Catching up on what you've missed...

We had an eventful summer

We went to the Yamhill County Fair. It was only 102 degrees.  That was the downside, the upside.....no lines!

Spent a day at the zoo with their cousin Mable.

Spent a day at the beach on the Willamette River

We rented a lake house on Nine Mile Lake near Coos Bay for a week with the Thompsons and Starkes. We took our boat.

The boys did A LOT of fishing.

The Starkes went crabbing one day out on the ocean and came back with a cooler full of critter.

J-P's  post...... at the helm of our ski boat

Two of my most dearest friends

We had our own private cove. It made for great skiing.

Miss Alli water skied for the first time and did a fantastic job!

Our bathing suit and underwear model

She's got these moves down. You can't teach this stuff.

That's my girl!

Alli caught a catfish

Oliver's first attempts at water-skiing off the boom.

The day we left, Calvin made friends with the resident dock ducks

On our way home we stopped at Florence and ate some "chowda" at Moe's.

Rainbow over Grandpa's ranch

                                                     
                                             Not quite matched up with all of his buttons and holes.

Cosette's first real haircut at the salon.

Let the demolition begin!
We've been renting this house for only a year and a half and our very kind landlord offered to pay for materials if we would remodel the kitchen. Since J-P is a contractor, we thought it was a very good offer.  We needed the reconfigured space for our family of 5 and he didn't mind his house being fixed up. 

This is the front entry with a cutout.

                                             

                        Here is another perspective from inside the kitchen. To the left is the cutout, just to the right of that was a window, followed by the kitchen sink and another window above it. Those windows are the face of the house. J-P extended the house forward, creating a new exterior wall to give us more space in the kitchen. He's brilliant.

My handsome husband who is the brains and muscle behind this messy project. I'm so grateful for him and his manpower. 

                                               

          I mean what kids get told to destroy walls? They're definitely having fun helping Dad.

Meanwhile, Cosette's newest fascination is with Ammon and his leash. She ties him up to places and then leaves him.

The wall is gone. Down to the studs. Getting ready to build a new wall that will have new cabinets and stove.

Summer is coming to an end and this was our nature hike the day before school started.

First day of school! Calvin 2nd grade, Oliver kindergarten and Coco goes only one day a week to preschool up the street.

  Why are all kids obsessed with their bellies?  Cosette is giving you a little peek.

There were once three at home...

then two...

and now one.  

I could barely keep up with these guys. 

Calvin playing the "Big brother" and helped Oliver to school. It's an exciting day and it's Oliver's first year at Oak Creek as a kinder.

Calvin and Oliver have been in Tae Kwon Doe for a few months and they were recently awarded their first badge.

Lol. He likes oatmeal. That's what he likes for breakfast with some brown sugar and milk. 

Oliver gets to ride the kinder bus home. He thought it was so cool until he rode it for a couple of  days and then he told me, "I have to wait around til everyone gets dropped off."  I think it's great because it gives me an extra twenty minutes!  He's school is from 9:10 to 11:40. Not a lot of time for mom.

Look where I found the honey tub?

"Mom, look....gross."  Yes, it is gross, boogers and all!