Owen and Oliver

Oliver has made a friend and his name is Owen. They both love trucks, dirt and trains; typical boys. Oliver asks about him all the time. And the bonus is that I like Owen's mom!

Hiking on Badger Mtn. outside of Richland

What's growing?

Our garden is loving the sunshine and hot weather. We're learning what grows well here and what does not. Oliver is also learning what is o.k. to pick and what is not. He gets very enthusiastic when it comes to watering the plants and too enthusiastic when it comes to harvesting. Gardening is a lesson in patience, not unlike parenting. Oliver is most excited about our pumpkin, which is getting large! It'll make a perfect jack-o-lantern this fall.Basil, peppers and herbs
It gets bigger every day! I thought we might enter this in the contest at the local nursery until I saw the granddaddy of all pumpkins on a run recently. I'll just let Oliver believe that ours is the biggest one ever!Grass really does grow in the desert - if you water it like a golf course.

One of my favorite things about summer - fresh tomatoes!

Groove is in the heart

Music is playing all the time in our house. We don't have t.v. and I normally can't stand silence, so music is our backdrop. Oliver sometimes pays attention to it and sometimes not. In the car he wants it LOUD, too loud for my liking honestly. On this particular day I found him doing his own thing while listening to Rilo Kiley. Now I can picture him in the mosh pit at age 17. What makes me really giggle about this is when he gets hungry at the end. Rockers need to eat too.

Loa Inga Young (1944 - 1985)

These are photos of Anthony's mom and Oliver's grandma. I really wish I could have known her. Thank you Angela for being the keeper of all things important. I adore these photos.Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

Mark and Loa in their house in Sedro-Wooley

Loa with Angela, Anthony and Kristjan
I can't stop looking at their shoes!

Loa and Anthony in Las Cruses, New Mexico

Adorable Anthony
Do you think Oliver looks like him as a kid? I can't tell.

Alaska trip part II

Molly, Mark, Riley and Oliver

The fishing crew in Whittier, before they knew how unlucky there were about to be. They are still foolishly smiling.

Hiking in Whittier (if you look closely you can see giant mosquitoes swarming our heads)

Papa Mark and his grandkids (Maggie, Oliver, Emma, Riley and Molly)

One of my favorites!

Another favorite

All photos supplied by Angela and her fine photography skills

Trip to Alaska

We just got back from visiting Papa Mark in Alaska. We were lucky enough to spend a week fishing, hiking, seeing glaciers, playing with family and exploring the Last Frontier. Oliver got to see a moose, a bear, a mountain goat (although very far away), sea lions, seals and all kinds of birds. He loved playing with Mark's dog Molly and being with his cousins. He came home exhausted and now has a slight cold. I think he's a little under stimulated now that its just mom and dad. B O R I N G!

Surprise glacier near Whittier - a piece broke off while we were on the boat looking at it. Cool and sad at the same time.

Papa Mark, Molly the dog and us outside of Wasilla

Halibut fishing near Whittier (none landed in the boat)
After a long day on the boatKayaking with Maggie and a juvenile humpback whale!