Another Year, Another Birthday For Erika
Today was one of those full, busy days. Lydia and James both had soccer games, and I was so grateful that Jeff was willing to…
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Erika
First Day Of School 2026
Last Day of Summer at the NYC Aquarium
The past few days have been a bit of a blur since we got home. We did get to spend some time at the playground…
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From Pacific Pines to NYC Skylines: Erika’s 3.5-Day Solo Drive Home
For the past several weeks, Jeff and I had been debating how to make our way back home. I asked the kids whether they wanted…
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End Of Summer Dinner With the Family
Like we did last year, Jeffrey and I took my family out to dinner as a thank-you for hosting us and for all the help…
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Last Swim of The Summer
The weather has been all over the place lately, but today was supposed to be the warmest day we’ll have for a while. I made…
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Appletree 5k Around Fort Vancouver
Mizz, Grandma, and Grandpa signed up for the Appletree 5K and invited Lydia and Cohen to join them. I may have strongly encouraged the kids…
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Very Long Day Of Cleaning the Washer and Date Night
After just a couple of loads in the washer at the new house, I started noticing little black flakes on our clothes. I was very…
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A Fun Trip To Fort Vancouver
In an attempt to squeeze in a little more end-of-summer fun, I took the kids to Fort Vancouver to explore before meeting everyone else for…
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Mariners Baseball Game
We had talked all summer about going to a Mariners game, but with everything going on—and Mizz’s travels—we did not manage to make it happen…
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Sky Zone With Mizz
After spending a week getting settled into the house, I decided it was time to make sure the kids had some fun end-of-summer adventures. I…
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Making Pie Crust and Blackberry Pie with Grandma
While Mizz was taking the kids for a walk around the reservoir in our community, and I was busy on the phone with the security…
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Making Apple Cider
We made apple cider with Grandma and Grandpa once before, when we were living in Washington during COVID. Usually, we leave before cider-making season arrives,…
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Summer Fun At Grandma and Grandpa’s
Quilting With Grandma and Painting With Mizz Grandma and Mizz were kind enough to keep the kids entertained for me. Cohen was especially excited to…
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Welcome to Our New Summer Home – 35127 NE 92nd Ct
It’s official: the house is ours! What an incredibly long day. Jeff and I got up early for our final walkthrough and to sign all…
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Clark County Fair 2026
It wouldn’t be summer without a trip to the Clark County Fair! After last year, I learned that going at night is a little rough—the…
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Neskowin Creek Camping Trip: Waves, Worries, and a Much Better Night’s Sleep
We woke up that morning to a lovely little tea party before breakfast—because apparently, we are very high class like that! Grandma then made us…
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Neskowin Creek Camping Trip: Making Memories One Marshmallow at a Time
One of my kids’ favorite summer traditions is camping. We did not get to go last year because of my parents’ surgeries, and this year…
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Picking Berries and Green Beans for A Food Bank
In the spirit of our summer of service, my mom was looking for another project we could do with the kids. We learned that the…
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Our Summer Service Opportunity at Joanne’s
In New York City, they’re doing a summer of service at church. We aren’t there to fully participate, and to be honest, Jeff and I…
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Random Summer Fun Photos and Playing With Bonnie!
July was such a fun month this summer. We filled it with camps, trampoline sleepovers, baking cookies, time with animals, and lots of quality family…
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Marion Berries Baseball Game!
While Kari was visiting Kami, she found out that the Marion Berries—Tucker’s baseball team—were playing in Ridgefield this week. We’ve tried to make it to…
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ManiPedi’s for Mizz, Grandma and Lydia
The kids are back in camp this week, but honestly, it’s going to be a bit chaotic. James and Cohen both go until three, so…
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A Lovely Walk at the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge
Since we’d been stuck inside all day, I decided to take the kids out for a walk. They weren’t thrilled about leaving the air conditioning,…
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Peach Picking With Grandma and Grandpa
I decided we needed to get out of the house. It had been pretty cold, so we hadn’t spent much time in the pool, and…
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