Family picture

This is the photo that will be displayed at the family reunion. We wish we could be there, but there was a schedule mix up and plans were not made in time!

News from Newport:

All right, I know that I start off all of my posts this way anymore, but I'M SORRY! If it explains things at all, since I last posted I finished school and graduated, moved from Boise to Newport, started a new job, studied for and took and passed two terrifying tests within a week, and I finally don't have anything big hanging over my head waiting for my attention. I hope that these ten pictures will help make up for my lack of updates in the last 3 months.

McKay was really hungry and tried to take the plate of french toast that Suzanne made for everyone. He climbed up and dug right in!This creek is on a little beach a little ways north from Newport. It is on the path about 100 yards away from the ocean waves. But when we take the boys here, it's always a struggle to get them any further than this point. They could spend all day here, and they have several times already!This just in: Although we've known for a while now that Carter prefers to identify himself not as a little boy, but as a cookie monster, yesterday he proclaimed that McKay is also a cookie monster, and that Daddy is the only little boy in the house. Here are our two little cookie monsters, laughing at me. Carter outgrew his tricycle. It was passed on to McKay, so here's Carter's big boy bicycle (to which Carter would say, "Not big boy bicycle, cookie monster bicycle!" And he means it.) Carter is getting potty-trained right now, and it seems to be going ok. McKay is the enthusiastic one though. He always wants to sit on the potty and watch the "Elmo's Potty Time" video. Suzanne and I end up whistling the tune to "Accidents happen" for the rest of the day.
We take the boys to the beach all the time. This is Nye beach, and the boys like this rock because it juts out into the waves but it has little tide pools on top. It was kind of a windy day, but that's pretty typical for a sunny day. Go to the beach in the morning!

The boys waiting for the cookies to bake. Look familiar to anyone?When we take McKay to the beach he spends the whole time looking for beach junk. It takes forever to get him down to the water, and we have to check all of his pockets when we get home or we end up with a washer full of rocks and shells. Speaking of picking things up off the beach, this next picture is specifically for my family. There is a beach up here that is COVERED with agates - it puts Agate Beach to shame (there's an "Agate Beach" up here, too, but it is horribly mis-named.) I won't tell you where it is, but I'll take you there when you come to visit. Suzanne brought me to this beach and I couldn't believe my eyes. The picture below shows the handful that I found within about 10 minutes hunting. I just walked along the waves and picked them up - no searching, no digging. Eat your heart out!
We love you all. Hope you are all doing well and anytime you want to visit, just give us a call.