Fun with the Turanski boys

8/14/09~ I biked with my boys to the Science Factory where we met up with my friend, Kelly, and her two boys. We got a family membership last spring, and our boys have really enjoyed going there even if it's just for an hour or two.
The kids had a great time checking out the exhibits and playing in the playroom there. Ronan and Griffin always look forward to watching the pet iguana named Renegade. (: Afterward we explored the Nearby Nature area and had a picnic lunch. It felt so nice to be outside in the sun watching the four boys playing so well together. They are great buddies!
They found sticks that of course turned into light sabers. (:

oldest to youngest

Eli and Griffin-5 months apart

Ronan and John-3 months apart

Blackberries

One of my favorite things about August in Oregon is that blackberries are ready to pick and you can find them growing almost anywhere! On August 13th, my sisters and I strolled our kids to the Chase's house (Becca's in-laws) to pick berries and check out the orchard. We picked (& ate) a lot and that evening I made freezer jam and blackberry cobbler~ a must-have!!

Tyler & Ronan riding their bikes to Gram's house to pick berries. (:

It was hard to keep my little "helpers" away from my bucket. (:

Griffin really likes cooking and helping me in the kitchen. (:

Jam!

Cobbler (:

We had artichokes for dinner and we discovered that everyone in our family likes them, even Ronan! (:

Cranium Fun

Our friends, the Kecks, let us borrow their cool Cranium Fort Builder toy for a few weeks this summer. It was a huge hit with our boys (& their cousins, too)! I loved seeing the different structures they would build and how they would work together.

Tyler inside the circus tent

The Switzer's Visit

August 10, 2009~ Our good friends, Matt, Jessie, and their three kids, were here for a week in August. They live in Iowa so we only get to see them once a year (if we're lucky) when they come to visit family. While they were in town we thought it would be fun to have a get together at our house so that the Switzers could hang out with a bunch of friends in one sitting. (: Matt has been a close friend of ours & our siblings for a long time, so it was really special to get to hang out and see all of our kids playing together!
Katrina & Cedar getting to know baby Cadia, Matt & Jessie's youngest. Cedar and Cadia are only 2 weeks apart!

"Captain" Claire
"Captain" Ethan
Cameron, Matt, & Ethan
Papa played his harmonica while the kids took turns on the drums.
Mom with Cadia
CJ & Emma
Between 6 couples we had a total of 14 kids!
The Greens, Chases, Henrys, Ruddicks, Jones', and Switzers

All 14 on the couch: Macey, Emma, Ethan, Griffin, Cohen, Tyler, Ronan, Finn, Claire holding Cadia, Sadie holding Cedar, CJ, and Cameron

Sadie, Claire, and Cameron

A Sweet Night

August 11, 2009~The Moms of Grace Ladies Night Out was such a wonderful, well-deserved treat for us all! We started the evening by watching the movie Julie & Julia in the theater. A real grown-up movie! We all loved the movie and left feeling inspired to cook great meals! After the movie we treated ourselves to the amazing desserts at Sweet Life! The smiles in the pictures speak for themselves. It was heavenly...and so great to spend time with good friends!

Melissa and me

Lindsey, Katrina, Katie with baby Josephine, and Beth

My mom with her key lime pie (:

Sydney and Becca

Amy and Sasha

Happy Birthday, Grammie!

Josh's mom's birthday celebration extended to the following weekend when Erin and the kids came down for the day. Since we only had the adults go out to dinner on her actual birthday, we thought it would be fun to get all the grand kids together so they could celebrate with Grammie. (: We all walked down to the park and I couldn't resist all of the cute photo opportunities. It's so much fun having all the cousins together--all 8 of them!

Lydia, Audrey, & Griffin

Silly Faces
It's so much fun being a kid!
Dylan pushing Macey & Griffin (who are not sitting very safely!) on the merry go round.

I caught Griffin in mid-jump and Audrey flexing her muscles. (:

Ronan and Griffin with sweet cousin Emma

Grammie with the Creager kids

Grammie with all 8

Another attempt at a picture of Grammie with all the grand kids...such fun memories. (:

Happy Birthday, Becca!

Becca turned 34 on August 6th and we celebrated her birthday the next evening in their new backyard. The kids were so excited to try out Aunt Becca's new snow cone maker. (:
the Novemberists
Aaron got this super yummy chocolaty orange cake from Sweet Life!

Tough choice: blackberry cobbler with ice cream on top or Sweet Life cake. I think everyone had a little of each. (:

The Birthday Girl with her presents

A few of us went in on a hammock for Becca.

The guys were all standing together talking, so someone got them to pose for a picture.
Kenton, Dave (Aaron's dad), Josh, Papa, and Aaron

Happy Birthday, Becca!!