Mother's Day 2014

Mother's Day is one of my favorite days of the year.  I love spending the day with Trey and Randy, thinking about my mom, and celebrating being a mother with so many amazing women in my life who are also on this journey.

My parents, pre-children, 

which is probably why they look so young and refreshed.

I pulled out the journal I kept while I was pregnant with Trey and reread the entry I wrote on Mother's Day 2010, about a month before Trey was born.  Before Trey was born, Randy and I had the tradition of going to Camp Sherman on the Metolius River.  Some years we would stay overnight, and some we would just go for the day.  Randy would fish, and I would walk along the river listening to the one tape I have of my mom's voice.  When I studied in Paris, my mom and I exchanged mini cassettes in addition to letters.  I only have one tape left with her telling me all about Christmas 2009.  It is one of my most prized possessions.

 One of my favorite pictures of my mom, circa late 90's or early 2000's

Anyway, on Mother's Day 2010, we stayed in a cabin at Camp Sherman, and I spent the morning walking, writing, and reading while Randy fished.  Thinking about how ginormous I was, I probably didn't do much walking.  I wrote about the kind of person my mom was and how I hoped to emulate the traits she had as a mom and person as I raise Trey.  I'm not sure if I listed traits that I already identified with or if I have just fallen into a pattern of raising Trey that mirrors my mom's parenting style, but I feel like I am doing a pretty good job of channeling my mom as I parent Trey.

Mom pregnant with me, summer 1974

I also read the entry that I wrote the morning of the day I went into labor with Trey, and I quoted Kelly Corrigan from her book Lift.  In telling her daughters what she wanted to provide for them, she wrote, "I have the chance to give to you what was given to me: a decent childhood, more good memories than bad, some values, a sense of tribe, a run at happiness."  I think that sums it up perfectly.

The tradition Randy and I have had since Trey has been born is to spend the day in the Columbia River Gorge.  After our marathon weekend of driving the previous weekend, I didn't really want to drive out to Hood River, so we stayed on the west side of the state.

The day started with Randy and Trey making me a "funny lunch."  Trey really likes the Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant, and in one of her books, Henry and his dad make a funny lunch for Henry's mom on Mother's Day.

This is an awesome series for read alouds for your preschooler.

Trey has been talking about doing this for weeks, so on Sunday morning they put together a pineapple sofa with an apple father, peach mother, plum kid, and kiwi dog - just like Henry did for his mom.  Listening to them in the kitchen as Trey directed Randy was hilarious and heartwarming.

Someone is directing and someone is assembling. 

Someone couldn't wait to eat the marshmallow cushions. 

Pretty good for his first time, don't you think?

We started our adventure by going to Elk Cove Vineyards for a little wine tasting.  As we walked in, Randy said, "Trey, do you want to use the iPad or run around?"  Guess what Trey chose?  I'm sure the guys behind the counter were just thrilled.

Being silly 

We live in such a beautiful place... 

Randy took Trey down to this gazebo so he could run around there. 

He did finally settle down with the iPad.

Next we headed to Patton Valley Vineyards which is one of our favorites.  It was time for Trey to eat lunch, and they said we could picnic inbetween the grapes.  My pictures don't show the scenery behind us justice, but it was gorgeous.

I have been wanting to check out the paved pathway at the Banks-Vernonia State Park for a while.  I think it would be the perfect place for a family bike ride.  We stopped there on our way to happy hour for a walk and a skate.  Trey was delighted.

Our last stop was the ABV pub, one of our new favorite places in Hillsboro (FYI there are some - few but some - cool places in the 'burbs).  Tracey and Terry, some friends with whom we went to China, joined us for happy hour.  Unfortunately, I didn't document it with pictures, but I promise that it really happened.

Overall, it was a perfect day with a perfect combination of being loved and pampered by my family as well as remembering my own mom, who I miss every day.  I hope all of you had a great day, either celebrating your own mothers or being celebrated by your families.

A few days in paradise

Randy and I had the opportunity at the end of April to celebrate the wedding of two of our favorite people, Kris and John.  It was an amazing five days in Kauai (three real days plus essentially two days of travel), and we were lucky to travel with a great group of people.  Trey stayed home with Grandpa Gerts and Grandma Sanny.  We got positive reports throughout the trip, and we were so proud of Trey.

Wednesday we headed to the airport with Ted and Sara and met up with our group at one of the restaurants.  We enjoyed some mimosas and bloody Marys before boarding the plane.  Did we mention no children?

John, Kris, Dianna, Sara, Ted, James, Randy, and myself

Mai tais on the party plane

The balcony outside our bedroom

I thought I would spend a lot of time reading here,

but thanks to the rain I usually sat in a different part of the deck.

It was just as delightful.

Dinner out on Wednesday night at a delicious tapas restaurant

I should note that dinner started at 11pm Oregon time;

I thought we did a pretty good job of rallying through the fatigue.

This was my view each morning.

I'd sit on the deck with my book and my coffee.

No work, no parenting, no worries.

Paradise

Breakfast on the deck

How Randy spent his mornings

with Kris and Sara

I can't imagine a better group of people with whom to wait out a rainstorm.

pre-rehearsal dinner margaritas

So these rainbow pictures might seem excessive, 

but I want you to see how far it stretched and how glorious it was.

Just beautiful

One of my favorite pictures from the trip

Can we talk about the cocks?

There were way too many roosters and wild hens running around Kauai.

They started crowing way too early and kept on going for way too long.

They also let to way too many cock jokes, which made the men in our group nearly giddy.

Randy got ready for the wedding in his way...

And Kris and I got ready in ours...

Matt Damon apparently stayed in this house just two weeks before we were there.

I wonder if he sat on this bench.  

After all, it was one of the prime seats on the deck.  

The guys don't have nearly as much work to do pre-wedding as the girls.

Kris's entrance with her parents

Some Hawaiian traditions

We were sad that Kris's good friend Tommy couldn't make it to the wedding, 

but his presence was felt via iPad.

the happy bride and groom

On Saturday while I was recovering from the wedding reception, most of the group went ziplining.  I had my own fun reading my book on the deck, going on a walk with Dianna, and going to sushi with Dianna and James.  Randy got back from ziplining and said, "Yeah, I don't think you would've liked that."  I never questioned my decision to stay home for a second.

My book and the ocean...

doesn't get much better than this.

Not sure who this is on the zipline

Lots of cocks on our walk

I don't know if I can begin to explain how nice it was to have a break from work, parenting, and real life even if just for a few days.  Randy and I had so much fun, and we were so honored to be part of the small group witnessing the marriage of Kris and John.  We can't wait to be part of their journey as husband and wife.