First Grade

Natalie's first day of 1st grade!

Electricity

I've been occupied lately with working again, it's hard to want to sit down at the computer in the evening after being at one all day long.

Natalie starts school this coming Wednesday.  Big first grader!

So, again, this post will be short until I can think of something more in depth to think of.  Sorry everyone!  Here's some fun pictures:

Natalie is truly electrifying.....her energy she emits to me and Ern, her love for her Grandma and Papa, and all her other family members.  She has a connection to nature, music, dance.  Her shyness holds her back, but when I see it shine and sparkle, it lights me up!  It's electrifying!

She also ADORES Mae.  Mae B!

Lastly, the swirls have reappeared!

A short trip

We went on a short trip to the Oregon coast this past weekend.  We camped at an Oregon State Park called Bullard's Beach State Park.  These were very well maintained campsite with full hook-ups, hot showers, and each site was very private.  Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Auntie April and Natalie

Coquille River Lighthouse

A Labyrinth at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Natalie and I with Kahlua at the Labyrinth

My mom and dad's dog Bodhi "relaxing" at camp



New Fountain

Ern's 34th birthday is July 27th.  He loves making water fountains. So, as my gift to him, he is making a fountain.  Here are some nearly finished photos of his new creation.  He designed it, found the pot, and did all the work.  To him, this was much more fun for him than looking online at a fountain someone else made and buying it.  I told him he should go into business.  :)

Swimming

Here are some pictures that my sister April took of Natalie at swim lessons the other day.  She is doing far better than I did when I was 6 years old!

I apologize ahead of time for the "bars" in the picture.  We were observing from outside the instructor's pool fence.  :)

Fog in July!

Today I have awoken to cool, foggy weather.  We live 100+ miles from the ocean here in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California.  It's also July 13th, which is very unusual for this time of year.

When Natalie was 2 or 3, Ernie's mom came and stayed with us for a couple of weeks to watch Natalie.  She is from Crescent City, which is the last city on California coast before you enter Oregon.  It is nearly foggy, rainy, and cool all year there, so when she comes down here during the summer months, the hot weather is usually a bit of a shock for her.  Well, while she was staying with us for those 2 weeks, we had a day exactly like this morning.  It was foggy, cool, and smelled like the ocean air.

I don't mind it, but Natalie has swim lessons today, so she will probably be freezing!

Swirls return

We post Natalie's art on our refrigerator.  Not all of it of course, but just some of the ones we're intrigued by, or that touch us the most.

We've had this picture on our fridge for about a month now, but I just now noticed the swirls at the bottom of her guy's shoes.

Here's a closer look:

And this one she painted 2 days ago, which she said is titled "Miracle".