:: fall, family, football....cabin style ::

:: hangin' at hartley ::

Living so close to Hartley affords us the opportunity to hop on the trail at the drop of a hat. I truly love having this in our backyard.

Owen, Alden and Sluggie the slug.

:: trapezoidal merriment ::

With one friend moved home and another visiting with her squishy, dimple-clad baby, we were able to pull off an entire day together, only one short of a complete trapezoid (we missed you tons, Tina!). We spent the morning at the fall fest. Man, just laying in the sunshine and chatting was amazing. No children, no deadlines, no cleaning.......just friends and quiet peacefulness. Heaven.

We then headed down to Sir Ben's and let me tell you, if afforded the opportunity to have a beer in the middle of the day, we better be able to enjoy it without being swarmed by bitchy hornets. Some crafty tinfoil covers and beer-filled caps as hornet attractions later, all was well.

We enjoyed some yummy apps and some more local beer...

...and ended the evening with some delicious sushi and bedtime by 10. It was a great day, but we were just plain tired. Sleep is just as appealing as dancing these days. :-)

Love these lovely ladies times a million.

:: back to school ::

I can't believe it is already school time again. The summer goes by so quickly!

Owen is entering first grade this year! He was slightly hesitant, and in our conversation about it being okay to be nervous, he said, "Mom...it's my first First..." So adorable.

Alden enters his second year of Montessori preschool. He will be one of the older ones this year and I look forward to him challenging himself and being a leader.

Happy school year, boys!

:: portland ::

Seth and I traveled to Portland and stunning Mt. Hood to partake in the celebration of the marriage of his cousin Justin and his beautiful wife, Tiffany. Even though we had a little less than two days, we've become accustomed to taking in as much as we can on these brief trips.

After our flight got in, we spent the evening exploring downtown Portland, taking in a local pub, and enjoying a wonderful dinner!

The following morning, we took some time to check out area around our condo in Government Camp. I wish we would have had more time to take in the heated pool...next time :-)

On our drive into Portland, we rounded the corner and caught a breathtaking view of Mt. Hood. So awesome. In Portland, we visited the BEST farmer's marker ever. So many vendors...you could do your weekly grocery shopping here without stepping foot in a store.

Following the market, we drove back to Government Camp to get a closer look at Mt. Hood. It was fun to see people in ski/snowboard gear and short sleeves. They looked like little ants going down the mountain.

It was then time to celebrate with Justin and Tiffany and the rest of the family :-) 

Awesome trip.