Saturday's Market and the International Rose Garden...

So Steve, Ross, and I have basically been bummin' around all summer.  We have enjoyed every minute of it...even the times where we didn't even know what to do with ourselves we had so much time. (I know I'm going to look back on this in the fall and winter and wish for it all over again.)  We had a similar summer last year, but this year we're trying not to be ultimate bums but just regular ones with a little more organization. :)  Today was the adventure of going to Portland's Saturday Market - the largest weekly open-air arts and crafts market in the nation.  We quite enjoyed ourselves.  There were so many interesting and very Portland-y tents with everyone's goodies they were selling.  It made me wish I had bags of money to spend.  We ended up getting a cute winter hat for Ross in the end, but I would have loved some of the artwork, food, and other crafts they had there as well.  It is right on the edge of the river which is beautiful and there are so many quirky people there.  If you happen to come visit us - we'll probably take you here - just fyi. :)  
Ross did amazingly today too - even with a VERY delayed nap.  He's had this never ending runny nose (the kind where you go to suck it all out and you are blown out of your mind how much this kid is capable of storing in that tiny little nose of his) which has left him a bit cranky and exhausted lately.  Today, however, he was a dream.  He was completely fascinated by all the people and shops everywhere.  

Pretty sure I look ridiculous here, but I love this picture of our little family. :)

And this one. :)  Maybe it's because Ross is a total Daddy's boy and is okay with me comforting for a while, but Daddy always has to finish off the comforting.  Ross really does love me too though! :)

So one of our favorite things were the street performers.  These guys did some cool juggling, stuff yourself through a tennis racquet, and the finale juggling knives while riding unicycles.  There were tons of musicians around too.  Fun!

Ross did so well we stopped at the International Rose Gardens on the way home.  They had 8,000 roses over 4 1/2 acres, and it was absolutely gorgeous - and FREE which made it even more gorgeous!  If I could have that delicious smell of roses which was everywhere with me all of the time I think I could die happy...as well as the smell of fresh baked cookies, waffle cones, brown sugar and fig lotion, or freshly bathed babies.  Anyway - we loved the rose gardens and there was also a super fun playground for Ross we hung out at before we went home.  I've decided Oregon has so many things to do, and it's fairly easy to find out about them.  I won't lie - Oregon is definitely winning my heart while we live here.  There are so many things I love about it.  It will definitely be a place we come back to see after we end up wherever we're going to end up. :)  

Such a handsome man. :)

I love a nice fat delicious smelling rose!

These were my favorite.

Getting some wiggles out.

Love that face! :)

  

Belated 4th of July

I just realized that I didn't write about our 4th of July!  How silly of me.  Well - it was quite the event let me tell you.  We were definitely missing our family traditions in Utah.  My family goes all crazy out.  

Just for a walk down memory lane (if you don't want to go that way - just skip down) - we would always get up just after 5 and head over to Provo to set up our spot for the parade.  Then we would go see the hot air balloons rising while having the fireman's breakfast.  I always loved the pink pig and Smokey the Bear.  I also always dreamed of getting to go up in one...until reality hit me a few years ago realized you depend only on the wind and your tank to keep you safe...I have definitely become a scaredy cat as of late.  I think the whole having a family thing that has become ultimately valuable to me has made me that way.  Let's just say I'm thankful Steve isn't into the whole motorcycle-bungee-jump-free-rock-climbing sort of thing.  He has gone sky diving (I'm pretty sure his mother is still mad at him for doing it -which I fully support) but promised he would never do something like that again.  Anyway - back to reminiscing - after the balloons we go hang out until the parade starts where we completely bake and I get a killer flip flop tan line.  My favorite year we sat next to these college guys with a megaphone who were completely hilarious as they tried to chat with all the politicians and ask out all the pageant winners.  After the parade we would fight traffic for about 45 minutes until we would pick up some KFC for our lunch up the canyon.  Their coleslaw is my absolute favorite - don't ask me why - but it was a craving I had during my pregnancy.  We'd head up Hobble Creek Canyon to our relative's property where we would eat, visit, play in the creek, play some volleyball, and enjoy all the new babies everyone brought. :) Later that afternoon we would do a giant family golf tournament where my first shot would always be incredible - I'd do amazing on the first hole (which usually meant a double bogey or bogey) and then it would all go downhill from there.  My dad has always been in charge of it.  I always loved all the goodie bags and drinks as a kid...okay - even now.  After the golfing we go and recuperate until the fireworks that night.  I loved every second of it and always looked forward to the 4th.  When I was on my mission in England, I think that was the holiday I missed the most - also because you don't celebrate it in England for obvious reasons.  
The stories Steve has told me about his traditions had the big parade (a must) and a big family BBQ at his house with lots of extended family.  They would do a huge mud bowl on their property in the back and get completely covered in mud!  They would also do the fireworks that night too. I'm going to have to update this when Steve gets home so I can get a full account...or maybe I'll just make him write it himself. :) 

