A few things we have been doing this summer:
We had our big garage sale on June 8th. Kyle worried I wouldn't have enough stuff to sell, but it was HUGE. I surprised even myself at how much baby stuff I had been storing, plus a bunch of other stuff I had saved over the last year+. I thought I had purged when I moved to Wilsonville! It was a productive couple of days. We made over $500 total, although some of that was my friend who also sold some things and who helped me a ton. A few of my neighbors also brought things over that they didn't want anymore and added them to the piles. We took lots to Goodwill following, but we have a good turnout. Garage sales are a lot of work and I don't think they will be my "thing" long term.
My mom started chemotherapy. She recently completed her third treatment of six. She has been a trooper, but it is not fun stuff, to put it mildly. She has about a week of feeling horrible after the chemo, then each day gets a little better until she feels okay for a week or so before her next treatment. She has lost all of her hair, which was obviously very hard, but is now adjusted to the reality of it. She is still beautiful! Her white blood cell count has been dangerously low, so she now has to get a "booster" shot that causes her body to create WBC at a faster rate. Since they are created in the marrow, it gives her bone pain, which is a hard thing to imagine. She said it is mainly pain in the very center of her large bones and isn't very pleasant. It has been great to be here to support and help in any way we can, and my children continue to be a good distraction. It's going to be awfully quiet around here when we move. When we went to Spokane to house hunt, my kids stayed with my sister, Jana. At one point, my mom asked my dad if he could please make some more noise, it was too quiet. I continue to learn from her example of faith, perserverance, and positive attitude.
We had a nice Father's Day celebrating Kyle and my dad. We surprised Kyle with a new Ukulele. The kids had pretty well destroyed his other one. (That is now the "kids' uke.) The men barbecued themselves some huge steaks. :)
The weekend of June 15, we had a McCune Family Reunion in honor of Scott and Christine Romney's Temple Sealing in the Portland Temple. It was a beautiful day. I will do pictures in another post.
We have participated in the summer reading program and lots of the weekly shows at the library. We have gotten free Frosty's, Sonic ice creams, pizzas, Subway, Jamba Juice, and more. I'm always shocked at how much free stuff they give away to the kids. It's crazy. The fun shows are usually really well done.
We have been swimming lots. Kylene is a fish, Spencer and Skyler are still nervous about putting their face in the water, and Andon loves the water. Having the two boys wear life jackets helps a ton, but they both desparately need to be in swim lessons again. This summer has been too crazy and uncertain on where we would be living, so I guess there's always next summer.
We went on the donut train one final time before we moved! Choo choo!
For the Fourth, Kyle ran in our ward 5k run, then we all enjoyed the pancake breakfast and parade in the church parking lot, then came home and participated in our neighborhood parade, complete with a fire engine! Wow! The kids were more prepared this year with bags to stash all the candy the the neighbors threw out to them. A bit backwards for a parade but, hey, any excuse to hand out candy, right? It was a gorgeous day.
That evening, we put Andon to bed, then met the McCune's at mom and dad's boat house on the Columbia River. We walked to a little beach near their house, then went back to the house and played games, ate, and talked until the fireworks began. Then we went up on their sun deck and had a great view of the Vancouver fireworks on the Columbia. It was a really windy night, so it was so nice to be able to stay in a warm, comfortable home until right when the show began. Then we were back inside minutes after the show finished. The kids had a blast and I loved that I didn't have to worry about Andon at all. He slept through the entire thing at home with my mom and dad!
The weekend before Memorial Day, I enjoyed a wonderful evening out with my dear friends from high school, Beth and Memory. Then on Memorial Day, we met at Memory's sons, Dallin's grave to visit for a few minutes. We also were able to see the gravesite of my wonderful Bishop growing up, Mick Frederick, who passed away this past Spring. Then we all went to Beth's house and had a fun lunch together and let the kids play. Then this last week, just the three of us got together one final time before I move. Man, I'm going to miss seeing these wonderful friends of mine, but I know we'll be in touch! It always feels a bit like "coming home" when we get together. I love that our kids now know one another now, too, as well as our hubbies. Hopefully they'll be able to come visit us in Spokane while we live there!
My dad has taken my kids on several outings, including miniature golfing twice. My parent's go on lots of walks and often take Andon in the stroller with them. So they love having Grandma and Grandpa around. It has been a full, chaotic, but wonderful summer thus far. This week we have our Barney family reunion out on the coast, then our move! Life is always an adventure.
