Camping Trip

Last week on our vacation we went camping a couple nights to Ft Stevens at the beach. It's a very nice state park that has a lot of things to do nearby. The first night was just setting up camp. We went tent style and even though it's not my style I was glad to see for Macks first trip she roughed it just as I had done at her age. Kids love tents and I knew she'd have a good time.

The next day we headed out to explore the Fort. Steve wanted to take his 2 older kids there to see it. It's a self guided tour and then after that we stopped at the guardhouse and that was a free guided tour. Apparently it was very interesting but I stayed outside with impatient and noisy Mackenzie and waited until they were done.


Then we went down to the beach to see what was left of the Peter Iredale ship. I'm glad to see it's still around everytime I go. We hung out on the beach for a little while then headed back to camp.





Mackenzie became obsessed with my dishwashing gloves. She was always wanting to play with them. I guess that is what happens when there are not any toys from home to play with, ya figure something else out. Actually she never seemed bored. I did bring crayons/books and I never even got them out.

The thing I couldn't get past was the amount of dirt! Which is why I've never cared to really take her camping in all her 3 years. Her hands were constantly filthy which meant she rubbed it on her shirt and face. The first hour we were there she was barefoot in her crocs and when she sat down and her shoes came off I got a view of those feet! After I washed em she spent mostly the rest of the weekend in socks and shoes. I had enough dirt other places to worry about.

Remember being that flexible???

BOATING....

Mackenzies brother and sister were here this month for a couple weeks. They love to take the boat out when they are here for some tubing and swimming. But this time they were not interested in tubing at all. Austin did finally get on the tube once during his visit, but only when I was driving the boat. hmmmmmm, I think he thinks his Dad is too radical of a driver! I'm just happy that they are content to hang on the boat and swim. It's usually a good day, we pack food and drinks and pretty much hang out there all day.

Here are Steve and his kids hanging out....

I'm not sure where Mackenzies daredevil side went this trip but she only wanted to get in the water with her star. We could not get her to take it off before she'd go in. Now just a few nights ago we went out, the 3 of us, and she never used it at all. She was back to jumping with her lifejacket only. Crazy kid!

We got Mackenzie on the tube! And she was loving it. My idea was to just start her out slow, have her enjoy it and not freak her out. Daddy kept trying to go faster and I had to keep after him! I wanted her to have a positive experience and not get dumped and never want to go on it again.

Enchanted Forest

Two years in a row my friend Lisa and I have loaded up the kids and drove to Enchanted Forest. Most my friends that I have grown up with have a memory as a kid of being there. I don't remember ever going as a kid but I do want to create that memory for Mackenzie. Oregon doesn't have any amusement parks and this is as close to one that we get, which is not much. But the kids seem to enjoy it and it is a fun day. Next year we said we'd like the guys to go with us.

Last year Mackenzie was just barely not tall enough for the log ride so this year she was able to ride on it. I was so busy trying to hang on to her so she wouldn't slide around on the last drop that I slid around! And you do get wet!



This is a fun slide but poor Kaelee, her shoes kept getting her stuck and Mackenzie caught up to her.

Mackenzie actually wanted to ride on the bumper boats this year. She was very eager to get in. She was all smiles at first and then she started spinning herself in circles and she was done. It lasted all of about 45 seconds. They were nice and handed me back her tickets.


Mackenzie did great by herself on this big slide. Last year she slid off the rug but this year her and the rug came down as one.


Mackenzie panned for treasure this year. Here is what treasure she found. How fun!

Some Fun in the Sun!

4th of July Happy Days Parade

For the 4th we did our annual parade event. We go the night before and put our chairs out. This year I had a quite a few friends that came to sit with us and it was a lot of fun. We were all a little disappointed in the parade this year, seemed too political for us. And there were a lot of gaps. We ended up leaving early and then went to a restaurant for lunch.

Looking at the motor brigade that just rode by...

I love that this had her name in it...

Mackenzie had to get up and dance to every band or music that played in the parade..


Went out to a local small town and watched the fireworks. Mackenzie did very well sitting and waiting. Someone in our group brought grapes and she was in hog heaven! (she recently started eating these)
The fireworks last for about a half hour and she fell asleep on my lap before the finale.

Signs of Summer!

Last weekend it got pretty warm. Mackenzie was outside in her pool most the day and having a great time! I love that she's still at an age that I could even just give her a bucket of water and she'd have fun.









Black dog on a warm day. Later I even got Diesel in the pool.

Ahhhhhh

I love finding her like this in the mornings. So peaceful. House is quiet. :)

Another day at the zoo...

After countless times at the zoo Mackenzie finally stood in the large eagles nest and went down the log slide. Two things that she never would do before.

Mackenzie was eager to spot the animals and only a few were in hiding. The lions were really out sunning themselves and even posed for the crowd.


We stopped and had a picnic lunch and let Mackenzie burn off some energy. Of course right away she found some boys that were playing and somehow managed to bonk heads with one of them. Daddy went to her rescue and after some tears she was back running around.


I love taking pics of the 2 of them walking. This one really shows her being goofy and swinging her arm.

It's funny to me to go to a zoo and see dinosaur displays. They are back and this is the one that they had outside the exhibit. It moved and made noises and she wasn't sure what to think of it.

At the end of our day and heading for the gate.

It was a good day minus the fact that she threw her sippy cup in the duck pond and we had to retrieve it. This was at the beginning of our day and of course we still needed it. All I could think about was dirty duck poo water. I was glad to see the bathroom was right next door. And all day she had an animal magnet in her hand that she brought from home. The very last exhibit we saw were the walruses and she happened to toss it into the sea urchin area. No rescuing that. It was gone. I wonder how many things the zookeepers find when they clean those tanks!