Black Butte Summer Vacation

When I think back on my childhood and remember traditions, memories, and significant moments, Black Butte Ranch is on my list.  Julie and I spent time there every summer up until junior high with our parents.  It seems that we were often with friends (the Moretons, Homolkas, and Lockards come to mind), and I have a ton of photos in our old albums.   Bike rides, swimming, the Big Meadow, the bumpy bridge, playing on the golf course at night, miniature golf at the KOA campground, shopping in Sisters...the memories are vast.

The last time I was there was when Julie and I planned a getaway for my dad and a few of his friends in August 2005 for his 60th birthday.  The plan was for the guys to surprise my dad, take him to Black Butte to golf and drink, and then my mom, sister and I would meet him a few days later.  What we didn't know when we planned this trip was that my mom would not be doing well and travelling would be quite difficult.  My dad was FURIOUS with us when his friends came to get him and nearly refused to go because he was uncomfortable with leaving my mom alone.  We got him to go and he had a few days of respite of taking care of my mom, but he was NOT happy.  A few days later, as planned, Julie, Tim, and I drove over with my mom (for some reason Randy came later which we think was work related) and had our last family trip all together.  It was a melancholy trip since my mom could not walk and was not talking much, but it was nice to all be together for my dad's birthday (my mom passed away 6 weeks later).  Just the smell of Black Butte brings back the memories of being there with my family, and as I rode my bike or walked on the paths, I felt such peace thinking of our good times there.  

We have had this trip planned for a really long time, and I was SO EXCITED to go there for a week with Randy and Trey. My dad and Sandy and Julie, Tim, and Grady came for the first half of the week, and the Kopplins and the Johnsons (Sarah Brown and Sarah Long for those of you who know them from Willamette) came for the second half of the week.  

We stopped at Camp Sherman to show Trey the Metolius River for the first time.  This is one of our favorite places to go, and it was so fun to introduce it to Trey.  We stopped by the store to grab him a snack.  You can see the Sesame Street bus which will make an appearance in several other photos because Trey would rarely let go of it.  See if you can count how many times you see the bus in the photos.  And if the bus isn't in sight, there is likely an Ernie, Elmo, or Cookie Monster doll in its place.

My dad with Trey and Grady

Yes, Trey still drinks from a bottle.  I tried to get him off it by the time he was 2 since that's what you're supposed to do, but it didn't work and I'm weak.  I've decided that he's not going to drink from a bottle forever, and since he won't nap for me this summer I am not going to worry about the bottle until he goes back to full time daycare in September.  I just don't want to deal with the whining and the crying.  However, as a mom who doesn't want to be judged but also is guilty of judging, I feel the need to make the Feifers Disclaimer every time someone sees him with a bottle.

My dad and Trey at the park

This green swing is one of the only things Trey would do at the park, 

much to the chagrin of his mother and the other children.
(Don't worry: I made him take turns.)

Trey is a little obsessed with "the guys" and "the street" right now.  He wakes in the morning asking for "Count?  Bus?" and often had the Grover and Ernie characters in his hands while he was in the pool.  (Note: Ernie floats.  Grover sinks.)  We started keeping the figures and "the street" in the bedroom so that when he woke at 5:30am asking for them we could roll over and grab them without having to even get out of bed.

Our routine at Black Butte went like this:  wake up early, play with "the guys", eat (or not eat as in the case of Trey) breakfast, go swimming, Randy would bring him home to nap, eat (or not eat) lunch, play, swim again, play some more or relax and watch some Blue's Clues, eat dinner, put Trey to bed, and then have some adult conversation.  It was a pretty sweet schedule.

Notice the bus?

Randy, Trey and Tim relaxing post pool and watching some Blue's Clues

We spent an afternoon at the Lodge when our A/C wasn't working and we were all melting at the house.  I love the views there and the mountains are gorgeous.  

This may be one of my favorite pictures of all time.

Playing with the bus, of course

Trey fell in love with the bike trailer.

One morning he was outside wandering around and I went in to grab something.  I came back out and couldn't find him.  I knew he hadn't gone far and quickly found him sitting in the bike trailer asking to go on a ride.  

Wednesday the family left and the friends came.  We had some good times with the kids, and it was such a special thing to have a family vacation with Sarah and Sarah, two of my favorite people.  

Randy taking all the kids on a bike ride

Anna at the park

Trey had a thing for Anna and would often chase after her on the 

bike path calling "Ann-nie!  Ann-nie!"  

Zander and Trey in the trailer

The kids were highly amused by taking turns getting rides in this trailer 

up and down the driveway.  I was not so amused.  

Anna and Zander at the park

Trey and I giving our serious look

Trey napping with his bus, again 

My boy loves swimming!

Zander and Kai

The only family shot we got the whole week!

I'm reading my book and the kids are watching Blue.  

I think Neil is in process of making me a drink.  

Not too shabby of a vacation, huh?  

Trey learned how to pedal Kai's trike really quickly.  He had more trouble with steering.  I can't wait for Kai to grow out of his trike because Sarah said Trey might get it next.  Yay! 

Overall, we had a great week.  I value my family and friends more than anything, and when you mix that with sunshine, bike rides, and swimming, it doesn't get much better.  Throw in a good book (I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb), and it is pretty much paradise.

P.S.  I count 9 bus photos with two more with his dolls.  Wow.