Wallowa Lake

We woke up at 3 am, packed the car and transferred Sydney at 4 am.  At 4:15 she sat wide awake saying "Mommy, Mommy, car.  Daddy, Daddy, car.  Sissy, Sissy, car."  We were on our first ever "ROAD TRIP" with Sydney...hence the transfer at 4 a.m.  It worked out as well as it could have...she slept a little bit, we stopped twice, and 6 short hours later...we arrived at Wallowa Lake for a 4-day camping trip with Robby's entire family.  It was entirely too short a weekend- it felt like once we got everything unpacked, settled and relaxed it was time to pack it all up again...I suppose that's the way it is when you're enjoying time with people you don't get to see everyday and don't want it to come to an end.  We've started what I hope is an annual tradition as getting 20 Gerichs' together is nothing but fun, stories of when the boys were little and the trips to the hospital, teasing, activities and laughter.

We stopped at Walmart in La Grande to let Sydney stretch and she found her way to the glasses and picked these cute little things out.  She proudly puts them on her head...sometimes upside down, sometimes crooked, but I just leave them...I'm learning it's good not to re-do everything she's done!

When I told people we were going to Wallowa, besides telling me it was heaven on earth- people mentioned how the deer were everywhere and weren't scared to come right up to you if you offered them food.  Wow- they weren't kidding. Deer where EVERYWHERE.  They got into our banana stash one night and what do you know- took out two bananas and left the peel still connected at the top to the unopened banana.  Amazing teeth maneuvering if you ask me!

This deer started to snort at Syd, so Robby got cautious and picked her up.  Good thing- the ranger said that two days earlier a little boy had been kicked by one.  Ouch!

We had other little theifs in the camp also- but who can resist helping a darling little chipmunk stash his winter food away?  I knew there was a reason Robby bought a 5 pound bag of peanuts at Costco...

Sneaky, sneaky little fella.

We took Sydney on her first horsey ride...and the best part was a horse that continually neighed while we were there.  It pleased me to have her hear the real thing as mine doesn't even come close.  She was a bit hesitant at first, but after awhile she enjoyed it.  We did laps around the stable and at one point had to walk in the street...where other horses had obviously been judging by the trails left behind.  I'm pretty sure this was Sydney's favorite part where she repedetively announced "ca-ca" the entire time.  Hey- at least my kid knows poop when they see it, right?  She fed "Haas" carrots when she was done and we called it a day.

Here's the girlies of the weekend...an 8 year old, a 12 year old and three 13 year olds....it is nothing but joy to be around such innocent, fun, giggly little ladies. 

The new "thing" is to stick your tongue out in a picture...I suppose it has replaced making the peace sign or giving bunny ears...

Kallee, Jessica, Madison, Amy and Melanie

Our little family of 3 is working on making thumb-sucking the next big gig...

My favorite part of the entire trip was watching Sydney interact with her cousins.  They absolutely adore her and she adores them.  They read books, played chase, hide-and-seek, played in the water, kicked the ball and she got her share of being "uhhhp-uhhhp" as they carried her here and there.  Makes me wish we all lived closer so she could grow up knowing them better.

Melanie reading Goodnight Moon.

And just in case I wasn't around enough goofiness, my husband was there to remind me that he is the youngest and dish me some more.

I love you all- thanks again for all the wonderful memories...with more to surely come.