Awhile back Cache saw this old hand-me- down  outfit and grabbed it so excited: "Let's dress  Gage up like uncle Nick!"  haha.  I was confused imagining Nick wearing this outfit.   Then he said "Yah Uncle Nick is going to be a sailor man in the Navy." I didn't realize that Cache understood that.

 I hope Uncle nick wears outfits like this in the Navy!  

I took a bunch more pictures and when I have time(hopefully today) I'll post those too.

Funny I can't remember memorial day. 

 All I can remember is feeling like it was such a great breather from life.  

And honestly can't remember the rest!

I think I napped a lot.

We went home to Oregon obviously.

And obviously we are from one of the most beautiful places on earth.

We spent sometime at my parent's home.

Hot breakfast is the norm.

Made by dad on weekends.(Mom during the week.)

Gram and Gram Orton's House.

While the babe and I were snoozin....

This is right about when my motherly instincts jolted me awake.

Something about Devin and Wayne TOGETHER

watching all the kids, while trying to set off a rocket that is over 20 years old

didn't sit well with mother nature.

Did you get it Nay?

hehe. i couldn't resist.

Anyway, they worked at for a good long while, then 

gave up.

..

And then rocket blasted off

 Juuust as we all had our backs to it, but only feet from it.  

It could have easily blasted off just moments before when these pictures were taken:

But it didn't.

Infact that rocket had so much power to it, we couldn't see it, it was up so high.

And now it somewhere... but no one knows where.

Aaaah now it's coming back to me a bit.

We had a lovely BBQ.

Janie made the centerpiece from her lilac bush.

Can't you just smell it?

Janie sent me home with this centerpiece.

Along with homegrown and made raspberry jam.

Also homegrown corn and blueberries and salmon.

We went home feeling "filled" body, soul and freezer goods.

THEN we went fishing.

At the request of ONE particularly cute little boy.

He likes to drive the boat more than fish though.

Obviously I love to fish too.

(Actually I really do.)

For some reason when I'm thinkin, I looked ticked.

Always have.

People tell me they think I'm glaring at them all my life.

I'm just thinkin though.

Oh well.

Just a fun memory:

 Devin and Wayne deciding to unload the boat NEXT to the boat ramp instead of using the boat ramp...

???

When you put those two men together ..

I'll tell you what you get :

A lot of optimism..

A lot of smiles.

But sometimes Not the best ideas.

Somehow though, they always seem to avoid catastrophe.

It must be the optimism that carries them through.

 Also my rain boots came in very handy this time.

Aaand we were off.

After the rocket and unloading of the boat Grandma

 decided it would be best to keep the babies safely on shore with her.

Naomi got a little ride later.

I think this is the exact picture/expression I will see when I die and my life flashes before my eyes.

I know this face SO well.

Attempt at a family picture.

Then we went home. 

Or we tried.

M00000-ve!

Father's Day

Father's Day this year was spent at Wallowa Lake.
I had big plans and even snuck a few songs onto Devin's I pod.
Hopefully planning on taking him on a long hike just the two of us.
We got to go on a hike/run and it was a neat experience to be in the Wallowa Mountains together.
Last time we were there together we were only 17 and I was infatuated.
We have grown together. And As we sat on the mountain after a long run in the rainy mountains it was easy to reflect and be grateful. We knelt and prayed together mostly for our Uncle Jay  and Lucy who we are so worried about.  We never did get to listen to those songs or eat the snacks I had prepared for the extra special hike. Someday I am determined to get myself together and make things special for Devin.
Anyway we celebrated Father's day on a random day the next week at home.
Extra fancy dinner with Devin's favorite: Sparkling Cider.
 I interviewed Cache and Naomi about there Dad. Here is how it went:(Nay's answers are first then Cache's/)

1. How Old is Daddy? 4, 17
2.How much does daddy weigh? Scare the beez and monsters and all the beez and Frogs, 14
3.How tall is dad? Tall tall, 16 and 1/2
4. What color is Dad's hair? black, black
5.What color are dad's eyes? purple, Blue
6.What does daddy to to relaz? Go to the park with us, Read
7.What does daddy like to wear? sweatshirt, church chotes
8.What does daddy like to cook? an egg, Ham
9. What is his favorite chore? (jiberish) making dinner and lunch
10.What is his favorite tv show? Black, work stuff adjusting people.
11. What is his favorte song? Black, i don't know
12. What does daddy always tell you? say yes, i don't know.
13. What makes dad happy? Tash
14. if he could go on a trip where would he go? I like going on a pane with dad, Germany or Brazil
15 And he would take? (Nay was done by this point) Clothes and adjusting things
16. I really love when my dad___.  Tells me stories.
17. What is Dad's favorite color? Blue

I'de say Cache knows his Dad pretty well! I was surprised. I'll have to remember to do this again next year and see how their answers compare. We are so blessed to have Devin as the Father of our home!

