Super Secret Surprise Day

As our "big" (read=only) Spring Break excursion, I got a smokin' deal to take us to the Family Fun Center (Bullwinkle's) in Wilsonville. We built it up for the kids, telling them we were going somewhere fun on Tuesday, but not where. They asked over and over, but we just said it was going to be a Super Secret Surprise.

When we got there, they still really didn't understand what was going to happen, but over the next 7 hours, we:

• drove/rode in Go Karts
• rode in Bumper Boats
• did the Sky Trail (well, Tristen did)
• played miniature golf
• played Lazer Tag (boys & dad)
• rode the Frog Hopper
• played in Kidopolis (MaraJade)
• played video/arcade games
• ate lunch in Bullwinkle's restaurant

The weather was beautiful, the kids had a blast, Eowyn amazingly slept most of the time in the stroller or on Mom, and it was all-around a pretty great day. It was really nice to be able to do something like this with them, and I hope they remember it fondly - cause it ain't happening again anytime soon. :-)

No, Mace didn't like the Bumper Boats at all - all 3 times. Suuurre.

Tristen on Sky Trail.Tristen with the very nice lady who let him hitch a ride at the end of our long day.

MaraJade & Dad.

A very happy racing Mace! And Dad.

Just a minute before she dropped the sucker on the ground and broke it.

Frog Hopper!

Nice form PJ!

See Tristen's face? PJ had just made a hole in one and Tristen couldn't believe it!

A very cool hole - MaraJade wanted to go in the house.

Eowyn Awake.

And Eowyn Asleep.

Kah-Nee-Ta

We went back to Kah-Nee-Ta for the first time since T&T were about 1 1/2. Now that everyone's older and able to swim, we thought it would be more fun - and it was! Of course the older kids took turns being done with this place and wanting to go home, but overall it was a nice vacation. S'mores in the teepee, swimming, outdoor movies, bike riding around the paths, sunbathing - good times.

Cake & Fish - Memorial Day Weekend 2009

On Sunday, we were having family dinner & Jaime had requested Chocolate Mousse Cake, so I indulged her (since she's really, really, really pregnant and all (hee hee hee)) and made it. Now, I'm no food photographer, but it does taste quite fabulous, even 3 days later at 1 in the morning.

Then on Monday, we went fishing. This is always an adventure, since our family hasn't really found our "perfect" spot. All we need is a little lake with beach-type access for the kids to play in the water, with a fast drop-off so we can fish in the same area, with not too much shade, that doesn't have a ton of people everywhere. Oh, and we want to be guaranteed to catch some fish. That's all.
We tried Harriet Lake, and after a few wrong turns, found out it wasn't for us. So we headed to Timothy Lake, found an acceptable area, were then turned off by an exceptionally large rowdy family, the steep slope, and copious amounts of billowing dust/dirt, then packed it in.

We ended up at Farraday Lake (actually Reservoir), which is where we've ended up the past 3 years. We even got our favorite little spot off an old boat launch. Tiana almost caught 2, Tristen and Mace each got 1, and I even accidentally caught one. Honestly, I was just reeling in Tiana's line. But it was a beauty! Ha ha ha!