Summers updates

Summer is melting away and I haven't written a thing about it. 

This summer took us to the thriving metropolis that is Yakima, WA. Or as a local sign would describe it, "The Palm Springs of Washington." When I first saw this sign I turned to Matt and said, "So, is Palm Springs the crappy part of California?" He laughed out loud but I was sincerely asking.

Apparently this sign is terrible advertisement for Palm Springs. 

Okay lets not get too hasty... I know wonderful people that are from Yakima.  It seems to produce many high quality things like: people (sparingly), apples, peaches, strawberries and cherries. All of which I appreciate.

But it is HOT, hotter than anywhere i've ever lived! And let me tell you a thing about me, I don't do heat! If it could stay in the 70's all year around I would be happy. Maybe a splash of the 80's in the summer and then snow for Christmas, okay great. Besides, who intentionally lives in a place that is over 100. Disgusting! Matt would say I'm being mean and not everyone has such poor body temperature regulation as I do, but this is my blog and I can say whatever I want. I'm cold blooded deal with it.

Because of the unbearable heat William and I have been swimming almost every day. Due to this I have very little pictures but here are a few:

These pictures are at our apartment complex. Strangely enough I find this pool too cold and have only fully gone in once. Will and I spend most of our days here. 

With Sydney and Evelyn in a lovely heated pool. 

Matt has had a busy summer at the firm and spent many a Saturday in the office. He has gotten to play a little bit too. 

Here are a few shots of his hike up Mt. Hood.  They started the hike around midnight and made it to the summit around 9 AM. 

The mountain's shadow at sunrise.

 A short break near "Devil's Kitchen" before making it to the top.

Doesn't it look fun? 

View from summit of Mt. Hood.

 We also made it up to Mt. Rainer National Park as a family and traded the death defying hike for a picnic.

We took a professional photographer with us...

Our picnic location. 

We tried to show William that this pond was filled with tadpoles, but he was more concerned with throwing dirt. 

I loved it here! I had really been missing trees since leaving Eugene. Everything is better with trees.

Loving nature... as long as it doesn't land on me.

We started our walk only for William to stop. We tried getting him to continue but he looked at me and said, "No, I pooping." haha can't argue with that I guess. 

William is a little trooper and loves to walk most of the way even if we bring the stroller. You can't throw dirt in a stroller. 

We had so much fun and even though we got turned around a few times and ended up driving longer than we had planned, it was worth it. Plus we got ice cream on the way home.

Living in Yakima has meant we're a lot closer to Matt's brother Joel and his family as well as Grandma and Grandpa Vickery. William has enjoyed some cousin time.

And ice cream.

This was William's first ice cream cone of his very own. He tried to drink it like a cup of creamy goodness. He was fully naked by the time he finished. 

William has spent a lot of Summer 2013 in varying degrees of naked. Did I mention it's hot here?

Just foam rolling out those sore muscles.

The rest of his time is spent playing with trains and generally being obsessed with fans. 

Everywhere we go he will find a fan and point it out. "Momma fan! FAN! FAN! Turn it on please"

William is truly turning into a little boy and less of a baby every day. I am amazed at his vocabulary and abilities. He usually spends a good amount of the day in the time-out chair too. At first I would sit him on a chair and he could get down as soon as he said, "I'm sorry." Now as soon as I say the phrase "time out" he quickly says "Sorry, I'm Sorry" I keep trying to explain that sorry means you won't do it again but it's a slow process. 

Reasons for a time out:

Throwing food

Hitting something when upset

Taking a drink and spitting the water out everywhere

Not Sharing

Drinking pool water

Throwing dirt (at someone)

Flipping out for no reason

Time outs are always given after fair warning. 

All and all this has been a pretty relaxed and lazy summer but there are still a few adventures to come. We are anxious to get back to Eugene, our regular routines and amazing friends.