Summer in Portland

We LOVE summers in Portland (and highly recommend that you, friends and family, come visit us this time of year!).

Summers really start fully at the 4th of July.  We had a good time with food, fireworks (LOTS of them!), and friends.

One of our very favorite things to do is go berry picking.

This day, we picked 3 different types of raspberries (including blackcaps on the bottom left).  Other favorites to pick are blackberries, marionberries, blueberries, and earlier in the summer, strawberries.  We freeze the many of the berries and have yummy berries throughout the year.

We bring blankets outside and have kids play on them... though, unlike Jacob and Claire, Kate and Liam have no fear of the grass.  Dani and Kate have a funny hair relationship - Dani likes to try to fix Kate's hair, and Kate likes to unfix it.  She will often to 'hair checks,' touching her head just to make sure there isn't something in it.  It's funny to watch their interaction.

We did a little family bike ride - we didn't go far, but babies seemed to enjoy it.

We love playing disc golf.  This day, Jared shot 3 under par!  We love this picture of Claire throwing her frisbee!

Jacob also has quite the flair on his disc golf pictures!

Liam likes hats.  In particular, he likes taking them off other people.

Jared went to Bend for a work trip with a number of his coworkers, so Dani joined a few of the other wives for family home evening with all the kids - 21 total!!!

Kate likes eating apples.  If you get near her or try to take her apple, she holds it in her hand away from you and turns the other direction. 

Jacob and Claire took swim lessons with one of the young women in our ward.  Claire is super brave and really wants to swim.  Her kick is a little awkward, and she looks like she's drowning, but she swims the length of the pool in what looks to be an exhausting swim, then wants to do it again!

Jacob spent quite a bit of his time negotiating ("no, come a little closer").  He has a strong kick, and when he is convinced he can do it, he swims pretty well.

Waiting her turn.

Kate and Liam spend a lot of time getting taken places: berry picking, tball games, shopping, to swim lessons, etc.  We get a lot of attention bringing our little twins with their big personalities around with us.

One day while Dani and I were on the phone, Dani looked down and Liam had a phone next to his ear and was talking.  Now, if you look at Liam and say, "Hello," he will find the nearest object and hold it to his ear and start talking.

 We sometimes bring Kate and Liam's exersaucers outside or into the garage.  While they don't really like playing in their exersaucers inside, they do like them outside.

After our last vacation, our car needed to be cleaned.  Dani made it a family activity.  Jacob decided he would be in charge of the vacuum.  Earlier this week, Dani walked upstairs and discovered Jacob and Claire vacuuming their room!

Claire went to a little tea party birthday party - she was a princess for the next couple days!

We LOVE the summer!  It's been especially fun for Jared because both his favorite baseball teams (the A's and Reds) have been playing well!