a long, fabulous day

My parents braved the potential of a flu outbreak for a visit to the Kang Compound this weekend. (thanks, mom and dad!)  We tackled various backyard projects that fell within my dad's specialties, including planting five blueberry bushes, a strawberry tower out of PVC pipe, a plum tree and a cherry tree.  We made it through the day with the girls busily making us lemonade and giving us much moral support.  As a like to say when rating behavior at church, as long as the girls' behavior ranks according to their age, I am good.  I am not completely sure if this was true today, but it was pretty close to accurate.  If anything, my parents enjoyed seeing me get a little karma in the parenting universe.  

We took an afternoon break in search of a great river to splash around in and I must say that I was thrilled with our discovery.  We found a quiet stretch of river with minimal currents that is a mere fifteen minutes from our house.  I can already see many summer days spent skipping stones,  catching crawfish and making merry in the shade, all with a relatively short drive to reach our new getaway.    On the way home, all I could do is tell Chris how much I appreciate his moving us out to Forest Grove.  What a wonderful place.  

Note that in the picture above, two of the girls are not eagerly splashing me with rocks. Elise: because she was obviously otherwise occupied.  Autumn: because she was trying to pick up a gigantic rock that probably would have been the end of my camera.