FLASHBACK: Cameron's Kindergarten Performance - Do the Turkey

Happy 4th from the Wildes and Wildes

My brother Ned just moved to Portland and we celebrated the 4th of July together.

The Hillsboro Parade:

Fireworks at home:

Washington

On the way to Mount Rainier, we visited Whitman Mission National Historic Site. This was the location where the Whitman family settled, disease killed many Native Americans, and they took revenge on the Whitman family. It was one of the things that led the US to recognize the Oregon territory.

Sonya made a yarn doll with this nice ranger.

Tried out a covered wagon.

And received her Junior Ranger.  The bird you see in her hand was given to her by the ranger in charge of birds.  When we were heading back to the Visitor Center, we started two birds.  One flew right into a very clean window and perished.  The ranger wanted Sonya to know it was OK and thus gave her the bird.

Up until this point in our trip, we had had beautiful sunny weather.  Not here.  Mount Rainier generates its own weather system and it was overcast and rainy almost the entire time we were there.  This didn't stop us from taking hikes though in the cover of the trees.  The waterfalls were all raging!

This is a view from the same location as a photo we took last September:

We figured July would be fine, but alas:

So, we visited more raging waterfalls ....

And hiked under the cover of more trees:

Finally, on the way home, this was the view.  It is a gorgeous mountain when it wants to show itself.

Idaho

After Utah, we took a trip up North to visit my brother K and his family. Sonya got to meet another cousin she has never met before and this is the most chill baby I have EVER met!

The next day, we stopped at Craters of the Moon National Monument.  It is a lot of desert until you arrive at the monument, then it looks much like the moon.

We happened to be there during the three weeks wild flowers bloom so there was some extra wonder to the place.

Sonya earned her Lunar Ranger award and was pretty proud.

Utah

At the end of June, we visited Utah to see family.  Sonya hadn't seen all her cousins yet and a brand new one had just been born to Desire's family.  So far, Sonya has 11 cousins on my side of the family and we hadn't met 3 of them!  This trip remedied this situation.

While we were there, we hike up Timpanogos Cave National Monument.  As Karren is pregnant, we took our time.  Sonya also wanted to be carried quite a bit, so this slowed me down as well.  Favorite quote from Sonya from this hike (to me): "This is crazy ..... pick me up!"

Here are some photos of that hike and the cave at the top:

I also went with Sonya, Ian, and Zach to the This is the Place Monument in Salt Lake City.  The kids really enjoyed it as they got to ride two trains, ride a pony, pan for gold, do a couple of crafts, and spend time with their favorite uncle/dad.

Finally, here is a photo of Sonya's newest cousin:

I think this was Sonya's favorite part of her trip, visiting her grandparents and cousins.  After this, she repeatedly asked to go back to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Believe in Pink Cupcakes

Here is the video from Sonya's Dance Recital last month.



This video is provided courtesy of Maury Ennis (kmzkmg@mac.com). Thank you Maury!