Garth's Blog: Sunriver

Showing posts with label Sunriver. Show all posts

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Top 10: Most popular NON-travel posts (Unpublished #2)

This is Part 2 of a previously unreleased "Best of" series from January 2014, based on page views for my 2013 posts. The 2014 page hits haven't been tallied yet. My new blog content still isn't quite ready. We've been celebrating baby Levi's first birthday since last Thursday with all of our might! In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to have a look back.

Links look like this. Last week's "Honorable mentions: Most popular non-travel posts" is here. And the list of Top 10 travel posts (from 2013, *snicker*) is coming next!

10. Blog Changes: Twitter Feed and More

A throwaway post about the latest tweets from @garth_hamilton on Twitter being added to my blog’s sidebar, as well as some other design changes

9. Dude (Looks like a baby): We're having a boy!!

As if the bad Aerosmith jokes in my earlier Lovin' an Elevator: A tale of entrapment misadventure at PDX Airport weren't desperate enough, I returned to the well for our baby's gender announcement. This one features an early guest photo appearance by baby Levi!

8. Our home’s first Thanksgiving

For a change, we had the family (plus a special guest) over to OUR house for Thanksgiving dinner. This post also includes pics from the always-huge day after Thanksgiving extended family dinner at my parent's house.

7. Father’s Day week photo spectacular

This was a simple collection of exclusive Daddy-daughter photos from the previous year.

I had so many favorites that the pics spilled over into Father’s Day week photos, Part 2: The Outtakes.

6. Olympic Mountains, Day 1:

Lena’s 1^st camping trip

The spectacular photos of Mount Ellinor (which I'm climbing this winter season) and Mount Washington from Olympic Mountains, Day 2- Back on the trails took a back seat to family camping photos of Day 1. Okay, so it was only car camping.

Scouting out Mount Ellinor/Washington for Daddy's upcoming double-header climb

Lena lovingly sidetracks Daddy from setting up the tent

As a bonus, the follow-up "Day 2" camping blog boasted another exclusive-- A photo of Lena hiking her first mini trail!

5. Sunriver, Pt 1: A wedding countdown (feat. Kathy)

The excitement began to build during our preparations for Brent and Cheryl's wedding in Sunriver, near Bend.

And the Kathy-penned Part 2 featured the wedding ceremony, toasts, cake fight, reception, and after-party!

Sunriver, Pt. 2: A wild wedding (feat. Kathy)

4. Once upon a time in Enchanted Forest

Lena visited Oregon's unique roadside theme park, Enchanted Forest, for her first time. Daddy, Mommy, Grandma Lora (Mimi), and Uncle Tony came along for the ride.

3. Breaking news: We’re pregnant again!!

Hot off the press-- Baby Levi cometh!

2. Banks Lake heats up! (Pt. 2 of 2)

This entry was chocked full of tubing/ wakeboarding near-wipeouts pics from the second day of our family’s 31^st annual Banks Lake camping trip. That night's birthday shenanigans in Coulee City were just icing on the cake.

Camping photos from Day 1 were featured earlier in Banks Lake camping, Take 31.

1. Video: Breaking news: Lena’s first steps!

A lifetime of Lena hiking, running, skiing, climbing, and playing sports has begun!

Coming next on Garth's Blog, one final "unpublished" post from January 2014 before we get to the new stuff...

Top 10: Most popular travel posts!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Lena Gets Moving

Update: Additional, mostly new photos were added on 5/11/13!

The room fell silent as Lena unexpectedly walked a record 10 steps during our student ministry outreach event last night. This morning, she took around 30 steps away from her bedroom door! And her new walking skills were the center of attention this afternoon at the L.A. Fitness "Kids Club" during my workout.

Ever since taking her first steps a few weeks ago (video clip here), Lena has been dominating the floor of every room she lands in. After all, her earlier attempts to walk have already been drawing crowds for the past 19 months!

Here are few previously unreleased photos from the long journey of Lena getting up and moving:

We're not going back to the very beginning (that would be 9/10/11!), but we have to start somewhere. At 6 months old, Lena strengthened her neck muscles enough to lift up her head...

.

...Then, we propped 8 month old Lena up against a step in our living room...

...And Lena soon developed the core muscles to sit up on her own!

Next, Lena learned to climb up the step in our sunken living room...

...And then, for the first time, she bouldered her way back down!

I'm so glad that I had my camera handy as Lena bravely navigated her first stair!

Then, Lena had to figure out how to crawl...

At 16 months old, we fully expected Lena to be walking already. She continued to try new things, though, like when she tackled the stairs of our rental house in Sunriver.

That same weekend in Sunriver (The story of Brent and Cheryl's wedding is here and here), Lena mastered the art of letting go with one hand while standing.

Lena eventually learned to briefly stand on her own, to bounce while standing, and to take a few steps while holding onto the hand of a grown-up.

As most readers know by now, this all led to Lena's big, long awaited moment last month:

The day Lena took her first steps!

We're taking Lena to the Portland Zoo tomorrow to celebrate her turning 20 months old. Now that she's occasionally on her feet, my load just got 24 lbs lighter!

Coming next weekend on Garth's Blog...

A photo-filled Mother's Day tribute to Kathy!!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Sunriver, Pt. 2: A Wild Wedding (feat. Kathy)

This morning’s conclusion to Kathy’s “A Wedding Countdown” post (link) is being served with a steaming side of déjà vu. Or maybe just a starting appetizer. My intro to Part 1 has been tightened up and recycled here out of sheer laziness… not to be confused with contempt for you terrific readers!

My opening words may be the same, but the rest is all Kathy. Feel free to skip down to the new stuff.

Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Brent Bishop… You may now kiss the bride!

Warming up the dance floor at the wedding reception!

What could possibly top our previous visit to Brent and Cheryl’s house in Bend for a weekend of Thanksgiving hiking, skateboarding, dancing, live music, great food, and family time?

Why, Brent and Cheryl’s wedding in Sunriver last month, of course, with snow tubing, hot tubbing, hiking, bicycling, dancing, and celebrating!!

Let’s turn over the rest of this post to my talented wife. In the words (in italics) of special guest blogger Kathy, the sister of the bride:

It was a weekend every girl dreams of, family, friends, fun, laughter and marrying your best friend. That dream became a reality for my little sister, Cheryl, on Saturday February 2, 2013, married her best friend, Brent Bishop in Sunriver, OR. I was excited for many reasons: a road trip, gaining a new brother-in-law, seeing my brother Tony who lives in Kabul, being with family and most of all seeing Cheryl so very happy.

After months of prep and anticipation, the BIG day was finally here. Decorating and rehearsal were all done before 11:00.

By 2:30 that afternoon, we were dressed and ready to go.

Then it was time. All the months of planning came down to this moment, to this hour. The bride was gorgeous and the flower girl was stunningly cute (but who’s bragging?).

Tobi's daughter Maddie, who was the flower girl at our own wedding nearly 15 years ago, walks 16 1/2 month old flower girl Lena Hamilton down the aisle.