Ode to Summer

Although sometimes I do enjoy it, I am not a natural writer. Coming up with things to say (even photo captions) in each bi-monthly blog that don't sound like what I said about last blog's photos can stress me out. But some days I do feel a little poetic, like today. On my morning run, I noticed a cooler temperature for the first time in 4 months and felt a bit of sadness that summer is drawing to a close. So I wrote an ode to summer:

Dear Summer,

Don't say it's so.

Another year gone already?

What about us?

You took me places.

Oregon, California, Park City.

Lovely places.

Showed me things.

Sand and surf, green lake water, mountain glory.

You are my favorite.

You give us wonderful options.

School park or Moon Park?

Blue or red popsicle?

Tricycle or scooter?

Baseball or football?

But fall is nice.

Fall eases the pain of your goodbye.

But winter.

Cursed winter.

Lame options.

Indoors, or indoors.

Coat or bigger coat.

Hot chocolate or hot cider.

Boring.

You will be missed.

I love you.

I'm feeling a little bummed that summer is closing today :) But I do love fall too!

These are a few of the pictures that Janale took of us while we were in Shasta. I now know firsthand why the bigger your family gets the harder it is to get a good shot of everyone. There are just too many variables. But I think they turned out super!!

After returning home from Shasta, we celebrated my 29th bday. Jess made me a delicious german chocolate cake, complete with 29 candles. Cole is at the ready to blow.
We left the kids with Jess for the night and Tyler took me backpacking close by here up Addams Canyon, it was the best bday present! I love being with him anyway, but doing something we love like hiking/camping was terrific. It's a beautiful hike right along a stream with a couple waterfalls along the way. Gorgeous!
Cole had a big milestone, he had his first trip to the dentist! I love our dentist and seeing how great he was with Cole just confirmed that. Cole was a little tentative at first, but as he watched me get my teeth cleaned he warmed up and started talking nonstop with Dr. Hair and his assistant. He opened so big and wasn't scared at all when it was his turn, I was so proud of him. No cavities either! Yay!
This summer we spent probably a full month when put all together living out of a suitcase. But it was all worth it to spend such quality time with family! The last week of July we spent a weekend in Park City with Parker, Jenn, and their boys and Mom, Dad, Shane, Tegan, Christine, and Walt of course. The boys had a great time in the hot tub. Jack and Josh are such great swimmers.
Then we went to the pool where Cole discovered the joy of jumping off to daddy, a million times.
Kate was his cheerleader on the side, clapping and yelling for him. He came over to give her a kiss. Awwww!
The Morrill fam! It's already outdated now that little baby Kai is here!
This was an outfit that was mine, and I have a picture of me wearing it sitting in the grass and wanted to get one of Kate doing the same.
Kate LOVES her peach yogurt! I just love that smile.
We headed back to Oregon at the beginning of August and got to help Rod get his work truck ready for a trip. Cole got to help Tyler do a few things with the forklift, he is such a mini-copy of his dad! Loving boy stuff, asking how every little thing works, loving the power of it.
We spent most of the time in Florence this trip which meant going to the beach!! As you can see, the water was chiiii-lly. But still fun!
This kid wanted to walk right out in it and never stop, I was trying so hard to keep her jeans dry and she was getting so frustrated that I just wouldn't let her go out and get drenched. We came back another day when we were a little more prepared :) This was when me chasing her was still a game.
LOVE it! And I think Kate actually has a seashell in her mouth here.
A different, more sunny day. We went to see our fave lighthouse, Haceta Head, and stopped by the beach to have a little picnic lunch beforehand. It was idyllic. I would come here all the time if I lived here! It was sunny but not hot, and the sand felt glorious.
My lighthouse!

Tyler is always ready for a nap.
Tyler is always game for a project, so he decided to expand Lisa's deck in one day while we were there. He did an amazing job and had a couple of his high school buddies help as well. I am always impressed with his natural ability to create beautiful things. Here's before and after.

Cole loved being with Shaely, she's so sweet.
We ran our traditional (3 years strong!) Scandia Run 10K and it was awesome!! Tyler and I finished in 47:17/18, and Jess did 57:?. We were all happy with our results! I'm still running lots and getting ready for the Halloween Half at the end of October. I'm LOVE running and get so much out of it! Anyway, then we completed the day with friends and food at the lake on the boat. Best day ever!
While we were in Oregon, Christine went ahead and had her baby without me there. I don't know why, but I guess that's ok :) I ran home with the kids the day after we got back in town to get to hold my new nephew. Sweet baby Zahkai is beautiful and perfect and Christine is the best mommy ever. Cole couldn't get enough of him and was so interested in everything about him.
Loving the fourwheeler rides with grandma! Cole liked his special seat on the back with the cushion :)
We also went up to the cabin and floated down the canal on tubes, just like we used to do when I was a kid. Cole thoroughly enjoyed it, as long as he wasn't getting wet. This rock has been a traditional picture place for many years.
One sad part of our summer was saying bye to Jessica. She left us for Virginia and a teaching job, and we have really missed her!! But are excited of course for this new part of her life. She drove all her posessions to Oregon in her mini, I don't know how Tyler fit it all in there. It was a miracle.
More of the lovely days of summer.
This is a good one of all her teeth, she has five now. And she's a total cheeseball for the camera.
Kate's first baseball game! (not counting Cole's tball). We went to see the Ogden Raptors play because it was get-in-free-with-a-scout night, and we happen to have a scoutMaster in our family. It was fun. We made it to the 7th inning before Kate had had it.
Having family time at a park nearby. Nothing better in the world!
Can you believe this kid starts pre-school next week! I just can't process it. Here he is before his open house. We got to go look around his room and meet his teachers (whom I've known for years, they work at the same school where I taught first grade. They are amazing!). He was shy, but will warm up to it all. He's growing up!
So goodbye summer. It's been one of the best EVER.