First Day of School 2009

The kids looked so cute going to school. Andrew got Mrs. Husbands and Marin got Mrs. Johnson. They both got the teachers that they wanted, although most of Marin's friends are in the other class. I can't believe I have a 3rd and a 1st grader. Where does the time go? I am excited to see the progress that they make this year.

Spokane Weekend

Kevin and I went to Spokane for the first time for Jason and Kim Grosz' wedding. We left early Saturday morning, the wedding was Saturday evening, and then we returned early Sunday morning. It was a quick trip. Kevin was in trial prep mode so he spent some time in the hotel working. I went out exploring. We were supposed to stay at Hotel Lusso, however when Kevin called to see if we could check in early, they told us that they were under renovation and that we would be staying at their sister hotel, The Davenport. It was actually an upgrade from Hotel Lusso. It was a beautiful hotel. We did get out in the afternoon to see some of downtown. There is a park that we explored and we also went to the mall which is small but nice. The wedding was beautiful, although really far out from downtown. It was at a family friend's house. We danced and ate good food and had an enjoyable time away from the kids--sorry kids.

Camping at Oxbow Regional Park

I haven't been camping since we've had kids. Kevin and Andrew have gone several times but Marin has never been. We decided that we would get the whole Harker clan together and camp. We went to Oxbow park. It was really nice. It had running toilets nearby the campsites. There were shower facilities if you wanted. Since we only went overnight showers were not necessary but it is nice to know that they are available. Andrew, Felipe and Brendon slept in one tent, while Marin and Emily were in another. Then adults were spread out in various tents or cars. We had fun roasting smores, fishing, hiking, and playing in the fire. There were several almost mishaps but, luckily, we all came home with limbs intact. I think everyone had a fun time and we are looking forward to the next campout.

Marin Begins Taekwondo Again

Marin took Taekwondo a while ago for one month. She was really good at it and picked up the first form quickly but decided that it just wasn't for her. Well, probably at least one year later, she wants another go at it. This time she seems very sure about trying Taekwondo. We got her the uniform and everything. She looks so cute as a martial artist.

Swimming at Dee's

We have had the privilege on some of the hot days this summer of swimming in the private pool of Norm and Marilyn's friend Dee. It has been great. The kids have had a blast and it's been a welcome relief from the heat.

Fishing with Family

Charlie has brought new adventures into the lives of my kids. He brought his fishing poles over, of which he seems to have an endless supply, and we went to Kleinline. Marin had never been fishing before and Andrew had gone once. They had a really good time. Andrew, Marin and Felipe squealed at the thoughts of baiting the hook with a worm or getting the fish off and throwing it back into the river. We are all about catch and release in our family. I wasn't thrilled about touching either fish or worm so Charlie and Keri did most of the work in that department. It was fun to see the kids enjoying themselves.

Our Yearly Trip to Utah/Idaho

Every year we make the pilgrimage to Utah and Idaho. It's like the Muslims going to Mecca. We go to Utah first, visiting family and friends and then we travel up to Idaho for the Phillips' Family Reunion. I drove with the kids to Utah. The kids were pretty well behaved on the trip. We always stop in Boise to split the trip up with me being the only driver. Neile, Cheyenne, and Grandma and Grandpa Fahsbender met us in Utah. We were able to go see the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House. I had never been to an open house before and I wanted the kids to see the inside of the temple. I think everyone had a good experience. While we were at Grandma Virginia's we did lots of eating. The kids played well together. They were so excited to see their cousin, Cheyenne who was not even 2 years old the last time we saw her. The kids enjoyed going to the playground almost daily, despite the high 90s and low 100s. At least Utah has a dry heat. Dad and I did our usual running. Well, not as much running as he probably would have liked. I was battling a bad chest cold and the altitude just killed me. Dad went out before me and then came home and ran with me. We also took Mom's death walks right up the mountain, hoping that we would have buns of steel after them. Mom walks at a pretty good clip. We went up American Fork Canyon to have a picnic with the Mehlers. Unfortunately I did not get any pictures of that outing. It was a nice visit with Grandma and Myron. Myron spoils us with fresh fruit and homemade bread daily. In fact, one day he made cinnamon raisin bread that was devoured within about 15 minutes of taking it out of the bread machine. We wore him out I think. We sure appreciate the hospitality that is always shown to us when we stay there, although I always feel a little, or a lot, guilty about not doing more to make their lives easier. We look forward to the next trip.

While I was in Utah, I got to see Laura and Carrie Moeaki and Sally Cannon (only briefly). It was fun to catch up and reminisce. It is incredible that we can pick up with each other as if we lived next door and saw each other daily. I love that about my friends. I wish that I did live next door and saw them more frequently than I currently do.

Kevin met us a couple of days before we headed up to Idaho. We drove up on Friday and went to the reunion on Saturday. It is nice to get to see two sets of grandparents on one trip. The reunion was fun, as usual. We always hold it at Downata Hot Springs so the kids get to go swimming. Marin didn't want to go down either of the big slides but Andrew went down one of them. They also went down on some of the smaller ones. We left right after the reunion for Boise and made our way back to Portland. It was a whirlwind of a trip that we do annually. That is about all the car riding the kids will stand.