Mariner's Game with Papa and NAFA Camp-out

For many years, Papa has been taking Joseph to a Mariner's game. Recently, he has added an invitation to the grandsons and their fathers...so Matt and Mateo made the trek to Seattle to meet Papa for this year's Mariner's game.

Lukas and Mateo had a great time getting autographs from important Mariners...especially Mariner Moose!

We have belonged to an adoptive family support group, called NAFA, for several years. Each year they host a camp-out at Barton Park, where the entire campground is reserved for adoptive families...this year we went, and Mateo had great fun in the Clackamas river looking for pollywogs!

The best part of the camp-out is the group parenting of kids...Mateo was hanging out with our campsite neighbor Jill who was helping him catch pollywogs!

It was like 90+ degrees...so here is a rare shot of me, wilting in the hot, hot sun. It's not rare for me to wilt...just rare to let Matt take a picture of me!

Hugs from Oregon, Sarah

Mateo & Buford...plus at the County Fair

Some of you may recognize Buford, who is a little worse for the wear...this is the original Buford that Greg & Angela Murphy gave to us to take to Mateo when we first found out we matched to him, more than three years ago.

We have since purchased five of them, in the hopes that we could cycle them so they would accumulate age the same way...well, somehow he found us out, and insisted on always wanting the "hard wa-wa"...and so we have four of the original five that all look about the same (one's at Nona's house)...but there can still be only one preferred Buford!

Here's Mateo at the County Fair enjoying one of the kiddie rides...amazingly, the Mountain View Construction hat from Papa (see previous post) was the quickest way to spot him in the rides...

Mateo has flown a TON in his lifetime...like more than 60 flights before age 4...and so he has a natural fascination with airplanes. He particularly enjoyed piloting this one...he can even make engine noises as sound effects!

Mateo had a blast riding in the Model T...as I watch my friends train their children to drive...I am grateful that there is at least 10 years before that happens for us! I am not ready for that yet...but my how time flies...I feel like I blink and a whole year goes by!

Love, Sarah

4th of July Camping with the Cousins

We went camping on the 4th of July weekend at the Wikkiup Reservoir in Central Oregon. John brought Nathan and Lukas over for a weekend of Cousin Time! As you can see here, the water was VERY cold!

This is Matt and Mateo in the inaugural ride of his Father's Day present...a red canoe for the boys in the Miller family. I get terribly sea sick and so have no desire to partake...but Matt loves it as it helps him reminisce back to his boy scout days!!

Mateo has officially entered boyhood. He loves bugs, and small animals (snakes, frogs, etc)...his favorite trick is catching one and running to show mommy (who frankly would be perfectly happy NOT seeing said small animals).

Uncle John took time to show Mateo how the whole fishing process works. As I recall, none were actually caught that weekend...but Mateo picked up some lessons by osmosis...he is quite the caster of fishing lines now...

Checking out the sites, and figuring out where to run (in opposite directions of course)...

Best part of all, I think we have agreed to make this an annual camping trip (alternating locations so that each family takes turns driving a longer way!)

I love that Mateo loves his cousins...and that the family supports us hanging out together!

Love, Sarah

More Pics from Papa's house

Oh no, Lukas is finally big enough to take Papa...look out, the piles of grandsons is going to get crazy...

Nathan and Lukas wrestle with Papa...

The cousins in new, matching Mountain View Construction hats...Mateo wears his with such pride...he loves it!

Nathan and the infamous helmet (see previous post)...have I said lately how CUTE my nephew is??

Why oh why can't we ever get a family picture to turn out? If you squint, it is almost clear! :)

Love from Silverton!

Father's Day Trip to St. Maries

Uncle Joe takes Mateo for a ride on the quad...yes, the helmet was Mom's requirement for agreeing to let Mateo go for a spin!!

The cousins are getting prepared to ride...the inside of the helmet that Nathan has on was full of dirt, so the post-ride caused Aunt Rachel a scare...when the toe-head child showed up with black everywhere!

Mateo and Nathan hanging out in Papa's new "yard"...they have so much fun playing together!!

Uncle Joe hanging out with Mateo at the City Park. Papa helped Chris Renaldo install this equipment...something about wanting a place for his grand kids to play!! Thanks Papa...Mateo had a blast.

Who's that stud? Uncle Joe, fresh off the plane from West Point...Mateo is about the same age as Joe was the first time I met him! :)

Love from Sarah & Matt & Mateo