Roo's bday party. So many girls! Some from the neighborhood, some from school.
Roo decorated her cake, including the fondant.
The Egglis gave us an amazing national parks puzzle for Christmas, and we had such a fun time putting it together! The few times we've worked on puzzles have always been fun.
climbing
finished!
naaaah...what's up doc?
I need to make a book with just sleeping photos
In March I traveled to Anacortes, all by myself to stay with Dad and Lisa, and also spend time with Ian and Kaylene and kids.
Dad, Lisa and I walked in Washington Park several of the days I was there. It was chilly the first half of the trip; one day it sprinkled on us. But it sure was pretty!
I asked Dad and Ian if they would help me make a wooden bowl for Eric while I was there. Dad pulled out some blocks he had prepared for me, and I chose a pretty fir block.
We worked in Ian's shed over the week I was there. They were really patient with me and let me do almost all the work myself. That experience was really special; growing up I would head out to my Dad's shop and see the projects he was working on, and mess around with his carving tools. I'm not sure why it took me so long to ask him to teach me!
While I was gone Eric took the kids to Celebration Park. I remember going there with him a long time ago; there are petroglyphs there and Eric let Aspen take some photos during their trip....
Roo's photos....
She's got a good eye; all things creative that girl is!
We took a ferry to Guemes Island...it was chilly! But so pretty; and we found some cool things on the beach.
Lucas was teaching me all about the marine life that we found; Ian and Kaylene have amazing kids. I'm always so impressed with how grown up and mature they are becoming. I loved my time with them.
There was a cute market up the street that we went to explore but it was closed :(
I think it was that evening that we went out for sushi. Everyone took me to a spot that was very hole-in-the-wall, so I knew it had to be good, and it was! No kids and it was nice to have some time to talk.
While I was visiting Dad let me go through a bunch of old boxes that I believe Kevin and Janet and given him. I spent a few hours down in the basement bedroom savoring every minute of my discoveries. I was tempted to take photos of everything I found. I loved this pic of Dad caressing Kevin's face when they were boys 💙
I'd never seen this photo of Grandmother with Dad and Kevin; there were lots of photos I'd never seen before and it was a lot of fun to look through them.
Here's one of Grandmother and Granddad, and after a moment I realized the baby was me!
Young Granddad
Young Grandmother
It was fun to see some shots of Grandmother and Granddad as children. They were really cute kids, and this one of Granddad looks a lot like Lucas to me. Something I really love about looking at photos of my grandparents and great grandparents is to notice their faces in those of my children, or my nephews and nieces, etc. Aspen is definitely a Ritter all the way, but I can see a bit of my antecedents in Oakley, and a lot of them in Birch. I can see a bit of Granddad and Grandmother in him.
Granddad and Ford; how cute
Grandmother's eyes! This may have been my favorite photo of all.
Sunset one evening from the deck.
I had a lot of fun getting to know Millie. She is a beautiful baby, so easy going and fun. It was hard to leave her.
While I was working on the bowl, I accidently knicked the top. Dad suggested I add another band of wood to the top, and I liked that idea. He had some Brazilian Rosewood around, and I chose that. I really like how the color of the rosewood played off the fir.
Eventually, after lots of stressful moments (would I chip the bowl again?), holding my breath, and careful sanding (thanks to Dad and Ian and their amazing guidance), my bowl was finished.
Thanks Dad and Ian for helping me create something so special for Eric, and for the time you spent with me! Eric loved his bowl.
I spent one day on the job with Ian. It was FASCinating, learning all about sceptic systems, and seeing him in action, working with...well, you know.
He was very professional and it was fun to see him in his element, working with his clients.
Dad took me clay pigeon shooting. I had asked if he would take me shooting, but I had target shooting in mind. I had no idea what I was doing, and poor Dad was trying to teach me before it was our turn to go, but we were only given about 30 seconds beforehand (no joke), so Dad spit out something like "pull this then do that but don't forget to something something" and then we were off! I think I hit one pigeon out of the 100 that I shot at, but at that point it was one more pigeon than I was expecting so...Win!!
Waiting at the marina for Lisa. We went to Anthony's for dinner that night just off the marina...one of the best meals I've ever had! GF pasta with crab, scallops and shrimp. AMAZING! There's an Anthony's in Boise, but it's not the same restaurant. Poor me!
Hiking Dad, Ian, Kaylene and family.
Love those Millie cuddles!
Kaylene took me out to lunch one day and we had such a great time. We chatted about motherhood and other things, and then she took me to some of the shops in town. She likes to thrift too so we get along really well ;). I loved that time with her.
Hiking at Rosario...one of my favorite places. This photo of Dad reminds me of Neverland. Just unreal!
The second half of my trip was full of sunshine; it was beautiful!
Golfing...I have never been on an actual golf course. I asked Dad if we could go shoot some balls at the driving range. Everyone came, and I love this photo with me, then Kimmie and then Ian behind! Let's just say hitting a golf ball is a lot more complicated than I thought it would be. It took many, many tries before I felt I had really got any kind of "swing" of things 😅
I'd love to go again and try golfing on an actual course. I can see why Dad and Lisa like it so much.
