neighborhood luau

Sadly, summer is coming to an end much too quickly. We are just 2 1/2 weeks from school starting and I can't help but reminisce way back to the first of summer. It started out good. Our neighborhood is pretty awesome and they know how to cook too. 

Kids congregated under the trampoline, jumped on the tramp, played limbo, played on the swing set, and ate plenty of treats. Grown ups just sat back laughing, chatting away, talking about movies, and adoring the little kiddos. 

 These two are betrothed to each other.

 We feel pretty happy about this neighborhood.
Which happens to be full of cute little girls.

our summer trip - part four

Another beautiful beach day.

We spent this time in the Coos Bay area. This is the area where Justin served the last 6 months of his mission (technically his area was North Bend, pretty much the same). It's beautiful and was fun to drive through and see the places he saw over 12 years ago.  Although this time, he actually got to feel how cold the water actually is.

There was also way more sand playing. Honestly I love the sand here. 
As does Levi.

Shore Acres in Oregon was breathtaking. However, the fact that we were standing on a ledge that had a huge drop off was not so good for my mother nerves. There was actually a family that built a beautiful mansion right by the edge of this place almost 100 years ago. *hyperventilating* 

We probably should have spent more time in the Red Wood Forests, but what we did see was quite beautiful. 
If you can call Paul Bunyon beautiful. 

I have so much of my mom and dad in me. I get home sick quickly. So we decided instead of camping in the redwoods and then staying in Reno, we just drove straight. We stopped a couple of times through the Nevada desert to rest for an hour. (painfully memorable) Then kept going. We tried to keep each other awake by singing our hearts out. The sun was just starting to break when we entered the Utah border and crossed the Salt Flats. I couldn't get a picture to do it justice, but it was pretty breathtaking. Plus it helped give us that boost to get us the rest of they way home.

Just before we got home. 

Did I mention how awesome the boys were? Did I mention that Rudger cried maybe 20 minutes during the 35+ hour car ride? 

Oregon is such a beautiful place that we hope to go back to again. Throughout our marriage there has been special days of ours where it has rained. Our wedding day and our first child's blessing day for instance. Justin always says its just a sign of his blessings, coming from Oregon.

our summer trip - part three

Good morning.

These boys were quite cozy sleeping. 

 Next beach, just north of Newport. Another beautiful beach. 

 with plenty of driftwood for Corbin to make some kind of a fort

plenty of seaweed to play with

 definitely plenty of sand

 and plenty of smiles.

our family was quite happy here :)
(levi's getting pretty good at writing our names, especially when he gets to use a quill
we listened to quite a bit of Harry Potter on our drive. our boys are kind of obsessed right now)