Oregon Berries

Last year we missed out on Blueberry picking, it was so sad! 

About 4 years ago, our friends let us know about this small blueberry patch at their neighboring property in Sherwood. The owners had just moved to the property and didn't really publicize their blueberry patch. The bushes were usually dripping with berries and no one else was there to pick them so we made out like bandits. They sell them for super cheap too. This year, I couldn't contact the woman to see if the farm was open, the number I had was disconnected, but it was such a good deal in the past that we just decided to drive way out there, knock on the door and see if we could pick some berries. The owner answered and let us know that due to some health issues with her mother, she hadn't maintained the blueberry patch and hadn't been down to look at it in a long time but we were welcome to go check it out and see what we could get. So that is what we did. 

I know this story is not really interesting to anyone else, but I like it on my blog, so whatevs!

 We found that many of the berries were shriveled and many were overcome with blackberry bushes (which sadly, are not in season yet!) But we were still able to find some good little spots.

Edwin liked eating all the berries...green, purple, and blue! He also really liked picking up and throwing all the manure that had been laid in the rows.

 Miles loves blueberries and picked for awhile. But then stopped to play with Charlie who refused to pick any berries because he is suddenly not a blueberry fan!

My berries spilled from a piece of the bucket breaking off when I picked it up.  Luckily the berries fell in a not-so-manurey spot so I saved a bunch of them, but still, many fell deep into the grass, and I couldn't get them. (I did wash them when I got home, in case you were wondering!)

After picking up too much manure, Edwin was banished to the Ergo which he was not too happy about, even with Daddy passing him blueberries...spoiled baby!

Free at last and back to his mischievous ways!

Anyway, we still ended up with quite a few berries, about 3 gallon size ziploc bags, and it was incredibly cheap so it ended up being a pretty great evening!

Slip 'n slide

This week has been super hot for Portland. At Sunday dinner we talked about going outside and running in the sprinkler with the kids. It would probably be a good memory for them. Max said he must be getting old because he didn't feel like getting wet. then we laughed and realized our sprinkler wasn't at our house and we ended up pulling out the slip n slide. And then we proceeded to have a whole lot of fun...especially when daddy "turbo blasts" you! (gives them an extra shove into the large puddle of water)  And I took some photos of our happy children.

 

And that was a memorable Sunday evening!

Cousin Beach Day

A Wednesday seemed like a good day to get together with my cousins and go to the beach! One cousin, Brittany, already lives at the beach, another cousin (Stephanie) lives near me, and another cousin (Kim) was visiting from the East Coast. We all have kids close in age so it is fun to get together. I was hesitant to go at first because of my unpredictable children but we decided to risk it and go anyway. The boys did great on the drive thanks to some audiobooks. We got to the newly remodeled Tillamook cheese factory a couple minutes before our cousins so we had a lunch picnic by the car. (Where I also had to search high and low for Edwin's glasses lens again, I really need to take his glasses away in the car.) After some snacking we made our way inside to the new and exciting and still SUPER crowded Cheese factory. It was exciting that we could actually see the factory part again but keeping track of my boys in that super crowded environment was stressful. (and it was the middle of a Wednesday!!) 

We waited too long in the cheese sample line...and too long in the ice cream line but it was a memory and I probably wont go there again without Max and probably never on a weekend. Unless it's the middle of winter. Sorry, I feel like I should give them a better review because I love Tillamook, it was just a stressful experience for me.

 

Baby boy is not a huge fan of ice cream, unless there is candy (like M&Ms) in it, then he begs for all the ice cream.

 So upon walking to our car, we took some photos stops...


The manure scented wind in his hair...

Anyway, we made our way to Neskowin beach so we could play in the more shallow water.

That went much more smoothly, I mean after we got the stroller through the sand to our spot.

The big boys played nicely in the little river thanks to the floaties brought by their cousins and Edwin was pretty much happy anywhere! It really does make me happy with how well my boys play near and in the water.

It would appear that Edwin is my favorite child, but that isn't true, he just gets the most photos because I have to watch him the closest! haha!

Edwin chatting with his second cousin Ryker, who is supposed to be napping....

Off to grand adventures...on an alligator!

Get your sandy little hands away from my lens!

He would throw sand in the water then laugh about it! Such simple entertainment!

As it was getting late, we decided to pack up and head home, we luckily had a lot of our packed lunch left over so we passed that out and the boys ate "dinner" while we drove. We finished listening to Marley and Me and then started Runaway Ralph. The drive was smooth and we made it home the exact same time Max got home from the Young Men's activity.