Good Logic

As I was cleaning the house the other day, I noticed that the plastic wastebasket in one of the bathrooms was sitting in a bit of liquid. Being near the back of the toilet, near the water valve, I wondered aloud if it was leaking. Logan, matter-of-factly, said, "Probably wet from when I pottied on it." He went on to explain that he was trying to make it in the wastebasket, but he missed. Great...could we not try that again?!? Moments later, upon taking the trash out from under the kitchen sink, I noticed (out loud) that the bottom of the cupboard was damp. "Probably Logan peed in there, Mama." I never thought I'd be so happy to find a leaky pipe!

Savoonga vs. Bickleton

Since giving birth to twins, a double stroller has been a necessity for me, if I want to have any freedom at all! Jacob has been taking the boys on his daily walk since they were a few months old...bundled up through the freezing winter in Grand Rapids, MI, sheltered by sun shades through the blazing Bellflower, CA summer. He even had to engineer a new way to attach the front wheel in Savoonga as the rough roads finally caused it to fall off prompting him to visit "Home Depot" (the dump) to find "replacement parts." The boys have weathered it all. In Bickleton, Jacob walks in the early AM, leaving me to push the boys in the afternoon. We have a perfect route that takes us out of the bustling city (ha, ha), down to a creek, up a hill, back down to the creek (the boys toss 3 rocks each...what a thing to look forward to...whatever works!), and back up a hill towards our home. Our only company is the sometimes many trucks that pass us to work on the windmills.

As I left the house yesterday, I noticed it was raining a bit...nothing a raincoat and stroller rain shield couldn't handle. The farther we went, the more the rain picked up. As the windmill workers passed me, I laughed to myself, thinking, after living in Savoonga, this hardly phases me...pride, I think. Well, by the end of the walk, any pride was nipped in the bud! The thunder began and the rain turned to good sized hail pelting my body. The boys thought it was a great adventure as they emerged bone dry from their protected stroller watching me wring out my pants before entering the house!

So today, off again. Cloudy, but no rain. As we neared the creek on the return trip, I noticed a black mass emerging, crossing the road, and turning back. Yep, that's a bear. Sorry boys, no stopping at the creek to throw rocks today! I looked and sounded big as I confidently (fearfully) walked up the hill. At the top of the hill, my mind began to take control of my emotions, and I realized that the black bear, whose diet consists of berries, roots, and fish, was not a polar bear whose diet consists of anything with blood, and we really were probably in zero danger, but I'm still adapting to this new culture and environment:)

So, while some of you worried while I walked out into the tundra in Savoonga, know that Bickleton presents some real dangers of its own!:)

Bickleton Condemned

After Jacob's morning walk, he stopped to talk with some of the locals at the cafe. The big news was that the Post Office was closing at noon because yesterday's inspection found black mold. We told the boys what was happening and they were very sad, of course, and couldn't understand why they were going to tear down the PO. I took them for one last visit before lunch and suddenly it all clicked for Logan. "Mama," he said. "I know why they are tearing down the Post Office. Its paint is peeling!" Owen pointed across the street, "And that paint is peeling off of that building too!" "Maybe they going to tear that one down too, Owen." I fear that with my boys' logic, the entire community might be condemned and demolished, including our house:)

Pets

This morning while Jacob and I were prepping our garden plot, the boys were playing in the sandbox. Owen found some "pet" ants. After awhile, he disappeared into the house. When he returned, he declared, "I put my pet ant in the house because he was cold!" I found a nice pile of sand in the doorway, but apparently the ant is already warming itself in someone's bed!

Downtown Bickleton

Awhile back I said I would post some pictures of our town. Jacob's mom captured most every building. Here they are...


The Carousel Museum


Post Office


Cafe/Grocery


Hardware Store


Bluebird Tavern (the oldest tavern in WA!)

Gma's Visit Cont.

Bickleton is surrounded with wheat farming and cattle up on the plateau, but as you go down in elevation there are many wineries, and then orchards and hops in the valley. The first photos are at Maryhill Winery above the Columbia River.


Owen contemplating a sneak peacock attack.

Logan closing in on a peacock (wearing his favorite shorts and pants!)


Attempt at a family shot...I know you're tired, hungry, cold, and have been riding in the car for hours, now look like you're having fun!


Walking towards the Columbia River...The Dalles, OR in distance


A happy family shot!


Logan, Gma M, and Owen at the Yakima Arboretum

Owen

Kami, with Logan and Owen with our new stroller! My friend said to me, "Why did you just buy a stroller? Your children are big." This is true, but if I want any exercise in my life, I need a way to bring my big kids with me...and I get an even better workout pushing 80lbs of stroller/kids!


My dad and his cousin stopped by our house on their way to Minnesota. The first trip in dad's rebuilt '37 Ford. Jim, Dad, Me, Logan, Jacob, Owen

Leaving in the '37 Ford. The boys were so excited to be visited by "Gampa's old car".


We traveled up and down the Columbia River A LOT!

Family photo at Windy Creek on the way to Mt. St. Helens. Notice the theme throughout our travels...the boys were happy as long as we found some form of water for them to throw rocks into.

Another great family photo?:)

Me, Logan, Jacob, and Owen at Multanomah Falls. We had never seen so much water flowing over the falls and the mist was incredible.

Jacob's mom was able to stay for his birthday (apparently I left the birthday candles in Savoonga) and for Mother's Day. We had a great visit!

Gma's Visit

It's been awhile since I last posted! We've kept busy with family visits. Jacob's mom came out for a couple weeks and then we visited with my mom and gma. We're alone again and I have many photos to share from our time together:)

We covered a lot of territory during Gma M's visit...but first the boys on their tricycles...the only wheels you really need in Bickleton.



Owen

Logan


We went to a track meet in Glenwood (a community very close to the base of Mt. Adams)...it was freezing, but beautiful.


Owen enjoying getting attention from a little girl on the merry-go-round.


You have to squint to see them or enlarge the photo, but this is how much of this countryside is beginning to look as more and more wind turbines are raised.

I'm having computer difficulties that I'm too tired to deal with so I'll post the rest of the pictures later! Goodnight!