. She watches it at least once a day. She knows everyones names on the show. We saw that Clifford was going to be at Barnes N Noble Bookstore this last Saturday. My friend was coming up to visit me from California for the weekend, so Darrick said he'd take the girls. After Jordyn's soccer game he headed to the mall to meet Clifford. It was all Ashlyn could talk about for 2 days, she was so excited to see Cwifford the "Wittle" Wed Dog. I gave Darrick my camera because I had to have pictures of Ash getting to meet her favorite dog. I was worried my camera might not make it back, but Darrick took great pictures (some are blurry because the setting was still set for Jordyn's soccer game). He never ceases to amaze me at what a great Daddy he is.

Storytime with Clifford

Doing the Hokey Pokey

Jordyn said it wasn't the "real" Clifford because she could see a person inside his eyes. So sad when they start to get old enough to understand that.

After seeing Clifford, Darrick took them to see the movie Earth. He said they never moved once. They loved the movie!

Jordyn got to be Goalie

Jordyn was so excited to play her last game of soccer for her first session. She really wanted to be goalie. She got to the soccer field, ran out there and said, "Coach Scott, I want to be goalie." He put the yellow goalie shirt on her and she turned around and gave us a big smile.

She has enjoyed soccer so much so we signed her up for another 7 weeks.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Darrick and I had been talking about what we should do for Mother's Day. This is our first year away from our families so we were bummed that we weren't going to be able to be with our Mom's during this weekend. The weather was supposed to be nice (in the 70's) so we thought we should go to the coast. There is a girl in Darrick's office whose Dad manages a hotel in Cannon Beach, she said whenever we wanted to go, just call her. So Darrick talked to her and we got an excellent rate on a two bedroom suite with an ocean view. It was Friday morning and Darrick called and said, "We're going, I just booked it. Let's leave around 7:00pm tonight and we'll come back Sunday." I was so excited, I love last minute trips...heck I just love trips!! So I packed quickly, so quickly that I forgot my bathing suit, watch, and wedding ring...ooops! At least I remembered the girls' bathing suits, that was most important. I picked Jordyn up from school and told her Daddy was taking us to a hotel on the beach, she was so excited!
When Darrick got home we headed out towards the coast. Cannon Beach is about 1 1/2 hours away from us. We grabbed some drive-through for dinner and arrived at SurfSand Hotel at about 8:30pm. Darrick checked in and came out with beach buckets for each of the girls, complimentary from the staff. The girls were so happy. We dropped our stuff off at the room and headed for the beach.

The front of the Hotel

Headed down to the beach

One of the stairways down to the sand

The Oregon coast is so different from beaches in California. You'd never go through a forest to get on the beach.

The back of our hotel

Me and my girls!!

Our family...could I love them any more? They are my life! We have just great times together and Darrick is the best Daddy ever and takes such good care of me!

Beautiful sunset

Living room with T.V. and fireplace

The entry way with the girls buckets they gave us that was full of taffy and our bottle of wine they gave us.

The girls room with a flatscreen T.V. and their favorite...a desk!

The bathroom had a T.V. Loved watching E News and The Kardashian's while getting ready.

They sent up little terry cloth robes for the girls and this stool so they can reach the sink better. They were so kid friendly! They also have over 200 DVD's to choose from to watch in your room for FREE and games to play.

Just haning out in front of the fireplace in their robes.

Can you tell by the pillows that this is our room. Darrick went around to all the closets and got all the pillows. Believe it or not the girls still had four pillows on their bed. The beds were that posterpedic foam mattress that conforms to your body (the one where they put the wine glass on one side of the mattress and jump and the wine glass doesn't spill). Oh my gosh, they were the best beds ever. That is my next mattress I'm buying.

Jordyn taking a picture of Mommy relaxing on the balcony

Ice cold chocolate milk in the lobby. My girls think there is nothing better than that!

They were so excited that they had their own desk in their room. As soon as they woke up they started coloring.

Our first morning there. Girls slept in until 8:00am, then put on their robes and enjoyed some muffins on the balcony. It was a pet friendly hotel, so they loved watching all the dogs.

