Be Home

strawberries

Sixty percent of the nations berries come from Washington and actually just from our very own county! It isn't that hard to believe if you drive the countryside for any length of time. June, I'm learning, is the month for strawberries - sweet, sweet strawberries.

Since moving in we have discovered the history of our property through simple conversations here and there. One of those was with couple in our church who recently celebrated their 90th birthdays together and happens our neighbor across the road {and the fields}. His dad was good friends with the father who built our home. We of course don't own fields of berries, however our neighbors still tread over endless strawberries. So when they wanted to know if gleaning would be of interest to us, we were much obliged.

These strawberries are the sweetest you have ever tasted! In fact they are so sweet that they really won't last long enough to be shipped to grocers all over the country. So these are the berries you sink your teeth into for desserts such as strawberry ice cream and shakes. We were warned not to eat too many or else your tummy will not be happy with you in an hour but the irresistible nature of such a harvest finished off the bucket in no time at all!

more chicken, anyone?

My cousin and his wife operate a Chick-fil-@ in Liberty, MO. They have worked tremendously hard at acheving this goal and gone through almost as many changes to life as we have in order get there. So it was with great pleasure we visited their store one afternoon and saw the inter-workings of their restaurant.

And I'm not gonna lie, it was just as pleasurable to consume it's delicious desserts as well!

 

 

 

 

bookshops and surprises

Ever trying to familiarize ourselves with our new city, we checked out the small shopping district in Fairhaven. It is a beautiful neighborhood. Such that embodies all things quaint, cultural, and mod. The bookshop was our first stop. It is locally owned and an established staple in the community for many a year. Of course, the children's area consumed most of our visit as we thumbed through the last books of the Unfortunate Events series yet to be read. And I loved the fact that books of interest for Annika were at the level to which she could casually plop herself on the hardwood floors and exchange book after book for a steady stream of pleasure.

Fortunately, it was nice enough to walk around outside the bookshop as well. The brick buildings are simply beautiful and while the day didn't afford us to go into the many boutiques gracing each gorgeous facade, the window shopping built anticipation for future afternoons. However, we couldn't resist the toy store. We all miss The Learning Tree in KC so much that it was refreshing to play with the good stuff once again.

And a toy store is the perfect place to mention that baby rattles and baby blocks will soon be on our list of purchases. As the family anticipates the beautiful days of spring transforming into summer fun so too we will be expecting the birth of a fifth Orlando babe to wrap our arms around come autumn. And we couldn't be more thrilled.

{smile}

{double smile}

 

a cup of joe

We found a great coffee spot in our new little city. Apparently, it use to be an abandoned warehouse building. But being that the location was rockstar, somebody had a brillant idea. With a park and boardwalk surrounding it, it's just perfect for a spring day. And with a few flowers in bloom maybe that's not just wishful thinking either!

 

 

 

 

by the bay

Finally, it was a sunny day and one in which we left the house! You would think that that combination wouldn't be hard to accomplish but it is not assumed to be a prospect in our days right now. When we drive to church from our current location we go down the hill, only to drive exactly 25 mph for a long stretch around the bay. It would be unbearably slow {especially if you're late} if not for the changing scenery that such an enforced speed compels you to observe. But on this day we wanted to observe a bit closer.

  

 

 

 

I hope when it gets a little warmer to find some of our favorite spots like this one. Too often I default our schooling atmosphere to the most efficient form possible. But I think some studies gathered around a picnic blanket and lapping waters might actually make the breathing in of knowledge have a richer, more lasting effect.

one last trek

Last week my mom made a very spontaneous visit to the northwest. I feared that it would rain the entire time she here, and thus we would be unable to share with her some of the joys we have witnessed in the great outdoors. Alas, although we did enjoy quite a bit of cosy precipitation, we also took a sunny drive to the coast. It left all our heart very full together.

 

 

 

 

{a "garden" plant growing in the ocean washed up on the autumn shores}

 

{the boys loved whipping them around}

 

 

 

   

the pumpkin patch

Trying to stretch this last bit of gorgeous weather into one more weekend outing, we journeyed into fields of orange. Apparently we picked a place that was rather popular. After about an hour{+} line of traffic to even see the entrance, we first ventured first through the corn "maize". It was huge! Mesmerizing corn stalks wandered in a bewitching fashion that lead us all to wonder just how good ones instinctive sense of direction really is.

 

But everyone insisted that even though we had been stuck in the corn fields way too long we still must pick a pumpkin in a field proper and not our local grocer. As the moon cast longer shadows and the temperatures fell we sized up smallish (and greenish) treasures to carry homeward. Despite our endless walking most of the event, with young children, spirits were high and victorious. Our pumpkinteers were satisfied with their sweet goods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multnomah Falls

It was time to see the falls. On our way into Oregon so many months ago, we passed this beautiful waterfall, but after the adventure of travelling so many hours and not yet seeing the house we had chosen to live in, we felt it was a stop left for another time. Well, after being settled this past season we grew anxious that it would turn cold and wet before it's beauty could be witnessed by our little clan. As it is, there has been many a nice day since that have been gorgeous and thus was that day as well.

 

Multnomah Falls is a stunning sight. I'm not quite sure that the kids knew just how grand a waterfall could be. The stream right before the falls was a small delight that I believe all my children could have enjoyed for hours. Boys + rocks/water/bugs = pure love. But also was the moment of unexpected and terrible joy. A train passed right by that stream and we stood under it as it passed! Yes, it was a terrifying pleasure of the ear deafening sort. Amazing, truly amazing. Has the great outdoors won over this city-lovin' family yet? 

 

  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

so cheesy

"We forgot the cheese Gromit, we forgot the cheese!"

Anytime anyone mentions cheese in our home this line inevitably makes its appearance in some part of the conversation. If you are not a Wallace & Gromit fan than you unfortunately cannot hear the distinct inflections this quote makes and the british accent that accompanies it. However, if you are familiar with such phrases than you can only picture what a splendid time we had on our last educational field trip. That's right...to a cheese factory. Actually, what many would consider not just "a" but thee cheese factory, Tillamook.

rain on our parade

Getting out of your box is sometimes right inside someone else's box and it ends up good for everyone. My husband and I are pretty much in the same box on a lot of areas. Our ideas of fun, our ideas of future dreams, our ideas on parenting, etc. have formed over the years, with a few sweat and tears, and therefore we tend to read each others thoughts and make decisions based on a look across the room, aka the infamous it's-time-to-go look. But within those boxes also comes a whole lot of predictability, emphatically. So when we went for a trip to the Oregon coast this weekend we knew how to bring the snacks, prepare the kids, and map our stops. We also counted on the "mist" clearing up... {you may now chuckle to yourself as inevitably you will}.

 

Being that this is our second time in the same locale, we decided to hunt for a few off the beaten pathways to the sand. And boy did we find one! As these picture do tell, it was an amazing hike down to the water's edge. The water's edge itself was amazing too. But here's the thing. Instead of the mist clearing up...you guessed it, down it poured. Even the weather man that evening commented on how unusual it was the recorded rainfall near the coast that seemingly didn't touch the rest of the city. Nice. Hiking, sand, and nature hunting we were prepared for, but doing it all in the rain - well not exactly. So as Andrew and I exchanged glances and then felt the need to clarify what they meant, it verbalized into, "we really needed to get out of our box". And all the while we had to laugh as one particular child of ours was reveling in a day filled with the exact box he would love to live in every-single-day. So here's to an adventure where mud puddle jumping, soaked jeans, and dripping hair translates into one fantastic family outing {oh, and a large cup of hot coffee for the trip home}.