September

September brought lots of sunny weather, allowing Cadel and Senja to continue their favorite summer activity of running naked through the sprinkler in the backyard.  Cadel started preschool and is settling in well to a few mornings a week on his own.  Our garden came through with a bumper crop of tomatoes.  It didn't take long for Senja to learn to pick them right off the vine so she spent much of the month covered in tomato juice.

We went camping at Crater Lake and did a few hikes that gave us amazing views of the lake.  It is quite impressive. 

 Senja contemplates her place in the world at the Japanese Garden.

 

Crowder (08/25/2001 - 09/02/2011)

Crowder came to Stacey when he was 8 weeks old to be raised as service dog for Canine Companions for Independence.  For a year and  half Crowder went everywhere with Stacey -- to work every day, to restaurants, on airplanes, to the movies.  Then, Stacey gave him back to CCI, as promised, so he could attend Advanced Training and go on to be service dog.  Crowder decided that was not his future and requested to be returned home (in other words, he failed out of school).  And, hence, their journey resumed.  Many biking and hiking trips in Utah followed, romping around with lots of friends, both human and canine.  

Justin entered Stacey's life, and Crowder highly approved.  His next journey brought him to New England where he lived at the farm in New Hampshire, in Maine at "fun Billy and Katie's house", and in Boston.  Justin and Stacey got married and Crowder escorted them out of the church. 

Shortly thereafter, another family member would arrive.  Crowder has a few questions about this.

He and Cadel became fast friends.  Though Crowder proved to be an unreliable babysitter....
Cadel:  "Listen, I'll give you some ear scratches if you let me go."

 

 Crowder:  "No.  I was told to keep you on the carpet."

 

Cadel:  "Woo-hoo.  I'm free!"

Crowder:  "I crumbled. He promised me ear scratches. I couldn't resist."

 

Crowder enjoyed a great year with us in New Hampshire before we packed up again for an adventure out west.  Good thing he is adaptable, happily following along wherever we go.

And then it was time for another conversation about a new family member.  Cadel and Crowder listen intently.

Crowder, once again, is just fine with the new addition.  In fact, he is honored that she dressed up as a puppy for Halloween.  He's not so sure about the little dragon...

Always up for an adventure, Crowder joins us biking, running, and playing in the Oregon rain. 

On Crowder's last day with us, Senja gave him a pat on the head and Cadel said, "I would like for him to stay here."  So would we.

August

We got back from our trip to New England and the August adventures didn't slow down.  Senja turned 1, we spent a beautiful weekend in Leavenworth, WA at a friend's wedding, Stacey ran the 200 mile Hood to Coast relay, and we fit in a few "Portland-y" events in between time.

The Soap Box Derby at the park near our house is an epic event.  Adult racers zoom down the roads of Mt. Tabor, an extinct volcano.  Cadel got very upset when one of the cars almost went off the road, but managed to stay in the race.  We thought he was scared, but it turned out he was upset that the fence was broken.  Volunteers fixed it and happiness returned. 

We rode in the Bridges Bike Pedal, a bike ride over all the bridges in Portland.  Some 35,000 bikers hit the roads for the ride.  We started with Senja in the seat on the bike and Cadel in the trailer, then switched halfway through.

Hurray Biking!

 Did we lose Senja?  No, she's asleep in the trailer.

 Yes, 35,000 is A LOT of bikers.