The Party

On a blustery July afternoon, friends and family gathered 'round
to wish one very special little boy a very happy birthday. 

 

The PARTS

 The FOOD

 The PEOPLE

The BABIES

The BIRTHDAY BOY

Special MOMENTS

After everyone had gone home to take long, well-deserved naps, the balloons decided to escape, hopefully to attend some baby squirrel's birthday party at the top of that tree.

Wonderful people. Wonderful pictures. Wonderful day!

Happy Birthday, Jack! We love you!

(More pictures soon!)

Jack's First Camping Trip.

Coppertone Baby, Oregon-style.

My boys.

Sunshine baby!

Footprints.

Our homestead.

Wakey, wakey!

Playtime push-ups.

Pacifier has temporarily come out of retirement
due to two pesky molars.

Jack is not complaining one whit.

Enjoying some morning java.

Last night at camp. Wrapped up all snuggly,
enjoying his neon green bib. 

Jack's a natural! First Collins camping trip
goes down in the books as a success!

Some light reading.

Jack whiling away the time.

Jack's most favorite book

Thank you, Aunt Gwen! You gave Jack this book, along with the mobile, via Bettie Jo. The pages have been nibbled a bit, but it's still in pretty great shape after about 50 readings! Gotta love a little bookworm!

Technology Rocks!

We're many miles apart, and yet...Jack smiles in delight and recognition when he sees his Grandma. It's just not the same as a warm hug, a cuddle and a kiss, but it tides us over until we can get them!

Making Jack's lunch

Once a week I make Jack a protein meal to eat during lunch while I'm at work. Tonight: in-bone pork chops--antibiotic and hormone free--and minced carrots, broccoli, red onion, garlic and rosemary with a teeny tiny, itsy bitsy, eensy weensy bit of olive oil, kosher salt and cracked pepper. All sauteed and then chopped into Jack-size pieces. Off to the freezer they go for 7 days of yummy lunches!

The Tulip Festival

On a beautiful, puffy-white-cloud-kind-of-day, Don and I packed up Jack, some sunblock, a few toys and bottles, and ventured 45 minutes out of town to Woodburn to visit the Wooden Shoe farm for its 25th annual Tulip Festival.

Hazelnut shells made a perfect pathway to the lines for the tram out to the fields.

In the distance you can just make out the vivid colors of the tulips.

Jack relaxing against Mommy for his first tram ride.

Passing a wheat field along the way.

And a few little cow wranglers. Then...

Tulips!

Lots and LOTS of tulips!

Mommy and Daddy (not quite ready for our close-ups) and a sleepy boy.

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful annual friendship.