We went to the End of the Oregon Trail Museum with our stake and an adorable family from our ward. They even dressed Big Sis up like a pioneer for the fun. Here are a few of them learning about pelts.
Two small pioneers petting oxen.
A few of them jumped in the canoe ... and loaded a mock wagon ... wrote on slates at school ... jumped in a sample outhouse ... and ate plenty of watermelon.
Fourth of July festivitites began with a hike for Big Sis, Alex, G-Pa, G-Ma and Katie (Mom stayed home with sick Lil Sis - she had quite the fever.)
Next came a little parade in our home town. Big Sis looks so darn cute and patriotic here! She waved the flag as the bands, cars and people came by.
Here's how Lil Sis felt. Doesn't she look pathetic? I feel bad for her just looking at the picture.
Grandma and Big Sis cuddlin' up.
Next, all of the Poes went to a BBQ hosted by the Rognons - delicious. Then, our family and the Rognons went to watch fireworks. This year, Lil Sis wasn't sleeping in a carseat. She still didn't feel well, but was a trooper. 
Big Sis has been learning about ocean life for several weeks, so it was time for a field trip: the aquarium in Newport, Ore. We set off before the Fourth of July festivities ... Jamba Juices to make the road trip enjoyable (note: this is before Lil Sis spilled a red Jamba Juice all over herself and carseat ... not pretty. Why did I think handing it to her was a good idea? I should have taken the picture after the mess!)
One of the first things we saw: seahorses. Big Sis couldn't take her eyes off of them! She was sooo excited!
Both girls got in on the action at the touch pool. Big Sis knew many of the sea star species and got a kick out of feeling them.
We stayed at a hotel off the beach, here's a view from our room right before bed ... even though everyone felt tired, it took a while to go to sleep that night. It was the first night the girls slept in the same room.
Here we are after dinner at Moe's. Yummy.
At Devil's Punchbowl.
This girl loves to eat ... sand included.
We left via Lincoln City - and found tide pools among these rocks. Real sea snails, anenomes, barnacles, etc. Fun stuff!
One of the most important words in our language! Combining a nature walk with spelling and letters is fun!
We went on a hike to a new state park this weekend ... saw a snake too. Good times. On a different day, at a different state park, we saw this:
A vulture having a nasty snack! Wow!
Playing fun games ... doesn't she look studious here?
Brain buckets doubled-up in the bike trailer. lol.
Someone's walking!!! (I'm working on a video - someday it'll get posted). Doesn't she look like a big girl? I think this is one of our first pics of her standing in the middle of the room by herself.
Lil Sis got her "I'm 1!" pictures taken by the same amazing photographer who took her newborn pictures. I love how they turned out! This first photo is my fave - especially because she gave the hand-to-hip action without any prompting. :)
Of course, we needed more current pics of Big Sis too ... I think she looks so beautiful.
We stood on the viewing dock very still and very quiet. We could hear dragonflies buzzing by and the wind in the trees. Then, we heard - and felt - a deep bull horn. Big Sis wanted to know what it was (so did I). With each start and stop, it seemed to get louder and louder. The whole forest vibrated. I started to freak myself out ... what if a big male elk attacked? 
Other fun things happened that day too! It was one of those days that I wish I could have canned. :) I have so many pics from the day, here are a few:
With a field journal in hand, Big Sis walks with a purpose at a state park near our house. Her purpose: counting how many sticks, types of flowers and types of insects she finds. I think her results were 8 sticks, 6 types of flowers and 4 types of insects.
These girls are so much fun! Lil Sis signed "Dog" for the first time during the picnic. She wasn't prompted or anything - she just saw one, then started patting away! She loves dogs - and balloons, and binkis, and eating, and her family. 
Big Sis loves having lessons! Ocean life is the theme for the time being. This activity: playdough octopus. She's easy to please when it comes to learning new things.
Mom and I took off on Saturday (just us!) and went for a quick trip to Washington! Here are the three sisters and their mom. Cute ladies! During our time there, Sara took GG and GMa and I to a beautiful park/flower garden - here are a few pics from that:
I thoroughly enjoyed the time to talk and see family. Mom and I had a hay day on the car ride - SEVEN hours of talking time! Mom and I even stopped at Cabella's on the ride home to split a buffalo burger and hang out with this Steller Sea Lion (this pic cracks me up).
