Backpacking With Dad

David took the two older girls backpacking for the first time this past weekend.  They had an enjoyable time and they all survived.  Kenzie really enjoyed it because she said she is "An Oregon Monkey".  She does enjoy hiking and climbing rocks.   They hiked in about a mile and then camped overnight.  Then did some fishing and more hiking.  They came back dirty and tired.  

 At the trail head, ready to start.  Oh the girls are sporting their tie-dye shirts they just made last week with my young women for our activity.  

 At their campsite.

 Their fire.  

 The lake.

 Fishing

 Backpacking in.

 Kenzie always poses for the camera

 So does Eliana

Walking Finally

Lydia was my latest walker, but she was not late really it is just my others were young.  They all walked about 10 1/2 to 11 months.  Lydia was 1.  About her 1st birthday is when she started really trying to walk and now she is pro.  So glad, I really dread the crawling stage.  Now she enjoys being outside more and just is easier.  Here is a video I took last week so now she is even better at the waking.  Love this little munchkin.

My Birthday

July 15th was my birthday.  We had Aleta's family over and some good friends of ours over.  It was a good birthday.  We went to church and then I got to take a 2 hour nap.  I also didn't have to do any cooking.  Eliana did my candles into a heart shape.  

 Getting ready to blow out the candles.  

 Blowing.

 Smoky from all those candles.  

We had some yummy desserts to celebrate.  David made homemade chocolate hazelnut ice cream, a blueberry crisp, and pumpkin cake.  Then my visiting teachers showed up with a yummy fruit pizza thingy so we had that too.  David got me a Kindle and Aleta got me an Eggs n Muffin maker and I got to go shopping last week with David's parents money.  Let me just say it was a good birthday.  

Lydia's One!!!!!!

July 13th Lydia turned one.  I can't believe my baby is 1.  Time has flown.  The girls wanted to have a party for Lydia so we invited a few of our friends for an outdoor fun party (FUN in the SUN).  We had mini cupcakes and mini ice cream cones since Lydia is just "mini".  We did water balloons, slip and slide, water guns and water games.  It was just a last minute simple party that the kids enjoyed. 

 Just wanted to share this video.  I love it.  

 Excited to open her present.  

 It was this dress outfit and sandals.

 Birthday girl.  

 Eliana decorated almost all of these mini cupcakes.  They were pink lemonade so we did some like a drink with a straw and an orange slice since I didn't have lemon candies.  And the little signs we got at Target awhile ago in the dollar section when they were 75% off so for a quarter I got the toothpick signs and some liners I used a different time.

 She wanted to grab the candle.

Lydia loved the ice cream cone that was just her size.  Didn't care too much about the cupcake, just throw most of it.  But loved to hold her own ice cream cone.  Good thing she ate in her bathing suit and we just put her in the baby pool afterwards.  lol.   Love this girl.  She is so funny.  I will update more later on her and also post the video of her walking which I thought I had already put on the computer but I guess not and David has the camera camping with him.  

Strasser Reunion

A few weeks ago we had the Strasser Family Reunion.  This year we met in Montana as it is cose to the half way for the Oregon bunch and the Wyoming bunch.  We went two years ago to a different forest service cabin than we did this year.  Both were nice.  This year we went to Condon, Montana.  There was lots of fishing and eating.  We were almost all there, but we missed Cory and Heather and their kids as they were getting ready to move and it was too far to travel for Heather as she is expecting.  And Dan is in New Zealand on his mission so we missed him.  Shawn only come for 2 days, but it was good to see him even if it was short.

 

 

 Porter in a bad mood

Cute Annie!

 

 Carnival Time

 

Beautiful background.  Right outside the cabin.  

The cabin

 

 


Fourth of July we went into town for the parade in the morning and then back in the evening for some  fireworks.  The show was incredible and we were right under them.  I couldn't believe how good of a show they put on especially since it was free.  I kept thinking it was going to be over but it just kept going and going.  I was really impressed.

 


At the lake.  Lydia with Grandpa, Porter freezing and then Lydia with Sefa eating apples
 

Love this picture!  No, that is not a sea otter that is Eliana swimming while the boys are fishing.  We were lucky at this spot because they had just dumped a ton of fish from the hatchery truck into the lake.  You could just see fish everywhere but it actually took them awhile to bite.