The Start of Summer: Oklahoma and the 4th!

 The first week of summer always hits me like a ton of bricks. My organized, scheduled life is suddenly turned upside down with the noise and activity of four kids at home all day long (not to mention the various neighborhood children coming and going as well...) 😁 The food consumption alone is enough to drive me crazy, and I usually have a few mental breakdowns before I acknowledge, accept and adopt to this change of energy constantly swirling around me.  

Even Lucy has to get used to the increase of chaos. 

The summer started out with the boys buying ghillie suits. I'm not sure where or when this idea began, but they became obsessed with them, giddily running around the neighborhood, hiding in bushes and scaring their sister. (I warned them about exhibiting common decency when it comes to ladies walking on the sidewalks)

 I was very amused by their antics, although the things shed like crazy, turning every square inch of floor space into a forest carpet.

Honestly, I'd be creeped out if I saw them in the bushes. 😮

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We ushered in the longest day of the year at the Timbers game. I took the kids with a friend on the Max train downtown and experienced the excitement of a professional soccer game in Portland for the first time.

 It was rowdy, but extremely fun. Everytime the Timbers scored a goal, Joe the lumberjack cut a piece of a log off with his chain saw (which I find so ironic, considering Portland is all about saving trees and prides itself with being a "green city.) Nevertheless, the kids scored a piece of the sawed tree after the game when they ran down to field to meet Joe. They felt like the luckiest kids around!

The boys have spent their summer days running around the neighborhood. Evelyn however, has been a working woman. She and her friend Katelyn created a business, Bumble Bee sitting. They made business cards (with a QR code) advertising all types of sitting needs during this vacation. They have gotten quite some business, including fish feeding, plant watering, cat sitting and even some babysitting! She and Katelyn took a two day babystitting class at the YMCA and are now officially certified. I told her she probably knows how to take care of kids better than I do! She has her own planner, where she writes down everyone's information and instructions. She walks from house to house, doing her jobs and collecting her money. She is making quite a bit! 

Miss Independent has also gotten a bit more freedom this summer. The city has finally connected a park path trail that allows our neighborhood to travel easily to most of the town without crossing traffic. This path goes right to our town library and many shops. Evelyn has begged to be allowed to ride her bike with her friend to various places this summer, one being the library to print out her business cards and to Micheals craft store to buy some materials. John and I decided to allow her this privilege  and I have to say, it makes life a lot easier with one less human to drive around, and she is happy with this new found freedom. It's hard to believe that we are at this point when I feel ok about allowing her to traipse around town unaccompanied by me; but I think this is what parenting is about: letting the leash out a little bit more each year, and it feels normal and natural as they grow and mature. This is what probably makes their transition to college ok. 😌

What really launched us into summer was our trip to Oklahoma. This trip was a family reunion of sorts, a highly anticipated trip planned with the Patton family since Thanksgiving. 

We left at 3 am on a Tuesday, flying up to Seattle with my in laws, Ronnie and Nancy, meeting up with John's brother and sis in law, Melissa and my two nieces. Then, the 12 of us flew into Oklahoma City and launched right into visiting extended family. 

We rented a nice home in a great Oklahoma City neighborhood. I actually grew to like the area in my 6 days there. Many of the mornings I went for walks before the heat of the day, and everyone I passed was extremely friendly. 

The first day we were there we drove about 2.5 hours to the countryside and farmland area. On the way, we passed many abandoned, broken down farm homes. James especially was fascinated by them. And when we arrived at our destination of an abandoned farmhouse, we realized this one had someone who knew the entire story of what is once was. My father in law grew up in this home with his parents. He walked us around the property, telling us stories and history of what it once was. The showed up the fruit trees his Dad planted; the shed he helped build; the rusted farm equipment that plowed the fields in the hot Oklahoma sun. It was quite fascinating to see this living family history. 

The Patton Homestead

The chicken coop and rusty farm equipment

My father in law Ronnie sharing his history 

We then drove a little further down the road to a cemetery where his parents were buried and many of the Patton relatives.

