Little Eagars: August 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009

The Vacation is Over!

Well, we've been home for a week now, but I wanted to include a few more trip pictures. We had a lovely trip, but are glad to be back home with Matt. It's been a full week of well checks, oral surgery for Brady, and getting last minute school supplies. Emma (2nd grade) and Brady (afternoon Kindergarten) will start school tomorrow so stay tuned for first day photographs. I honestly can't believe my baby boy is starting school. I actually feel much more emtional this time than I did with Emma...maybe it's because I'm quickly learning how fast they grow up.

This little girl had the best time gardening with Grandma Eccles. While she wouldn't eat the beans she picked, she ate entire cucumbers by the dozens!

This is the Perrine Bridge you can have to drive across to enter Twin Falls, Idaho where my parents live. While visiting my parents house, Matt's brother Kolter and his wife Lindsey came up for a quick visit so we could meet their new sweet little baby Hannah. This is where we met them! We had a great weekend that included driving by the Elk farm, grilling steak and fresh corn on the cob, playing with Hannah, having smores in the backyard, wii competitions, and having a "Berenstein Bear" book marathon with Uncle Kolter. I couldn't force myself to make them stop...even though it was almost 11pm. Ellie asked to go to bed, but Emma and Brady just snuggled right up to their Uncle Kolter...listening to Grandma Eccles entire collection of BB books.

Looking down on the famous Snake River Canyon (you know...where Evil Knievel attempted his motorcycle jump). Anyway, it always makes for a pretty picture.

Here's proof that we walked across the bridge. You can see the canyon behind the kids heads. It's a close shot because my knees were turning to jello at this point...realizing my kids were small enough to fall through the slits in the railings so I made them all hold on to each other while I held onto them Needless to say it wasn't the best moment for Uncle Kolter and Aunt Lindsey to miss their exit thereby taking longer to drive across the bridge so we could give them a welcome wave, but that's exactly what happened.

We all had so much fun with our adorable new niece Hannah. Basically, she was never held by her parents during the whole visit because we kept hogging the cute little thing. My mom even helped Emma sew her a blanket with a matching bib. Emma brought home a piece of the fabric she chose for the project to help her remember, and to be a little like Hannah. Thanks for coming guys!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Back from my blogging hiatus!

Do you watch "Diners, Drive-ins, & Drives" on Food Network? Well, we do and we keep a list of featured restaurants that are in areas we plan to visit. On our Arizona trip in July, we decided to head downtown to this Breakfast joint. Despite the name Matt's Big Breakfast, it's a teeny tiny little dive...we actually had to wait outside due to fire code. Anyway, it was a really fun adventure and the food made up for the tiny place with big flavor. Our favorite was the chick-n-chop...a fresh pork chop seared in pesto sauce with an egg on top and homefries on the side. Along with Guy Fieri, we recommend this dive!

I decided to take a night flight this time for our 5 1/2 hour venture from Cleveland to Portland. I gave the kids an entire row to themselves while I sat across the aisle. They thought they were hot stuff and I thought it was great because they all went to sleep. I did have to watch Ellie's head though...it kept leaning over into the aisle and I thought it was going to get bumped with the drink cart. Luckily our kids are seasoned travelers and they behave well.

The Oregon Coast...endlessly rainy and gray, but always a good time.

These two had a fabulous time finding all sorts of real treasures...everything from starfish, jellyfish, crab pinchers, shells, seaweed, and even agates. We have quite the collection to take home.

This was Ellie's reaction to visiting the coast this time. In fact I had to force her from my hip to the sand in order to take a picture of her. Let's just say she wasn't a big fan of the light rain combined with the cool breeze.

On this trip, there's been some competition over holding Grandpa's hand...I think it's sweet.

I really had a great time with the kids at Multnomah Falls. We're standing in front of the lower falls in the picture. I even splurged a whopping $1.53 and let the kids smash a penny into a souvenir shaped one with pictures of the falls on it. They've always wanted to do this whenever we've traveled and I've never let them, but I was feeling sentimental this day and remembered smashing my own pennies here when I was little so I just had to let them. They loved turning the crank.

I just thought this was kind of a cute profile shot of Emma standing on the bridge halfway up the Falls looking out over the Columbia River Gorge.

Grandpa Eccles has a new addition this year. This is his new Japanese work truck for getting around and cleaning up their acres and acres of land. He took the kids for a spin down to the country school playground. He even let me take it for a spin. I'm glad to know I can still drive a stick....even when I have to shift with my left hand and drive sitting on the right side.

Grandpa & Grandma are famous for their GIGANTIC sandbox. This time of year both the cows and the corn keep it cozy and entertaining. Thank goodness for the electric fence...if it weren't there, the cows would probably lay down in the sand. The kids even saw a red fox dart out of the cornfield.

You're guaranteed beautiful sunsets every night at G&G's in Idaho.

No trip to Grandma Eccles would be complete without lots of tea parties...a.k.a...chocolate milk and cookies! They've even had some outside while watching the sunsets.