Another project in my Photo Editing class. This is my first ever collage created entirely in PhotoShop. The Picasa collage maker is still easier, but hopefully I'll get faster in PhotoShop and then have much greater flexibility. Pictures from our trip to Bend in May.

Soccer Camp

Kylene really wanted to play soccer this year. So, rather than pay for the parks & rec summer camp, some friends & I decided to create our own. We invited a few other friends with kids the same age whom we thought would be interested. Every Thursday evening this month, we have been meeting at a local park and holding our own, informal soccer camp. The dads are taking turns being the coach. Kylene has absolutely loved it! Her favorite night was this last Thursday when Kyle was the coach. Here are a few pictures, including Coach Kyle doing stretches with them at the beginning. I love the bottom, center picture of them attempting to do jumping jacks; they definitely earned an "A" for effort! Go, team!

Trip to Enchanted Forest

Last weekend (July 18), we invited the Mudaliar's (Kyle's sister & bro-in-law, Maile & Parvin), to spend the night Friday night then come to Enchanted Forest with us on Saturday. Enchanted Forest is a fun little amusement/fairy tale themed park only about five minutes from our house. We've only gone one other time since moving to Salem, so we decided we were due.

Friday evening Spencer experienced his first "sleepover" with the girls and him all sleeping in Spencer & Kylene's room together; it was quite the sound from downstairs with all the squealing and giggling. The adults had fun playing a new card game Maile & Parvin taught us. Saturday we had a great time enjoying the park and being together.

Here are the kids (minus Caleb & Skyler) getting ready to enter Sleeping Beauty's castle:

Humpty Dumpty really did sit on his wall; here's proof:

Kylene posing in front of Jack & Jill falling down the hill:

I loved this shot of Spencer captivated looking into the Dwarves' home; just his size:

Here are the manly men "manning" the strollers! I realized later this is the only "picture" we got of Skyler all day (in the infant carrier)! Nice, eh? But he really was there enjoying every minute, especially the times he was asleep:).

Kylene riding the bumper boats:

Mommy got to come with Spencer to ride the oh, so fast train. It is a short, circular track and on one of the times around Kyle & Maile jokingly said, "Oh, Amyanne, are you scared?" I responded that I was and acted all scared, and my sweet Spencer put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Okay mom, I stay you." When he's nervous about something, I always say, "It's okay, Spencer, I'll stay with you," so it melted my heart to hear him trying to comfort me. A tender "mommy moment":).

They also have a couple bigger roller coaster-type rides that the adults took turns riding on. We had a great day and the kids slept very well that night! They even slept past 6:30 a.m. the next morning; yippee! Definitely worth it:).

Photo Editing

I'm taking my first ever online photo editing class (at JessicaSprague.com). After our first week, this is what I came up with in our challenge. The first is the original photo, then two ways I edited it. Not great, but kind of fun. It's been fun learning how to edit photos; now I just have to become more "crafty" and "creative" so my editing looks cuter (that's the really tough part, eh?)! At least Kylene is cute:).

Camping

July 1-3 we spent camping with the Alva & Wendy Barney family at Cape Disappointment State Park in Washington. It was a great campground right along the ocean. (Which also made it quite windy the first night especially, but we survived!) Since it is right across the Columbia River from Astoria, one side of the park has the regular beach/ocean water and one side has a mix of ocean/salt water and fresh water from the river. That made the water a little bit warmer and less salty, and the kids and Kyle had a great time at this beach the third day we were there. (Kyle loved that it was named Waikiki!) We also spent time bike riding and hiking to a great lookout and to one of the two lighthouses in the park. We loved camping with the Barneys; the kids loved having cousins to play with and Kyle & I enjoyed the chance to talk with Alva & Wendy and have so much help. (Camping is a lot of work!) My mom and dad also drove up one day to say "Hi"!

Kyle loved that we were in Washington so he could buy the "big" fireworks that are illegal in Oregon. Since there were no fireworks allowed at the campground, we decided to go home via Alva & Wendy's home in Camas. We spent Friday night doing fireworks and being with them some more. Thanks for letting us crash at your place! Saturday, the 4th, we spent recovering from camping, cleaning up, and relaxing. I loved putting the kids to bed nice and early most of all:). Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Kyle & Spencer at Waikiki Beach:
Alaina (sleeping), Amyanne, Spencer, and Sam waiting for our dutch oven dinner to be ready:

Kylene & Sam "hanging":

Spencer & Sam:

Amyanne & the kids at Waikiki Beach: