Summertime at ChildRoots

Southsider's Beach Day

As this was Maddy's last summer at ChildRoots it's time for a ChildRoots catch-up.  Maddy has grown by leaps and bounds and her love of reading amazes us.  She reads to her class at times and loves reading at home as well.  Her closest friends continue to be Carson and Karina, but she branches out and plays with other Southsiders as well.  It's hard to believe that this five year program is almost at an end.

During Maddy's last month at ChildRoots the kids put on plays.  Maddy's play was called "The World with Pears All Around"  Steve and I were there to watch the show, which was pretty funny. Maddy was shy and needed her teacher Thavy to introduce her, but once the play started, she got into it and played her role.  Pretty neat to see!

 

Jamie

 

Maddy and Carson

 

 

Preparing for the Play

End of Play Dance Party (Of course!)

Armstrong - Camping along the Clackamas River

These Girls!

Andy, Christy and Luella Sweany joined us for a lovely camping trip at Armstrong Campground in Mount Hood National Forrest.  We had a beautiful campsite and it was a great weekend to hang out, play with Lu and Maddy and enjoy the Clackamas River.  Saturday morning, Christy and the girls put together a nature based scavenger hunt for Steve, Andy and my enjoyment which was fun for all of us.  The weather was nice, but the river was cold.  Being from Minnesota and growing up on Lake Superior, I enjoyed it more than the others, but it was chilly even for me.  A camper had spend quite some time creating hot-tub like areas in the river itself, which I thought was a brilliant idea.  I'm sure the force of the water will not allow them to last, but for the day, it was great.

We hiked, roasted marshmallows, the girls biked, I swam, we scavenger-hunted, I climbed a monster hill just because, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our camping weekend!

Andy and Christy

Awesome "Cold Tub" built into the river

Playtime!

Mmmmmmarshmallows

Happy Camper

Enjoying the river - right after seeing a swimming snake!

Luella trying to make Grumpy Maddy smile

Silly faces can make anyone cheer up!

Urban Hike: Crystal Springs - Reed Canyon

Steve, Maddy and I decided to check out Crystal Springs - Reed Canyon Hike, as this was a project Steve worked on at Cogan Owens Greene.  We had a great time walking at Reed College Campus, then heading to the Reed Canyon area - a little gem right in Portland.  It was beautiful, a nice hike, and as an added bonus at the end, we had some play time at Westmoreland Park's Nature Based Play Area.  I'm happy to see parks like this springing up - using wood and boulders for play instead of plastic.

This is one cool park: Westmoreland Park

Queen of the Picnic Table

Queen of the Hill!

Westmoreland Park - Nature Based Play Area

Happy Rock

Maddy and her rock of many colors

Yesterday on our way home from Maddy's school, Maddy was looking at the rock she had painted.

Then she said: "Mommy, we should put colored rocks all around in different places."

I asked: "Why?"

She replied: "So maybe if someone is having a sad day, they will find one of the colored rocks and it will make them happier."

Portland Pickles Baseball!

Photo Op with Dillon the Pickle!!!

We had the opportunity to see a Portland Pickles baseball game this summer!  It was fun to see a team playing with wood bats on a lovely evening.  We joined the Gregoriches and Sweanys for the event.  Luella, Althea and Maddy spent most of the game running around, with one or more adults chasing or keeping an eye on them.  We were way in the outfield and there was plenty of room for the kids to play.  We each got a hat, I got 2 Portland Pickles shirts (my favorite says "Just dill with it" and Maddy's favorite snack = a giant pickle on a stick!

Luella, Althea and Maddy

Maddy's got her giant pickle!

Andy and Stacey Rae's Wedding

Stacey and Andy were married Saturday, July 30, 2016 at Alpental Lodge, Washington.  A good sized crew of us headed to Washington for the celebration and we all stayed together at a beautiful house not far from the venue.  Andy and Stacey arranged bus transportation for all of us to and from their wedding ceremony/reception which was a welcome arrangement.  The ceremony was beautiful as was the weather, and of course the bride!  Happiness was all around.  And then came the dinner - fabulous - and the dancing...which was phenomenal.  The DJ knew all the right songs, one after another, and I've never seen such non-stop dancing at a wedding.  Well done, friends.  Well done.

Congratulations Stacey and Andy.  Wishing you a lifetime of joy together!

Our Celebration Crew: Before

Our Celebration Crew: After

Bob and Nancy's Garden Party

Bob and Nancy's annual Garden Party was a hit once again.  Steve and Maddy set off on a scavenger hunt to find different plants/fruit/vegetables on a list Bob and Nancy put together, then I helped Maddy paint a bee house to put up at our home (for Mason bees - they help pollinate but don't sting!).  There was good food, good drinks for adults and kids and even yard games. Bob liked to make Maddy smile by calling her "Sunshine", his nickname for her.  Everyone that came had a wonderful time - it was a beautiful afternoon to spend outdoors and we enjoyed every moment.

Maddy and Bob digging for potatoes

Steve, Maddy and Bob

Bob and Nancy's Garden

Painting Bee Houses with Ariel and Nate

Hanging out with Daddy