Oh, and we delivered this moon jellyfish named Lucy for Shar and a crab named Ella (sorry I forgot to take a pic with Ella) for GG. Big Sis is learning about ocean life (jellies and octopus are her favorites ... followed closely by crabs and starfish). She loves learning, and has a fantastic way of memorizing and reciting facts - like how this jellyfish has a bell, oral arms and tentacles. lol. I can't help but smile to hear her talk like that! We hope to take her to the aquarium at the coast next month.
What a relaxing Memorial Weekend! After being out in the world's beauty, it's hard to come back inside to laundry and work!
Special thanks goes to our next door neighbors, who took us to their gorgeous Sun River house for the weekend!
Stepheny even planned a craft activity: making pinecone bird feeders.
Kobe, who's 8, became the star of the show for Big Sis.
Does anyone else notice the hands in this picture? 
We also went to a fish hatchery - both girls loved it! Lil Sis totally flipped over seeing the fish - especially when they jumped for flung food.
Big Sis was in heaven! She fished with her butterfly pole (which can advance to a real hook eventually), all around the stream and lake.
Ah, it was nice to take in the scenery and clean, fresh air. 
Thanks KPMG for providing the suite tickets to Taylor Swift 
We went to a farm and Little Sis got so excited about seeing the animals! She made the same "Mmmm" sound each time she saw one (I think it was her version of "moo" - and we did see one cow.)
I laughed when I saw this sign.
Big Sis completed her ABC book. This was fun to make - just 3 x 5 cards for each letter. She learned the name of each one, the sounds it makes, how to write it and at least one word that starts with the letter. For the picture, she selected three of her favorite cards and I picked out three of my favorite.
This one is for GG. The curtain is up! Thank you for your sewing skills! It pulls the room together nicely. Love it, and love you!
Here are "before" and "after" shots of her first ride in the new carseat. I think it's safe to say, she feels comfortable in the new throne. In the "after" photo, one sister is not really asleep. She thinks she's so funny. lol.
The birthday princess, before church. We got her a silver ID bracelet ... but it slides off of her wrist. Maybe it'll fit next year?
She loved being sung to and could tell this was her special day. For being a food lover, she didn't tackle the lemon cake the way I thought she would. Instead, she licked off the cream cheese frosting and only picked at the cake.
This girl was spoiled! Thank you, to all who treated our birthday girl with such thoughtful and fun presents!
After each piece of wrapping paper came off, she'd hand it to Mommy. So helpful and clean. I love it.
Alex and I got her a new car seat/throne. It came today (a little late). I think she likes it ... I'll take pics of her in it in when we actually set it up in the car.
For Mother's Day, I spoke in our sacrament meeting at church (though, not about mothers ... but about virtue) and Avery sang for the first time with the Primary's choir. Both sets of parents came too. Then, for dinner we went to the Poe's place for a special meal prepared by Ron ... lobster tail, steak, potatoes, asparagus, salad and cupcakes! YUM.
My beautiful cousin, Sara, came to visit for the weekend! She's a busy student at a relatively nearby college - and had a light load of homework for the weekend. It was relaxing for her, and sooo much fun for my family. We must do it again! And again! And again! Here's a shout out to her mom, Aunt Shar, who's wishing she was here for it (we wished she was too). 
Learned about the animals we share our planet with. Gotta love the Sea Lions at the Portland Zoo ... my fave to watch.
Planted an Earth Box. We hope to grow 50 lbs. of tomatoes in this box!
Started an organic garden.
Here's the 'After' photo.
Took deep breaths of fresh air and enjoyed a picnic. 
We had Easter dinner at our house this year. With Alex's bro and his wife, my bro and his wife, and both sets of parents - our house was full. Not to mention two pregnant bellies and three little ones! We loved it.
This was the best picture of the cousins I got; and yes, that's a hand coming in from the side. lol. Oh well. We tried. Lil Sis is teething and has been crying non-stop ... including Easter day. So we're lucky we got this next shot:
To end the day, we had a dance party. Really, what day is complete without a dance party at our house? Ah, good times.
Well, we did do an Easter activity each day of the week - I just didn't post each day of the week. Oops. Sorry. As a re-cap, Big Sis and I made nests with Jelly Bean eggs one day - we had quite the system down and they turned out cute. I remember making them with my mom when I was a little girl. 
