Deschutes 2015

Rafting...
Preparing for the rafting trips usually starts months and months before the actual trip. Not only do we have to try and get everyone to ACTUALLY apply for a permit in DEC/JAN, we then have to all the meal planning and head counting.
This year was again, kind of a mess. The head count kept changing and the "responsible" adults who can provide food, was also fluctuating.
Still, like every year we were able to somehow magically bring it all together and have an amazingly wonderful family rafting trip.

Going into it I was kind of (okay extremely) bummed that Brent would be missing it. I was set on taking all three of the boys by my lonesome.

Although I am totally used to being their mother, this is a huge undertaking...mainly because I USUALLY have to help soooo much as well.

Again, the boys surprised me. It was an awesome trip.

Days 1 & 2

Day one of rafting is the day before we actually leave. This is when everyone is supposed to drop off the food and we load the coolers. In addition we pull out enough life jackets, tents, sleeping pads, etc...
NO ONE ever shows up to help for this. So it is usually Me (minus my kiddos), Annette, Spencer, sometimes Justin, and that is it.

Which leaves a lot of work to do the morning we are trying to leave. This year was no different.
We tried to get as much ready as possible, but BONUS this year Jay's friend Hansen and niece Heather showed up. They were great at helping and we got much more done than if they were not going on this trip.

We all showed up the next morning and the usual stuff happened...loading, waiting, stressing, and wrangling up the kids....and then finally leaving!

At camp the first night we just get the boats inflated and sometimes put them in the water.
This year we got there with a lot of time, it was nice.

I set up the tent when it started sprinkling, but then I took it down when it stopped and the sky cleared.

Not long after we got to camp Annette had a pretty bad fall on a rock in camp. Scared me to DEATH.
I looked over and saw her feel flying up over her head...
Jay ended up wrapping her wrist, but it was getting pretty swollen.

Mitch brought his cribbage board and was so thankful there were people who took the time to play with him.

All the boats were aired up, and frames strapped in. We had a good filling dinner, and even caught a couple shooting stars. I got the boys all ready for bed and we slept out on our tarp.

The next morning we woke up ready to get on the water...

Loading the boats!

Our little helpers...up at the nose of the boat and out of the way?!

We finally got ready and got on the water. I was a little nervous because Mitch and Jordan were rowing their own boat this year. I wanted us to all stay together...but it always becomes this race to the camp spot. This frustrates me, and I definitely voice my frustrations liberally.

Still, we made it to camp. August helped a bit and then I pulled out his toys! He was occupied for a while.

We ended up staying on a tiny ROCKY sliver of the camp, because the camp "we" wanted was occupied for that night. So when they leave in the morning we could swoop over and get it. Again, I laid out our tarp and it started sprinkling so I set up the tents.

Then I was able to just sit and watch the river. My favorite part.
It is so quiet, peaceful, and lovely. I just breath deeply and take it all in and try to calm the heck down!
I get kind of high strung when I am not in control of everything. Hahaha...especially when the kids are involved. So being here is wonderful for my psyche. I can start feeling small and humbled.

The boys have a blast too!

My henna tattoo that Carleen did

Family, chilin on the boats!

Jordan and Mitch were pretty tired from rowing...

August LOVES Spencer

Honey, with her duct taped wrist

Nap time once the unloading was done!

August didn't hesitate to get in the water. He was ready to swim.

Uncle Max took the boys out in the water.

*if only this was in focus*

After swimming the card games ensued...

Honey, sitting pretty in the kitchen

 Prepping dinner.
It was a wonderful makeshift pot roast type dish.

Days 3 and 4

And that was day three...
Now on to day four!

Daddy's Day Surprises!

So this year was kind of tricky...

Since the boys were going to camp on consecutive weekends it was hard to have them home (or all together) the last FEW weeks.
And since I am a great procrastinator by nature I of course waited until the LAST minute to do anything.
I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but I needed inspiration.

So I packed Brayden and August up and went to JoAnn fabrics...

Ohh...I just get so many great ideas when I walk through that place. I love the free flow of creativity!

Anyways...it was hard to kind of loosen the reigns and let the boys have a voice in this. I usually have it all planned out and just need them to contribute tiny bits...this time I really tried to involve them.

So after much deliberation and discussion Bray decided they should make Dad a t-shirt. We  had a slight disagreement on the color...but then I remembered it was for them to do. NOT me to dictate. Bray wanted to do a teal shirt. He said that Brent had told him that teal was one of his favorite colors...and I was trying to tell Bray that no Dad does not like teal. I realized that I needed to stop, and I need to empower my children.

So we got a teal shirt.

I had brainstormed a couple ideas, and lucky me some other wonderful people had already thought of similar ones, so I was able to show Brayden and August and get their opinion.

Here is what we decided to put on the T-shirt:

I sewed a tree trunk out of felt and then made different color greens from fabric paint, and they each did their hand prints.
It turned out perfect. I was very excited.

The original inspiration:

Then for what I chose to do...

I wanted to do a picture of the boys.
Brent has commented on various occasions that he would like to go get our pictures done again.
(I need to find a good place for family photos!)

Because...I agree, but when I look at my picture wall my favorites are the ones that came from natural moments.
NOT posed and prepped for. The times where we captured an emotion or event that was significant to us, without a tripod and bunch of backdrops and lighting equipment.

That said...I tried to do some pics that were semi POSED and looked intentional.

I found some great ideas, but having the BOYS that I do they were not the most cooperative.
PLUS I love EVERY picture...
It is hard to choose.

After trying to get Bray to STOP doing a double chin, and August to keep his tongue in his mouth I finally just accepted that ONE of these would have to work.

I had Bray help me "edit" them and play around with different effects.
Finally we were ready to have it printed!

I bought a great 11x14 frame and ordered our print.
When I went to pick it up, however, it was a blow up of August's foot. She said that is how it was sent to her...
UGH!!! FRUSTRATION...
So I took the SD card with the pic on it and went to place after place and it would not fit in 11x14 and I really didn't want it poster size or on mounted canvas...Blah!

Finally at Rite Aid of all places it was able to fit on a 8x12! NOT 8x10 (which they make frames for in abundance...) and 8x12.

After unsuccessfully finding a frame in that size I just added some extra mounting/scrapbook paper to the frame I had previously bought and it looks just fine!

Of course Brent has had to work all week and weekend, so he still has not seen these.
He will be home Thursday night!
And his presents are waiting for him...

*Bray and Aug also picked out a card that sings the Lazy Song and has a Dad relaxing...

I am just so grateful for having such a wonderful example for our boys who shows them constantly how to live with integrity and humility.
He is selfless and loving, courageous and resilient.An exceptional husband and father.

And for that we try to honor him on Father's Day! (well...close enough to father's day)