Iris Gardens With The Kids

I love having Friday's off. I love when we get together with friends or family to do something fun on our day off. :) This last Friday Ashlynn and I met up with Aunt Amy, Aunt Leanna, Morgan, Jackson, Grant, Ainsley and Avery to go to an Iris farm in Salem. It was so pretty here. We loved it there, UNTIL Grant, Morgan and I were hit hard by the pollen. OUCH. Poor little Grant couldn't stop rubbing his eyes and they were hurting him bad. :(

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment. *(More outdoor ones on Jenniferlynnphotography.blogspot)

Top Ten Tuesday - Reasons I Love Summer

10) Longer days. I HATE going to work when it is dark and coming home in the dark too.
9) The rain in my part of Oregon finally slows down. :) We actually get almost 2 full months of summer here.
8) My garden. First garden I have had on my own. Very excited. I will take pictures of the corn, peas, beans and stuff coming up. IF the slugs would just leave them alone.
7) I know this is going to sound crazy, but I do love working in the yard. This last weekend I planted a rose bush, a bunch of Iris plants and a Red Maple tree. Love working in the yard.
6) Time on the river. We haven't done much of this in the last couple years, but I hope we get to do some of that this summer. I love the river.
5) Going to the beach. *(Day trips or weekends). Love them both. I would go to the coast anytime, summer or winter...but it is nice not to have to have a full winter jacket on to go to the beach. :)
4) Camping. We have a few camping trips planned this summer. Starting in 2 weekends. FUN! I really do love camping.
3) No football or basket ball to watch. *(shhhhhh). I really do love going to the football games at OSU, but am pretty done with it all by the time the seasons are over.
2) BBQs. Love them. Love the food and the people. Friends or Family. I know most of us BBQ all year, but the best are where the kids are running around the yard and everyone can sit out in the sunshine.
1) Family reunions/trips. What else is there to say there. 99% of the time...they are the best thing of the summer.

Leanna's Baby Belly

Is now up on my photo blog!!! :) Yea! Go check them out if you have time!

We Are Home! (*Finally)

We had a wonderful wonderful time in Kauai and Oahu. Kauai was the most beautiful place I have been. It ranked right up there with Maui as one of my favorite vacations. We did so much the 5 days we were in Kauai, hardly time to relax. We took a zodiac boat ride out to the Napali Coast line day 3. Sea Caves, Dolphins, snorkeling, ancient Hawaiian village and Sea Turtles. What a beautiful trip that was. We were beat up on the way back, but that didn't ruin the whole experience.

Day 4 *(I think!) we did the zip lines, snorkeling at Tunnels beach and a Luau.

And our last day (could still be day 4, since they have all run together by now) we did the Wiamea Canyon.

Josh and I are sitting here trying to decide what we did the other days (besides the crap time share sales pitch Day 2). Day 1 wasn't a full day, so it was really just checking in and getting dinner. We ATE our way through Kauai!

Oahu was so different then Kauai. Our first full day we hiked Diamond head, we drove to Pearl Harbor to see the Arizona Memorial, then off to the Dole plantation and lastly North Shore. Not sure what the deal is with North Shore, but everything else was so great to see and experience. Poor Josh had already done all of those things, but did them all again with us.

Our second day and last full day we just stayed on the beach all day.

We had a wonderful wonderful time. I am so happy we went and that Ashlynn was able to stay with her Aunt Leanna and her Grandma Mary while we were gone, but I sure missed her a TON!!!