Summer Strawberry Pickin

On Monday as a family we went strawberry picking at the farm I love to go.

I love picking Oregon strawberries.

Kelsie was a great picker and stuck to it longer then all of the kids.

Karlee was an eager little picker, but her bucket was very slow to fill. She ate most of her berries straight from the plant, and I don't blame her ... the strawberries were so warm and sweet, you could almost taste the sunshine.

Almost all the kids are in the picture, busy at picking.

Kids after picking sampling our berries. I like that they have this bench I took a picture of the kids on it last year.

Kelsie Beach Party

This year for Kelsie birthday she wanted a beach party. She began planning this party right after we had Jaron's birthday. Every night at dinner she would add something new to her party, she even drew up plans and making assignments. On her actual birthday we were packing , moving, and cleaning the house. My mom and Serena came down and helped us clean. We had a mini party for her with cupcakes and a couple presents. But we kept telling her that her big party was going to be next week at the beach. She was so excited for this party that she invited everyone in her school class. ( We did another mini party for her classmates since we knew they would not be able to make it to the beach.

In planning her beach birthday party she wanted to have a big picnic at the beach, build sand castles, go swimming, go to a parade, and have ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

Here are pictures of the Kelsie sixth birthday beach party, she was happy with how it turned out. We didn't get to do everything she had planned (like swimming in the ocean) but that is okay.

We headed to Tillamook for their Dairy Days Parade. Our little family, Ma2, Pa2, Serena, Randall, Gloria, Ashley, and Ashton were able to make it. It was the first stop for a day.

Here is Party minus Ma2, Pa2, and me.

Before the main parade starts they have a children parade where children can dress up, hand out candy and walk the parade route. It starts right where we are sitting and so as they were waiting for it to begin. Kelsie was flirting with these two boys and they were tossing tons of candy to her, it was really cute.

The parade is the dairy days and so you see a lot of dairy products in it. Here is a float for Tillamook ice cream, they had people handing out little cheeses and coupons for free ice cream.

Of coarse you can have the cheese factory represented without the baby loaf bus. How cool would be to have this as a car. I totally see my little family getting in and going for a ride.

We saw LOTS of horses, but these were the biggest.

Their size reminded me of the horses in Harry Potter series very large.

The lady walking with them said the the horses we 13 hands tall.

Here is the birthday girl, enjoying her day!

Jaron was so excited to see all the John Deere tractors, he was so excited to see his most favorite one a Johnny Popper.

One new I found out at this parade is that Karlee does NOT like clowns.

This one in particular really freaked her out.

We saw floats, this one was in the Rose parade it has the queen of the rose festival on it.

The Royal Rosarians and the walking rose garden.

Super Franz bread man his float was handing out little loafs of bread.

Our kids like to play the game "Slugbug no tag backs", we got a kick out this bug that came through the parade.

At the very end of the parade there was this flat bed of a band. My dad knew one of the band members. That was fun, but another thing that was fun is that the driver parked the truck right there in front of us and the police blocked of the street and for 45 minutes we had a concert. After that we cleaned up and headed over to Rockaway Beach and had a tailgate picnic, before heading to the beach.

Since it was a party we needed a cake, we had cupcakes. We sang Happy Birthday to Kelsie, Pa2 and I, and enjoyed the cupcakes. Notice the ocean in the background.

Kelsie, Beach and a Cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Kelsie!!

We played in the sand, flew Kite, rolled in the sand and enjoyed the sun.

Kelsie is such a pro at flying her kite.

Kelsie, Pa2 and Kallie flying kites.

It was windy so good for flying kites.

Kyle was amazed at how Jaron had got his kite.

(he is in the far left corner)

Karlee was all about getting into the sand, she was trying to bury herself in the sand.

Here Kyle and Dad are trying to get the kite up in the air.

Kyle and the kids getting their feet wet and waiting for the waves to get them.

After we cleaned up from the beach we headed over to Tillamook Cheese Factory and enjoyed us some yummy ice cream. Kelsie and Jaron looking on as their ice cream is getting served.

Enjoying their ice cream. Yum!!

It was a fun birthday party and a great day. The weather was perfect, we came back a little sun kissed too.

Where Are We Headed...

