The Fourth with Friends.

We had a great 4th of July hanging out with some new friends we made well we were in Winston, Amy and David. (Amy came over to the house at least once a week and had lunch with me. I think I would have gone insane if it was not for her visits.)

Our first stop of the day was to the local firehouse. They had hot dogs and activities for the kids. Derrick got to aim the firehouse at a "burning" house and put the fire out. They also were giving rides for the fire truck. Sadly well waiting in line, they got called to a FIRE or some other emergency and had to leave.  It being the 4th I was not really surprised the fire truck had to leave!!

Our next stop was the parade were we had FRONT ROW SEATS!! Derrick and Riley got LOTS of candy. Derrick worked for it running to get it when ever it was thrown. Riley just like to be the recipient and sat on her chair the entire time eating whatever she was brought! Owen fell asleep half way though.

Amy and David "borrowed" Derrick to watch the fireworks at their house that night. Riley and I enjoyed them from the living room window. At least we tried, we did not have a very good view. Once again Owen missed out because he was sleeping!

The BEACH.

The second week we were in Oregon my sister's and niece came down for a ten day vacation. My parents and my brother treated us to a weekend at the coast. Shannon and me and our kids sleep in a YURT. It was pretty exciting. WAY better than a tent and a lot cheaper then a hotel room! We plan on taking a summer vacation to the same place next year and renting a yurt again.

 

The kids loved playing in the Ocean. Covering themselves with sand, and looking for seashells. The last day we were they it rained, but that did not stop us from going to the beach one last time.  Owen shoved sand in his mouth at one point, I thought he was going to chock to death before I could get it all out. We made sure we brought the play pen to the beach after that.

Derrick was even big enough to go up to the VERY TOP of the light house.  You can hardly see out the windows. The guide told us it is because they are afraid that someone might get hurt if they cleaned them. Good thing it is really not a working light house anymore!

Into the WILD.

This summer was filled with A LOT of trips to the Wildlife Safari. My parents have a pass and we took advantage of it. I think the first week we were in Oregon we went a total  of FOUR times. I lost track of of how many times we went after that. On the road you drive to go to the safari, there is a blue house on the right side of the road. My Dad, used to live in that house. He used to have dreams about lions invading his house and eating his family well they slept. The house was up for sale, but from my understanding no one can live in it because it is to close to the safari. Lions could escape from there cages and eat you in the middle of the night!

Every time we went to the safari we saw something new and exciting. Once the Rhino's were down from the hill, and right next to our car. One of our last trips the Mama Zebra even came down the hill with her baby that was born in June. We even got to see a 2 day old baby ostrich, and lots and lots of baby buffalo.

Derrick's favorite animal was the Cheetah. I think we stopped almost every time to talk to the lady in the cheetah booth. A couple of times she even told us the names of the cheetah's. The only one I remember was Mohawk. A cub, who in fact did have a mohawk. My favorite animal were the bears, and Riley's were the elephants. Before I was married, I got to "sit" on the elephant with my sisters and get our picutre taken. They do not do that anymore. BUT, they do have an elepahant car wash. We never did the car wash, so this is the closest we got to the elephants!