Hello Again (Summer 2011)

Hello old friend. So much has happened since we last spoke: summer. A darn good one. We hiked, biked, bug collected, berry picked, picnicked, travelled...and wore ourselves completely ragged from fun.*

And since fun was the priority, non-essentials were neglected: our home was a disaster, we didn't eat enough vegetables, and I totally neglected this blog. Which is a shame, since I should have better documented the many memories we created.

But we've said a bittersweet goodbye to summer. Riley is back to school, life has calmed down a bit, and we're settling into a new routine. (Like waking up well before eight!) So maybe you'll see me here more often.

Meanwhile, enjoy our summer highlights:

*I should also mention this summer's milestones: Riley turned five, Wilco mastered mobility, and Matt and I celebrated ten years of marriage!

What Happened in McCall

A couple weeks ago, we attended another very fun Dougall family reunion in McCall, Idaho, a charming mountain resort town right on the beautiful Payette Lake. I've since been told that this part of Idaho is America's best-kept secret. I believe it.

Anyhow, a few vacation highlights included:

Lots of swimming. Or "slimming," as Riley ironically/appropriately (I can't decide which) calls it.

Broom hockey for dummies. (Tennis shoes on an un-Zamboni-ed skating rink.)

Ice skating for dummies.

S'mores.

Ice cream. Lots of it.

Basking in the sun.

Pony rides.

Goofiness.
(My sister's keen observation this particular evening: "Riley, it seems you change your socks more than your outfit!")

Happiness. Lots of it.

Not pictured:

• Boating, jet-skiing, & water-skiing. (Except for the hugely pregnant attendee. Me.)
  
• Picnic and lovely outdoor concert in nearby Podunk, ID.
• My sister's surprise announcement that she's expecting cousin number twenty-something (I've lost count). I'm especially happy knowing our baby will have a cousin close in age.
  
• Game night. (Every night.)
• Cousin time. Lots of it. Riley's still experiencing withdrawals.

Mini Vacation

We took a quick trip to Seattle last week. It involved a pleasant Amtrak train ride, the best-ever salami sandwiches, a children's museum visit, an aquarium visit, and a healthy amount of roaming the city.

The highlight, however, may have been the evening my sister Sheri, who recently moved to the area, babysat Riley so Matt and I could eat out. Our meal was amazing, and Riley had a great time, as evidenced by these photos. I mean, sunshine, ice cream, running amok, and jammies: what more could a girl want? (Thanks Sheri!)

¡Viva Mexico!

We just returned home from a lovely trip to Mazatlan with my parents. We spent the week swimming, reading, swimming, playing games, and swimming. We even managed to relax a little, despite the un-relaxing kid, thanks to consistent tag-teaming and daily nap times.

And excuse me briefly while I brag: The day we arrived, Riley, who considers this swimming, was leery of the pool. By day 7, she was totally comfortable, freely propelling herself underwater (can I call that swimming?) several feet between Matt and me.

As usual, we didn't take enough photos. (And somehow, Matt and my mom didn't end up in any of them...) Anyhow, here are our favorites from the very slim pickings. Enjoy!

Sunset. (Trust me, it was prettier in person.)

Me, Riley, and Mommy's Dad.

Poolside happy hour. Happy, indeed.

Riley and Zelf, maxing and relaxing.

Mutually Beneficial

While we were in Utah, my sister Emily volunteered to babysit Riley at her home one evening so we could go out to eat.

Emily recently sent me photos of their evening together. Turns out, in additional to being a kind and generous sister, Emily is a brilliant and resourceful aunt.

Summer: The Abridged Version

One of life's little ironies is that when there's a lot to blog about, there's so little time for blogging.

We have been so darn busy maximizing our fun this summer that I've got this backlog of blog entry ideas that, let's be honest, I'm just never going to get to.

