first summer campout

Hooray!  First camp of the summer was a huge success.  Four families, blue skies, messing about on the river and great cook outs, all made for the perfect weekend away, just a couple of hours drive from home.

The Deschutes State Park recreational area was fabulous camp site for a couple of our first time camping families - hot showers and flushing loos always help!  Fun games ranging from cricket, tennis, soccer and boules, with a little fishing (with two catches), and a lot of messing about on the river thrown in, kept everyone busy and happy.  Cold beer and hot chilli kept us even happier.

And of course, the icing on the camping cake is always the huge pile of s'mores that get eaten!  Bring on the next trip.

summertime blues

It's been an absolute age since I've been here.  Bloggers Block? Or a Summer Siesta?

I'm not feeling too blue about it though. This summer has been magnificent.  Talk about endless.  We have been spoilt with glorious days of blue sky, and I do believe a consecutive 19 days of 90+ degrees, with the rest not far off.  When it got a little too much (and I know I really shouldn't be complaining) and we had a couple of days of cloudy skies with a few showers and temps dropping to low 70s, it was enjoyed.  However, I wasn't quite ready for cooler days just yet.

Of course there is downside of this wonderful summer.  The lack of rain in Oregon has increased the wildfires substantially here in the Pacific Northwest I have never seen the countryside so parched.  And seeing on the news the fires that have destroyed more than a million acres of land, homes, old wooden bridges and more is frightening. Even though not on our doorstep, we could smell the smoke in the air and the smoke pollution on a few days was quite visible hanging over the city.  Thoughts always go to those in danger and those risking their lives to help.  So for this reason the rain that's arrived this past couple of days has been more than welcome.

For us it was a Staycation this year.  Lovely family came visiting from the UK and stayed with us for 10 days which meant lots of day trips, cousins getting lots of overdue time to play together, lazy dinners late into the evening, board games, movies, gin & tonics (plenty!) and a great time together.  My kids were at a few summer camps ranging from camping in the San Juan islands, to an art camp and lots of clay creations coming home every day!  A multi-sports camp and a beginners sailing camp (I love that they get to try out new stuff each year).  Plenty of sleepovers with friends, grilling outside almost every day, camping, summer movies and messing about in boats.  And of course lots of beach and pool days, keeping cool and in some cases escaping the heat of Portland for the cooler temperatures at the coast.

With just over a week to go until BTS (back-to-school) we have a camping trip, a 7th birthday celebration slumber party and school picnic to enjoy.  Fun up to the last minute and plenty of good memories of a great summer to carry us through what we know will feel like a long damp Fall and Winter.

Hope you're enjoying your last days of summer as much as we are…

summer days drifted away….

We are into week 5 of summer vacation already!  One day has rolled into the next and before you know it another week has passed by.  We've managed to squeeze in a whole bunch of stuff in so far…

3 beach trips

1 camping trip

2 visits to the movies

many many playdates with friends

copius amounts of ice-cream

grilling on the bbq almost every day

17 consecutive days of temperatures reaching 90+ degrees (we hit 100 a couple of times) = 

hours and hours spent at the pool

4th July at the St Paul Rodeo - yee haw cowboys!

 a small surgery for Ruby (nothing to worry about thankfully)

 

lots of library book borrowing

lots of playing in the sprinkler

sleepovers

bike rides
outdoor music concert

an art camp for Ruby - lots of clays things were made!

and Luca is away in the amazing and beautiful San Juan Islands with 23 other kids this week (envy!)

climbing all over the remains of a ship wreck from 1906
exploring a fort dating from 1863

more than enough time on electronics!

and yet…..

I've heard my kids,  more the a few times, say "I'm bored"  !!!

To which I've replied...

What about that pile of Lego that could be rebuilt into all those amazing things you "needed" not so long ago.  How about walking the dog? Go outside and play basketball.  Start on a new book.

No, I will not let you watch another movie. 
No, I will not give you another $5 to spend in Starbucks!

It makes me think of my summer vacation in the UK as a child.

six weeks of lazing around  

watching Elvis movies in the mornings

endless bike riding with friends

Girl Scout camp

swimming

parks, forests, den making

No electronics (well, unless you count the TV) whatsoever!

And I'm sure I said I was bored more than once too!  

Hope your summer is going wonderfully.

summer party

One of my (many) favorite things about summertime is the outdoor eating and entertaining.  Whether it's coffee, fruit and yoghurt for breakfast on the deck as the sun peaks through the trees (ideally with the kids still fast asleep in their beds).  A 'mezze' for lunch, with a table filled with cheeses, homemade bread, selection of meats and chutneys and fresh fruit.  A dinner with family and friends with delicious salads, steaks or fish on the grill, chilled wine and little lights glowing all around.  It's all good.

Paperless Post - the creators of beautifully designed unique invitations and cards that make organizing your own event that little bit easier - asked if I'd be interested in compiling a post on my inspiration for summertime entertaining, from color schemes, what I'd wear, food, styling etc.  How fun is that?  I mean, just take a look at my Pinterest Summertime, Eats & Drinks and Outdoor Space boards to start with.  How could I resist?

My dream entertaining space would be a sandy beach with a long table lined with flowers and candles.  Cream, tan and white, with and a touch of gold, and lights strung overhead.   Invitations would be gorgeously simply and have to include the softest bluey/grey with with flecks of gold.

         

             


A stylishly relaxed dress 'code' on a warm summer night.  Shoes kicked off (why would you need heels on the beach?), sand between our toes, soft fabrics ….. I would absolutely be wearing a dress…. which one of these would be hard to decide …..

     
      

Drinks….

Citrus & Basil Sangria



And a delicious spread of food…


  

Coconut Shrip  |  Tomato, Peach & Burrata Salad

Strawberry & Goats' Cheese Crostini

Followed by a sweet treat. 

Of course, you're all invited!

Happy Summertime Friends.

endless summer

Just as we thought the summer was coming to an end - boom - we get a scorcher of a weekend and spent the whole day at the beach on Saturday, kids swimming in the Pacific ocean (which really was the warmest we'd ever found it) and squeezing out the last of the sun lotion too.  Playing Petanque and throwing a ball around.  Running along the beach with our dog and enjoying the blue sky and warmth of the sun.  Amazing and beautiful and we must have said 100 times "Wow, we are so lucky."

Last week with a few days of rainy grey skies I heard a number of Portland people say "How lovely, Fall is here".  "Isn't it great to have some rain."  Even "Let's hope summer doesn't return.".  Yes, Pacific North West people do love their Fall, changing of seasons, leaves the most amazing colors and the damp cool air.  But I am loving this elongated summer and I'm hanging onto every last one of those extra sun-filled days.

summer road tripping part II - where there is water

As long as there is water nearby, my kids are happy.  Like 'Pigs in Mud' kind of happy!  When planning our summer road trip, these were the first things they asked.

"Is there a pool?"

"Can we swim in the sea?"

Well of course we couldn't have a vacation without it.

Here's a few photographs from our trip with them enjoying lakes, rivers, pools and the ocean, whether it was swimming, jumping, fishing or playing it it.

Happy Summer Days.