Summer of Summers - Part 1 of 759

What a Summer!

I don't even know where to begin.  I guess it's a good thing that our summer has been so packed with craziness and fun stuff that I am incredibly behind on my blog.  So, I'll jump right in and go through this chronologically as best I can.

For graduation, we had a shrimp boil with friends and family. Lots of fun and just what Isaac wanted.

2 days after graduation, we moved!!  To move during graduation may not have been the most ideal or best way to keep sanity, but we wanted to see Isaac's brother, Oli, before he left on a 2 year church mission.  Isaac's parents took the boys home with them and Oli stayed to help us load the truck.  We had to get a city permit to park our monstrous moving truck on the road and getting people to move their cars was stressful enough.  Can you find the baby in the picture?  I don't think I ever want to move again, there is just too much STUFF!  We are grateful Oli stayed to help and he and Isaac did a great job packing the truck.  It always comes down to just chucking stuff in at the last minute, regardless of preparation.  It was hard to say goodbye to our Oregon friends and I will always hold them in my heart and keep in touch!

So, as we were homeless, we stayed at Isaac's parent's house for awhile.  There is plenty of room to roam and explore and catching bugs/butterflies and turning the nets into swords, guns...etc was a favorite past time.  

The kids with Uncle Oli

This is completely out of order and random, but I have to stick it in.  Before we left, our friends threw a "Bill and Ted's excellent adventure" party.  Having never seen the movie, I had some catching up to do!  Everyone had to dress up as a favorite historical figure.  Here we have Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Franklin Jr. complete with stuffed vests and all.

Back to Montana...we went carp smashing.  Nothing like a huge, dumb fish smacking into your leg in murky water.

The boys got appropriately worn out.  It seems Kason is going to be a bed hog.  I will have to let his future wife know.

We went to Choteau, MT for the 4th of July parade.  I love the small town patriotic feel.  I didn't realize it, but Emry was sick in these pictures (a whole other post), but now I see it in her eyes.

As the flag goes by

I love this picture.  Emry got a little freaked out by the speedy little cars and grabbed on to her big brother.  She can stand up to them by hitting...biting..., but she really adores them and does everything they do - especially Asher

We lit off fireworks on our own.  Asher would get behind the smoke ball every single time and say "I'm camoflauged"

First firework reaction...

...a kiss from big brother...

...and she learned to cope.

There's a first part of our summer.  Now onto the HOUSE!

Graduation

We did it.

Graduation.

It really happened.

It was a good day, slightly surreal, emotional, busy, hot, sad to leave, proud, but mostly very happy.

It's funny, for five years of hard, hard work we'd looked forward to graduation.  Wished for it, hoped for it, worried for it, and now it's here.  

I don't really feel like the whole experience was over before we knew it, but I do feel like I can't believe it's done.

I think it's hard, for me at least, to be able to write what 5 years of work meant.  Graduation was a summation and celebration of those 5 years, so it was a good day. 

We've really come to love Eugene (I even didn't mind the rain this last winter), our church ward here, and especially our friends here.  It will be very different to not have them around and we will surely miss them, but we are very excited that Isaac has a job and we are looking forward to and excited for our new adventure! 

Good job, Isaac, on all your hard work!

This was the first weekend we moved to Eugene.  We are so different now - emotionally, mentally, family size, physically - I guess alot happens in 5 years!

Pomp and Circumstance

Isaac, a 7th year I don't know, Chris, and Harold

Being hooded by Glen.

Ben, Isaac, and Glen.  

We are so grateful to Ben and Glen (and Jason) for their friendship, advising, constructive criticism, and help!

Isaac and his mom

Ben, Isaac, Harold (Isaac's office mate), and Glen

We are grateful our families made the effort to come out!

It was hot

Yes!

It was also my birthday - pretty good present for Isaac to graduate with a Ph.D!

And last, but certainly not least.  I can't get the video of this to download, but here's a link to it:  Graduation Video   

Asher had a cute little moment during graduation.  I was taking pictures on the other side of the audience from the kids and my parents.  The announcer calls Isaac's name and there is quiet as the person walks up to the stage, the clapping comes afterwards.  But, in that silence as Isaac was walking up to the stage we hear, clear as a bell, Asher's little voice ringing out, "Go Daddyyyyyyyyy!!!!"t was just the cutest thing and brought a chuckle from the audience and got Isaac and I a little choked up.  

18 months

Hooray for being 18 months!

A little bit about the whippers:

First day of nursery - no problems

Loves: dogs, crackers, and the bath
Does not love: the grocery store
Favorite things to do: suck her thumb while twirling her hair, and going outside.

Emry is really pretty easy.  The grocery store and church bring out her crazy mad side, but other than that she's pretty mild.
The boys really didn't have any stranger anxiety, Emry definitely has some.   She's pretty shy around new people.
She took awhile to start talking, which had me a bit worried, but now she's starting to say a bit more.  She can say: no, mine(screaming), cracker(cka-cka), hi, bye bye, where are you, Daddy, Momma, out, bow, yeah, and shoe.
She loves clothes and especially shoes.  She will point and point at her shoes until we acknowledge them.
She is probably our best sleeper (we'll pay for that thumb sucking later, I know!)
She loves to make animal noises : dog, cat, bird, snake, and her latest today is owl.
weight: 25 lbs (76%)
height: 32" (56%)
We love her big hugs and big puckered kisses.

Summer Smash-up

It's just the beginning of summer, but life has already been crazy.  

Here's a little bit of what has been going on

We went to a Neverland themed birthday party.  Here we have John, Wendy, and Peter Pan

We've had wonderful days with temperatures in the 80's.  And then it gets cold and cloudy again.  But, on one of those sunny days we broke out the sprinkler and the kids had a blast.

Emry would start to feel the drops...

...and come crying back to me.

-crash-

Some TV time

For all the messes they make, it makes my heart smile when I find them washing the dishes all on their own (before one can get completely dressed, no less).  Even if I did have to re-wash the dishes.

We couldn't have asked for better friends here(even the ones not in this pic).  Everyone is leaving for summer vacations and then we are leaving for good before they get back.  These guys have been the best to spend these 5 years with.  They've helped me, laughed with me, listened to me, sympathized with me, watched my kids alot, and loved my kids probably as much as we do.  Sitting out at the playgrounds with them will be some of my favorite memories and missing them will be the hardest part about leaving here. 

Emry has gotten over her fear of dogs and is in love with them now.

And now, despite my good intentions of starting to pack early and just do a box or two a day, I am rushing to get everything packed up.

 Happy Summer!