We took our first camping trip of the summer last month. Jimmy and Steve found this great little spot tucked in a little secluded area on Mount Hood last year. It's great because we have the privacy to do what we want. Bianca, their dog, can walk freely and we don't have to deal with other people and stinky outhouses. It's also less than a mile from a campground, so we can dump garbage and refill water whenever we need to.
This year we took Ethan's best friend, Tristan, on his first camping trip. Before we left, Ethan let him know all about "Hatchet Lady".
She is an old recluse who lives nearby and has been known to attack campers with a hatchet while they sleep. On our trip there last summer, Steve told Ethan all about her our first night. The next day, when we returned from the lake, Steve noticed our hatchet was "missing". That night around the campfire, Ethan was pretty spooked. At every noise in the woods Steve would pause and say "Did you hear that?" and shine his flashlight into the trees. The next morning Steve told Ethan that she came to get him, but Steve woke up. He fought her off and had to give her all his money so she wouldn't attack Ethan. After that, the truth came out and Ethan actually thought it was funny.
But now it was Ethan's turn to keep the legend alive. Tristan was a little nervous, but didn't want to show any fear. Within an hour of arriving the boys were out exploring the woods. Jimmy sneaked past them and jumped out from behind a tree and sent them running and screaming towards camp. As they got closer, Steve did the same. Poor Tristan looked absolutely panic stricken! In his race to get to safety, he tripped and fell on a tree root. Steve and Corey were laughing hysterically as he laid on the ground. I wanted to give him a hug, but I knew I would only embarrass him more.
After that he was much braver and him and Ethan took a few trips back into the woods to take care of her themselves. However, I found out later that nobody actually told him "Hatchet Lady" was just a joke.
But I'm sure he figured it out...
The Great Outdoors
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Ethan's New 'Do
Ethan finally got a haircut! I think he got his last actual haircut while I was still pregnant with Miles.
He decided he was ready for a change and just went for it! I wasn't sure if he would like it or not, but he LOVES it!
Before
After
He decided he was ready for a change and just went for it! I wasn't sure if he would like it or not, but he LOVES it!
Before
After
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Family Fun in Grover, Utah!
What a long month June was! Corey's family reunion was in Grover, Utah this year. What started out as a six day road trip to Utah turned into two trips totaling 13 days and two trips to California. We traveled over 3500 miles and spent over 60 hours on the road!!!
His parents rented two cabins on a lake so the family could spend a little more time together. We shared a cabin with his brother and sister-in-law, Kevin and Heather, and their kids, Drew and Ethan. Sandy and Lynn shared the other cabin with his sister and brother-in-law, Leslie and Randy, and their kids, Cara, Jessica and Cameron.
As soon as we were out of the cars, the kids were checking out the lake. They seemed to have endless energy, but the grown-ups were exhausted!
Safety first! Ethan decided to wear his life jacket on the shore, too!
We had bonfires every night. Miles liked the marshmallows...
but when he saw the hot dogs, he traded them in!
The Covington family reunion fell on Ethan's 12th birthday!
Corey was reunited with his extended family and the two Ethan's finally met!
Miles felt right at home in the cabin. He loved to climb the stairs to the loft, but would get stuck and have to be rescued.
He loved exploring outside. He would run all over, checking everything out!
Ethan and I spent Sunday morning together. It was one of the highlights of the trip. We took a long walk and then went out on the paddle boat.
Later that day, most of the family decided to go hiking in Capitol Reef. 1400 years ago, it was the home of the Anasazi. It was abandoned in late 1200s, but they left their mark.
The kids found all kinds of places to explore!
Jessica cooling of in the shade.
Cara returning from a trip up top.
Corey and Kevin look so much alike! They even sound and walk the same!
Kevin, Heather and Andrew
Before we left, we had to get a family picture!
And one of all the cousins, too!
The best thing to come out of this trip, was Ethan and Miles growing closer. By the end of the trip, they had spent about 40 hours together in the van. I thought that Ethan's annoyance with Miles would resume when we got home, but the bond seems to have stuck!
We left late Sunday night for a last minute trip to California to see grandpa. I caught up with my Auntie Jan and Auntie Lulu and cousins Katie, Kevin, Justin and Jon.
His parents rented two cabins on a lake so the family could spend a little more time together. We shared a cabin with his brother and sister-in-law, Kevin and Heather, and their kids, Drew and Ethan. Sandy and Lynn shared the other cabin with his sister and brother-in-law, Leslie and Randy, and their kids, Cara, Jessica and Cameron.
As soon as we were out of the cars, the kids were checking out the lake. They seemed to have endless energy, but the grown-ups were exhausted!
Safety first! Ethan decided to wear his life jacket on the shore, too!
We had bonfires every night. Miles liked the marshmallows...
but when he saw the hot dogs, he traded them in!
The Covington family reunion fell on Ethan's 12th birthday!
Corey was reunited with his extended family and the two Ethan's finally met!
Miles felt right at home in the cabin. He loved to climb the stairs to the loft, but would get stuck and have to be rescued.
He loved exploring outside. He would run all over, checking everything out!
Ethan and I spent Sunday morning together. It was one of the highlights of the trip. We took a long walk and then went out on the paddle boat.
Later that day, most of the family decided to go hiking in Capitol Reef. 1400 years ago, it was the home of the Anasazi. It was abandoned in late 1200s, but they left their mark.
The kids found all kinds of places to explore!
Jessica cooling of in the shade.
Cara returning from a trip up top.
Corey and Kevin look so much alike! They even sound and walk the same!
