Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Best Memorial Day Weekend Ever

The Tuesday after Memorial Day stinks. Especially when your Memorial Day weekend was the best one ever.

For the last few weeks, we (well, our great carpenter, Zane, from North 47 Landscape Carpentry) have been building a new, child-safe deck on top of our garage. The job was finished on Saturday, and it looks amazing. I tried to find a picture of the "before" picture, but the best I could find was a picture of Ryan shoveling snow off of the old roof with planter boxes housing dried and nearly dead trees preventing you from falling off the side of the roof (click here).

Whatever it looked like before, it looks fantastic now, and we plan to spend as much time as possible out there this summer.

The view out to the garden and front door.


The deck is so large that we need to invest in lounge furniture to fill half of it.
I also added a massive livestock watering tank for warm season edibles like tomatoes, peppers, and basil. If successful, you may see more of these in the future.


Looking from the garden path toward the entrance to the deck.


And now, a garden photo break.

Lovely Columbine


One of my favorite shrubs for both appearance and fragrance, a Summer Ice Daphne.


Now that the deck is finished, Ryan was able to put up his hammock for the season. We have a great little side garden that is quiet, private, and surrounded with beautiful old roses and other plants. A fussy Arlo got to enjoy it for the first time this weekend during snack time.

A minute before this photo was taken, Arlo was crying and cranky.
The hammock, with a little help from his bottle, calmed him right down.


Now that's relaxation. What more could a baby need?


We also took Arlo on his first "real" hike this weekend. We chose a trail that is close to Seattle and is easy for a baby and his out-of-shape parents.

Shortly after taking this photograph, we talked about getting Arlo climbing lessons when he's old enough.


Peek-a-boo!


This is what we call "Zombie Face."
It's a sign that you have about 45 minutes until meltdown.

Arlo was great on the hike, and we're hoping to make up for not hiking at all last summer. In fact, Arlo will go on his first river trip in a few weeks with a flat water float through the Yakima Canyon and overnight camping in eastern Washington. We're very excited!

Happy Wedding, Alex and Kavita!

We've had a great month of May. We started the month with a fantastic wedding in beautiful Sisters, Oregon. I work with the bride, Kavita, and we've enjoyed river trips and soccer trash talk with her new husband, Alex. It was a beautiful and deeply personal ceremony. Kavita and Alex spent years in a long-distance relationship while Kavita went to school in the states and Alex worked in the U.K. For the last couple of years, they've lived in the same place, Portland, Oregon.

The reception had fantastic food and a live band. It was Arlo's first wedding, and he's decided that he likes them. He wore a super cute outfit with a white button down shirt from his cousin, Emma, in Nicaragua. Needless to say, he was a hit!

The beautiful bride and her parents.

They're hitched!


The breathtaking setting.


Me and Arlo with friends Leslie and Jessie
I'm bummed that you can't really see his outfit, so I'll have to get him dressed in it at home and take a picture.


The Nonericks


Congratulations to Kavita and Alex! We wish you a lifetime of laughs and happiness!

Monday, May 2, 2011

A visit from Ma and Pa Patrick.

Last week, Ryan's parents flew in for a visit from Syracuse, NY. (We have a joke about how everyone from the Cuse seems to say the full "Syracuse, NY" instead of just "Syracuse" when they talk about their fair city.)

It was a great week, and the entire Nonerick crew got a little spoiled. Arlo got all the attention he wanted and more. Ryan and I didn't have to change many diapers, and we got away for our first overnight without Arlo. We also celebrated Arlo's first Easter together with family and our good friends, Amy, Byron, and Wyatt.

Looks like they had a good time!

The sun!


Grandma reads from Yummy Yucky.
(Thank you Jill, Mark, and Sadie!)


Open wide


The center of attention and loving it.


Happy Easter!


Byron, Amy, Wyatt, Arlo, Me, and Ryan


Too much boring adult talk


Cutie Patootie Wyatt.
He's nearly 4 months old and already weighs as much as Arlo!


Amy's Easter Table


Wyatt and Arlo be chillin'.


Fun with Grandpa


Fun with Grandma


Soma is no dummy.
He knows where to be and when to be there.


Action Shot


Baby and Papa