Owen, Sara &
Andrew Hoelter

First you load your camping gear (preferably waterproofed), your kids and some food in a canoe.

Add a boat full of friends.

Don’t run into a snag and capsize your boat.

Then find a campsite, like this one on Wells Island near Buena Vista ferry.

Attempt to dry out your stuff, while being ever-so-grateful for following the impulse to waterproof the sleeping bags.

Cook some dogs and marshmallows…

Watch the stars.

This is not a bear, raccoon or a dementor.

Load up in the morning and paddle towards home!

Thanks to an extra-busy spring, I got way behind on sorting and posting photos to our site. With over 2,000 photos to go through across many events and months, the task seemed best suited for the lazy days of Summer. Plus, with Jenny blogging about most major events, you, our faithful reader, probably have the gist of what we’ve been up to.

Well, here we are in the Dog Days, and I’m officially caught up. I’ve posted not one but four galleries, dating from mid-March to mid-July.

So, sit back for a spell and enjoy a window into the last four months of our lives.

	Spring Break We gathered up the troops for a Spring Break adventure to Spokane, Washington, Wallace, Idaho, and Union, Oregon. One reoccurring theme: Getting wet-either in form of swimming (water park!) or the constant rain and/or snow falling from the sky. Good times!
	Rites of Spring Spring brought with it familiar experiences (Awesome 3000!), but also some special events, including Grandma and Grandpa’s 40th anniversary, the birth of cousin Carson, and the acquisition of three cute little backyard chickens.
	Scenes from Two Days on the Coast Over Memorial Day weekend we escaped to the Oregon Coast, visiting the beautiful stretch between Lincoln City and Florence. We were greeted by sunshine, blue skies, and Moe’s clam chowder.
	June and July Ah, summertime – a chance to get outside and do all of the things you dreamed about doing during the damp of winter. Our adventures so far include a Marsh/Wing trip to Medford (with side trip to Ashland), Owen’s first backpacking trip, Sara’s 4th birthday party, 4th of July celebrations, and a few (short) hikes.