Kevin, Heather and Andrew
Before we left, we had to get a family picture!
And one of all the cousins, too!
The best thing to come out of this trip, was Ethan and Miles growing closer. By the end of the trip, they had spent about 40 hours together in the van. I thought that Ethan's annoyance with Miles would resume when we got home, but the bond seems to have stuck!
We left late Sunday night for a last minute trip to California to see grandpa. I caught up with my Auntie Jan and Auntie Lulu and cousins Katie, Kevin, Justin and Jon.
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We finally did it!
Miles looks like a little boy again! His hair was getting way too long, and I knew that it was bugging him. And, last month, three different people called him a girl!
Corey has been needing one for awhile, too. I've been waiting for them to get one together because it would be easier for Miles. It finally took his boss telling him he's growing a mullet for him to take action! Thanks Kristy!!!
We pulled out the clippers and I got to work on Corey. It was all pretty facinating to Miles. He kept looking over and checking it out. When it was Miles' turn, he was a little scared, so we turned on Shrek. That was all it took!
He did such a great job! We were very surprised at how easy it was. Miles really loves his hair, too! He was running all over the house and laughing lots!
Here's the before
Look at how long it got!
Miles thought the clippers tickled
He lost four inches!
Miles sees his new do for the first time
He looks so grown up now
He looks so much more like Ethan now, too!
Corey has been needing one for awhile, too. I've been waiting for them to get one together because it would be easier for Miles. It finally took his boss telling him he's growing a mullet for him to take action! Thanks Kristy!!!
We pulled out the clippers and I got to work on Corey. It was all pretty facinating to Miles. He kept looking over and checking it out. When it was Miles' turn, he was a little scared, so we turned on Shrek. That was all it took!
He did such a great job! We were very surprised at how easy it was. Miles really loves his hair, too! He was running all over the house and laughing lots!
Here's the before
Look at how long it got!
Miles thought the clippers tickled
He lost four inches!
Miles sees his new do for the first time
He looks so grown up now
He looks so much more like Ethan now, too!
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It's a Star Wars thing
We decided to surprise Ethan with a toy he's been asking for. He's really into Star Wars now and wanted to get the LEGO sets to build some models. He would even ask us to take him to Target just so he could look at them, which is something new. He has not gotten an allowance in about five weeks because he needed to replace a light fixture in his room. (which he is actually blaming on the ghost trying to get him in trouble. But that's another story.) He has been very good about doing his chores and being nice to Miles, so I wanted to give him a treat. I wanted to surprise him, so my mind went to work. I had some good ideas, but Corey pointed out that they might upset him. Ethan is generally easy-going, but he does get irritable and snappy easily and frequently. When we dropped him off at his friend's house, he was in one of those moods. So I thought a scavenger hunt would be fun. I thought it was pretty easy, but Ethan had to really think about some of them. Too funny!
Miles is into Star Wars, too! He had me play the dvd for him, then used the case as his ship. He even picked a Darth Vader toy over Buzz Lightyear!!!
Miles is into Star Wars, too! He had me play the dvd for him, then used the case as his ship. He even picked a Darth Vader toy over Buzz Lightyear!!!
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Snow Day!
A little birdie told me that I needed to update this...
Time has been flying way too fast! Between work and the kids, I just never picked up the camera. The boys were sick for about ten days. They are both over the worst of it, but Miles still has a cough. Ethan missed a whole week of school, so he had double homework last week to catch up.
Miles is a little stinker!
Ethan loves the heely's he got for Christmas! He's been practicing a lot and gotten very good at it.
He's not falling, he's starting to turn around.
We got this hamper for Miles' toys, but he keeps dumping them and putting it over his head. He thinks he's Buzz Lightyear. He runs around saying "Buzz! Buzz!"
We had a snow day today!!! Ethan went right to work on a snowman, but he never got finished. It is actually the only snow left now. Miles was asking to go out as soon as he woke up. Once he got out there he wasn't too crazy about it. It took a bit of coaxing just to get him to stand on it and refused to touch it. After fifteen minutes he was ready to go back inside.
We're supposed to have more snow tonight, so maybe Mr. Snowman will get finished after all...
I love this picture of Ethan.
We found some bunny tracks in the backyard. I guess they decided to go play, too!
This is pretty much what Miles did. Just stood there.
This is our snowman!
I wanted to see what Miles would do with it, but he wouldn't touch it at all!
Time has been flying way too fast! Between work and the kids, I just never picked up the camera. The boys were sick for about ten days. They are both over the worst of it, but Miles still has a cough. Ethan missed a whole week of school, so he had double homework last week to catch up.
Miles is a little stinker!
Ethan loves the heely's he got for Christmas! He's been practicing a lot and gotten very good at it.
He's not falling, he's starting to turn around.
We got this hamper for Miles' toys, but he keeps dumping them and putting it over his head. He thinks he's Buzz Lightyear. He runs around saying "Buzz! Buzz!"
We had a snow day today!!! Ethan went right to work on a snowman, but he never got finished. It is actually the only snow left now. Miles was asking to go out as soon as he woke up. Once he got out there he wasn't too crazy about it. It took a bit of coaxing just to get him to stand on it and refused to touch it. After fifteen minutes he was ready to go back inside.
We're supposed to have more snow tonight, so maybe Mr. Snowman will get finished after all...
I love this picture of Ethan.
We found some bunny tracks in the backyard. I guess they decided to go play, too!
This is pretty much what Miles did. Just stood there.
This is our snowman!
I wanted to see what Miles would do with it, but he wouldn't touch it at all!
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