Where has the summer gone?

Lately I've been noticing the leaves on the trees are starting to turn red.  I'm not ready for fall yet.  But ready or not here it comes. 

I have been a terrible blogger this summer.  Mostly because of laziness but also because I was training for a triathlon.  I am happy to report that I completed my first (and possibly last) half-ironman triathlon.  And I didn't even come in last place.....although I was pretty close towards the end.  I finished in just under 7 hours which is way too long to be exercising.  I think I got 93 place out of 109. 

Here's what else we have been doing this summer:

In July we went to Boise for just under two weeks.  Jon was working (He's got a Maids Franchise there).  We were loving the sunshine!! It was great to get out of rainy Portland for a few weeks. While there we went to the waterpark,  Zoo Boise and rode the paddle boats.  Jackson and Boomer were big enough to ride on their very own boat.

The end of August I was invited to go to The Ashland Shakespeare Festival.  It was so much fun to spend time with some amazing women shopping, eating and watching plays.  It was a soul food trip! l loved everything about it from beginning to end.

The end of August we took a trip to Seattle and visited the Space Needle. We rode the tram and walked down to Pikes Place.  It was a long day for the kids and Sadie fell asleep on Dad's shoulder.  Next time we want to take a ride on the Duck Boats.

Boomer Turned five on August 29 and we celebrated by going to Wings and Waves waterpark at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinville Oregon.  We got a babysitter for Sadie so we could ride on all of the rides.  It was a lot of fun. The slides were all very kid friendly. One of our favorite parts in the location.  Check out the proximity of the vineyard.

Boomer wanted a Star Wars Birthday party so I did some last minute planning and threw together a Jedi Birthday Party.  I'm not sure how fun it was but Jon, the boys, and I have enjoyed hitting each other with the homemade light sabers. (or Light Savers as the boys like to call them).

Jon and the kids spent Labor day  in Quartzville panning for gold with Grandpa Bubbs.  They came home empty handed.  Shoot, I guess we aren't going to get our mortgage paid off this year.  The weather was great and they had fun just being there.

School is here!!!  Boomer is in kindergarten this year. He dropped out of preschool so we are hoping for better results this year.  So far he loves riding the bus and makes new friends everyday. Jackson (and I) decided to do homeschool this year.  We're still working on the curriculum.  Hopefully we can get it figured out before the year ends. We do math and spelling, writing and reading, music and PE and occasional Art and Science. It's been good so far. The best part is that I don't have to wake up to take him to school so I get to sleep in everyday.  Not one of the benefits I was expecting...but I'll take it.

Happy Trails