Birthday Cake Milkshake

I saw Clinton Kelly make this shake on The Chew. Luke loves milk shakes almost as much as he loves cake batter, so we knew we had to try out this recipe. It was amazing. Let me know if you try it!

Blend:
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1/2 C milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C cake mix
Add sprinkles to garnish if you want...yummy!

Wine Country

We spent the weekend in McMinnville at Isabelle's swim meet (where she kicked butt!). We have made our way to "the valley" a few times, but we really loved our drive this past weekend. We saw so many beautiful things. One of the highlights was the Yamhill Valley Vineyards.  Something that everyone should be able to see in person! My Uncle Gus and my dad both told me about the amazing landscapes and vineyards in Oregon, but it was so neat to see them for myself. There were beautiful flowers, breathtaking views, and some killer chairs recycled from wine barrels. The company wasn't half-bad, either. Here are a few of the highlights:

Seriously...amazing.

Unicycle Club

The unicycle club got together this afternoon for a ride. The weather was perfect, and Dylan had a great time with his friends!

Smith Rock

I got to spend the day with the 4th graders at Smith Rock. It was amazing. We hiked, learned about native plants, and had a nice picnic lunch. We also got to explore a bubble cave! The Oregon Park Rangers talked to us about how Smith Rock was formed. It was so interesting! We will be going back as a family for sure. It was beautiful, and Dylan and I saw some great hiking trails we want to test out. All in all, not a bad day!

Part of Smith Rock with the basalt cliffs below

The Crooked River

Close-up of the river...so pretty!

Griffin and Dylan

Jeronimo, Dylan, Codiac, Jack, Ray, and Nathan

Happy Girls Run

I can't say that I was happy the whole time I was running, but I was really proud of the fact that I finished. I didn't break any speed records, but I enjoyed being a part of the day's events. It was hard, but I surprised myself. Thinking of Luke running 100 miles and Izzy's grueling swim workouts kept me putting one foot in front of the other. I even got a little emotional when the race started--a bunch of women that had a common goal in mind taking off together on a gorgeous morning. Welcome Home by Radical Face was playing on my Ipod..."sleep don't visit, so I choke on sun, and the days blur into one. And the backs of my eyes hum with things I've never done..."

It was a good day. Crossing the finish line with Izzy and Dylan cheering me on was worth every step. And one of my favorite things was that instead of medals, they give finishers a sterling silver necklace. Cool.

Slow Going

We are slowly finding where to put things in our new house. The kitchen has me baffled...just trying to find the right flow. I talked to Liz a couple days ago, though, and she said she is still moving stuff around, so I don't feel so bad. It will come in time, right? I am just happy that we have some furniture moved in. It is already starting to feel like home. Here's a quick shot of the front room from the dining area...remember, we are still in a bit of a mess. Luke had an event this weekend, so he hasn't slept much at all, and I am pretty sore after running, so after breakfast, we started the fire and turned on the TV. It's going to be a very lazy day here at the Larsen house!

The kids are enjoying having their own rooms, and are excited every time they open a new box. They haven't seen a lot of their stuff for 22 months!

I'd post a photo of the master bedroom, but there isn't anything to see. Just a huge room with a king size bed at one end. We don't even have a comforter yet...like I said, it is a work in progress! 

Luke is off at the storage unit grabbing the lawn mower. It has been a while since we fired that puppy up, so I'm crossing my fingers that it works. We are so excited to get started in the yard. We have plans for garden boxes, a deck, and a perfect spot for our fire pit. It's all coming together. I'll add photos as we start (and hopefully finish) projects. All I know is that I am not itching to move again anytime soon. I am happy as can be to just stay put for a while!

Wow...

It has been a long time since my last post! No pictures yet. We are so busy unpacking that I haven't had a moment to take any photos. Between Luke's new job (he is neck deep in events right now), Dylan's baseball schedule, and Izzy's swimming, our days are pretty packed.  Here's an update for now:

Luke is working at Lay It Out Events. He has been an amazing addition to the team, and is doing a great job. They just finished The Salmon Run and are gearing up for the Happy Girls Run this weekend. After that is Bite of Bend and the list goes on! It will be a busy summer for him.

I am working and taking the kids to and from practices and events. I am also running the Happy Girls 10K on Sunday. I love everything about Bend, especially the importance of community. There is an amazing energy here that makes me happy. I love being in a smaller town with a slower pace...it is just what we needed.

Izzy is rocking it in the water! She made her first national standard B time in the 50 fly, and was given a certificate at her awards banquet tonight. She also got awards for most improved swimmer and most inspirational swimmer. She was so excited, and Luke and I are so proud. As her coach said, she will be one to watch. She is also doing great in school (no surprise there), and making so many darling friends.

Dylan is still unicycling, and has made it to level 4 (there are 10 official levels). He got to ride the giraffe unicycle at school and loved it! He said he could touch the top of the basketball hoops...something that is really fun for someone his size. He got drafted to the Mariners in little league, and is doing great. He is such a bulldog when it is game time. We love watching him play. He is also doing awesome in school. He is being challenged and really rising to the occasion.

That is it for now. I will take some pictures soon and post about our new house. We are loving it already. It's going to be nice to settle in make it our own.