Fun in Oregon!

My kids sure have a good life!  Jackson and Josh are currently in Oregon being spoiled rotten by the OTHER grandma (and grandpa).  I'm trying not to think about how hard it is going to be to train them back into real life!  My parents have 5 of their 7 grandchildren with them at Eagle Crest, a resort in Central Oregon where my parents own a home.  They take them once they turn 5 so Tycee got left behind as well as Luke, the newest addition who is 8 months old.  My parents are, per my request, sending lots of pics to me so I thought I'd do one blog post now and another when they get home.

Sounds like they are completely worn out every night after playing so hard all day.  Here are the twins sleeping with Livi, their 8 year old cousin who they just adore...

 They went boating one day and Jackson loved driving the boat...

Jackson and Livi ready to tube!  Last time he went was two years ago with Parker and they fell out so he was a little traumatized.  I'm so glad he tried again and sounds like he was pretty brave (although Josh was a lot crazier, not surprising)!

 Josh wearing my life vest from when I was his age...

 Playing in the spray ground...

 Jackson, Josh, Livi, and Abbi (she's 12)...

 Playing cars with Mason (he's 5)...

 Livi, Josh, Jackson, and Mason enjoying fruit bars outside...

 The whole gang on the back of grandpa's boat...

 Abbi reading to all the kids, it was almost 10am and Josh and Livi had just woken up...

As you can tell they are having a blast.  I miss them but know they are in excellent hands and being entertained more than I could or would ever do!  More pics to come!

While We Were Away

While Parker and I were away in McCall the boys were back in Virginia missing us, crying, and lonely...NOT!!  Haha, I hear they didn't even ask for us once all week.  I'm not hurt or surprised because I knew how much fun they would have with Grandma Morrill and Auntie Tegan.  I got mom's pics off her cell phone before she left so I could post them...

She took them to some cool caverns...

 Swimming...

Auntie Tegan sure is growing up!  When I met her she was three and the cutest little girl ever, now she's a beautiful  teenager!!!  Craziness.  It was so nice of her to come and help mom out, even though I know she was dying to get back to her friends and her social life...

 They drove up to Hershey, PA and went to Hershey Park!

 Apparently Tycee loved waving to the cows during the chocolate factory tour, hahaha...

 I have never been to Hershey Park but Michelle said it was a really great place and the boys loved it...

 Apparently Tyce got sad that he wasn't big enough to ride on all the rides...

They also had fun at home complete with building quite the fort, playing games, going to the library, going swimming, going to two movies, eating lots of cheeseburgers, shopping, and playing...

 Saturday they all went bowling while I was at youth conference...

 They also painted a chalkboard wall in our office...

Sunday afternoon I had to say goodbye, not only to mom and Tegan, but also to Jackson and Josh!  They flew them to Utah where my mom picked them up and flew them to Oregon for a week of fun with their cousins.  I always cry saying goodbye to Michelle, this time was even harder because my boys were leaving me too...

HUGE THANK YOU TO MOM AND TEGAN!!!  I am so blessed to have such an amazing mother in law who was willing to give up 9 days to come out and watch my boys.  She was in a new place and she just found her way around and entertained the boys 24/7!   I'm sure they wore her out but she never let it show.  She even had to deal with our car not starting on Sunday!  Thanks again mom, we love you!!!

Now I'm looking forward to next Wednesday when my little sister (and baby Luke!) fly the twins back!  I cannot wait to see all of them!!! 

McCall!!!

Sunday early evening we arrived in McCall.  Parker and I were the first ones there (my sisters and their husbands were driving from Utah and my parents from Oregon) so we enjoyed the beautiful house, scenery, and the peace and quiet.  Here is the view from the deck..

Here is the view from the end of the private dock, this is the back of the house.  I love this house, it's so pretty and you can't beat the location!   

Once everyone got there we went out and grabbed some burgers at a local hamburger place...

Parker doing this cheesy smile...

That night we celebrated my mom's birthday which was the week before.  My sisters and I got her a digital photo frame with pics of the grandkids loaded on it...

 I think she liked it...

 Dana, my mom, me, and Linds...

The rest of the week was pretty much like this: sleep in, sometimes go for a run or bike ride, breakfast, ski while the water is smooth, lay on the dock, ride in the boat, tube, go in for lunch, take a nap, read a book, ski, tube, eat, relax, have dinner, play games, ski, bed.  It was a rough week!  My parents also brought their kayaks which were really fun to paddle around the lake in.  Here's my pa, the king of the boat...

 All the boys getting ready for a crazy tube ride (I don't know why my brother in law always has to pose weird for pictures!)...

 My view laying on a lounge chair on the dock...

Roasting marshmallows around the campfire...and yes, that is a sweatshirt I am wearing.  I LOVED HOW IT COOLS DOWN THERE AT NIGHT!  Frieken Virginia is hot 24/7 in the summer...

 My cute parents getting ready for a bike ride...

 Ah, The Pancake House, one of my favorite places to eat...

 Have I mentioned lately how much I love this man?  LOVED OUR TIME TOGETHER...

The manly men trying to be manly while standing in front of flowers...

 The beautiful women...

Hahaha, before my mom left for one of her bike rides she left this cut up pineapple for us, ever hopeful that we will eat healthy...

 Linds and I ready to tube!  I seriously love tubing!

We finally convinced my older sister to join us and we had SO much fun!  My abs hurt from laughing so hard and the rest of my body hurt from all the times I got dumped!

The funniest part was watching Dana get back on her tube after she would fall off, her arms were so tired she took FOREVER to get back on and Linds and I would try to help her, sometimes resulting in us falling off our tubes...

 Parker getting ready to wakeboard...

 He took a big fall wake boarding but did great before that!

Hahaha, Parker hit himself in the head with a ski which resulted in a bloody gash on his forehead...

 Lindsay and I laying out on the floaties, life is so hard sometimes..

 Ah, Friday, time to say goodbye...SOOO sad to leave!!!

We had such a great week.   It was so fun to all be together without the kids.  It was a week of serenity and relaxation mixed with fun, games, and lots of laughter.  HUGE THANK YOU TO MY MOM AND DAD FOR BEING THE FUNDING, PLANNING, AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WEEK!  I love you all and miss you already!!!