Cape Lookout Hike

Last Saturday we went with some friends from our ward at church out to Cape Lookout, just a few miles south of Tillamook and hiked a total of 5 miles!  It was about 2.5 to the end of the trail which overlooks the Ocean and 2.5 back.  We had originally thought we would be hiking the shorter trail that ends at the beach, but somehow got the longer, muddy trail instead.  So we were a little dissappointed in that, but it was still fun and gorgeous out and we had a view of the coast and ocean most of the trail! I love the Oregon Coast.  It is so pretty.  Next time we drive all the way out to the coast though, you can bet we will be going straight to the beach and water.   John carried Bear in the hiking backpack and Jackson walked/ran the whole way! He was a trooper and loved it! I couldn't believe how much energy he had.  He didn't complain a single bit! In fact, he was still singing and throwing rocks by the end when the rest of us were beat.  Gotta love the energy of a  year old!  

The best part of the day?  Ending up at the Tillamook Cheese Factory for some delicious grilled cheese sandwhiches and ice cream of course! 

 Bear was pretty pooped by the end of the trail and took a nice little nap.... it's hard work being carried 5 miles :)

Got 1 minute and 2 seconds?

Please excuse the yawn towards the beginning. 

Happy Sunday! 

Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum

We decided our boys are too hooked on TV, Jackson especially.  I try to not to let them watch too much, and we generally go without cable so we don't watch too much, except during football season (GO DUCKS!) and a small time for March Madness of course.  We have often talked about getting rid of our TV altogether (well at least in the front room) and just getting a projector for movies.  My mom hardly ever let us watch any TV (just movies on Friday/Saturday nights really), and we use to complain so much how deprived we were... I have since thanked her for that and vowed to follow her path.

Putting the TV on time-out for Jackson has been a great motivator for him to have a better attitude, be more obedient, etc.  A few weeks ago, the TV happened to be on and I was trying to talk to Jackson.  He repeatedly ignored every single word I said.  And then I walked in front of the TV and he told me to move because I was blocking it.   That was the last straw.  I put TV on timeout then and there for 3 days completely until after their Father's and Sons campout.  The night they got home from that, they both were kind of giving us attitude and then when we went to pick him up from a friends house that night (since it was date night for us), Jackson wouldn't even say hi to us or turn away from the show they were all watching there.  So TV went back on time-out for the rest of the weekend.

 On Monday (2 weeks before Memorial Day), I had an idea.  We had talked about wanting to do something really fun for Memorial Day Weekend and had decided we really wanted to take the boys to the Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville.  This place is not cheap however, and I didn't feel like taking them while they were giving us tons of attitude, talking back and having no respect.

So, for FHE that night we talked about being obedient and respectful and how the TV can be a fun privilege every now and then, but not an automatic go-to when we're bored.  Then I showed them online the pictures of the Aviation and Space Museum and said that if they went without TV for 12 more days and they started being more obedient and respectful to mom and dad that we would go there as a family at the end of the 12 days.  They were luckily all for that plan once I showed them the museum pictures.  We even made one of those circle chains so they could cut one off each day and see how close to the museum we were.

They made it, and even though they had their bad moments (after all they are 4.5 and 2.5 years old), a quick reminder of not going to the museum got them back in line.  I am so glad we did this.  It made that day so much more fun to celebrate together and it definitely made family life at home happier and better for us all.  We had a GREAT time at the museum! I am SO glad we went! We even got some sunny weather so we could explore the Tank Lawn and play on the Space Playground outside!  It was a great way to celebrate the memorial day weekend. And we have TONS of great pictures to document our fun day together.

Can you see us in the next picture? You may have to click on it... that's the Spruce Goose behind us (well only part of it!).  It was SO BIG! It took up most of the room.  It was so neat to see!!

 I LOVE this picture of my boys... aren't they so handsome?! =)  Plus, it is totally coincidence that Baron is wearing his Angels shirt and I got just "Angels" in this picture. haha.

 And the highlight for the boys was of course the airplane ride there.... I think they would have ridden it all day long if we'd had let them.

 This picture makes me smile... Jackson just had to check the bottom of the rockets to see where the fire comes out. It was pretty neat to see the rockets and space launch stuff.

 Why can't they ever look at the same time?  I may have to combine these 2 pictures.

After the Museum it was time for a Mommy/Daddy treat.... so we headed to the outlets to score some amazing deals on some new work clothes and summer clothes.  We were definitely exhausted by the end of the day, but it was a wonderful day!  Monday we also had a small bit of sun and had a delicious BBQ and played some serious Wii with some of our best buddies, The Jensen's.  I love 3 day weekends! And I am SO grateful to have a weekend to appreciate all those who served and fought in the past for our freedoms in this country and to keep us safe as well as all those who are continuing to serve and protect us today.  A GIGANTIC THANK YOU TO THEM!!!