Insert Steve-
So, this is my first entry into what Stacey calls "our blog".  So here goes... The 4th of July in my family has always been great fun.  Over the years it has become smaller and smaller due to the kids moving out and extended family doing their own thing.  The easiest experiences with the 4th that I can remember were when we lived in Provo.  It was just a short walk to the parade (about 2 blocks) and not that much further to see the hot air balloons.  We always attended the parade where my brothers and I would throw snaps at the floats and horses (they are now banned from the event).  After which we would return to our house and have a big BBQ with all my cousins and extended family. My Dad always made homemade root-beer (American Classic!) and burned the meat.  My mother would socialize and do the rest of the party with my aunts.   As the years passed and we moved to Mapleton the party/BBQ followed.  But the party had now turned into a bigger event where the "Mud Bowl" was held.  My parent who now had 2 acres of land would flood 1/2 acre (where the garden was not being used) and we would have a big football game, tug of war and volleyball game.  It was always a big hit with everyone and became an instant classic.  My parents had 2 ways of cleaning the mud off everyone when they were done.  first you were sprayed with the fire hose and then sent to have a shower in our downstairs bathroom with the way paved with towels over the carpet.  Needless to say the bathroom looked like the field after the day was over.  
Mostly is was my mothers family who attended but others were always welcome and we frequently had others there to celebrate.  Later that day after the siesta everyone would head out to do their own thing for fireworks.  Most years we would light our own fireworks in the driveway, until we got older and the fireworks got better....and more illegal.  Now days the party has moved up the canyon and we either watch the Stadium of fire (outside the stadium) or we watch our neighbors who have their own fireworks. Anyway, that is brief overview of my 4th from my childhood.    

This 4th we got up and headed to Hillsboro for the parade.  Ross liked it MUCH better than last year where he cried the whole time from all the big noises that wouldn't stop.  He loved all the huge trucks and any float that had fun music going.  I will say - I was a bit disappointed there weren't very many floats at all - mostly lots of cars with a flag or two on them.  Lame!  BUT - it definitely was a parade much different than our Utah ones.  There were loads of democratic politicians doing lots of publicizing, and then this awesome Christian church had a rock band performing while they all passed out flyers inviting everyone to their church - I guess that's Oregon's version of the missionaries marching and singing in Utah. :)  There were also two large companies of Latinos in authentic Mexican attire - huge sombreros and all - on horses with the American flag and the Mexican flag....I was a little confused since this is a U.S. holiday - but they sure looked cool.  

4th of July Boy

Lovin' the Trucks :)

Mesmerized :) Both of them!

There was a Rose club in the parade - LOVED it :)

The Latino entry...the kids kept taking up the whole road - police officers had to keep shooing them back so the marching bands could get by!

 Ross spent all the time there weren't hugs trucks - wandering around, trying to steal other kids' treats, and socializing with our parade neighbors.  We had a great time. :)  

Ross really liked this little girl's chair - he wouldn't leave it alone - the stink!  Or maybe he just had a crush on the girl...and would just stand behind her like a stalker...let's go with the chair idea. :)

Chattin' up some ladies...

And some grandparents.  Ross was VERY friendly to everyone.

We went home for Ross's nap and started to get ready for the BBQ Steve and our friend Jenning were planning.  Let me just tell you - this started out as a small little BBQ for a few friends since we didn't have family around.  And this is what happened...

Ross playing with his buddies Wesley and Carter.

Homemade root beer...almost gone!

Cute boys :)

Chatting up some more ladies. :)

Shootin' the Breeze.

We started to invite a few people and then it seemed to escalate quite quickly.  You know when you invite a whole bunch of people and then plan for maybe half of them to come?  Or in my case - maybe a few of them?  Well - every single person we invited said they were coming!!!  And there were a handful of them that we had invited the night before as well!!  It was really fun though and ended up at the park (which thankfully wasn't reserved).  Steve made homemade root beer which everybody LOVED.  They kept commenting to him and me how much they enjoyed it...I'm thinking there were a bunch of people there who had never had homemade root beer before.  (The recipe is REALLY hard - it involves root beer extract, 5lbs of suger (probably why everyone loved it), 5 gallons of water, and dry ice.)  I made the imitation J-Dawg sauce to go with hot dogs which also was a hit.  Ross stayed up an hour past his bedtime and was super cranky by the time I dragged him home leaving Steve to finish hosting and clean up.  Later than night we decided to go see the fireworks they were doing for the first time in Forest Grove.  With our fingers crossed - we woke Ross up and took him to the show.  He was incomplete awe of the whole thing.  He kept jabbering to us and pointing at the fireworks the whole time like he was saying "Mom - are you seeing this?!!!  There it is again!  Seriously - what is this?!!"  It was a complete hoot.  We had a great 4th that's for sure.  

