Blog Bog

Sorry. I have lots to say and talk about, and of course cute pics of my cute kids, but I just haven't felt like it. Soon. For now, I'll leave you with just one cute pic of brotherly love.

First Steps

It's too soon! My baby is starting to walk, all on his own. Ahhhh.

Am I 16 Yet?

Both of my boys are itchin' to drive. Yikes.

Campers

We went camping. Liam was dirtier and happier than he's ever been. Halen was a little over tired, due to heavy duty hikes and being too excited to nap, but still had lots of fun. I thought I was managing what Liam was putting into his mouth adequately, until I changed a poopy diaper and found a small rock. All my boys are true outdoorsmen. Dan loves making fire. That's all he wanted to do, even at 6 in the morning, when I wanted to stay snuggled in my warm sleeping bag with my warm baby, he was up tending to the fire. We went to a 'walk-in' campsite at Devil's Lake, on the south side of South Sister. There are three Sisters, mountains in the Cascades, South Sister being the tallest. It was the perfect family camping compromise for us, Dan and I being more into backpacking than car camping. I always felt like car camping was just camping in a parking lot. This was different, there were 9 tent sites, all separated from each other by trees and giant lava rocks, all a short walkable distance from the parking lot. It looked like we could have backpacked there. It was absolutely beautiful.
We hiked about halfway up South Sister, to Moraine Lake, where Halen took an icy skinny dip. It was a really difficult hike, 1200 feet elevation gain in 2 miles. I was breathing heavy. Halen did the whole thing himself. He rode on daddy's shoulders some on the way down, but was a serious trooper on the way up. Fellow hikers were impressed every time they passed us. Halen was a social butterfly, saying to everyone we passed, "I'm just fine" or "I'm doing okay," whether they asked or not. A few guys came up behind us right as we were entering in to the woods after being in the open for awhile. Halen said to them, "hey guys, are you coming into the forest with us?" I love all the things he says. He's just so cute.