Packing and packing and some photos!

Sorry, I have been getting so behind and hardly blogging! We went out of town and have also been packing up. Moving is a lot of work. We head for Portland on Saturday, so I don't expect you'll hear from me until sometime next week. 

Here are some photos from our short Oregon trip to see Ian (back from his mission!!), my sister and her husband and new baby, Cedric (I'm an aunt!) and of course my parents!

I am so happy my brother, Ian, is back. I missed him so much!

I have quite a bit more to blog about, but no time right now. So, in the future, look for a 4 month update (I will actually try and do this before we leave, she is already 4 1/2 months!), Harry Potter party, and a catch-up on Weekly photos!

The Weekly Photo

If you follow me on Instagram, then you already saw this photo/drawing. Sorry, but I love it! My brother, Ian, who is on an LDS mission, sent this in the mail to Elanor! Elanor often sends Ian her artwork (we only send her best pieces) and he usually sends her a drawing back. It is often just a funny little sketch, so it was wonderful to get this beautiful water color. Ian wrote that it is his dream tree house. Elanor and I have had a fun time looking at it and exploring all the little areas. Can you spot the tire swing? 

The Weekly Photo(s)

Here are four weeks worth of Weekly Photos since I could not put pictures up for the past four weeks. Most of these (except the picture for this last week) were taken with my sister's iPhone. I got a new camera and I have loved being able to take pictures again!

Monday, June 24th

My sister Jessica was still in town (in SLC) and we did a ton of fun things while she was here, including going on a ferris wheel. (photo by Becky)

Monday, July 1st 

My family.

Monday, July 8th

I know, two pictures, but it was a big week!

Saying good bye to Uncle Ian & Playing by the seaside.

Monday, July 15th

At the Payson Scottish Festival

Overload

Yep, I have been out of town for the past two and half weeks. Elanor, my sister, Jessica, and I drove up to Oregon on June 22nd and we have been there since. Tyler flew up for a few days, but because of his new job, he does not have much vacation time yet. We primarily went back because my little brother, Ian, was leaving to go on a mission for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We had a family party and he spoke at church. Of course, we also went back to see family. I did not have a camera this whole trip so all of these pictures were taken with my mom or my sister's iPhone, so I only have pictures of when Jessica or my mom was with me.

Some highlights of the trip:

--Rafting at Girls Camp (my mom is the camp director for our church's week-long camp for girls in our area)

--Going out to lunch with Papa and Mema (Tyler's parents)

--Playing with cousins, Casen and Colbi

--Ian's Farewell Party and seeing my Grandpa, Vonnie, Aunt Terri and Uncle Paul, Auntie Julie, the Forkey's, and many more friends who came out for Ian's party.

--both of Ian's talks at church (singles and family ward)

--Having Tyler there for five days and spending time with his family.

--Swimming in Mema's pool

--Going sailing on the Columbia River with my family

--Canoeing with Caitlin

--Going to the beach with the Forkey family

--Fireworks on the beach

Here are a ton of pictures:

Farewell Party/family photos

My family!

Forkey/Scott Kids--we are just missing Jacob. (FYI--the Forkey parents were friends with my parents in college and have kept up their friendship all these years. Which is why they feel like family.

Uncle Ricky was very good at keeping Elanor entertained.

Elanor coloring with Vonnie.

Sailing/swimming in the Columbia:

Sailing on the Columbia.

My dad in his element.

My brothers, Ian and Erik--they are the best.

Saying goodbye to Uncle Ian.

Elanor in my parents awesome claw foot tub.

 Beach:

At the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

Jessica and I trying to get Elanor to look at the camera.

4th of July dessert-- Pavlova--a meringue base with lemon curd, whipped cream and fresh berries on top.

Fireworks on the beach. Elanor loved all the fireworks this year. There were a ton of other people also doing fireworks on the beach (illegal big ones), so we had an awesome fireworks experience. Elanor loved it! She kept saying, "This is soooo exciting!!!".

Elanor getting her nails painted by Noelle Forkey.

Buried in sand.

Being cute with Grandpa.

Erik, Elanor and my mom/Nan.

Noelle and I

All the girls.

We had a great time and I am just sad I did not get more pictures or any with Tyler's family. Email me your pictures, pretty please?

On Monday for my Weekly Photo, I will be posting one picture for every week I missed and also this week as well.

I will be back to blogging more frequently and I got a new camera!! 

Easter Weekend

My brother came down from BYU-I for Easter weekend! It was so nice to have Ian here for Easter. I took quite a few pictures so this is mostly going to be a photo post, with limited dialogue (maybe).

On Friday, we went on a little hike. It was refreshing to be in the mountains and be out in the lovely spring weather!

It was pretty hard to get a group shot (Tyler was at work, if anyone was wondering). We all look sort of silly here. Oh, well.

Easter treats! Meringue and Whipped Cream Sandwiches, recipe here.

Decorating eggs! We dyed all of our eggs while they were boiling with this powdered German-made stuff. It is supposed to all-natural?! Who knows as it was all written in German... They make very pretty colors though and Elanor had fun putting these Easter themed (bunnies, birds, and eggs) foam stickers on her eggs (thanks to Tyler's mom/Mema!).

Hard at work.

Ian drew on his, as he is quite the artist...for real. Though, he drew mostly silly stuff like this:

(It is Humpty Dumpty)

 Elanor's Easter basket. 

Elanor kept going on for weeks about how the Easter bunny was going to bring her a lollipop. I am not quite sure how that idea got into her little head but she was so excited about it (she has had a lollipop maybe once or twice). The lollipop is in the basket handle and Whole Foods gave it to us for free. She is easy to please. Elanor was also pretty excited about the book about Jesus and loves to give Jesus hugs and kisses (she hugs and kisses the book).

She is so excited about that lollipop.

Yes, I am aware this is ridiculously blurry but it is the only picture I have of that all important lollipop. She was jumping all around with joy that I had a hard time getting her to stand still long enough for picture.

Easter egg hunt in the morning all around the living room!

She found them all! She only needed help with a few eggs, but she mostly did the hunt on her own this year!

Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns, one a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns.

Breakfast on Easter morning!

 All ready to go to church (Elanor had two Easter dresses, so the lucky girl was able to get dressed up twice in one day!).

 Home from church and it was such a warm Easter day!

 Family pictures, sort of. There was a weird filter on in the first one and Ian was taking them and not too keen on spending much time getting a good picture with a wiggly toddler.

 Elanor and the Jesus picture she got in her Easter basket.

Strawberry shortcake for dessert.

I forgot to take a picture of our dinner, which is a pity since we ate a roast leg of lamb (bone-in) and it looked fairly impressive.

 After dinner we went on a walk (Elanor got in Easter dress #2 after her nap--dress is from Mema! Thank you!).

Dancing with her Daddy along the way.

 She has dandelions in her hair.

Spring is finally here and I am so grateful for Easter and the time of year we have it. It means so much more because it happens in Spring when all that was dead and brown all winter is suddenly reborn in a riot of color. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and all he did for everyone. Literally, everyone. I am grateful that Jesus was resurrected and lives again and I love that he made it possible for all of us to do the same. We had such a lovely Easter!