Wowed by the fireworks!

This pretty much was Ross's face the ENTIRE show. :)  He didn't even realize he had a cool glow stick he was wearing.

Happy 4th!!

    

Grandparents Galore!

I won't lie - I have loved having our parents coming to visit us - and it's been pretty often as well!  There's nothing like having family around to make life more fun. :)  I was a lot lamer at taking pictures this time - so you'll have to forgive me.  My mom and dad were down in Fort Bragg helping my grandparents get ready for their big move to Utah.  The decided to take a very large detour and come visit us for a few days.  I won't lie - having a mom come and take care of you is so nice - it makes us moms of babies feel like we can have a mom taking care of us again making that burden that you're totally fine with feel just a little lighter.  Both my mom and dad were so great to have stay with us.  They cooked, they cleaned, they entertained Ross, and even let Steve and I go be kids on two whole dates!
We took them to Seaside which was completely packed, but lots of fun.  Ross - as I've said before - is a water maniac.  He would be nonstop shivering and trying to run back to the waves in the ocean.  Even when we took him all the way to the top of the beach he was still trying to get back to the water.  We walked around, looked at shops, ate ice cream and headed home.  
We went to the Children's Museum again too which was another hit for Ross.  My parents had a hoot playing with him and watching him just go go go.  It reminds me why it's no fun living so far away from grandparents.  Ross was super sad when they left.  There's nothing like having number one fans who do nothing but entertain you, give you what you want, and take you where you want.  Now he's back to being stuck with his mean ol' parents who make him eat healthy things, go to bed, and not pick him up on a whim and take him outside whenever he wants. :)  I think he still likes us though.

Here's the boy trekking back to the ocean - since walking on the sand is too hard.

Ross and Grams

Steve and his fruit popsicle stick...this is a normal occurrence since it's summer. :)  At least it's not otter pops...which he has been banned from.

Of course they had to go to the Man's store!

Water baby at the musem

Loving some drums!

Building

Destruction!

Digging some more. :)

Tell me this is not the cutest thing ever!  He is too adorable.

And not happy to be taken away from the water....figures. :)

We've been somewhat busy lounging around. ;)  We went berry picking the other day.  That was hilarious with Ross who is also a berry addict.  We had two buckets, but whichever of us had Ross did a miserable job of filling them.  I think Ross might have eaten his weight in raspberries. :)  Whenever you'd pick one, he'd grab and eat it.  By the time you picked the next berry he was ready and waiting for you to intercept it before it hit the bucket.  We did manage to get 5 lbs of raspberries - and all for $8.  Woot woot!  Steve was so excited to berry pick - I practically had to drag him away since it was Ross's naptime.  We made a good few batches of delicious homemade raspberry jam (yeah - I know you all want to come visit us NOW!) :)  which we have been enjoying.

Yesterday we had some kind friends invite us to the zoo with their pass.  Ross was super ornery (teething) so we were itching to get out of the house.  It was grotesquely hot, but the animals were distracting which was good.  The only problem is that Ross has his own agenda when it comes to walking places.  He always seems to want to go the opposite way.  Someday he'll learn.  Our friends showed us some new places we didn't find last time.  I've decided we'll need to go when it's nice and rainy so the animals will all come out to play. :)

Waiting for the bird show...

They showed three birds...all within 5 minutes - lame!

Ross trying to go the other way - as usual.

Seeing the cool cheetahs

Other than that Steve and I are attempting to be healthy.  Steve is winning more than me - he's determined to get his beach bod back (which I think he already has) and has been faithfully working out every day and eating much better.  I've been enjoying the school's gym since hardly anyone is there and I get to do the elliptical.  Ross gets his work out by never stopping EVER unless he's sleeping.  When he's stuck inside he does laps around our kitchen or couch and lots of squatting while he explores his toys.
Ross is just becoming a kid!  Boo. :(  I've wanted him to stay my little baby, but he likes to joke around, play hide and seek if you hide, stir things, dig, throw EVERYTHING, eat off your plate and climb all over you.  He especially enjoys the stairs and keeps attempting to climb then like adults which scares the heck out of me!  He's already taken a tumble down half of them with no bumps or bruises thank goodness.  His new words are hat, ball, dog, bawk (like a chicken), and uh-oh.  He'll say the sounds of A, B, C - though I haven't heard him say the c sound yet - Steve has testified it's true.  We're trying to get him to say words more instead of always responding to just his sounds and whines (which I think comes with being a first time parent).  He makes us laugh so hard every day.  He is a total joker and loves laughing any chance he gets.  He is becoming extremely good at resisting being put in his stroller, and he has a thing for toothbrushes.  He's got two molars coming in and a couple other front teeth coming.  He LOVES biting things - apples, pears, fingers - anything. :)  He is a total hoot. :)