As part of our Easter week, Big Sis and I had a lengthy discussion about Jesus being our shepherd. We talked about how a shepherd cares for his sheep, knows and cares for each one individually, keeps them safe and nourished, etc. Then we likened that to Christ caring for us, protecting us (when we follow His voice), and nourishing us spiritually. I asked her questions as we went along, and it seemed like she was getting it.
For Easter Week, we're going to have an activity each day (hopefully!). Today was Palm Sunday, so we read from the scriptures and then acted it out. Big Sis was quick to appoint Lil Sis and Mom to be the disciples, Dad to be the donkey and her to be Jesus (though she's looking more like Mary here). Then for Act 2, Lil Sis and Mom became the crowd, waving palms, laying down clothing and shouting "Hosanna!" as the King came through the village. With Big Sis' active imagination, this really helped bring the scriptures to life.
GG and Joe Joe drove from Wyoming for a visit! We loved every minute of it! The top pic is the only 4-generation photo we took during the trip - over lunch at Bob's Red Mill.
The water wheel at Bob's Red Mill was quite a site. Do we look like tourists?
An attempted nap .... not too successful.
GG and Joe Joe came to our house one day - the girls had fun showing off their toys and just enjoying day-to-day activities.
like piggy back rides
and play dough
and GG taught me how to french braid! It'll take practice, but we'll get it! I love the polished, pulled-back look.
My grandparents are amazing. They hunt for so many family members. Here is the year supply of meat they brought us and my parents. We got a whole antelope!!! YUM. It tastes fantastic and we know it's free-range, organic and safely processed. It's such a blessing. Thank you, GG and Joe Joe!
And of course, there was a lot of eating. Little bird here chows on the meat from GG and Joe Joe - though in this pic, I think it's just applesauce. :)
We had Aunt Marcie and Uncle Craig for dinner tonight. It was so much fun! Since they're both deaf, I was able to practice my signing skills (which need a lot of practice - but both Marcie and Craig are patient with me). I love watching the girls observe signing - it's great exposure for them and goes right along with their Signing Time videos.
I'm obsessed. I can't put into words how much I enjoyed it. The music, the message, the delivery, the effects, the play-on-words, the comedic relief ... not to mention my hot date. ;)
Ok, I think we've had enough viruses for the season. You know the people who always seem to be sick? I try to avoid those people ... and have become those people.
Big Sis had her first Primary Activity Day this weekend! She made a Family Home Evening box with everything prepared for the lesson. It was a hit!
Good clean fun. Lil Sis and Big Sis double up now. 
Feasting on the floor. Rice was our main dish, and neither lady would partake ... until Lil Sis threw the whole bowl on the floor. Then it became a delicacy. Big Sis still thinks it's sooo funny that I let them eat off the floor.
Boat rides. Boxes and kitchen tools make the best toys.
Thanks to the landscaping crew at the Country Club, this is the new view from our window. Nice! We enjoy watching the golfers during all types of weather. And yes, that's Alex in the photo. The temptation grew too great. He's treated himself to a few holes the past two Saturday afternoons.
We're ready to play outside - so bring on the sun! Big Sis will now put on a buckled brain bucket (a.k.a. helmet)! It's taken months to get the protective gear on her melon, but now that it's there ... it doesn't look all that protective, just silly. I won't tell her that though! 
It's all smiles for the camera! Story time has a new meaning now that Little Sis can pull books off the shelf with rapid speed. Big Sis is doing her best to adjust, but we're surely in a transitional stage. Sharing is a learned behavior, right?
I teach the Young Women (ladies 12 - 17 years old) at church. Last night, we had "New Beginnings" where we welcomed the incoming girls, taught parents about the Personal Progress program and recognized YW who completed the program during the year. We had a light theme and decorated with lampposts. Here are the girls and their leaders. I must say, I just love these girls! I feel blessed to be surrounded by their light every Sunday and Wednesday (during mutual activities). Shine on, sisters!
The doc diagnosed Big Sis with bronchitis and an ear infection ... now Lil Sis has a nasty runny nose (and she's cutting her first tooth and recovering from shots). I tried to keep the pair apart, but it was a lost cause. Now that Lil Sis has it too, it's a free for all. Here they are in close quarters, inside their "tent" ... silly girls.
With turning 9 months old this week came many new tricks, like:
My baby's going to be 1 soon, and I am not ready for that!
For lunch, I bribed her: one kernel of all-natural white cheddar popcorn for one bite of “real” food. After she finished all the “real” food, she wanted to finish the bag of popcorn. Mommy said no. Then the entertainment began.
