Friday, August 22, 2008

I love my Jasper

Jasper and his friend Max at Fremont Peak Park:

Visitors

Mom, Meta, and her kids came up to Seattle for a short, one night visit. It was so, so, so fun to have them. I got really sad when they left. I hate not knowing when I'll see my sister and her kids again. With three kids, it is really getting difficult for her to travel without Todd. And with our second on the way, I'm not planning on traveling for quite a while.

Anyway, they arrived yesterday around 2:30 in the afternoon. Meta and I took the kids to the Woodland parks zoo, while my mom went to visit a good friend from Ukraine who is in Seattle receiving cancer treatment. What a great day for the zoo! We saw the tiger, giraffes, zebra, jaguar, many types of monkeys, and best of all- the baby gorilla!! The kids had a great time.







My mom brought all this stuff to do a home pedicure. We all soaked our feet with this tree oil stuff (including Rob) and when exfoliated all the dried, dirty, sick skin off our feet. We then massaged on some wonderful oils. Our feet are all so lovely now. After our predicures, we played Scrabble. Meta won....

Everyone ended up sleeping in our small apartment (even though my neighbor friend had graciously offered to let them crash in one of the vacant apartments in their building). It worked out fine, though. Everyone pretty much slept alright with the exception of Abby having a nightmare and Catherine feeding twice. This morning, we went down to Pikes Place Market. We had such a good time. I'm so glad they came to see us. I love my family so much.


Monday, August 18, 2008

Grandma's 100th Birthday and Rampton Family Reunion

The Egberts just got home last night from a week long trip to Oregon. We had a really fabulous trip and saw all of my immediate family and much of my extended family.

We arrived last Saturday night in time for my Grandma Rampton's 100th birthday party. Dorothea Rampton is a truly one of the most amazing women on this planet. She's still very with it mentally and she gets around pretty well considering her legs have carried her for 100 years! The Corvallis Gazette Times had a really nice article featuring my grandma on her birthday which I thought was pretty cool.





It was a great party and I got to see tons of my cousins, cousins kids, aunts, and uncles. All of my siblings were there! This was the first time we've all been together since Anna's wedding which was five years ago. It was really neat to all be together.

The next day was Sunday and my little brother Bobby who returned home from a mission to the DR just a few weeks ago gave his homecoming talk at church. He gave such a great talk and had everyone laughing at his stories and touched by his experiences. He grew up so much over the past two years and its neat to see the adult he's grown to become.

On Monday, my ENTIRE family left for a week at Black Butte. It was soooo fun! Of course there were squabbles and meltdowns, but all in all is was a wonderful vacation. We spent the week biking, swimming, water skiing, playing tennis, ultimate, basketball, and playing many board games. Rob said he had the best water skiing he's ever had and played the best tennis he's ever played. Jasper had such a great time with his four other 1 year old cousins and the other four older cousins too. I'm so glad we all we able to make it to the reunion. It was such a wonderful blessing to get to be together.


Jasper trying to drive the tractor at my parent's new house


Jasper stuck


Eliza's amazing blue eyes


These two won the booby contest


Cousin Johnny (sister Anna and Jim's baby)


He's making all kinds of new noises (including car sounds) since his surgery. Hurray!!


Playing games


My mom won...


And she rubbed it in


We tried to get some cousins pictures but it didn't really work. Everyone ended up crying




And running away

Thank you so much Mom and Dad for planning the reunion and making it possible! We love you.

Monday, August 04, 2008

Beautiful Utah

We just got back last Thursday from a wonderful trip to Utah. Rob's family was all together for the first time in a few years, so it was a really special trip. We squeezed so much into the four days we were there. Everyone got together for a family dinner and photo shoot. We were also able to do a little service project for Larry and Glenda which included spreading bark mulch, putting in a stone path, pulling weeds, etc. We went hiking and camping and swimming and waterfall exploring. It was really a fabulous trip. The best part is seeing all our family, catching up, and reconnecting. Jasper just adores all his cousins. He was actually quite cranky the day we got back (I think he missed all of them very much). Here's some pictures from our trip:


Jasper and cousin Abigail


Rob getting mobbed by his nieces and nephews


Rob and sister Liz


Cute Kim, Ally and Abigail


Cara's little puppies


Katie and puppy


Rob and Larry


Hiking


Hiking


Hiking


Rob and his brother Scott were the only ones brave (or crazy) enough to do this


Camping