Gabe's Two Loves

Gabriel's girlfriend, Cris, came to visit after her vacation to Venice Beach, CA. She brought him back a matching sweatshirt and had to bring it to him in person. So, we had to get a picture of Gabe and the love of his life. He plans on marrying her someday.

Gabriel's second love. . . watermelon! He loves it so much he'll eat three heaped bowls full of it and still wants more but he can't manage to pack anymore away. He rolls his eyes and closes them as he puts a fresh piece in his mouth!

Cannon Beach & Seaside

Last weekend we took off and drove down to Oregon to our favorite beaches. We needed a little vacation before school started up and these wonderful little beach towns provide a fun and relaxing family atmosphere. Mike and I have been playing at these beaches since our old dating days, and now it's so much fun watching Gabe explore them all over again.

We played for hours and hours when we first got there. There were so many new things so see because it had been so long since we were kids ourselves. Kids make the most simple things seem so amazing! Gabe found some girls to play with. He loves girls already! They were not only older women, in the second grade, but they were twins!

The next morning we woke up and made our way to Gearhart which is a tiny little town just before Seaside. There is a tasty little bakery that we had to jaunt into and then we had to go to the beach where Mike showed Gabe where to find silverdollars. He had so much fun. He made his way to the water's edge where the waves were finishing their ride onto the beach. Much to his surprise, the water doesn't always begin rolling back to the sea at the same spot. The next wave began making its way towards shore when Gabriel realized that it was still coming. He began backpedaling and tripped himself up, and landed on his backside with the wave rolling in underneath him. When he stood up, he had a perfect line down the sides of him where we could see that the back half was soaking wet and front half was dry. He loved it! From there on out he just wanted to get wet and sandy!

. . . Then the rains came! We moved onto the beach at Seaside and it started pouring. It was so much fun! We ran back to the car, changed Gabe's clothes, put on our coats, put Gabe in a backpack and made our way through the stores. He fell fast asleep for the next three hours. When he woke up, it was still just pouring so we made our way to the aquarium so he could run around to get some energy out before the ride home and be able to look at the sealife. But, as you can tell from the pictures, he was a little scared of the creatures and wanted us to hold him.

We had such a fun time! It was really nice to get away and play and watch Gabe reinvent one of our favorite spots.

August '07

We took Gabe to a local fishing hole at the Olson Mansion. He enjoyed looking at the trout and especially loved throwing food into the water to watch them swim and jump to eat his treats.

Okay...all of you are going to say that this is a long time coming in our family. But, Gabriel just got his first hoop. He LOVES any kind of ball (except soccer balls because it's not a sport), but basketballs are his favorite.

He let us know that it was time. Mike and I were using the table saw to split a 10ft. piece of wood lengthwise. We propped up the longest end as we cut and Gabriel brought his bball over and began shooting over the top.....over and over! It was so sad that we've been depriving him all this time!!! So, we literally finished cutting the beam and ran out to Toys R Us to get a hoop.

I must say that he has incredible form, he follows through and leaves his hand in the cookie jar until the ball goes through the hoop. We even have him saying, "jump shot," as he shoots. Right now he's working on his jumping. He can get both feet off the floor but he can't land it yet, except on his bum!

I had to take a picture of him in this little Tshirt and shorts. I just love this surfer style on him. He's really looking like a little boy and there's not much baby about him anymore.

After I took the first picture of him standing, I told him that I wanted to take his picture again and I said, "smile." He immediately turned around, climbed the stairs and posed for the camera several different ways. I couldn't believe that he actually posed! He's such a little character and he thinks that he's pretty funny too!

Summer '07 Continued

Every morning I have been making a protein shake and Gabe loves them as well. He wants his own cup with a straw and has to sit in his red chair as he slurps away. He's pretty particular in what he wants.....I'm not sure where he gets that!?!

Gabriel discovered that when we turn on the sprinkler, full blast, it whips around and he loves to get wet! The sprinkler pretty much kicks his butt when he plays with it!

Goofball!

I think that there's just a law somewhere, that parents are supposed to take their child's picture wearing their daddy's shoes.
Mike came back from basketball camp and brought Gabe this sweatband and wristband. We took him to Starbucks looking this way and he was the hit of the cafe. He's such a good sport to put up with us embarrassing him like this.

Yo Grandmama brought Gabe a bunch of puppets. He's so curious but still unsure of these types of things. He would allow himself to get close, but then would usually hit the puppet and then back away quickly....chicken!

Yeah, we're having fun this summer! I just love all of this time off with Gabriel and Mike! Enjoy the rest of your summer everyone!

Backyard Stage 1

We finally began putting in a backyard!!! It seems as though it has been a long time coming. Here is the list of what we are in the midst of accomplishing: Mike and I are in the process of building a fence along the backside, a popular arbor will top the back fence line and we will grow Wisteria throughout the woodwork, we poured a foundation for a slate wall that will face the front of a garden and the top of the wall may be used for extra seating, on the edge of the concret patio we will be creating an outdoor kitchen which our BBQ will slide into, in the opposite corner we will be building a waterfall with Mike's favorite Indian Paintbrush flower growing amongst the rockery, and last of course we'll be laying down sod.

These are pieces to the arbor that Mike is designing.

Of course, Gabriel was a huge help! It was raining so hard, but he wanted to be right out there with us. So, we put him in his farm garb and camo rubber boots and let him play!

I just love this picture! My little man!