 We saw the little dusty towns, blown away for tornados in the past, rebuilt, yet still barren. Walking in cemeteries always makes me reflective of the brevity of life. People come and people go. Families live and then they live on through future generations...but are entirely lost if not remembered. And that is what I appreciated so much about hearing this family history.

When you marry into a family, it becomes your family, and your history. 

We met so many strangers, who were our family. And even though it was a bit awkward at first, by the end, there was the budding of a  relationship.

The Patton clan

We met and visited a lot of family.

However, we also experienced Oklahoma. 

Rumor has it that Oklahoma watermelon is the best there is. 

We drove through the Wichita Mountains where convicts and cowboys used to roam. 

And had dinner at the number 4 hamburger spot in the United States, called Sids. The onions are grilled and smashed into the burgers, making them truly memorable. 

 

We tried to explore some of the cute little towns, but it was 🥵 HOT

There is a man made white water rapid training river in the downtown city area.
It  was really tempting to jump on in!

Downtown Oklahoma City had a great sculpture depicting the western land grab. FUN FACT: Those who raced ahead of the official starting call were called "Sooners." 

Our flight home was a later flight on Sunday night, so we had a hot day of waiting. Nothing says "wasting time" like burning through money at the local family fun center. 

With a tight connection in Dallas and a delayed flight, the pilot put the pedal to medal to get us there in time. The one hour flight was reduced to a mere 36 minutes. I have never dodged in and out of cumulous clouds so quickly in my life. It was quite a thrill ride. 

But we made it, and when we landed in Portland at 8:45 pm; the evening sky was still as bright as day. I love this time of year, and there is no better place to be than Oregon right now. The forests and warm days are magical.

\

And 4th of July in our neighborhood is just the best. We've spent ten 4ths here now, and each one is a cherish memory of growing kids and warm community. 

This year, however, was the first year I realized that I didn't need to walk in the parade with the kids. My kids were no where to be seen.  While walking solo in the parade with  beads of sweat running down the back of my legs, I vowed that next year I would be a spectator and cheer them on instead. 

The neighborhood is alive with parties and fireworks. 

It is truly one of my favorite times of the year here. 

Now, Lets DO SUMMER!!!! :) 

Spring Time Fun and a Launch into Summer!

 The final weeks of school have my heart filled with so many different emotions as I reflect on all the activities and memories of the past nine months. 

 I did something today that I hesitated to do all year, fearing that this move would jinx the peace and normalcy of this school year: I threw away my masks. They sat, untouched, for over a year, but I never could throw them away, fearing superstitiously that they would again emerge their ugly head. But now, after going through an entire normal school year, I felt confident. (I also threw away a ton of mismatched, single socks)

The boys learned how to play--master--chess this year.  

This final stretch of school has brought up some deep emotions in me. I have moments when I get a pit in my stomach because I realize that my children will soon no longer be 3rd and 5th grade. These were such great grades. 

Evie and me at our Courageous Girls tea on May 13.

 I no longer have young children. I now have a middle schooler and upper elementary boys.

 Those COVID years have robbed me (all of us) a whole bunch of years, and it felt like Evelyn went from 1st to 5th in a blink. 

She is moving on to 6th grade next year; technically it's middle school, but our private school still has them in the same building. 

April and May were filled with baseball. The boys really enjoyed their teammates and coaches. The weather turned wonderfully sunny in May, which made baseball even more enjoyable.

There were a few memorable moments. One time the three boys were all on base at the same time: bases loaded, 1st, 2nd and 3rd. 

Another memory was them all playing infield together, James on third, Levi pitching and Caleb on 2nd. 

And the coach gave all three of them a shot at pitching this year, which was fun (and so stressful!) to watch. 

 

My parents came in May to see some of their baseball. I got to slip away with John on his business trip to Denver. It was there that we revisited the spot we met 20 years ago, Snow Mountain Ranch in the Rocky Mountains. The land was not as beautiful and lush as I remembered it to be, and sure enough when we inquired about that, they said that beetles and fires stripped that land of its green. 

