I've told you how much she LOVES her dog right

All of the kids love Elsa. But Em's love has no compare. Let's put the fact that she thinks that she's a dog and eats and drinks out of Elsa's dish aside. This kid can not get enough of her dog. And I'm pretty sure the dog feels the same way.


Hello, my friend, are you lonely?

Would you like your tummy scratched?

How about a big wet puppy kiss?

I love you Elsa! You're My best friend.

The Last Weekend of Spring Break

I love spring out at the ranch, every where you look there is something in bloom.
The couple that owned the ranch last made sure of that.

Its not hard to fall in love with it all over again when this is what you see every where you look.

Papa Jack likes to surprise the kids with fun things that he thinks he is going to miss.

Like Easter!
So he got up early Saturday morning and planted Easter eggs all over the yard for the kids.

My sweet Em was really getting the hang of it this year.

Oh he was just a wild man and far too big to fall for the Easter bunny line Papa was feeding him.
J-Mom I know it was Papa that hid the eggs.
M-Why is that?
J-I saw the extra candy in the house and the Easter bunny doesn't hide the eggs....we do
M-Ok Jackson but don't ruin it for the little kids.
He is getting way to smart for me.

Boy she was so serious about finding just as many as her brother.

I love pictures with their Papa it always makes them look so small.

Js new old buddy. Two of the horses died last winter so this one that was all mean is now very nice and loves all the attention he is getting from the kids when we are there.

Saturday afternoon on the beach.

The wind was so strong that the kite was dragging Jeff.

Isn't this just crazy. I love the way the dry sand looks blowing around

Now back to reality

Day 2 with the girls

We started our day with a trip into Tillamook and the feed store.

Both the chick and the baby are saying "What is that!?!"

What a funny little duck

I know everyone is sick of hearing it but can you believe that this baby is 8 days younger than Emery. I think its the hair that makes her look so much older.

TThe man got this duck out because it had the same hair do as the baby

Cheezzzze for the cheese factory

The girls were happy to see the conveyor going. Evidently they had never seen it before.

The little old ladies on the line kept waving at the kids

J-let me taste yours .
A-OK if I can taste yours.

Mmmmm wild mulberry

Mel and her kids

Little mans first taste of ice cream

We went back to the ranch for lunch and some outside time.

Oh these two are going to be trouble when they are older.

After lunch we headed over to the dairy and helped feed the baby cows.
Fresh milk straight from the cow.

J thought it would be funny to put my sun glasses on the baby

Everyone always loves the little jersey cows. I think its because they look like little deer.

Oh and we played with the goats

and looked at the new pigs

then the kids all got a ride in Papa's old truck

And we spent some time blowing bubbles with Grandma.

and enjoying the sun on the lawn

J and I trying to do hand stands

After dinner the girls had to head home so the kids walked over to say good-bye to the horses.

Me and our almost two year olds

What a fun time for us to be able to have such great company. There is nothing better than some well deserved girl time. I need to do this more.

Spring Break

Every year Jackson's spring break starts the Thursday before due to parent/teacher conferences.
I decided that I would go ahead and take the kids out to the coast on Thursday. After making this decision I started to dread it.
I hate going to the coast alone.
I can't sleep.
My kids get all needy when its just me.
And its just no fun by myself .

So I asked some of the girls to come out with me and bring their kids. There was 10 of us all together, 3 moms and 7 kids ranging from 7 years to 11 months.
The first thing we did after being in the car for 2 hours and getting settled in was walk down to the river and get some of the wiggles out.

This is Melody and her girls

just looking at a plane.

Kera and her little man

Then we headed off to the beach to enjoy the sun and the sand.

All the kids - J he was hiding over in the dune, silly boy

He is teething and all he wanted to do was bite his mom.

My baby can be so darn independent some times

Jackson was such a good sport with not having a boy his own age to play with.

I love it when they are playing nice

I know I don't say it enough. But doesn't she look just like an angel

After a great afternoon on the beach we had chili for diner and put them all to bed.
Once the kids were all sleeping the moms went out and sat in the hot tub, drank sparkling cider and listened to the coyotes.