Beach trips, wedding celebration, and birthdays, oh my!

There have been a lot of celebrations this summer and still a few more to come.  Randy and I have joked that all of the money we have saved on daycare this summer has been spent on babysitters.

We have had a heat wave in Portland - or at least it feels that way - so we decided to hit the beach.  Randy left super early for the coast to do some fishing, and then Trey and I met him at Cannon Beach.  After several very hot days in a row, there was thunder and lightning as we left Portland and a little drizzle.  What?????  Needless to say, the beach was freezing.  Low 50's, windy, and rainy.  We didn't stay long.

Randy had fun early in the morning fishing in the ocean.  He got some pretty pictures too...

Trey wanted to go to the beach and dig.  We bundled up as well as we could and let him dig for a while.

Finally, after taking the kite to the beach several times and not flying it, we got it out and gave it a whirl.  Luckily, thanks to the windy weather, Trey and Randy didn't have any trouble getting it in the air.

Remember back in April when we went to paradise for a long weekend to see Kris and John get married?   They had a reception planned for July at a winery in Forest Grove.  Kris's friend Tommy came to Portland for the event, and Randy and I spent an afternoon going to some breweries in town.  It was a fun afternoon and so nice to spend some time with Tommy.

Lunch at Ecliptic

Beers at Horse Brass

Porter and Kris

Friday before the big celebration, Kris and John had a barbecue for out of town guests and we got to join the party.  It was a great meal and fun to spend time with friends.

Porter was a trooper with all of the company, but I'm sure it was hard on him too.  I'm sad to say that since the celebratory weekend, Kris had to make the very difficult decision to say goodbye to Porter.  When I told Trey that Porter had died and gone to heaven, his response was, "Now he can be with his best friend Tango."  We are all so sad about Porter, and we know how devastated Kris and John are.  They gave Porter a full and wonderful life - better than any dog could ask for.  RIP Porter.

Silas and Trey were awesome together.  I don't have any pictures of them running around like crazy kids, but I wish they did.  They totally bonded, and Sara and I hope to get them together again soon.

John, Kris, Tommy, and Teri, Kris's maid of honor in Hawaii

On the day of the wedding reception, Randy and I were lucky to get a chauffeured ride to the party.

The scenery at the winery was beautiful.  We were at Tualatin Estate which is owned by Willamette Valley Vineyards.

The bride and groom making their grand entrance

Randy and I had so much fun catching up with old friends.  The dinner was delicious, the wine was yummy, and the weather was perfect.  There was so much laughter, and it was all in all a really great night.

Tim and Elinor

Randy and Lindsay

Kris and Tommy dancing the last dance together...
MmmBop by Hanson, of course, which was Tommy's personal request.

Fun times with Lindsay, Elinor, Nicole, and Danny

Photo booth fun

This is the year of a lot of my friends turning 40, and the latest to hit this milestone is Sarah, one of my besties.  My friends and I have talked a lot about turning 40, but I might save that for my birthday in a few weeks.  Sarah and I went to lunch at Meriwether on her birthday, and it was fun to celebrate with her.  We had some mediocre salads, but I do love their Gin Bramble.  

Cheers to the birthday girl!

Sarah had her birthday party at her house, and it was fun to see a lot of old friends.  Neil, her rockstar cocktail making husband, made some delicious drinks, and the food was also superb.

Ruben and Sarah

Toasts to the birthday girl

It was really fun to catch up with Ruben as I haven't seen him in a long time.

After the party, Sarah wanted to go dancing, so a few of us went downtown to dance.  The bar where we went had 80's and 90's music, and it is impossible to not dance when you hear it.  We all commented that it felt like a fraternity party from our college days.  Super fun.

Downtown on a Saturday night?  What???

Sarah, Kristi, and Jen

This is what summer time means to me...

Sleeping in, playdates, playgrounds, early happy hours, dining al fresco, reading good books more quickly than usual, seeing friends, spending a lot of time with my boy...to name a few.

I can't believe we've moved into August.  It feels like summer is quickly coming to a close, and I have to rush to get everything in before the school year starts.  Here is what summer means to me:

Summer time means fun classes!  I signed Trey up for a music class, a tumbling class, and a soccer class at Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec.  Three weeks each, six sessions total, and only $22!  Best deal in town!  Music class was a bust (oh well, only $22), but tumbling class was fun.  Soccer is going on now.  Stay tuned for pics.

Jumping on the trampoline 

Getting better at the balance beam 

Summer time means spontaneous afternoon get togethers.  We signed up for Kids Bowl Free and met Nyree and the girls at Big Al's.  Trey was nervous to bowl because last time he slipped and bonked the back of his head on the floor, but the girls showed him how to use the ramp.  A ramp and bumpers?  Now that's how I'd like to bowl myself.

Summer time means a lot of library trips for us!  We go about once a week and have nearly 100 titles checked out.  Trey loves to read as much as I do.  Right now some of our favorites are the Marley children books by John Grogan as well as Pinkalicious.   Anything is a nice change from superheroes and Rescue Bots books.

Reading outside in the shade 

Summer time means hot days and requires ways to cool down.  Randy got a pool for our backyard, and the kids have been having a lot of fun in it.  The water is a little cold, but it's perfect for a hot day.

Trey resting post swim 

Cute Grady 

Everyone likes to cool down in the pool.

Julie and Case enjoying some watermelon 

Summer time means getting appointments taken care of, and that means going to the dentist - for all of us.  Trey went to the dentist this summer dressed as Batman.   He did pretty well for the first part of the visit, but he freaked pretty good as the exam went on.  We left with an order to increase the dental hygiene and fillings in the future.  Boo.  I don't think there's a place that makes you feel shittier as a mom than at the dentist's office.

Summer time means going to shows and concerts.  Randy and I went to see Book of Mormon, and it was hilarious.  I don't think I've heard Randy laugh that hard in a long time.

My first G&T with a lid! 

Randy's first beer with a straw 

Summer time means outdoor festivals and events!  Last summer was our first time to the Pink Festival at Patton Valley Vineyard where we enjoyed more than 20 pink wines.  We went again this year, and it was just as hot as 2013.  Sarah couldn't join us this time which was a bummer, but we still had a good time.

Julie, me, and Kris 

I just love the view from out here.

Summer time means evenings in the backyard.  Randy blew up his float tube and Trey has been enjoying it in the pool.  

Pretty fun to float around the pool...especially when the water is cold. 

Grady likes to float too... 

And so does Case.

Summer time means playing with my boy.  And in this case, it means playing Super Heroes and Rescue Bots.  All. Of. The. Time.  Trey has a great imagination and loves playing make believe.  I love this quality in him, but I am getting very tired of playing with these toys, following his rules, and getting in trouble if I don't say the words/dialogue exactly right.

A boy and his Bat Cave 

Summer time means extra time with my friends.  It's hard to socialize as much as I want during the school year, so I love summer because I get to spend more time with my friends, several of whom are also teachers.  Everyone seems less stressed and is usually not as busy.  It's a great time to connect and enjoy each other's company.

Nyree and Trey on the trampoline