Just Playing Around

Keira and Devin are really into game playing, now. They love Duck, Duck Goose, Hide-n-Seek, and teap parties. Keira play Duck, Duck at school-so she understands the game pretty well. Devin, however, is still learning that each person can't be both the duck and the goose. And, when it is time to run, you have to run around the circle-not around the entire house. So funny! I took this pic while laughing hysterically. We were getting changed for bedtime when the kids decided they wanted to play Hide and Seek. I sat at the table (about 8 feet from the table they're under). I told them to go find a great hiding spot while I closed my eyes and counted. While counting, I heard a lot of commotion and scurrying. So, I thought that they were really getting into the game and finding a great spot. I opened my eyes to this picture. They had run about 8 ft away and slid under the 1.5 ft wide table with their entire body sticking out. In their defense, they did lay there perfectly quiet so that I wouldn't find them! Of course I had to do the obligatory searching of the house, looking high and low for them to make them happy.
Unfortunately, the original photos were on the missing camera but, they did it again recently and I took some pics

The Enchanted Forest

Mike's parents spoiled us by taking us to a beautiful hotel on the grounds of the Oregon Botanical Gardens. Amazing room and unbelievable scenery.

Mike has a photographic memory of his childhood- Not me. He can remember specifics about special events, regular days, and even what he ate at a restaurant 20 years ago. Not me! But, one childhood memory that I have is my parents taking my family to the Enchanted Forest in Salem, OR. I was excited and nostalgic to take the kids there during our OR trip. It was kind of like going back to visit your 1st grade classroom when you're grown up.....it just looks so small and unfamiliar. Turns out, I didn't recognize a single thing there and it was like my first time there ever. Oh well. I still remember that we had great fun there as kids and now I can add that my kids had great fun there too, almost 3 decades later. We went with Grandma.pa O'Leary, Aunt Becky, and Cousins Nat & Everett. The kids loved going on all the rides.
Grandma/pa had taken Mike, the kids, and I to the Chinese Gardens earlier in the day. BEAUTIFUL! So, the kids were worn out by the time we finished our day. Thursday and Friday were spent at Grandma/pa's house on the beach. We tried our skills at sand castle making but, It was evident that we were city people. On Saturday, we all met up with Mark/Becky and family and a park in Portland for some splash time in the fountains and a picnic. All of the kids loved the splashpad and it was hard to get them out of there to head to the airport to come home.
We had a great trip and loved spending time with all our family making wonderful memories.