Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 9

For our Utah County Birders newsletter, I wrote a "Bird of the Month" article about the Green Heron. I wrote it while we were in Oregon and spent so much time trying to find photos on our external hard drive that would work.

Since we were in Oregon, Nichole and I decided to go out and see if we could find a Green Heron to photograph since we always see a Green Heron or several when we go to the nature park near where my parents live.

The forecast was for rain and we had plenty during the night. My dad sent us out with a couple umbrellas that stayed in our bags. We didn't get a lot of new rain while we were out but got great pictures of nature after a storm.

If you look very carefully you can see a spider web with rain drops on it. 

 

Unfortunately we didn't see any Green Herons but we did see something I didn't expect- a spotted sandpiper in a wooded area. 

Nichole's picture of the spotted sandpiper

 

I had to send my article in with a good picture of a juvenile Green Heron Nichole took years ago and a not so good picture I (or Jeremy) took of an adult Green Heron years ago. Sigh.

 

I was able to console myself with brownies (even though June 26 was Chocolate Pudding Day. It's still chocolate, right? I'm not going to complain) and playing another game with Todd that night. 

The next day, Nichole and I went to the nature park again and this time we didn't bother with umbrellas.

Guess what. There was a light rain while we were there. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Enough that we didn't stay out long after seeing... a Green Heron. This one was closer to adulthood (more the coloring I wanted) so when we got back I asked if we could use the picture Nichole got that morning instead of the not so great one we had sent in previously for the newsletter. No problem. Yay.  

That day, June 27, was National Sunglasses Day, which we did not wear. One, it wasn't bright enough. Two, they would have gotten wet. 

That evening, instead of playing a game, we introduced my mom and my brother to Seeking Persephone. I needed to watch it in June and introduce someone new. This monthly tradition has been going since December. 

I still love that movie. 

I was wearing my Gentlemen's Gamble shirt earlier that day. "That's a romance shirt." I needed to do laundry, though, so I changed to a different "romance" shirt: my Jurassic Park shirt. C'mon, it's my date shirt.

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 8

June 25 was National Handshake Day. As soon as my mom found out, she was going around shaking everyone's hand that morning. Except when she and I went out for a walk. Then she stopped by a neighbor's house and we got hugs. I like hugs.

We missed Marcus's annual jugglers BBQ that evening since we were in a different state but Jeremy was able to go since he was in Utah.

We'd been looking forward to going because last year, Jr. Jr. couldn't juggle at the BBQ and he's been practicing all year. Oh well. There's always next year and he'll be even better by then.

 

That night after playing a game with my brother and my sons, Jeremy asked to watch a movie with me. 

So Jet joined me and I set things up here while Jeremy set things up in Utah and we started the movie at the same time. We've done that before with friends but it has been many many years. 

We watched Sheep Detectives and throughout the movie, Jeremy and I texted each other comments. "Ooh, I think so and so did it." "Gasp." quoting a line that was just said "Wow, that actor is so tall." "Hahahahahahahahahaha." And on and on and on.

I loved it. I also approve of that movie and told my kids later they may watch it. Family friendly. 

 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 7

road trip

Jet insisted on taking our "Road Trip!" picture (and typing the letters at the beginning of this post) so this is what we got. He's so adorable.

Wednesday, June 24, we said Goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa in Washington (thanks for so many meals, Mom and Dad... and everything else)

and drove to say Hello to Grandma and Grandpa in Oregon. And Uncle Todd. We like Uncle Todd.

Whoa. The trees in the Pacific Northwest are tall. 

Since it was International Fairy Day, I kept going on and on and on about the illustrated edition of Fablehaven.

 

The drive to Oregon felt so short compared to the trip from Utah. We got there so early and had time to play a game with Todd. 

I chatted with my mom without staying up way late. I don't regret the late night talking with my mother-in-law, though.

I love family time.

Lucky's Turn

 

    I have a confession to make... This blog post was made so that I would be able to play some video games. Phew, glad I got that off my chest welp back to playing. (: 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 6

June 23 was National Hydration Day. I reminded everyone to say hydrated.

It was also Detroit Style Pizza Day. We had regular pizza.

It was National Pink Day. We had pink jello salad.

 

The kids were put to work in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard that day. They picked up fir cones, lots of fir cones, so many fir cones.

Lucky and Jr. Jr. became so competitive that at the end after everyone else was done, they had to get just a few more picked up so they ended up with the same amount and many more than the rest of the kids. Silly boys. 

That day we also stuck with tradition and had root beer floats at Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

Usually that's Jeremy's thing. He always has a big root beer float (sometimes multiple depending on how many days he's there) when he visits but since he wasn't able to go this time, Grandpa made sure to tell him to have one in Utah. So he did. 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 5

June 22 was National Kissing Day. I didn't have my husband to kiss that day but I got this really cute picture before we headed out to visit Snoqualmie Falls.

It's been many many many years since we went to Snoqualmie Falls. I believe we went there in 2012 but I can't find anything specific on my blog about it. The two youngest weren't born yet. So here we go. Snoqualmie Falls in 2026.

Later that day, we got to make homemade ice cream. Everyone got a turn (or more) to crank the handle.

My mother-in-law said it was liquidy, more like a milkshake. She suggested we just celebrate Vanilla Milkshake Day observed since we didn't celebrate it on June 20. Clever, Mom.

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 4

June 21 was the Summer Solstice.

Goodbye, Spring. Hello, Summer.

It was also Father's Day. We got to spend it with my father-in-law. I wore my bow earrings to celebrate and took a selfie. It was also National Selfie Day.

And... it was a family member's birthday so I also wore my bow earrings for that.

 

Jeremy finished up at his fair in California the night before and drove to spend the night at my brother and sister-in-law's. He went to church with them Sunday morning and made sure to wear his Father's Day tie. He also got chocolate.

I appreciate the selfies they got.

 

Jeremy drove the rest of the way home to find a card and a couple Father's Day gifts which we left for him. We weren't able to be with him (though we did call and sing "Daddy's Homecoming" to him on his trip) but we were able to let him know we were thinking of him.