July

Kicking off the month with a selfie from David! My kids love to steal my phone and take selfies.

While Mike took Nicholas and Zach to scouts, I took Brooke, David and Gabe to the water fountain
downtown Hillsboro to cool off.

Gabe trying to fill his new squirt gun.

We love the Hillsboro Independence Day parade!
Carolyn, Zach, Ellen, Brooke, Gabe, Hazel, Kate, David
(Sara and Tom left Hazel with Gramma for a night so we got to take her to the parade.)

The kids are always on their feet waiting for candy and waving to people.

The gymnastics float is entertaining.

Gabe, David, Sarya, and Kai got to meet Captain America!

That night we went to the Nissinen's for a bbq, bounce house, magician, and fireworks.

Tom, Mike, Sara, Hazel, Ellen, and Carolyn and a whole bunch of other people!

Gabey ready to go down the bounce house slide.

David having fun.

The magician captivated the audience.

Brooke helping in a trick.

And Zach.

David was brave enough too!

That's a lot of kids with fireworks!

 

 Great food, great friends, great fireworks.

 

 

From the family reunion in St. George, Nicholas drove home with cousin Spencer's family to Nebraska for 8 days.  He then flew home for the first time by himself, and even had to change planes in Denver. But while in Nebraska it was just him and Spencer because the girls where on a trip with Nanee and Papa most the time.  Nicholas really enjoyed time with Spencer, and shot off rockets (picture above), swimming, and lots of fireworks on the 4th.

 

Where does the pumpkin plant stop and the green beans begin? The pumpkin really took over, but we still got lots of green beans and 4 pumpkins. This year I also planted peas, zucchini, tomatoes, and spinach. My green peppers never grew.

Brooke has been asking me to teach her to sew for a year or so, and so one day after her gymnastics class at Myah's house, I taught her to sew little pillows.

For the next several days she had her friend, Sarya, bring her sewing machine over and they sewed about a dozen little pillows.  The intent was to donate them to somewhere, but for now there are sitting in a closet. 

Nicholas makes the news! When we visited 7-11 on July 11th for our free slurpees, a news reporter was there. 

July 14-15: River Rafting on the Deschutes River!
Last fall Mike bought this rafting trip at a Cure JM auction for 4 people so we took Nicholas and Zach. Damon (far left) put on the auction and he also provided the rafting trip since he has been down this river a dozen times and has his own raft.  He also brought his son to help out.  (Damon was a part of the hiring group that hired Mike at Intel 10 years ago.)
This trip also included 3 meals! The first night was steak, potatoes and bacon, asparagus, and dessert all done on his camp stove.  We camped that night near the river, the next morning was pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. After rafting, lunch was bacon sandwiches! 

Breakfast before rafting.

Excited to go!

The water was high so for the most part it was a calm ride.

But we hit some good waves too!



We didn't even tip over!

And those of us in front got drenched!

You can see Zach's hat flying off in this one.

 

On some of the smaller rapids, Zach wanted to "ride the bull."
The boys were a little nervous about rafting at first, but we all really had a great time
and they are ready to go again next year.

 

Our kind friends, the Nissinens, kept Gabe, Brooke, and David while we rafted.

July 17 - Thursday nights were free concerts at Shute Park and we went with Gramma to see the Army Band.  Gramma bought snow cones! (We also took Joe M.)

And a little play time at the park too.

I also need to document the hours our kids played at the Podwys' home with Legos and such.
Beau, Nicholas, Kai, Dante.



Since Nicholas' trip to see Spencer was successful, we sent Zach to CA to visit the Thompson cousins.
(He didn't have a layover to worry about.) We dropped him off at the airport on our way home from the rafting trip.
James on Robert's shoulders, Emily on Zach's shoulders.

Talk about getting spoiled by Aunt Ginger!
Swimming in friends' pools.

Knott's Berry Farm

Lego Store

Gameworks

Krispy Kreme

Trampoline time

Soak City
Sam, Emily, James, Zach, Robert, Michael, Aunt Ginger

 

Brooke was baptized in April and Sarya was baptized in July.  BFF's with matching dresses.

July 20 - Since Nicholas' 13th birthday was during scout camp, we celebrated before he left.
He is holding his presents of a rocket, wallet, gum and junior mints.

13 candles are starting to make quite a bonfire!

July 22 - David turns 6! I let him open Nanee and Papa's present first thing since it had already come in the mail -
a Toy Story Snuggie!

Pancakes in the shape of a "D" and a Mickey waffle for breakfast.

For his party, I took him and his friends to McDonald's for lunch and to play, then to Dogwood Park to play some more and have cupcakes.

Kai, David, Ji-uk, and Peter

The Birthday Boy and mom.

More cupcakes with the family.

Squirt gun, workbook, wallet, stomping rocket.

Blueberry picking



 

David jumping into the deep end.

 

David getting "rescued." Each student learned how to throw the life saver.

Weekly Summer Reading Program at the library.
Brooke is demonstrating centripetal force.

Zach (middle) mixing chemicals.

Ka-Boom!

Look at all that overflowed - pretty cool.

 

 

Nicholas' birthday party was at our neighborhood park, but for the Nerf gun war it was more fun to do that in the Braun's yard that was next to the park because they had lots of trees to hide around.
Nicholas, Nathan, Canden, Joe, Riley
Warren, Harrison, Joe
 

Nicholas sneaking up on Harrison

Donuts for dessert!
And then flashlight tag in the park when it got dark.