Strawberry picking

Sorry about my absence.  I wish I could say it was because we've been out enjoying terrific weather, but that would be a big, fat lie.  We have had a few days of sun and seventy-something degrees, but mostly we've had gray days.  Ugh.  Okay, sorry.  Enough whining.

We went strawberry picking a few weeks ago, and Becky and Mandy both agreed to come along.  They were life-savers.  I would have ended up with about a pound of strawberries if it wasn't for them.  As it was, I ended up with sixteen pounds and they split about that many.  Not bad, all things considered.  (I made two batches of freezer jam and froze the rest for "smoovies," as Judson says.)

Judson was funny.  He didn't want anyone to eat any berries.  He ate about two total and only when I told him to try them.  He spent most of his time pouring berries out of our buckets and into his. 

MUD!!  Thankfully it only ended up on his boots.

I got the hat for a quarter at a consignment store.  Pretty cute, huh?!

Picnic lunch for the littles.

Cooper took about an hour-long nap in the stroller, which was exceedingly helpful.

If you want to see the difference a year makes, feel free to check out last year's expedition here.

Quote of the day

Judson and I were looking at a new digital scrapbook I just finished.  When we came across a picture of me looking very pregnant, I asked him why my belly was so big.  He said, "Because Coopie was in there.  You ate Coopie!"  That boy makes me smile.

The girlie

I just can't enough of this always happy, sweet, laid-back girl and her adorable smiles.  I also love the scrunched up nose and accompanying snuffles and Judson saying, "Coopie is snorting like a pig again!"  (He calls her Coopie all the time now.  So cute.)

Our little piggie

Practicing her wave

First Fishing Trip of the Year

We took our boat to Clear Lake (in the Cascades) one day over Memorial Day weekend.  Mandy and Justin came, too, and I was so thankful for the extra hands!  Despite only having short naps in the car and HOURS (four!) in the boat, the kids were amazing.  The guys didn't catch anything for the first couple of hours, and of course fishing got good when some of us were ready to head in.  Thankfully, Judson got pretty excited again, once the fish were biting.  The first one Nate caught was pretty small.  Judson said, "Now let's catch a big one!"  (The guys caught a total of five fish.)

We did have some entertainment when we heard a bird screeching very close to us.  We looked straight up to see an osprey trying to scare away a bald eagle.  We'd already noticed the osprey's nest further down the shore, so we assumed she was trying to protect her babies.  It was pretty fascinating.  (Eventually the eagle flew away, and we got to watch it flip in the air to try to get the osprey with its talons.) 

Our boat is quite spacious.  Cooper happily sat down there for awhile.

Finally a fish!

I don't have much of a telephoto lens, so Nate zoomed in digitally.  Pretty good action picture, though...

Eagle on the longest branch on the left; osprey on top of right tree.  It would sit there between attacks.

A big one!

Mother's Day

I just realized I uploaded these pictures but never posted them.

We had a fun Mother's Day.  It was a gorgeous, hot day (around 90*).  Poor Cooper wasn't feeling her best (she'd had a fever off and on since Friday...teething?), but held up so well.  We skipped church since I didn't want to put her in the nursery if she was sick, and we'd planned to go to the zoo.  It was CRAZY and we couldn't find a parking spot, so I suggested we head to the playground at Washington Park (which the zoo is a part of).  I'm still unaccustomed to how busy fun places in cities are on holidays.  I honestly thought the zoo might be slow on Mother's Day.  :)

The playground was busy, too, but Judson had fun and we ate our picnic lunch there.  A family was selling ice cream bars to raise money for the Oregon Food Bank, so we had a treat and then decided to ride the train to the zoo.  Judson's never ridden the train at the zoo and I've been wanting to take him. This was even better!  It was a fifteen minute ride through the woods and then wound through the zoo a bit.  It was late enough that we decided to not even get off at the zoo, and I don't think we could've gotten Judson off if we'd wanted to.  :)  After our thirty-five minute train ride, we headed to my parents' and had a fun afternoon and evening there.  Judson slept most of the afternoon...

Nate was trying to get Judson to look like he was a bull rider, but he was not understanding.

Got it!  :)

Waiting for the train.

Tired girl, who refused to sleep

So excited!

Mt. St. Helens behind the tree

Mt. Hood was visible behind them...

There it is...barely.

Quote of the Day

Judson's starting to say some really cute and/or funny things.  I love it!  He often uses phrases he's heard us say, and it just cracks us up. 

Last night, I hit my funny bone really hard.  He said, "Don't be afraid.  The angels will help you."  I asked where he learned that and he said, "At school.  When I was a little kid."  Sunday school at our church doesn't start until kids are three (they just get to play before that), so it wasn't at school.  (We don't call it "school" anyway...)  I guess he learned it from our Bible reading, because I don't recall talking too much about angels taking care of people.  Anyway, so cute.