We roamed around the old buildings. Some of them have changed, some remained the same. Little did I know that 20 years ago all that awaited me, this life that has unfolded. I was just a 21 year old college student, uncertain about my future, living for adventures. 

The weather was rainy and grey in Denver. We spent much of the time indoors, relaxing. John had to work, so I spent one rainy day just passing time alone. 

I love being away, but my heart is at home. 20 years ago I had  insatiable "wanderlust." Now, I love the familiarity and comfort of my home and family. 

I turned 41 on May 14, mothers day. 
Blessed! 🥹 

This will be our 10th summer in this home, in this neighborhood, and as I walk the streets, my heart is in love with it. It is home. I know every tree, every house, many of the neighbors and dogs. I know the forest, the paths and the sounds. I know the views and the smells. I know it all, and there is no where else I want to spend my summer than here. 

We have truly made our life here. And even with all of its problems, my heart is still attached.

Wahkeena Trail

 Over memorial day weekend we rented a house for two nights with some friends in the gorge. We did some hiking and enjoyed some familiar spots. The gorge is not what is was with the forest fires six years ago; yet whenever I am there, I feel as if I am getting a little hint of heaven. 

Our 5.5 mile hike ended at Multnomah Falls

Wahkeena Falls

A little taste of heaven

  

Even Lucy

 

A reward for making it all the way

 

I also took the boys fishing down in the Tualatin river behind our house. I like the idea of fishing, but I really don't know anything about it. Everytime I take the boys, I am frustrated by tangled fishing line and lost casts in treetops. James ended up catching a little blue gill, and right then and there Levi decided he wanted nothing to do with fishing. The thought of hurting the fish made him give it up without even trying. 

I love that we can walk to the river from our house

Boy Life

James caught a Blue Gill

The hour dragged on and despite insisting to the boys it was time to go, Caleb was determined to catch his fish. And if you know Caleb, he will. 

And he did. 

And it was a big one. 

The Catch of the day!

We had a hard time getting it back in the water, but I assumed that his catch would allow us to pack it up and finally head home. 

Nope, it sure didn't. Now that Caleb caught a bigger fish only made James want to try catch another one, bigger and better. And so the competition continues, yet again. Bigger and better is always the name of the game.

Another exciting part of the weekend was camping in the neighbor friend's backyard. Suburban camping I call it: pitching a tent on turf behind a fence next to a road. Nonetheless, the boys "roughed it" and they were over the moon excited about this experience. 

Which is good..because a week later, John packed up the boys and all the gear and headed out to raft the Rogue River with some experienced rafting friends. My heart was full and joyful as I watched them pull out of the driveway, ready for their adventure. 

So much stuff!

All packed up and ready to go!

And as they pulled back into the driveway three days later, they were dirty, tired but totally elated about the entire experience. 

Despite Levi's itchy poison oak, they were in good spirits, talking about the camp sights, the river and the bats that circled around them at night. 

Evelyn and I had a great weekend as well. It was strange having just her home. It was quiet, orderly and clean; but Evie agreed, it's better to have the whole family and more of a chaotic mess. 

Adventures with Lucy 

We kept busy as well, having dinner with friends, getting a pedicure, walking the newly constructed park path to Starbucks from our house, hosting our final Courageous Girls meeting of the year....every single second of our time was well used! 

I'm hoping that Evelyn can find some ways to lead or do some work this summer. She doesn't really have interest in day camps anymore, and she is truly built to lead. 

At school this year she participated in a craft fair which raised money for the school to build a new playground. She made little yarn snakes and candles. The snakes were a hit. She sold out. She named each one and attached an encouraging scripture to each one. 

One Saturday she was invited to her friend's house to swim in her pool. She insisted on bringing an appetizer and created a very beautiful charcuterie board:

The salami flowers are all her work!

With the hot, sunny weather we've been enjoying, it seems natural that we are on the brink of summer vacation. 

I anticipate a fun summer with the family, a good mix of rest and activity. My goal is to totally appreciate every day in this season of summer, because before I know it, I will be back to school shopping. 

Our neighborhood Duck Pond. 🦆 
My heart belongs here at home with my family. ❤️