Summer Time!

Well I figure it's about time I get back on the blogwagon! June was a rough one, so I didn't feel like writing much! But we've moved on to July and things are on the up and up.  June had it's challenges, but it also had it's celebrations and joys.

We celebrated Ryland's 4th birthday with a fun party the weekend before his actual birthday!  That weekend was full of fun events.  Jim and Lori were visiting, and it was Austins last T-ball game and his team party!

Austin misses baseball already and is looking forward to moving up to Little League next season. Ryland had a wonderful party and birthday. Father's Day, Ryland's actual birthday and my birthday all fall on the same weekend. We had fun celebrating at the County Fair and with Brynna and Brian at the River!

The boys spent a couple days at my dad and Michelle's house, which they love to do! They got to go swimming at the pool, play with their aunt and uncle and enjoy Michelle's amazing culinary skills for two whole days! Austin always comes back raving about food!

We have visited our favorite spot on the river quite a few times in the past month. It's beautiful there and the kids adore it! The swimming hole it awesome, there is a great rope swing and if you walk up river you can ride little rapids back down! Brynna and Brian have joined us a few times there, and the last time we went my mom and Sienna were able to join us too! It was great.

 

Towards the end of June we had my niece E.B. come and stay with us for ten days. That was crazy and fun all at the same time! During her stay we hiked with Brynna and Brian to some really amazing natural granite slides on the river. We learned it wasn't the best place for kids, but so awesome to see! Matt and Brian rode down all three slides, each about 25-30 feet long and landing in their own bitter cold pool of water!

Matt finally had is annual State Survey at his facility the last week of June. This survey is something that he has been preparing for since he got this job in October. For a health care facility, this is the major survey that either keeps the building running another year or shuts it down. Needless to say, Matt was stretched to his limits during the survey week, and the week after fixing immediate issues in order to remain in compliance.

All of his hard work and stress paid off though, the survey results came in and it was the best survey, with the least tags (problems) that the building had ever had, since it was built in the late 60's! I am so proud of him! He sweats and bleeds that building. He loves and values his job with an immense passion. Sometimes he gets too wrapped up in it and I wish he could step out of it and look at what an amazing job he has done, and the vast improvement that has been made since he took this position. He has done a wonderful job! His boss is very happy with him and now that survey is over Matt is able to settle in a bit more and relax....which is nice!

We spent the 4th of July at home. My mom, Brynna and my cousins Nicole and Savannah all came up to BBQ with us. 

This past weekend was my Mom's 55th birthday! On her 50th we had a really wonderful weekend with the whole family in a cabin up in the mountains that we rented! We wanted to do something nice again this year, so we all took a trip together to Angel Island. Angel Island is an island in the San Francisco Bay that has immense history. Now a State Park, the Island is considered the "Ellis Island of the West" and has done wonderful preservation of it's immigration station. Along with that, there is a well preserved Civil War camp and camps from both World Wars. If you're ever in the Bay, this is a great way to spend a day! I was really amazed by the place, the history and the amazing views!

 We had fun taking the ferry from Oakland to the island and then walking the 5 mile perimeter walk through all of the sites! I was also lucky enough to get to visit with my old supervising Ranger, who is now the Ranger at Angel Island! It was good to see him and weird to see someone who I knew and worked with in Southern Ca now up here too! I am looking forward to going back to the island, bringing out bikes back this time and spending more time in each site.  They have a few camp sites there, so we are going to have to go back and stay the night!  The city views at night have to be amazing!

After the ferry ride back to Oakland, we went to my sister Aimee's house. (She lives in Oakland, about 5 minutes from the ferry building!) We made dinner there, relaxed and celebrated both her and my moms birthday!

We are now gearing up for a visit back down to So Cal in the next couple weeks, along with school starting in mid-August.  Wow....time really flies!