The morning before I left I was going to get up and workout, but I couldn't turn down the chance to sit with the window open and read to the sound of the waves below. Lisa loves reading health and diet books, and she had given me some reading. It was hard to get out of bed.
tide pooling with Dad before leaving
Thanks for a great trip Dad!
And all the memories Lisa!
tree monkeys!
Roo and her dog
We spent time on the beach...this was Coronado Island.
We walked around the Coronado Hotel and I loved it. Old hotel; lots of character.
We drove to the San Diego temple; one of the prettiest I've always thought! We walked around the grounds; I think it was closed due to Covid.
I'd love to see the inside one day!
We did some tide pooling of course
played in the sand
swam at the airbnb's pool
Ellie was wearing glasses in the hot tub, so B asked if I would grab his for him so he could have his on too.
We were there before Easter, so Eric's parents threw a hunt both for the kids and then the adults. It's always a lot of fun.
Two sleepy boys!
Eric and Danny road riding along the California coastline.
Oak Ave
Some family photos at the pier one evening
San Diego Zoo
One day Eric and I headed to the beach...he road his bike and I went for a run. It was amazing!
There were porta pots all along the path that ran beside the beach! Every route like that frequented by walkers and runners should be that way. They were along the main road that ran beside the beach, so they weren't noticeable from the beach. Genius!
Isn't it gorgeous?!
Ami really wanted us to rent these bicycle carts (oh dear...can't remember what they're actually called). We got a bit wet while we were out but it was a lot of fun. The kids of course wanted to race the whole time.
At Sea World. It was a little sad because much of it was closed due to Covid. But still fun.
This was the highlight; Garra rufa fish that ate our dead skin cells ha! Pretty cool; we played at this tank for a long time.
Saying goodbye; wearing shirts Eric bought for the both of them.
We have taken out the crouquet set a few times and created obstacle courses that are near impossible to complete! It's a lot of fun and we're learning that trying to hit uphill and through any kind of obstacle at the same time just doesn't work. ;)
I bought some artisian cheese at Fred Meyer; lemon honey something or other. It was the best cheese I'd ever had. Its seasonal though, so when Ian came out to visit a month or two later I couldn't find it. He would have loved it.
Spring biking
Our magnolia tree 💙
Birch was baptized on May 29th; this was the photo we used for his announcement. This boy just doesn't stop being cute.
Easter photos
I told Aspen to smell the flowers but she thought that was a bit silly
Yes, the kids put a tie on Jones. Poor Jones.
One of Birch's teachers, Stephanie, from church sent me this after an activity they had had at the building. I love that she will send me photos of him. Stephanie and I used to work together planning activities for the 7-10 year old boys and I really miss her!
Eric coaching B's flag football team.
💙O played too but I'll have to find a photo! We had fun going to those Friday night games. Sometimes the boys would have their games 2 hours apart, so we'd watch one, run to Chik-fil-a, then watch the other one. We got kind of addicted to Chik-fil-a. Oakley looooves playing football and plays it at school during lunch almost every day.
One of my helleborus plants. It's so pretty in the spring, and then in summer always gets attacked by aphids. My other helleborus is the same. I can't figure out what to do about it. So I just enjoy them while I can.
tulips from the backyard
Eric and I joke about how large his hands are. They weren't this big when we got married; he has gained weight in his hands and fingers. One day he was telling me how a friend had been teasing him about it, so we sent him this picture.
O's creation
Oh here's one of Oakley playing flag
at the Boise watershed...can't remember where Oakley was that day.
Dad came out to visit in the spring. We took him for a couple walks because the weather was so pretty.
Aspen took some photos.
It was really marshy and at one point Dad was the only one with dry feet, so Eric carried him the over the last of the marsh.
We loved our Papi visit!
Oakley made glasses for Aspen and Birch out of Legos. He is always surprising me with his creations!
In my calling as Relief Society President at church, one of my responsibilities is to hold a funeral luncheon if anyone in the congregation passes away. Sadly, in May Frank Aydelotte passed, and his sweet wife Nola needed help with a luncheon for her family that was there. With lots of help from members of the ward we were able to serve a ham, funeral potatoes, salad and rolls lunch with lots of cakes for dessert. Pictured with me are Linda McLean, Shirley Rowley, my sweet friend Sharla, wonderful friend Abby, and old friend Tess. We had a really fun time serving the Aydelotte family. So many blessings in serving others!
Chance (Annie's husband) brought over this adorable husky puppy one day so the kids could play with him. He was so cute! I think his name was Thor.
My pot when it was pretty ;) Always looks good at first but I have a hard time keeping things alive in it.
B at flag practice
Okay if Birch ever sees I posted this he will DIE of embarrassment, but how could I not put this on our blog to remember forever? 💙
We really are making up for lost trips this year. For Spring Break we went to San Diego with Eric's family. His brother Danny and wife Shelby live there with their kids. We were supposed to have gone over Christmas last year but the trip was rescheduled for Spring Break. Aspen was happy to be there as you can see.
1 comment:
I loved looking through this update. I have that same National Parks puzzle but I need some helpers! You are right about that photo of your grandmother; her eyes are beautiful! You are the RSP! Lucky ward!! Your kids are so grown up! And, you are all as active and outdoorsy as ever. Miss you!
Post a Comment