I offered to pay Spencer $1/lb to help me pick berries early one morning. I regretted that offer though when I had to pay him $16! We went a little crazy with blue berries and Marion berries, but they were SO good! Nothing better than fresh Oregon berries.
Scott, Dani, Ryan, and Kaylee came for a visit after the reunion. They spent a few days at the beach, then we got to hang out with them at parks, and had them over for a bbq. We hope they will still be able to visit in the summers after they move to Albuquerque.
Mason outgrew the bike trailer we used last summer, so we decided to get this new toy so we could keep riding as a family. It's not a good picture, but it's just a small bike that hooks onto the back of mine to become a tandem bike. Mason was super wobbly at first and it was really hard to ride, but he got the hang of it in about a week and we spent the rest of the summer riding all over town. Great purchase for us!
Mason and I had a "date" one evening while Alan was working and Spencer was at a cub scout activity. We took Jimmy Johns sandwiches to a park we just discovered this summer. He is such a fun, creative, little buddy!
We were in town for the Robin Hood Festival this year! Alan had a race, but Spencer, Mason, and I road bikes to the parade and the festival. Mason LOVED the parade and they both probably collected five lbs. of candy! After the parade, we ate a picnic lunch by the library, then walked over to the festival. The boys liked watching Robin Hood and His Merry Men sword fight and they each got to choose a souvenir. Spencer chose an amethyst crystal and Mason chose a geode. It was fun to break it open and see white crystals inside.
Alan took the boys camping towards the end of July since they were not able to attend the Father's and Son's Outing this year. They went to a fun campground called Scott's Mills down near Corvallis. They had a ton of fun doing all sorts of activities. It was Mason's first time camping (since he was 10 months old) and he loved it so much! I'm so grateful for the amazing dad Alan is!
The hike began with 15 men and boys all in one group on Monday afternoon. The trail was longer and more difficult than any of the leaders anticipated and by the end of the second day, they were split into four different groups. One boy got sick and had to be taken back to base camp. Another dad and son got separated from the group and took a wrong turn. They eventually wound up back at base camp as well. The first day was extremely difficult for Spencer because the pack he was wearing was way too big. He did better after he and Alan switched packs the second day, but was still very tired and getting a bit of altitude sickness by the afternoon. Alan and Spencer made the decision to start back to base camp after summiting a peak and seeing the narrow, steep trail on the edge of a cliff on the other side. It took them the rest of Tuesday and most of Wednesday to get back to base camp. Alan figured they hiked about 22 miles which I think is pretty awesome for an 11-year-old with very little hiking experience!
Once back at base camp, they got to spend the next two days swimming in the lake, playing frisbee golf and Uno, and having a great time! When the rest of the group made it back on Friday night, they explained that the rest of the hike had been very difficult and they never made it to the summit of Eagle Cap. Despite that, I think it was a good experience for the boys. They developed deeper relationships, supported each other, and learned that they can do hard things. Spencer was glad he went even though he didn't complete the hike. I think it was a really good bonding experience for he and Alan.