Collage of Our Spring time here.

YUM. YUM.

We've had some grrrreat weekends now that it's warming up.

Here is a "Sunshine cake" we made for a dinner party last Sunday.

(other wise known as pineapple-mandarin cake or somethin like that.)

Guaranteed to bring some sunshine to your meal.

Cache got a new- to- him bike from his Uncle Sam.

He rides his bike for I exaggerate NOT 2-4 hours a day!

I'll only let him go where I can see him constantly in front of my kitchen windows.

So he can only make this tiny circle.

And he will loop it counter clockwise NEVER clockwise, for HOURS.

 Had me worried at first.

How can  child go in that small of circle for so long over and over?

Sign of some disorder?

If not it will surley Cause a disorder. 

Oh and another quirky part of this is:

He has to have the same clothes ON! (plaid shorts, and plaid shirt)

I thought it would be a fun idea to take a picture of him every day and make a blog post.

But I forgot. Only got 3 days in. (See previous post, same clothes on.)

Cache comes out in those clothes each and every morning, and runs straight for the front door.

I had to force him to eat breakfast for a week.  Cache... he doesn't skip meals.

 I am pleased  to see him love something so much that is out doors.

So much better than every morning.. Can I watch a movie??

NO.

Why NOOOT?

So we have been trying to show him new places to ride his bike besides that same circle.

We found an AWESOME bike park.

dirt trails and wooden bike ramps.

Bunch of shirtless teenage punks tryin to break their necks.

It was cool though.

And they thought we were awesome with our kids + car seat stroller combo marchin up those hills.

ha!

We tried to get our work out in.

Double tasking is our best parenting strategy.

Devin found these cement platforms on top of the hill

  I told him I didn't think he could do a 2 footed jump onto it:

 

But he could.

 Naomi found a "baby."
And even buckled it up in the car and now it's at our house.
It's a rock.

 Aaah friends.
Brennan came to town for a chiropractic conference, so we had a BBQ with Nate and April.
People you go through school with... family!

 Naomi and Mckay.
Once were in Heaven waiting to come to earth together.
Now they lock themselves in the dog kennel.

Life is still full of stress but we are trying to enjoy the simple beauties and
small joys that pass us by each day.

Like Bob's bacon hat.

Love this spring.

CONGRADUATIONS CACHE

Cache graduated from pre-school!

(yes Cindy I'm still using your term.)I can't help it, I think it's funny, 

I want to be just like you and I sometimes forget how to spell the real word.)

Actually most of the graduation he looked like this:

It's his new nervous face or somethin. 

Devin and I can't figure it out, but he makes it a lot.

On the way there, Cache told me his tummy hurts, so we probably should just go home.

I knew it was just nerves. I hate that he feels that! 

Growing up.

Naomi has not reached the nervous stage yet.

Still going about life very confidently.

Had herself a lovely time and never moved from this seat.

NOT normal.

This is Naomi's "purple princess" Grandma found it for her in her storage room.

(Grandma actually made this too.)

She wore this dress for 2 straight weeks.

It is after all her first princess dress. 

(Besides her pillow case which is what she used before.)

She would have me lay it out on her dresser each night,  and I had to promise her that Princesses don't sleep in their dresses.  It was hard to keep clean, but I was just relieved to find a cure for her chronic Nakedness!

But old habits are hard to break.

She was suppose to be in quiet time.

When asked WHAT does she think she is doing?

She pouted and replied: "But Mooom I dust firsty."

And then when asked where her clothes went:

She scratched her tummy and said: "Oh. I dust sweaty."

Anyway. This is about Cache.

His graduating class: (note the face again)

  And not to be forgotten

Are sweet little one.

This picture pretty much sums up his life.

Gage sitting contently while life whirls around him.

love this giant baby.

Cache is over the top ready to start kindergarten!

I'm nervous, but what can you do?

He is ready.