Fall=Apple Tasting Time!

While we got a surprise visit from Gammie and Papa Mel this week we figured it's a good time to visit Portland nursery's Apple Tasting! It's was fun to try all 50 types of apples and about 7 types of pears. The girls had their faces painted, we got free popcorn and apple cider (pressed right there) and the hit of the day was the scavenger hunt the kids ran around to, deserting us elderly folk...Overall it was a great morning!!

Someone's Watching You...!

Looking back...

You might think this would be a post about how I've been flipping through photos on the blog, flipping through photos in our home, watching home video of our wedding (hey, we were on a budget)...and you would be correct. I have been reminiscing lately and am loving it! This Mama needed a reminder of the basics in life and love. We got rid of a ton of stuff and are consolidating. I'm branching out and even tried a Zumba class at the gym. You would have died to have seen me. I am coordinated but have NO rhythm in any bone in my body. Anywho...this post was going to be about how I should get a good camera, so there. I rambled.

Family Times

We bought an old house. 100 years old, in fact. No, this post is not about our house but about the fact that it seems like every Monday we (Jon) end up workin on the old old house. Replacing windows, painting, fixing dry rot, fixing the porch...the list is a mile long. So, finally this momma had enough of the every Monday is another work day routine and suggested that the last Monday of the month be family day. This Monday we ran into a few problems in the form of a needed chiropractor appt and a parking lot where the freeway used to be, but we FINALLY got downtown and were ready to use our friends' tram passes then we were going to head home for pancakes. Well, it was kinda late and if you know the Brawley's you know we eat at 5. So we hit up the very first Old Spaghetti Factory in downtown which also happens to be like 5 blocks from the tram station and filled up our bellies first. Then we rode the silver bullet that is the OHSU sky tram. The kids loved it and were so surprised! Yay for some family fun!

Ballet Brynne

Once again the girlie is enrolled in ballet and she is ALL business. Nothing gets in the way of this girl and her dream! Now if we can only find her lost ballet slipper...

Princess BooBoo

A Day at the Griffins

Kayaking, berry picking, water fountain, and a BBQ to boot!

A Baby Shower for Baby Bean

My friend Steph is having her first baby this month and so Emilie and I threw her a shower in our yard. It was a great time and a beautiful day

Umatilla, the armpit of Oregon

The only good thing about Umatilla is meeting exactly half-way with friends from Spokane. Floating on the Columbia River wasn't too shabby, either.

Canada!

Canada!

More Canada Pix

Canada!

Here are just a few pictures from our camping trip to Canada. It was so fun to get all the kids together and adults, too. We hadn't been to Kelowna in 6 years, so it was fun to see where everyone was living and to see the relatives who came from Kamloops, too! (Thanks for making the drive!) we camped for three nights, then headed to Stewart and Tobi's for two more. Leire (our Basque exchange student from three years ago) flew in and met us there, then drove home with us and has been with us for a month. She's endured much camping and screaming children and exhausted parents (Never. Planning. Three. Camping. Trips. In. A. Row. Again. Ever.) but it's been a great visit! We are trying to talk her into coming for the entire year next summer and do a year of University here. We'll see if she goes for it!