Our family adventure, not vacation (how can traveling with three kids be relaxing??), began EARLY on a Friday morning.  By early I mean that I woke up at 2:45AM.  We woke the boys around 3:15 and were out the door just after 3:30.  We drove up to the Charlotte airport.  Josh dropped me off, along with the three boys, two large suitcases, three car seats and three backpacks.  Talk about having my hands full!!

I managed to get all of us and our belongings into the doors to the airport and we sat by the check in.  The boys drank their milk and had muffins for breakfast.  In the meantime Josh parked the car and took the bus back to the airport.  We managed to check in with all our stuff.  I was happy to just survive this part of the trip.  Once we got rid of the car seats life was much easier!!

We managed to get through security without any problems.  We headed down to our gate, took the boys to the bathroom and it was already time to board the plane.  Things went smoothly.  We were in the last row (did they think WE would be trouble??!!) which was nice since it was right by the bathroom. 

Jack and Ewan sat next to each other, Josh in the seat across the aisle from them and I had the seat in front of Josh.  Sean switched between sitting with me and Josh.  They were all very excited to fly.  It was a smooth trip to Chicago.  We had a tight connection there but made it.  We arrived at the gate and boarding had already begun.

This leg of the trip was extremely pleasant since we flew first class.  So much more room for the boys to roam and to hold Sean.  More beverage service.  AND and actual meal.  We all had breakfast.  It is a good thing they served a meal too since all three boys ate their meal well, PLUS plenty of the snacks that I packed.  Jack and Ewan were quite thrilled to get Sprite since they normally do not get any sodas.

Jack and Ewan enjoying Sprite in first class

Sean living the first class life

We arrived safely in Portland late Friday morning.  We headed to baggage claim and waited for all our luggage.  Josh went to get the rental car while I got luggage.  Everything arrived, except one of the car seats was missing.  This would be a huge problem.  After waiting over fifteen minutes and watching everything go around but our missing car seat we headed to the service desk when suddenly our car seat decided to appear.  YEAH!!

So now came the fun part, getting three boys, four backpacks, two large suitcases and three car seats to the rental car.  I put one of the cars on my suitcase and Josh had the other two.  We barely managed it, but we did make it to the car.  When we arrived the the car, the boys did not understand why it was not their Toyota Prius!!  While Josh installed all the seats the boys played with the minivan.  So many new things to explore.  Sean loved "driving" the car, Jack discovered the TV.  Finally we were off and running.

We went to a lovely cafe in a residential neighborhood, thanks to the Food TV site (I cannot remember which show was there).  The food was delish.  The boys were a little cranky at times, but that is understandable given how long they had been awake and the time change.  After surviving the meal we were off to our cabin in Welches, near Mount Hood.

After a stop at the grocery store along the way and driving around the mountains a little we met Oma, Opa and Uncle Nick at the cabin check-in.  The boys were thrilled to see Oma, Opa and Uncle Nick.  We all checked in and settled into our cabins (we were neighbors).  It was cute to see the boys walk two doors down and check on Oma, Opa and Uncle Nick.

Friday evening we had the big 50th anniversary dinner for Aunt Kay and Uncle Fred.  It was so fun seeing the family all together again.  Dad and his four siblings were all there along with their kids (11 of the 12 cousins/grand kids were there) and some of our kids too (15 second cousins), plus a lot of Uncle Fred's family and several of their friends.  It was the most cousins we have ever had all together, just one missing because she had her first baby just a month ago.  The second cousins all got along and played together as if they had always known one another.

It was fun to catch up on all the family gossip and see relatives we had not seen since I was a child.  Josh met the last cousin he had not met yet.  We ate good food, drank well and socialized.  The kids played hard.  Unfortunately I forgot my camera so I do not have any photos from this night.  Hopefully I will get some pictures from everyone else soon, plus there was a photographer there to get the five of us together and all of us with Oma, Opa and Uncle Nick too.

Saturday we took a walk with the boys in the neighborhood near the cabin.  Later we followed Oma and Opa to a beautiful lavender farm.  After that Oma and Opa took the boys to an alpaca farm.  The boys saw a baby alpaca born just that morning!  They also drove around some of the Fruit Loop (the berries were all in season, strawberries, blueberries, marionberries, huckleberries, raspberries, black raspberries....we so LOVED all the fresh fruit while we were there).

Hiking near the cabins

Enjoying the cool weather for a hike

 

Sleepy Sean at the lavender farm

Hummingbird at the lavender farm

All my boys!!

Baby alpaca

Enjoying huckleberry milkshakes with Oma and Opa (Sean was asleep in the car)

FYI:  For those of you who have never been out West, you simply must have everything

huckleberry you can get in your mouth!!  ESPECIALLY the milkshakes.

Josh, Nick and I went to a winery and then to Hood River.  We went to a brewery and enjoyed some time on the river watching people wind surfing and kite  boarding.

Saturday evening there was another family dinner.  We had much fun again.  It was at one of the rental houses on a creek.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Sean had lots of fun hanging out with Rachela.  Jack and Ewan had too much fun playing with the older kids and getting dirty in the horseshoe pit. 

Five of my cousins near the kegs of home brewed beer!!

Sean and his new love (drinking ice, NOT home brew)!

