The Last Days of Summer

As the summer winds down, our property blesses us with so much. We have blackberries galore, cherry tomatoes, beautiful heirloom tomatoes, apples, figs, and other random fruits and veggies. In the next couple of months, we'll harvest our english walnuts and hazelnuts.

I started making applesauce today. I had apples cooking all morning. While I waited, I prepared some for drying as well. Kyla helped me grind the apples, what a great helper she is! So, when you come for dinner next time, don't be surprised if there is applesauce on the table:) When my second apple tree is ready, we'll have lots more apples to do. Feel free to come and help:)

Kyla started School!

We had a tremendously important day yesterday. Kyla started Kindergarten! Gavin and I drove her to Wascher Elementary School and delivered her to Mrs. Imholt's classroom. This was a practice day for the kindergarteners, only a third of the class were there. She got to meet her teacher and the assistant and some of the kids that will be in her class. We dropped her off at 8am and picked her up @ 10:45. Friday will be her first real full day of class. Next week she gets to start riding the bus. She can hardly wait!

Gavin and I had a quiet couple of hours here at home. It seemed a little strange without her here. I teared up a few times as I dropper her off and as I picked her up. I was so proud of her. Our little shy girl jumped right into this new experience and just waved at me as we left. I've been praying that her heart was made ready for this and that she was excited to start this adventure. She did great!

Oregon State Fair

Kyla has been doing chores for commission for about three months now and she has saved $5. She wanted badly to ride the carnival rides at the fair this year and we told her that she had to work for it:) The ticket man wasn't too impressed with having to count out $5 in change, but in the end, Kyla used her hard earned $$ for rides.


Kyla's first pick was a ride with Daddy:) We found out that Daddy just doesn't have what it takes any more.


The kiddos went on the canoe ride next. Unfortunately, there weren't many rides that Gavin could go on (maybe 2).


We checked out the Horse barns next and watched them pull weights. It was kind of slow and the kids weren't too impressed. We listened to a Japanese Drum group, Gavin got down to the beat:) We even got free icecream thanks to Kyla winning a free cone!


We hit the petting zoo, lego land, and the quilt area. Kyla choose a couple more rides to go. By 5:30 we were all tired and getting a bit grumpy. After our long awaited elephant ear, we headed home. The kids didn't even make it out of Salem before they were asleep:) Yes, that is them under the jackets, the sun was in their eyes:)
















Kyla starts school tomorrow so it was a quick bath and an even quicker dinner and off to bed in preparation for the next Riddle adventure:)

My Brothers Little Family

I was blessed with the opportunity to take family photos of my brother and his new little family this weekend. Gabe is 7 weeks old and such a beautiful little man! This is their first child and he seems to complete them very well. You choose who he looks like:) I couldn't pick my favorite so I'll just put a few of my favorites:)

Special People Galore!

What a special day! Donny, our family friend, is home from the Navy for a short visit and his Mom, Shirley, threw a party for him up in Portland. What made the day even more special, was that Josh, Randi and Gabe drove down to visit! (my brother, Sister-in-law and nephew) Chad finally was able to meet his nephew and I finally got to hold him! He's a beautiful boy and really likes to sleep:)

Donny hasn't seen the kids since Megan's wedding in the spring of 2007. Kyla was a little shy, but Gavin thought he was so cool:)

Josh, Gabe and Donny

Kyla holding her cousin for the first time

Ready... Set....

We are all ready for Kyla to start school on Tuesday. She will be attending Wascher Elementary School here in Lafayette monday through friday in their morning Kindergarten class. Her teacher is Mrs. Imholt. We've figured out where the bus will pick her up (1/2 way down the block) and what time Kyla needs to be up in the morning (7am on the dot). Yesterday my mom came over to help watch Gavin and we all went school clothes shopping for Kyla. We have been blessed with lots of wonderful hand-me-downs so we didn't need much more to get her outfitted for the school year. Here she is with all of her "school clothes."


After Kyla was done getting her picture taken with her clothes, Gavin plopped right down in the same spot and said "Cheese!" How FUNNY!


Notice his shoes, Grandma bought them for him for next summer, he hasn't taken them off since we got home yesterday:) He is my shoe man. He will put on any type of shoe in any size that is available and traipse all over the house. It's really quite entertaining.

Please keep us in your prayers as school time creeps closer. Kyla is excited and then scared. She's not sure she wants to go at this point. Please pray that her heart is calm and that she falls in love with her teacher, but most important of all, that she is a beacon of Christ in her classroom.

Amazing Uncle Todd!

Chad's brother has been here since Friday due to Frank's passing and we've been enjoying his visit as much as possible. He lives in Colorado and unfortunately, we don't get to see him as often as we'd like. On Monday, Chad and Todd discussed/debated one subject for over 4 hours! They were both happy campers:) On Tuesday, Trina and Todd came over for dinner and then we all played outside. Here are some pics of Super Uncle Todd with the kids:)

Todd introducing the wonders of cell phones to Gavin

The Todd and Kyla Band!