Water tower workout

Today we exercised as a family after McKinley's nap. Benji and I took turns pushing the stroller up the hill to the water tower overlooking Newberg. Thirty minutes later, my legs and buns were burning.

Our Sunday Easter best

Don't we clean up nicely?

Tulips & Picnics

We spent Friday afternoon at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, OR. Despite record-low spring temperatures, the tulip fields did not disappoint! It was such a clear and sunny day that I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I intended, trying to battle through unattractive shadows and squinty eyes. Needless to say, we might come back when it's a little more overcast and not so bright!

Today we had another amazingly sunny day, probably the warmest temperatures yet this spring. So, McKinley and I had a picnic lunch on our patio. In our summer attire, we are finally beginning to soak up some color to drown the awful pastiness of winter. 

Spontaneous road trip

I love being surprised! After breakfast two day ago, Benji said, out-of-the-blue, "Get in the car; we're going to Mt. Hood." We got ready and loaded the car in less than thirty minutes, and off we went. Road trips are awesome, but spontaneous road trips are even better!  We saw so much snow when we arrived at Timberline Lodge, over 200 inches. Mt. Hood was completely covered in white, fresh powder, and it took us a second to remind ourselves that we were in the middle of spring. We decided to have a snack on the third floor of the lodge and were blown away that the snow level reached the third floor windows. Afterwards, we walked around outside, took some pictures and packed up. Such a fun day!

The entrance to Timberline Lodge.

Eating our snack on the third floor of the lodge.

Crazy baby!

She did not like sitting in the snow!

Check out the height of this snow berm!

First Steps

So, Miss McKinley finally decided to try walking on her own.  She was so nonchalant about it, almost oblivious to what she was actually doing. She didn't make a fuss... I let go of her, hoping to give her more opportunities to stand by herself....then she casually started walking towards me. I started freaking out, and I honestly think she had no idea why Benji and I had gotten so excited.  We even captured her on video minutes later, taking about 5 more steps.  After the excitement died down a bit, I got a little teary-eyed. I don't know why. We've been waiting so long for this moment, and I suppose the next sixteen years of her life quickly flashed before my eyes, as if she was growing up way too fast already.  Since her first steps a couple of days ago, she only tries walking on her own when we purposefully let her go, scoot back and encourage her to "come to Momma or Dadda."
On a totally separate note: the following pictures were taken during the few nice days we've had in April thus far.  As soon as I see the sun faintly hinting that it might poke through the clouds, we run outdoors to soak it up.

Workin' her backside.

Swingin' at the park.

Our Silly Girl (Hooray for 100 posts!)

I think it's the weather....the reason why I haven't taken as many pictures of Miss McKinley lately. We finally got  another decent day. And by decent, I mean above 50 degrees.  Actually, it was a spectacular, sunny day.  After reading outdoors and not thinking I needed sunblock, I ended up looking like Sebastian from the Little Mermaid.  McKinley still continues to surprise us.  Recently she let go of whatever she was holding onto, in order to sign all done. She stood by herself for about 5 seconds before falling. This is the closest she's come to walking.  But we're in no rush!  She has developed a strange fondness for fuzz.  Fuzz off of blankets, jackets, rugs, toys with hair made of yarn. She picks the fuzz and eats it. We use to think that this was just a phase, that it would pass, that all babies put everything into their mouths, no big deal, right?  Well, she doesn't put everything in her mouth....just fuzz. And she swallows it too. It may explain the recent increase in her coughing?

Posing while playing with her toys in her kitchen drawer.

I did not teach her this. 

This either! She started doing this yoga pose, so I started calling

it "downward dog."  I guess it stuck.  Now, I ask her to do

downward dog, and she immediately gets on all fours.

Enjoying our spectacular, sunny day....

.....while Dadda does yard work. 

She loves her shades!