The McCune Ohana: Part of August and Trip to Oregon

My parents came the last day of July and first week of August to help in our yard. My dad had a business trip in Sandpoint, so they came early and stayed after to offer some major help. We built the trampoline retaining wall one day, brought in the gravel to back fill it and the river rock for underneath another day, brought in the 50 yards of dirt, and roughly shaped the lawn another day. It was amazing how much we got done in a short time period. My mom helped out in the yard and in the house, keeping the kids fed and in control, and kept us hydrated. My dad was a workhorse out in the yard: the Energizer bunny who didn't want to stop even when Kyle and I did:). We hired Caleb to work for us a few of those days, too, and he was a great help.

August 2nd was mine and Kyle's 11th Wedding Anniversary! We went out to dinner with the kids and my parents on our actual anniversary, then had a "get-away weekend" planned for the following weekend. We had tickets to Huey Lewis & the News in Sandpoint, then were going to go hiking to a natural made waterfall that flows into Priest Lake. Unfortunately, some of the kids started throwing up two days before we left and kept it up for three days. We ended up deciding we couldn't leave throwing up kids with the babysitter we had planned (Mary), and we cancelled the plans. It was a major bummer but definitely part of life. I also ended up having to cancel a baby shower I was hosting at my house, but we still made the freezer meals for Ashley, so it all worked out. This was the first time we were sick since being in Oregon last Christmas, so I couldn't complain too much.

The next week, August 13, Kyle left for his High Adventure and the kids and I left for Oregon. I had been wanting to get there all summer, but with the yard and house keeping us busy, it just hadn't happened. I decided we'd better go while Kyle was gone as well. I had caught a mild version of the "bug", so didn't feel very well, but we headed out and made it there fine. Once we got there, the kids had a blast playing with cousins and friends, so I got to lay low and felt better.

My parents were watching Alva & Wendy's six kids while they were in Mexico, so they were at my parent's home when we arrived. Grandpa spent the week spoiling the kids day after day. We had a great time. We went to the Family Fun Center (go-karts and miniature golfing), to Critter Cabana (a great local pet store), out to eat, to Costco and got ice cream, swimming in their pool a few times, roasting s'mores in their fire pit, to Fir Point Farms (a fun local farm with goats, turkey, rabbits, ponies, a yummy sandwich shop, etc.), and to ride the "donut" train. (You ride the local commuter train to Tualatin, walk to a donut shop and get donuts, then ride it home.) Kylene had two "late-overs" with her friends, Lidya and Hailey. I got to go to lunch with Beth and Memory (always wonderful!), and we all went down to Salem one day to visit the Schnell's and Weber's. While we were there, Gwen came over, so Kylene was able to see three of her good friends when we lived there: Gwen, Gabe, and Rachel. They did two years of preschool together and and had lots of play dates from the time they were toddlers. It was so cute to take a picture of the four of them together, all grown up! It was also a lot of fun to go back to Wilsonville Ward and see lots of familiar faces; they were so full of love for us.