Popsicle

While I'm thinking of firsts, I have to add this one.  Oscar's first popsicle (Breyer's 100% Fruit Pop, actually).

Just as I was trying to capture this "first", the popsicle fell off the stick.  See it?

But O.K.'s gettin' quick, and managed to catch it before it hit the ground.  Nice save, monkey.

"Down the Shore"

Well, it only took us six years to get to the Jersey shore.  We went for the day to rendezvous with some old Portland friends, Tony and Robyn, who moved to Michigan a couple of years after we moved to Philly, and who also happen to have family near Seaside Park, New Jersey.  Besides the fact that you have to PAY ($12 a person!!!) to walk on the overly crowded beach (we just looked at it from the boardwalk), we were pleasantly surprised by our Jersey shore experience and will definitely try to make it back next summer.  Though perhaps it was Robyn and Tony, along with their sweet 4-year old son, Roman, who made our first east coast beach trip the fun that it was.

We met up at the home of friends of Tony and Robyn.  Roman and Oscar got acquainted over dirt and water in the yard.  Not a bad way to meet someone, really.

 We took a walk down the boardwalk to see what all a "boardwalk" consists of.  Basically, a wooden walkway leading to and through a permanent county fair (without the live animals and with an arcade as noisy and bling-y as a casino).

We played Ski Ball.

Roman and Oscar raced cars.  Oscar didn't need quarters to make his car interesting.  Gotta' enjoy that while it lasts...

John, Oscar, and Roman played pinball.  Quarters required.

We watched the rides.

And Oscar went on his first "ride"-- a train that went around a little track.

After dinner, some tasty boardwalk treats, and more hanging out, we said adios to our sweet friends, hopped in the car, and managed to catch this before heading inland.  We can now happily add "down the shore" to the places we've been.

Our Oregon Trip in Less than 80 Pictures

Two weeks in Oregon and we came home with well over 500 pictures to remind us of our sweet trip.  I am learning to be brutal and just let many of them go, but I'm a Macy, and as such, a sentimental pack-rat, even digitally.  I've managed to narrow it down (thank you, Sherry, for your inspiration), and may have even repeated some of the pics posted here, but it simply can't be helped.  I apologize if your picture is not posted below--it's frustrating when you figure out who or what you've missed only after you are 2000 miles away.

Oscar's Nana

Oscar and "The Girls", otherwise known as Trudy and Georgia ( a couple of cozy gerbils)

Elizabeth made a tasty brunch and family came from all over to eat it.  It was wonderful to see everyone, including Aunt Lisa and cousin Lani (who was 11 the last time we saw her!).

John and Uncle John

John's cousin, Tegan, and our nephew, Grayson, played "Animal Crossing" on their tiny hand computers (otherwise known as a "DS"), while Oscar looked on with more interest than I would have liked.

Sweet cousins, Lani and Tegan

 I had to take plenty of pictures -- it's been a long while since we've all been in the same place at the same time.

Grayson showed us, along with Tegan, around OMSI while we were there.  The Ball Room was O.K.'s favorite.

all spaced out

Grayson stayed over at Nana's, continuing to introduce O.K. to the DS world.
 

Oh, that tiny hand computer!!!

 John and his sister, Shana

We also saw a few dear "Portland" friends:

A picnic at Laurelhurst Park with Kelly and Jooree.

Feeding the ducks (before we found out we weren't supposed to)

A yummy barbecue with Dan and Lupine and their 

sweet sweet daughters, Dot and Bina.

A visit with the Grants -- the cutest family ever, pretty much.

Miles and Oscar
 

 John's Big Brother, Tom Jordan, drove up from Eugene to have breakfast with us.

 If you're going to eat breakfast, this is a great place to do it.

 At Allegra's barbecue, we caught up with some of John's old roommates--some visiting from Los Angeles and Seattle.

Allegra's trampoline

John visited his old friend, Tom, and his new(ish) sweet baby, Una.


 

After a week, we were off to Newberg...

Oscar and Gus

Oscar listened intently to the popping of the coffee roaster, as Gum explained how it worked.

 

Darcy and Oscar have a lot in common -- they're both energetic, curious, and often use their mouths to check stuff out.

Uncle John did a lot of this (look ahead for the REALLY nice pics--all his and Erin's)

Eating a snap pea straight from John and Erin's garden

Checking out the compost bin

A Photo Macy pic (click here for more information), and one of my favorites.

(Photo Macy, of course)

 A bit of modeling at the park (See Erin? She's in there, too.)

Oscar and his Uncle John

 We had a tasty lunch with Grandma Williams.

Uncle Pete and Aunt Linsey

O.K. thought they were pretty fun[ny]...

 Watering plants

Pete and Linsey hosted a barbecue at their home, where we got to meet this little guy, Kennady Sunday Williams, just 3 weeks old.

Derin and Andra braved the long drive for their first post-baby outing.  (We're so glad they did!)

 Grandma Williams with her great-grandsons.

Erin, looking ready for her future

Pop came across a strange food "adventure", so we decided to try it.  Anchovies folded and stuffed into a giant green olive.

It wasn't anyone's favorite.

We also got to see Anna, an old old friend I've known since I was six, and her sweet son, Carter, who is just a few months older than Oscar.

A visit with Grandma Macy

 The Andersons arrive from Colorado! (Cassidy, Addison, Paul, and Bailey)

Aunt Erin and Cassidy


And then we headed down to Twin Rocks with the Andersons, Pete and Linsey, John and Erin, and of course, Pop and Sherry (a.k.a. Gum and Gus).  Darcy, however, went to visit her mother for a few days.

We played on the beach.   (Photo Macy)

Photo Macy

Photo Macy

Photo Macy

Photo Macy

Photo Macy

We played games -- like Kubb, as well as a few shin-stinging games of soccer.

We relaxed.

A few lucky aunts had their nails done at Salon Anderson.

O.K. took an unusual bath.

We went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory

Ice cream

We took pictures

And more pictures

And more pictures

Until it was time for us to go.  We even got an Anderson/Carlson white hankie farewell.

We couldn't leave Oregon without making one more stop at Nana's.  After relaxing there for a bit we headed to the airport to catch our late night flight.  Then, after twelve long hours of waiting and flying and waiting some more, we found ourselves back in Philly.

We're already looking forward to next time.