Jordyn on the front side of the hotel

Just taking some pictures while Daddy is getting me coffee and the girls some muffins.

Our ride into town in the hotel car. Girls are always excited when they don't have to be in a car seat. Town was about 1-2 miles away.

The girls loved the playground there. Jordyn could swing for hours! Best of all...she requires no pushing. She can pump those legs good!

We got our bikes and we're headed for the beach!

One quick stop for a picture. Sisters, but most of all...Best Friends!

Giving the whale kisses

Daddy and Ash just cruisin' along.

Beautiful "Haystack" rock!

The back of our hotel

This was the perfect thing for Ash. If only she had her chapstick and "beep" she would've been perfect!

On the way back we were riding against the wind...holy cow our legs were a burnin'. I couldn't have done it without Jordyn's help, she worked hard. We all had to get off and push at times because it was so hard. And then there was Ash in her carriage, just complaining that she was cold. As we worked up a sweat getting us back up the beach. Poor princess!

This is Bruce's candy shop. They had the best salt water taffy and you could watch them make it. They had the cutest signs all over the shop.

All the signs in the windows cracked me up. They all said usually before their open time and about before their closing time.

I took this picture for my sister Tammy, who has one of the nicest places I've seen on the beach. I'm not jealous or anything!

This place is known for the best ice cream in town!

Just another one of the many sweet shops

This is where we ate breakfast for Mother's Day. It was so yummy! Their banana pancakes were the best I've ever had.

The view from our balconey.

Balconey view

Ash just couldn't wait to wear her strawberry bathing suit.

Jordyn in the indoor pool. I was afraid she wouldn't remember how to swim because this is the longest she's been out of the water, but she's still a fish. She worked on her diving skills.

On Saturdays they have an ice cream social hour from 3-4 in the lobby. Full on waffle cones too! It's from Tillamook creamery which is about 45 min. south of Cannon Beach. Jordy got Marionberry pie flavor and Ash got Toffee crunch. Jordy gave me hers after a couple bites and Ash ate hers all by herself. Then at 3:30 everyday they have fresh baked chocolate chip cookies that they pull out of the oven with ice cold milk. So Ash had a cookie after her ice cream. We were all in heaven...all before dinner! Hey that's what vacations are for right?

The hotel supplied beach toys. Let me tell you, they had the best stuff in there!

Hard to see but it says Jordyn in the sand behind her.

It shows up better here

A lighthouse off in the distance

Daddy and Jordyn looking for seashells and sand dollars. They found a lot of them!

They both had their jeans rolled up and Jordyn said, "Daddy you don't look very good." Darrick thought she was talking about him with his pants rolled up. But she meant he wasn't looking very good for sand dollars and sea shells.

The girls found something fun to play with.

We ate dinner at the Lumberyard. It was very good, especially their pomegranite martini's!

After dinner, waiting for our ride back to our hotel.

The following "bird" pictures we took for Jessi. We thought of her when we saw this couple feeding the birds. She is deathly afraid of birds and we thought she'd be freaking out if she saw this.

They were practically landing on her head.

Then I got closer for some good shots for Jessi...

My family...

So pretty!!

All the seagulls on the "haystack"

"Haystack" landmark

The tide pools

Daddy couldn't wait to check out the tide pools. He said he could've stayed there all night!

A huge starfish

Lots of sea urchins...the small round green things.

All the muscles on the side of the rocks

Another starfish

As we were walking back up from the tide pools, we noticed our fire was being started and our smores were getting set up.

What more could you ask for...everything all ready as soon as we walked up!

So excited to start our Smores

Ashlyn happy as can be! She just ate the chocolate and marshmellows by themselves.

Her marshmellows caught on fire

Jordyn didn't really care for her Smore(not really a sweets eater), so I gladly helped her finish it.

On our walk back to the hotel from breakfast we found a ton of ladybugs

So sorry about the long post, but I couldn't leave anything out. We had the best time on this trip and Darrick and I agree this was our favorite family trip yet. We will definitely be coming back soon.