So instead, here are the ClifsNotes highlights of our past few weeks:

• Riley's joint birthday party with her friends Anna and Vivian, who all celebrated birthdays within a week of each other.
• The Sesame Street cupcakes my friends Ginger, Lissie, and I made for the joint birthday party.
• Riley's three-year checkup, during which I learned that shots don't faze Riley at all if they're quickly followed by a bandaid.
• Portland's heat wave: A week of 100-plus degree weather. No a/c. Bleh.
• The mobile Matt, our new employee Ben, and I stayed up 'til 2 a.m. finishing just before deadline.
  
• Our trip to Salt Lake City to visit Grandma & Grandpa, Riley's cousins (who were in town from Houston), Matt's extended family, my sisters, and a few good friends.
• Riley's birthday party #3, thrown by Matt's mom and sisters.
• Lots of fun activities during out trip.
  
• Riley's new best (stuffed) friend, Pinky the bear. Sorry Zelf. (And thanks, Grandma!)
  
• Our eighth anniversary!

Whew.

So. If you don't hear from me for a few more weeks, don't worry. We're either busy enjoying our precious final days of summer–or recovering from the past few weeks.

the birthday girls

the cupcakes

the mobile (in process)

the grandma and cousins

the birthday party #3

the pinky bear

Lovely Day (Twofold)

We just got back from a quick trip to the beach, where we spent the day visiting our friends Sven and Hyuna–and their three adorable boys.

We haven't seen Sven and Hyuna in ages because they live all the way in South Korea, so it was really nice to spend time catching up with them.

The only sad thing is that I was too busy enjoying the day that I forgot to pull out the camera. That is, until we parted ways and stopped for dinner on the drive home, where Matt got this:


A half-pound burger topped with bacon, ham, cheese, grilled onions, AND a fried egg. Yikes.

(Ok fine, it was delicious. Matt was kind enough to let me try it, just before he polished off the last bite.)

What a perfect day.

Cousins

While we were in Utah, Riley's cousins, Alex and Shea, were visiting from Houston. It was our first time to see them since Christmas 2007. We still can't believe how much they've grown up–they've become excellent babysitters (with Grandma's supervision, of course). And to say Riley adored them would be an understatement.

The Wedding Day

My sister got married last Saturday. The festivities didn't begin until that afternoon, so Matt, Riley & I spent the morning visiting a historic farm nearby. We fed the geese, introduced Zelf to the goats, checked out the pigs...and convinced Riley that the duck bite she received was actually a kiss. (She didn't fall for it.)



At the farm, we saw a couple from afar getting wedding photos taken. Lo and behold, it was Julie and her soon-to-be husband. I spent the rest of the day coveting her wedding dress.


The wedding itself was really lovely–except the part afterward when Riley refused to cooperate for the all-nieces photo. Notice someone missing? (Even the babies cooperated, for pete's sake!)

We also seized the opportunity to get a photo of the Dougall siblings (minus the overseas brother).

The wedding reception was later that evening, and we loved every minute of it, thanks to great company, the most delicious wedding cake ever, and Matt's parents, who babysat Riley!

Congrats, Scott & Julie!

Home Sweet Home

We just returned from a whirlwind trip to Salt Lake City for my sister Julie's wedding. We had a great time, and we enjoyed spending time with both our families. I will include more details about our trip once (er...if) I get all caught up here at home.

But for now, suffice it to say, we're all glad to be done with this:

The 12-hour drive, each way. Bleh.

Aloha! (Hi and Goodbye)

Last week:



This week:

Yesterday we returned home from a too-short trip to Waikiki. Hawaii, of course, was perfect. I wish I could say the same about the wet, bleh 30-something degree weather here... (The countdown to summer has officially begun.)

Last Hurrah

Rainy season has arrived. Which means we won't see much of the sun until, oh, next May.

But fortunately we took advantage of some final beautiful fall days with a quick trip to the mountains last week with my parents.

We ate good food, saw pretty stuff (like Mt. Hood, the Salmon River, and colorful autumn trees), and learned that, as a hiker, Riley's got some serious endurance.