vacation report

Sarah’s Thoughts: Its been 3 weeks since my last post and I have a lot to report! I had two weeks off of work, so Owen and I kicked off the vacation with a surprise 9 day visit to Washington to see my parents. My sister and her kids were already there visiting from Minnesota and so my dad got to spend Father’s Day with 2 out of 3 kids and all of his grandchildren. We did lots of swimming, playing and Owen got use to always having someone at his beck and call. When we flew home, we brought my sister’s oldest, Bailey, to Juneau with us. He’s visiting for 2 weeks and headed out to Echo Ranch Bible Camp tomorrow. Needless to say, we’ve been showing Bailey all the Juneau sites and he’s rolling right into the rhythm of life in Alaska. We’re thinking about keeping him and signing him up for football this fall... Yesterday, we celebrated the birthdays of Owen and the USA, starting off with fireworks and ending with a beach BBQ picnic. Its been a busy 3 weeks and I’ve got the pictures to prove it!

Low- The never-ending guilt-laden list of things to do (laundry, clean house, blog, fix food, clean house, clean house...)

High- Beautiful sunshine, incredible family and friends, time off work, and a precious 2 year old boy

Luke Update: While I’ve been enjoying vacation, Luke’s schedule has been the exact opposite. If he hadn’t taken Owen’s birthday off, he would’ve worked nearly 2 weeks straight. Thank goodness the fishing has been hot! The 2009 season is nearly home free as, I’m happy to announce, the pink salmon have returned to most of the streams making the ever-iffy weather less of an issue. Despite his busy schedule, Luke did get to do a little personal fishing, scoring a nice king for our freezer and has plans of a sockeye slaughter later on this month. Until then, you’ll find him net in hand, giving personal tours of humpy heaven... living the dream. ;)

Owen Update: It seems like whenever I get time off work, I am way more in-tune with Owen’s latest skills. Since my last post, he has graduated to 2 and 3 word phrases and has developed a deep love for dinosaurs. We had a pre-birthday dino-themed party for Owen in Washington with dino party hats, balloons, games, presents and even a cake. It was such a hit, I copied some of the same ideas for his birthday beach BBQ yesterday and he loved it just as much the second time around. This birthday was the first time he’s been excited and focused on presents, although the mere suggestion that it might be easier to open the next present if he let go of the previous one sparked an instant loud and tearful protest. Luckily his shorts had lots of pockets.

INTERMISSION- Take a potty break, get a snack, and get ready for 30 pictures... ready?

Owen and Yia Yia's rocks

Yia Yia loving

bowling for Father's Day

Owen's cousins worked and worked for

hours digging a "hot tub"at the lake.

This is the results of their efforts moments before

Owen destroyed the whole thing.

doing the doggy paddle

"Make a crazy face" I said

So happy at the toy store...

taken just prior to throwing a colossal tantrum

when I took the stroller full of rubber snakes away.

sisters

sisters

windy group picture

shredding it up at the skate park

parker

decorating the skate park with Auntie Erin

(or "Mama" as Owen likes to call her)

my dad, the mowing machine

too many kisses!

checking the mail with Grandpa Roger

blonde-haired, blue-eyed boys

Owen and his Parker (and a dandelion)

feeties

Auntie Erin's sweet dino birthday party hats

circle of cousins

goodnight kisses for Emma

Juneau skies just before dark

lunch on the beach

Ebner Falls on Perseverance Trail

Walking Dolly with Bailey

(Owen is SO excited to have Dolly on a leash)

Bailey and the Mighty Mendenhall Glacier

Pre-fireworks explosions

the excavation site

(digging for dinos)

One happy two year old

showing off the birthday loot

Cuddling with his dinos at the end of a long birthday