This month, we replaced the furnace filters (only worth telling you, because we replaced them less than two months later and they were disgusting! Why? Forest fires.). Brian and most of the kids also went on a driving marathon to John Day, Oregon for stargazing and sightseeing. Brian took the kids backpacking overnight, I went to the beach with the girls, Silver Star was hiked, Maggie and Carrie had regular phone calls with their new best friend River, and our A/C needed serviced on a 100 degree day.
Look! I have photographic proof!
Brian and I took a stab (a whack?) at cutting some of the brambles down to size. Nothing like extensive blackberry brambles to make us wish we owned a tractor!
The mighty blackberry killer!
The mighty blackberry bramble!
I even got away for a day to visit one of Brian’s special haunts:
I carried a hiking backpack and spent a day exploring Siouxon Creek trail… listening to self help podcasts and journaling and napping!
Setting out!
Journaling and letting the sweat dry.
I took Anna to get her hair trimmed. She has beautiful, thick, wavy hair. The ends were pretty damaged (it’s been growing out for a long time) and we got to visit a proper hair salon for a trim!
Before!
Ready!
In the fancy chair.
All fresh!
Out to a thai restaurant together! Mother-daughter dates are my favorite.
Filled and sealed!
I decided to buy some long-term storage food to keep in our basement. To make the rice and oatmeal and other foods last 20-30 years, I sealed it up in Mylar bags with oxygen-absorbing packets.
I only did a few buckets… which doesn’t go far with a large family… but… well, I’m pleased with it.
Finished and on a shelf.
Anna started playing with the paranormal setting on the camera that allows you to have shadows that don’t match the subject. Pretty sure I didn’t pick out the best photos, but these are fun.
Most of the summer we had a neighbor boy at our house a few days a week. Here, they’re all playing with the bubble machine. Anna got some cool artistic bubble photos while it was running.
John Day time!
Their first stop was a cool (but really hot) location called The Blue Basin.
Anna took pictures for me, so I could see where they went!
An eerie landscape.
They took a break at the Cant Ranch where Daniel found a sprinkler to cool off in.
Wet kid!
Then they found a campsite on the John Day river, and played a bit in the water before sunset.
Ready for stargazing!
The next morning, after watching the Perseids Meteor Shower, they visited the Painted Hills in Oregon before making the long drive home.
Pretty cool and beautiful and strange!
Our beach trip!
The intrepid adventurers!