We had our big garage sale on June 8th. Kyle worried I wouldn't have enough stuff to sell, but it was HUGE. I surprised even myself at how much baby stuff I had been storing, plus a bunch of other stuff I had saved over the last year+. I thought I had purged when I moved to Wilsonville! It was a productive couple of days. We made over $500 total, although some of that was my friend who also sold some things and who helped me a ton. A few of my neighbors also brought things over that they didn't want anymore and added them to the piles. We took lots to Goodwill following, but we have a good turnout. Garage sales are a lot of work and I don't think they will be my "thing" long term.
My mom started chemotherapy. She recently completed her third treatment of six. She has been a trooper, but it is not fun stuff, to put it mildly. She has about a week of feeling horrible after the chemo, then each day gets a little better until she feels okay for a week or so before her next treatment. She has lost all of her hair, which was obviously very hard, but is now adjusted to the reality of it. She is still beautiful! Her white blood cell count has been dangerously low, so she now has to get a "booster" shot that causes her body to create WBC at a faster rate. Since they are created in the marrow, it gives her bone pain, which is a hard thing to imagine. She said it is mainly pain in the very center of her large bones and isn't very pleasant. It has been great to be here to support and help in any way we can, and my children continue to be a good distraction. It's going to be awfully quiet around here when we move. When we went to Spokane to house hunt, my kids stayed with my sister, Jana. At one point, my mom asked my dad if he could please make some more noise, it was too quiet. I continue to learn from her example of faith, perserverance, and positive attitude.
We had a nice Father's Day celebrating Kyle and my dad. We surprised Kyle with a new Ukulele. The kids had pretty well destroyed his other one. (That is now the "kids' uke.) The men barbecued themselves some huge steaks. :)
The weekend of June 15, we had a McCune Family Reunion in honor of Scott and Christine Romney's Temple Sealing in the Portland Temple. It was a beautiful day. I will do pictures in another post.
We have participated in the summer reading program and lots of the weekly shows at the library. We have gotten free Frosty's, Sonic ice creams, pizzas, Subway, Jamba Juice, and more. I'm always shocked at how much free stuff they give away to the kids. It's crazy. The fun shows are usually really well done.
We have been swimming lots. Kylene is a fish, Spencer and Skyler are still nervous about putting their face in the water, and Andon loves the water. Having the two boys wear life jackets helps a ton, but they both desparately need to be in swim lessons again. This summer has been too crazy and uncertain on where we would be living, so I guess there's always next summer.
We went on the donut train one final time before we moved! Choo choo!
For the Fourth, Kyle ran in our ward 5k run, then we all enjoyed the pancake breakfast and parade in the church parking lot, then came home and participated in our neighborhood parade, complete with a fire engine! Wow! The kids were more prepared this year with bags to stash all the candy the the neighbors threw out to them. A bit backwards for a parade but, hey, any excuse to hand out candy, right? It was a gorgeous day.
That evening, we put Andon to bed, then met the McCune's at mom and dad's boat house on the Columbia River. We walked to a little beach near their house, then went back to the house and played games, ate, and talked until the fireworks began. Then we went up on their sun deck and had a great view of the Vancouver fireworks on the Columbia. It was a really windy night, so it was so nice to be able to stay in a warm, comfortable home until right when the show began. Then we were back inside minutes after the show finished. The kids had a blast and I loved that I didn't have to worry about Andon at all. He slept through the entire thing at home with my mom and dad!
The weekend before Memorial Day, I enjoyed a wonderful evening out with my dear friends from high school, Beth and Memory. Then on Memorial Day, we met at Memory's sons, Dallin's grave to visit for a few minutes. We also were able to see the gravesite of my wonderful Bishop growing up, Mick Frederick, who passed away this past Spring. Then we all went to Beth's house and had a fun lunch together and let the kids play. Then this last week, just the three of us got together one final time before I move. Man, I'm going to miss seeing these wonderful friends of mine, but I know we'll be in touch! It always feels a bit like "coming home" when we get together. I love that our kids now know one another now, too, as well as our hubbies. Hopefully they'll be able to come visit us in Spokane while we live there!
My dad has taken my kids on several outings, including miniature golfing twice. My parent's go on lots of walks and often take Andon in the stroller with them. So they love having Grandma and Grandpa around. It has been a full, chaotic, but wonderful summer thus far. This week we have our Barney family reunion out on the coast, then our move! Life is always an adventure.
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