Alison and Mel BBQing our dinner at the community pit

out for a morning walk

Friday

It's 6pm her in Maui (9pm back home). Another perfect day (weather wise) the only downfall is the sunburn on my back. That I got while snorkiling. Just a short walk off the beach and instantly a brand new world of coral, clown fish, and Moray Eels. Tomorrow will bring more Bud Light, more snorkling and hopefully less sunburn (it itches).

It's the end of a

It's the end of a very long day. We just had sunset here in Maui. The weather perfect and the room is incredible.
More updates to come tomorrow.

leaving PDX this morning @ 6:30am

Latourell Falls

From top of Vista House

Alison and I went for a hike in the Gorge yesterday. This is the view from the top of Crown Point. The building is now open for visitors.

Ava's second plane ride (from S. Cal)

Here's Ava on her second plane ride. A flight from Orange County (right by Disneyland) back home to Portland. We flew down for Ben and Ashley's wedding.

Camping

Memorial Day weekend brought Ava's first camping trip. Alison and I took her up to Fish Creek, which is off the Clackamas River. Ethan didn't want to come he wanted to hang out at a friends house for the weekend. But Ava loved it, we had awsome weather and even scored a free 6 man tent from an older couple that decided that they never wanted to go camping again.

Lots of rafters and kyackakers up a that area, I think we'll be going back for more adventure.

Victoria

Finally got the Victoria pictures all done and uploaded. Take a look at: http://www.adaptiveimages.com/victoria.pdf, it's 7mb so it might take minute to download.

For those of you that don't know Alison and I went up there for our 9th anniversary, a couple of weeks ago. My parents watched the kids for the weekend, it was a little hard being away for Ava for the first time. But Victoria is beautiful, and we had awsome weather.

leaving USA
next stop Canada

on the train
just outside of Vancouver

Before I was a Mom

Alison sent me this yesterday, I thought it was pretty cute. Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations. Before I was a Mom, I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night. Before I was a Mom, I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep. Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom. Before I was a Mom, I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy. Before I was a Mom, I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom .

Cannon Beach

Ava and Mommy on her 2nd trip to the beach (last weekend). This is the first time that she put here bare feet in the sand.

Rosco got to come too.

See how happy he is at the beach? He's smiling

Easter 2009

Ava's new swing

Ava's first trip to Costco she sat in the cart by herself

"Squeaky"

The best part of my day, at night when she falls asleep in my arms.

First Post

Hello World This is my first blog, figured it was time to get on board. Here you will find more about who I am, what we do as a family, and more about some of the great places in the Pacific NW that we visit.