Ballet!
More of higher quality to come... I will definitely take a real video camera to the next class. Little girl ballet class has replaced the baby panda as my ideal of "adorable!"

Cincinnati
We spent the weekend in Cinci visiting my high school buds Summer and Erik and their 3 cute kids. First stop: Newport Aquarium (Newport, Kentucky! not to be confused with the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon).
The shark tanks were awesome but my favorite was a huge octopus that was getting fed and enjoying a head/body rub from an aquarium employee.

We all went to a Red's game Saturday night. The stadium was amazing and the fans were really feeling it. The kids and their dance moves were featured on the jumbotron so our evening was fufilled.

Block Party!
We have awesome neighbors. Every fall they close off the road for a block and have an all day party with kids running crazy and adults hanging out in front lawns and the middle of the road. There are about 20 houses involved. This year we even had a bounce house (five steps from our front porch -lucky us!).
I'm not sure what got crazier - the water ballon/silly string/shaving cream war that the older kids planned or the after-party "bar" on lawn of the house across the street from us (we could hear that one going well into the wee morning hours).

One neighbor, firefighter Jason, brought in a city fire truck for the kids to climb in and opened a hydrant to spray off the shaving-creamed kids.

Eric learned the ins and outs of "cornhole." (A midwest tradition that I am going to have to do a separate post about.)

And Cadie was content to be driven around by the cute boys.


It wouldn't be a block party without a pot-luck dinner and a pinata.

AWESOME!

End of Summer?
When C woke up from nap today it was 90 and humid so we headed to the pool. This is likely the last pool day as it closes on Monday. Boo Hoo. I'm getting excited about fall but wish the summer could last a little longer.

The neighborhood kids are back in school. We woke up on the first day of school and one of the neighbors had left back-to-school messages for all of the kids.

Yellowstone!
Highlights include:
Golf with Uncle Micah (staying in a cabin on a golf course),

Rockband with Grandma busting out Bon Jovi,

Hiking around the geysers and waiting for old faithful (nearly not faithful that day),

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, making our way down over 300 rickety stairs on the side of a cliff,

Splashing in the rivers - getting wet!,

Meeting and playing with Grandpa Ed and Grandma Rene,

Hanging with family,

And, of course, the wildlife.

Keeping Busy/Wet
With the hot and humid summer we have looked for new ways to have fun and stay cool. On many days this means heading to the pool, sometimes with a buddy (next door bff Kelsey).

Homestead park has a "toddler farm" area with spigots, showers, and a cow to milk. Cadie and playgroup girlfriends enjoyed the showers:

We've also found new fountains. Easton mall not only had these fountains but the zoo (did you know that Jack Hanna IS the Columbus zoo?) brings baby animals every Monday for kids to touch and see. We got to see a baby fox, alligator, armadillo, rabbit, tortoise, and flamingo. Kelsey and Cadie braving the shooting water:

Just because we are in Ohio doesn't mean we don't have beaches (hah). Alum Creek State Park is great (minus the goose poop). I need to get a life jacket on this kid though - she has become fearless in the water.

Tomorrow we are expecting a high of 94 with 80%+ humidity. If you haven't experienced this - it is basically the conditions of a steam room but with the addition of direct sunlight. Pool anyone?

Ohio vs. Oregon, RAIN
When people in Ohio hear we lived in Oregon they usually ask about the rain. An interesting fact is that Columbus Ohio and Corvallis Oregon, on average, receive the same amount of rainfall each year (~37 inches). The difference is that Corvallis gets most of it between November and May in a drip-like fashion while Columbus has summer thunder storms that are short and deliver a lot of water. In a single summer afternoon storm we (Columbus) can get the same amount of precipitation that will come in a 3 or 4 day Corvallis winter storm.
Cadie woke up from nap and immediately put her swimming suit on to go to the pool - unfortunately a large storm came in while she was changing and we went from sunny to downpour. Well? Why not enjoy the water? The alley hosted a flash-flood river, perfect for splashing and riding a bike.

(Note to Pac-NW friends who were like me before moving here and don't realize that it can be rainy and warm, it was in the 80s - I was not freezing my child)

Oregon
Here are pictures of some of our favorite people and favorite places that we were able to see during our recent trip to Oregon. I have a few hundred more pictures where these came from. We had an awesome time and wish we could have stayed longer (especially at the coast with the cool temps - coming home to the heat and humidity has been killer). Cadie especially liked the giant sandbox at the ocean and having friends around all the time to cater to her every whim. I loved just sitting around talking to friends (and family) - this usually involved food. What could be better? I wish I could bottle you all up and take you home with me.






Although many things in Oregon are still the same there were a few changes that tug on my heart. The difficult things that some of our friends are experiencing and the strength and courage that they exemplify makes me want to be a better person and make the most out of every moment. This reminds me of a quote from a horrible (but strangly good) movie, Harold and Maude. Also quoted recently by my friend at her husband's funeral:
Maude: "A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they are not dead, really. They're just backing away from life. Reach out. Take a chance. Get hurt even. But play as well as you can. Go team, go! Give me an L. Give me an I. Give me a V. Give me an E. L-I-V-E. LIVE! Otherwise, you got nothing to talk about in the locker room."