Silver Falls was awesome! The kids did amazing camping. We had planned on staying 4 nights, but we lasted 3. It was FREEZING cold at night and the only people getting any sleep were Reagan and Jefferson, not surprising. I'm having a hard time posting because I took close to a million pictures and can't decide which ones to share. You probably think I'm posting too many... I don't think I put up enough. So, let me share in the fun...
Grant and Shawn setting up campI asked the kids to rate in order their favorite things about camping.
Starting with #1
The best part about camping.... playing in the dirt. Snow White would be so disappointed, I didn't wash them once 
Playing in the water was a close second. Jefferson is half fish, so he spent most of the trip sopping wet.
The next best thing about camping... SMORES, yeah! I bought 3 packs of marshmallows and 2 huge chocolate bars - GONE, all gone! We were eating smores at night and at breakfast. 
Playing in the water was a close second. Jefferson is half fish, so he spent most of the trip sopping wet.
The next best thing about camping... SMORES, yeah! I bought 3 packs of marshmallows and 2 huge chocolate bars - GONE, all gone! We were eating smores at night and at breakfast. Don't look too enthusiastic, Jefferson
Reagan kept begging for more and more, she was scarfing everything down. Until we noticed she wasn't eating them, she was just hording them from her brothers.
A problem arose with smores... Grant can't have graham crackers (wheat) or chocolate (milk). So, I credit Shawn with coming up with possibly the best idea ever.... SMONES. Shawn melted Grant's dairy, soy, and gluten-free chocolate chips and then dipped his gluten-free ice cream cones into them. He toasted his marshmallow, plopped it in the cone and enjoyed every bite.
Genius Shawn, pure genius!
Loves 'em
We had so much fun just sitting around the campfire!
Bacon, did someone say more bacon?
Bacon, did someone say more bacon?
Fishing! The boys have been asking to go fishing since May. Of course, there were no fish in the area, we asked. But the boys were so excited about it, we let them fish anyways. They were naturals at casting their poles. I thought it would last about 10 minutes, but they surprised me by sitting still with their poles for about 45 minutes, wow!
They have their own styles of holding the poles. Grant used the 'feet prop' hold and Jefferson thought he would catch more fish lying down. Both proved ineffective. 
Their next favorite thing to do was to go on bike rides. We couldn't get Reagan out of her seat. There were some nice bike trails. Too bad they were mislabeled... they forgot to post the sign that says "for single riders only, do not attempt if you are carrying or pulling other people!" We're talking steep steep hills! Shawn and I got enough exercise for a week. But it was fun, and the area was BEAUTIFUL!
The highlight of Silver Falls has to be the hikes and the waterfalls, or as Jefferson puts it "going on an adventure". The hike totals 8.7 miles and takes you through the park and 10 different waterfalls. We tackled half of the hike one day and the other half the next. It was AMAZING!
Here are 9 of the 10 waterfalls. We just couldn't walk a step further to see the last one. Obviously smashing all these pictures together into one really doesn't do justice to the beauty. You'll just have to take my word for it. We were able to walk behind 3 of them. Winter Falls was dried up, and Double Falls was just dribbling.
Jefferson showing off Lower South Falls. 
Looking at South Falls before we walked behind it
Behind the falls 
So there you have it, the kids favorite things from our camping trip.
Their next favorite thing to do was to go on bike rides. We couldn't get Reagan out of her seat. There were some nice bike trails. Too bad they were mislabeled... they forgot to post the sign that says "for single riders only, do not attempt if you are carrying or pulling other people!" We're talking steep steep hills! Shawn and I got enough exercise for a week. But it was fun, and the area was BEAUTIFUL!
The highlight of Silver Falls has to be the hikes and the waterfalls, or as Jefferson puts it "going on an adventure". The hike totals 8.7 miles and takes you through the park and 10 different waterfalls. We tackled half of the hike one day and the other half the next. It was AMAZING!Jefferson talked the entire time. I don't think we heard a moment of silence! This and That and phew, I think listening to him was more exhausting than the hike.
Exploring the caves behind one of the falls
The walk was too long for Reagan, so Shawn carried her. She LOVED being on Daddy's back. 
It wasn't all that easy for the boys either, but they did GREAT. Here is Grant at the bottom of the 186 steps he has to walk up.
Exploring the caves behind one of the fallsThe walk was too long for Reagan, so Shawn carried her. She LOVED being on Daddy's back. It wasn't all that easy for the boys either, but they did GREAT. Here is Grant at the bottom of the 186 steps he has to walk up.
Here are 9 of the 10 waterfalls. We just couldn't walk a step further to see the last one. Obviously smashing all these pictures together into one really doesn't do justice to the beauty. You'll just have to take my word for it. We were able to walk behind 3 of them. Winter Falls was dried up, and Double Falls was just dribbling.Jefferson showing off Lower South Falls. Looking at South Falls before we walked behind it
Behind the falls So there you have it, the kids favorite things from our camping trip.What I’ve decided…. Camping is the easiest vacation you could possible take children on. We have waited so long because we thought it would be H-E-double hockey sticks. We were crazy not to do this sooner. The kids were in heaven and Shawn and I could actually relax. We can't wait to go again!
Yummy!
We love our Nana
Then I made a 4th of July quilt. July is usually when we're putting blankets away. But we love to celebrate America all year round. I didn't have a pattern for this one either, but Shawn (my mathematician) helped me figure out a layout with the fabric I had on hand. I used Moda's Zippity Doo Dah. It turned out to be pretty big. 
I got excited (maybe a little too excited) when I found a jar of these buttons at a thrift store in California for $1.50. They say "United States 1776" How cool is that? Okay, my star isn't perfect and the button isn't exactly in the middle, oh well. 
Last week I finally finished this quilt for my Mom's birthday. I made it with a Cotton Blossom layer cake by Moda. It's not stippled in these pictures, I did that later.
I think from now on I'll 
Shawn and I stayed in Portland this last weekend for our anniversary while my mom so kindly watched my kids. Oh, I just can't thank her enough! We stayed right in downtown in a hotel we could never had afforded except Shawn was able to find an awesome price. My only request was a king size bed... it was heavenly, and I envy anyone who sleeps in one every night.
Monday we spent the day in the Columbia Gorge, looking at the waterfalls. We took a hike through the Oneonta Gorge. It was breathtaking and at the end of the gorge is Oneonta Falls. The trail isn't marked because there is no trail.... you literally hike 
Some areas of the creek were 
and others much 
I can imagine during the winter, the water would be over our heads. The highest point was at our waists, luckily. 
The water was REALLY COLD! But the hike was worth it. The falls were incredible, and it was so tucked away and private that it felt like our 
Shawn didn't feel like hiking through waist-high water was adventurous enough.... so he took off his shirt and dived into the pool of water..... CRAZY! 
There's got to be something fantastic about swimming under a waterfall. I wanted to be brave too.... this is how far I got before I couldn't breath anymore... too cold for me! 