Sean helping pitch a game of wiffle ball

The kids watching Kay and Fred's grand kids to a skit about their first date

Happy 50th Aunt Kay and Uncle Fred!!

 A musical performance by one of Kay and Fred's granddaughter

Sunday we had a family breakfast.  Then several of the guys headed to Portland for a beer fest.  Oma, the boys and I stayed at the cabins.  We had lunch and then went to Kay and Fred's house.  I did some laundry there and we had fun with the family.

That evening we cooked out at the cabins and had dinner with Oma, Opa and Uncle Nick.  Ewan spend the night in the bunk beds with Uncle Nick.  He was very excited!!

Jack waking up in the top bunk at the cabin

Monday morning we were off for another leg of our journey, Crater Lake.   More to come later....

We're Back!!

We just got home early this morning (thanks to a red-eye flight) from our family vacation in Oregon.  Fun was had by all, along with some stress.  Travel with young kids isn't exactly vacation for the parents!! 

Due to lack of sleep and over 800 pictures to sort through this is just a preview of the fun. 

Enjoying first class!!

Good times with Uncle Nick

Sean and his new best friend, second cousin Rachela

Second cousins hanging out, minus several of the teenagers

Fabulous scenery in Oregon, snow topped mountains and volcanic areas

Pals together again!

Waterfall hike at Crater Lake

The gorgeous Crater Lake

Fun sliding down the snow, BRRR!!

Cold and windy beaches, BRRRRR again!!!

Ice cream at Tillamook, YUMMY!!

Good times at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

Goodies at Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland

Flashback Friday - Folly Beach, SC, September 2010

Just under two weeks before Sean was born!!!  GREAT family vacation!

Big Boy Sean

Our youngest is a big boy now....sleeping in a big boy bed.  It began Tuesday night.  Sean slept on his two mattresses on the floor.  He did quite well.  I stayed with him until he fell asleep and he slept through the night.  His brothers woke him in the morning because they were still excited about Sean's new digs.

Wednesday Josh and I put together the daybed while Jack and Ewan spent the day at camp (don't worry, they had fun with a pony ride and puppet show).  It went together pretty easily, even with Sean's help.  The crib is now being stored in Jack and Ewan's closet; someday we may have grandchildren that will sleep in the gorgeous crib Josh built!

After putting together the bed Sean wanted to play downstairs with Daddy.  We could tell he was getting tired, but he refused to say he needed a nap.  Before we knew it he sat next to Daddy and fell asleep! 

Wednesday night it was rough going to bed.  Not because Sean did not do well but because Jack and Ewan wanted to sleep in Sean's new bed!!  They put up a fight and whined but finally went to their own beds!  Sean went down well.  He did wake up just after 11 though, probably because he is getting his two year molars.  The rest of the night went well and his brothers woke him up again (who knew a new bed could be so exciting for ALL the boys).

All is going well.  The boys all have fun playing in the bed.  Once Sean gets settled in and will go to sleep all by himself maybe they can all have a sleep over in Sean's room.  Jack and Ewan could share the trundle bed. 



My sweet little boy right before I had to wake him in the morning

(had to leave the house by 8 and he was still asleep at 7:30)

The gang playing around!

Sean is still learning that he is not supposed to stand on the bed!

Flashback Friday - January 2012

I was just checking the temperatures for Crater Lake since we will be going there later this summer.  WE ARE GOING TO FREEZE!!!!!  Overnight lows in the LOW 40s, as in 40-42.  BRRRRRRRR!!  My little southern boys are going to need to bundle up!  This shot of them in January is the most recent time they are "cold"!  Guess I will need to look through their clothes and see what even fits in cooler weather gear.  I'm going to freeze too, time to layer again!  It all seems such a distant memory since it has been so hot for so long around here.  Frankly, I cannot wait until it "cools off" here.  It is killing us not being able to play outside.  The boys really need to be outside nearly every minute of the day to wear off their energy!  All those back to school ads and catalogues do not help....we cannot even think of wearing any of that stuff until late October probably!

House Full of Boys

I think it is safe to say that most people have heard the myth/truth that in a house full of women they all get their period at the same time.  Poor husband/father must deal with all the hormones.  Well I am here to say that there is also a phenomenon with a house full of boys.

You read that correctly!   Over the past couple of months I have noticed that all three of my boys seem to poop at the same time.  That right, poop at the same time, or at least within five minutes of each other.  So that means I am changing Sean's diaper or wiping Jack and Ewan's butts, all within about five minutes.

That makes for a mighty smelly house!  Luckily Jack is FINALLY starting to wipe himself now (though he does like to get rather messy when )!

Are all houses full of boys like this?  I do not know.  Yet somehow I have the "luxury" of living in a smelly house full of boys.  I guess that is all right by me, I would definitely take this any day over a house full of teenage girl hormones!!!

Flashback Friday - Bowling Green, KY, April 2010

I love this picture!!  I thought about it for two reasons.  One, Jack and Ewan, just received some handsome Calvin Klein undies in the mail.  I always called them my underwear models after this photo!!

And second, Sean is now starting to tell me when he has "stinky".  At first it meant he really had a stinky, but in the past few days it can also mean he peed.  So in light of his awareness of his bodily functions I bought him his first underwear this week.  Of course I don't plan on training him until after vacation, probably once school starts for the bigger boys.  Time to find the training potties in storage somewhere....