Two weeks before Kyle's graduation he applied to a job in Alaska. We had heard about it earlier but I wasn't too sure about Alaska, we didn't apply then. But after two months of applying all over the lower 48 states and no responds back. We decided to apply to Alaska. He applied Sunday night (online) and the next day the hospital called and asked him for a phone interview. That Wednesday he had the LONG phone interview. Kyle said that he felt it went good and at the end they asked if he would like to come up for a visit. He went up a week later, after taking his registry, for a visit and interview. Got back on Wednesday and we went to Klamath Falls on Friday for graduation. When we got into Klamath Falls there was message to call the hospital in Alaska, Kyle called and they offered him the full-time job. We took a couple weeks to pray about it. But felt right and we are headed to....

We know we have adventure in store for us, and we will probably meet some of these...

But are grateful that Kyle has work.And you all are welcome to come and visit us.

Kyle leaves in two weeks to start working. The kids and I will follow soon after.Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers on behalf we are grateful for you.

Kelsie's Kindergarten Graduation

Kelsie and her Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Boggs

On Thursday Kelsie graduated from Kindergarten. They had the cutest little felt graduation cap. They had a nice program and to the point. The principal talked a little bit. Then they had slide show it was really cute. And then came time for them to get their certificate of completion. Afterwards we were able to enjoy yummy treats- and Kelsie was excited because she got to leave school early.

Kelsie is on the second row first one in from the left (gray dress).

Our Graduate.

Kids School Musical Stuff

Tuesday seemed like a musical day for us at the grade school. In the morning Kallie perform one last time with her violin class in the school talent show. (She is the girl in the front row with the white shirt and green skirt). They did a great job. As we were leaving a father of one of the kids from Kallie's violin class that also took the class, said that Kallie was very talented and great student in the class. I hope that where we go next she will be able to continue the violin- she got talent!

Kallie and her Violin class (her teacher is in the red coat).

After Kallie's graduation we headed over to hear Kelsie musical program that she has been practicing all year long, called Magical Me. She is in the front row, far left. It was a cute program with all the kindergartners.

All the kindergarteners

Karlee was even albe to go sit with Kelsie during the show. Karlee has loved being able to go to class with Kelsie and really wanted to always stay, and other kids loved her too (maybe sometimes to much).

Here is a very small clip of the show, the closing part.

Kallie's 5th Grade Graduation

Kallie and her 5th grade teacher, Mr. Harris

This year Kallie graduated from 5th grade. The grade school she went to this year ends at 5th grade and they head up to the middle school for 6th grade. Hopefully the next school we go to still has 6th in the grade school, (I am not ready for her to be in middle school).

The graduation ceremony that they did for the fifth graders was really nice. The 5th graders came into the music sat in their seats. The principal gave a speech in Spanish and English (the grade school the kids were going to this year was a dual immersion Spanish) told the parents to stay in touch with our kids, be in their business. Four 5th grade girls gave some kind of speeches. The teachers handed out the certificates. Had a slide show. Then some of the 5th graders learn how to do a guy/girl dance. Kallie was one of the girls that participated in the dance and she did a really good job.

Kallie and her daddy dancing

It was really cute after the kids got done dancing they asked for the parent (father/daughter, mother/son) to go out and dance with their child. Afterwards their was a large table of treats.

Our graduate

Kyle Graduation

We took a trip down to Klamath Falls so Kyle could walk in graduation. The three years we were going to college; I told him "you are going to walk so I can get a picture ( Plus there is something about walking for graduation- I loved it when I did for Snow College). And in the end I think he was glad that he did it.

Kyle's mom and brother also came down for it and we were grateful that they came for the support. (They had car trouble coming down and I feel so bad about that).

Our little cheering crowd.

On day of graduation we got up early so we could get a good seat. We did but my friend had an even better seat so I gave her my camera, the following pictures are done by her-Thank you Chris!

Here is the bag piper that led the procession of golden owls, professors, and the graduates.

Tyler, Ryan, Kyle, and his professor Rick

Kyle looking in the crowd, trying to find us.

We are on the top row waving our arms for him to see us.

Kyle is first one in from the 2nd loud speaker.

Kyle getting ready to walk on stage

First hand shake, she is the head of the radiologolic department.

The lady in the red coat in the back ground is the ASL translator.

At this point it was drizzling with the wind blowing.

YAY!!! HE GOT IT!!!

The actual diploma was in the case.

President Maples gave it to him.

He is checking it out! WOW!

We are in the crowd blowing our horns and screaming his name, (he couldn't heard us - but the men in front of us was not to happy with our excited happiness.)

We are so proud of him!!!

Way to go Kyle!!