July and August 2014

Summertime is always busy and this summer has been no exception!  At the end of July we went camping with friends at Skokomish Park and had a wonderful time!  We swam in the lake and rented blow-up toys for the kids to play with.  Everyone had a lot of fun!

Me and Maddy and Mr. Shark

Lots of kids on this trip!

Fun in the sun at the beach

Our campsite!

The next weekend was Eric and Emily's wedding (wedding date August 2, 2014) and lots of friends were in town for the event.  It was great seeing people that we hadn't seen in years and so nice to catch up!  We had the pleasure of Jon, Jenny and Delaney Flanagan's company both at our house and at a condo we rented in Hood River, OR for the wedding weekend.

Night out at Lucky Lab Thursday before the wedding

Beautiful bride Emily!

The vows - Mike Hyland as officiant

 

Matt, Brian, Jon, Steve and Eric

 

The Flanagan Family

 After the big wedding weekend, the next week Joel, Silver and Anali arrived in Portland!  They stayed at our house for a few days and I took a day off work to hang out.  We went to Tabor Park near our house and had lots of fun at the playground, and we celebrated Joel's birthday, too!

Swing time at Mount Tabor

Happy Birthday, Joel!

 That Thursday (August 7), Steve, Maddy and I hit the road at about 3:00 to head south...on our way to Lake Siskiyou (near Mount Shasta, northern California) to meet up with Joel, Silver, Anali, Mila, Aidan and Nolan for a weekend together.  Thursday night we spent at a hotel in Medford, OR that would get us a couple of hours away from our destination.  Friday morning we bought some groceries, then headed to Lake Siskiyou, where we shared a campsite with Joel's family, and Mila's family rented a cabin.  Aidan broke his foot while on this trip so had to use crutches and wear a special shoe, but he was a trooper through it all.  Maddy had a great time hanging out with her cousins, Aunts and Uncle.  It was a really fun trip - next time we'll need to spend a whole week together!!

Aidan, Nolan, Anali and Maddy enjoying the fire

Cousins!

Beach time

We cooked each dinner over the fire

Mila's cabin - where we spent most of our time

Auntie Mila!

Dairy Queen stop on the LONG ride home

 The next week Mila, Aidan and Nolan came to Portland to see the city and see our home!  We enjoyed their visit but unfortunately Steve and I had to work while they were here.   Mila and the boys spent the mornings/days exploring the city and then we enjoyed our time hanging out in the evenings.

Aidan and Maddy reading

Ethiopian dinner - YUM!