Morris Family in Mexico: Summer in Oregon

Our trip to Oregon this summer was the longest time that we've gotten to spend in Oregon since our move: 5 and a half weeks...it was delightful! And due to a work project in Portland, Ben was able to be with the kids and I almost the whole time. He worked during the week, while the kids and I enjoyed time at the house and visiting people locally, and then we had a trip every weekend. As always, it felt busy, but it was wonderful to travel around Oregon with people we love.

Our first weekend was the annual Morris family reunion at Crooked River. The kids went a day early with their grandparents, and then Ben and I joined them for a couple nights. I didn't take many pictures this weekend (actually, the whole summer I didn't spend as much time as usual behind the camera). Crooked River was full of the usual fun things: swimming, cliff jumping, family games, corn hole, and TONS of cousins.

Josh and Ellie

The new game this year was Spike Ball

It was a blast! (Uncle Caleb came down for the day and was a great partner with Ben)

New twins to the family: Brody and Brooklyn (twins holding twins: Seth and Sam)

Oldest to youngest for the Morris/Hansen boys

Sam after the family scavenger hunt. Josh with a mask that sweet Aunt Bethany provided for craft time.

Hanging with Deedo

All the grandkids for story time with Deedo

Littles with grandma: look at Josh's dirty feet!

It was such a treat to have Uncle Levi visit for a day!

Almost the whole family for dinner (Caleb wasn't there yet)

Our second weekend getaway was to visit my parents in Lakeview. While there, we got to visit some friends that own horses and the boys got to ride. It was a highlight of the trip!

Kenna, the Stratton family's oldest daughter, was such a kind and patient teacher to Seth and Sam.

Lane, who was my high school math teacher, got Josh to go do some farm chores with him.

Sam

It was really neat to watch the three of them together.

Seth

Kenna led Josh around on a horse for a bit

The three boys together: picture perfect.

Ben rode Pedro the horse with Josh for a bit. Then, he put Josh down and decided to play cowboy and canter a bit solo. Well, in the weirdest turn of events, Pedro the horse tripped and fell on top of Ben. Thankfully the way the fall happened, Ben (and the horse) weren't seriously injured, but Ben was pretty bruised up and probably even cracked a rib. It's now one of Ben's favorite stories to retell and he loves to use the phrase, "Well, you haven't survived being thrown from a horse..."

The next day, we took a picnic out to this beautiful creek.

Ben and the boys immediately got to work erecting a dam

Hot dogs on the fire

Sam and Seth practicing with their compound bows

Mom and Dad

The boys were trying to make slides in the creek

But the water was FREEZING

Seth braving the freeze

Joshy hanging with daddy after he got too cold.

My boys

The truck ride with Grandma

After Lakeview, we were all home together for one day, and then the kids left for a camping trip at the beach with Ben's parents and their cousins. This was their second time joining Jeff and Diane for their church family camp and it is becoming quite the fun tradition!

Josh and Ellie

The kids spend a lot of time on bikes and having treats with their grandparents.

Josh, Ellie, Seth, Sam, Haley and Joelle. Ben's parents met Joelle through the school that Jeff works at. She needed a home and Jeff and Diane felt called to provide it for her; she is now one of the family and fits in so well. It was a joy to get to know her this summer!

The third weekend we were home, my sister and her family came up to our house for a sleepover and then an adventure to Mt. St. Helens. I think that the kids might have liked the sleepover the best!

Hanging out in our wonderful yard.

The big kids all got to sleep in the play fort (first time!) We had bets on whether or not they would make it all night in the fort--and they actually did! We aren't sure how much they actually slept, but I do know that I was awoken at 6:00 am with the sounds of them playing tag in the lawn. What a sweet memory for them all!

Mt. St. Helen's Visitor Center

Filling out the Junior Ranger books.

Saying the pledge to get the free badge (look at little Henry in the background)

How beautiful is this lake we stopped at for a picnic lunch?!

Coldwater Lake (formed when the volcano erupted in 1981)

I love these pictures of all of us together so much!

Josh and Edmund: best buds

The cousins

Our family

The Platos

Looking at the crater was awesome!

We'd like to hike to the peak with the boys someday soon!

Katie and all the kids

Sweet little John Henry

Katie and I

On our trip home, Katie and I had to figure out how to pump gas all on our own for the first time. (We don't pump our own gas in Oregon, but the mountain is in Washington where it's self serve gas.)

Katie's oldest, Miriam (13), is almost as tall as me!

We were able to get all of our immediate Morris family together (and Aunt Joann and Aunt Cindy too) to celebrate Levi's 21st birthday at Jeff and Diane's house. I made cochinta pibil with pickled onion and jalepenos for everyone! Mexican cuisine for the win!

All together!

The brothers; I love seeing them all together so much.

Sam, Levi and Seth

Uncle Caleb playing with the kiddos

Our fourth weekend getaway was a camping trip with the Morris' to Catherine Creek. It was my favorite camping trip ever. The campground was scenic, serene, and we had it to ourselves almost the whole time. We fell asleep to the sound of the creek water rolling by. It was such a restful and rejuvenating time for me.

Perfect location for our tent.

We spent hours just chilling, reading, and chatting by the creek.

The kids were determined to raft the river.

Especially Sam. So determined.

Different raft, different day, still trying.

Seth at the creek

The kids spent all day at the creek. I finally realized that camping can be a beautiful thing as your kids get older and explore, and I can sit with a cup of coffee and book in my hand.

Holly is just the best sister-in-law I could ask for!

Check out Ellie's chin bruise from sledding down the stairs.

Popsicle time for grandkids!

Uncle Nathan made the kids bow and arrows from sticks and strings.

Josh was so thrilled and toted his around for the rest of the summer.

Sam and Seth with their bows

Family dinner

Playing sequence

One evening, we all headed out on a drive and scouting trip together. The mountain views were amazing.

The scouting crew

The ladies hiked up to the ridge top.

Mom and Joelle

Benji with the twins

Little Haley just loves Joelle, and Joelle loves her back, and it's one of the sweetest pictures of redemption I've ever seen. God is good!

More moments at the creek.

Cousin picture in the beautiful scenery.

Morris boys

Our final weekend at home, Ben and I split ways: Ben to "man camp" in central Oregon with his childhood buddies, and I flew to Washington DC to visit my friend Megan. We were so grateful to both sets of grandparents for helping out with the kids to make it happen. (Pictures of my DC trip to come on a different post).

And, of course, in between all these big trips, were the small, delightful visits with family and friends.

We got all the cousins together again at my sister's house

I love these goofy pictures so much.

These cousin have the best relationship.

I was gifted Spike Ball for my birthday and we played in the yard as the sun went down.

We met the Willard family for a picnic dinner one night at the Rose Garden.

We had such a great time and are thankful for enduring friendships.

Also a fun moment: the whole family had pitched in to buy compound bows for Seth and Sam for their birthday. They got to go to an archery shop and get them all set up and learn to shoot.