Good times in Seattle

Being a tourist in Seattle:

1. Space Needle complete with purchasing a cheesy magnet (check)

2. Sculpture Park (check)

3. International District (check)

4. The new Seattle Link (check)

5. West Seattle's Alki Beach (check)

6. Pike Place Market (oops...ran out of time)

The weather was beautiful and time with friends was priceless. We are already planning the next trip north!

Five Years

Team Stiles is celebrating five years today! Hooray for us! We started the day off with a workout at HEL followed by coffee at the Albina Press. A bit of grocery shopping, a nap and a yummy dinner of enchiladas and plantains rounded out a very relaxing day. Over dinner we had fun thinking about highlights from the last five years. We've had trips to Maine, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Utah, New York and all around the NW. There have been lots of BBQs and parties with friends along with rafting, cycling, running, hiking, snowboarding, and camping. We bought a house, experienced job changes and best of all - added Eliana to the team! It's been an awesome five years and we can't wait to live the next forty-five like a cavalry charge!

A Baptism

Last weekend we went to Roseburg for an important event: Eliana's baptism in Rock Creek. This is a very special place for me because I went there nearly every weekend during the summer with my dad. We would take our old blue Toyota truck up Highway 138 to the river and lay in the sun, swim, hunt for rocks, catch craw-dads, paint ourselves with "rock paint", chant, sing, build rock towers, and on and on. It was a great time.

This was Eli's first trip up the river and she had quite an audience. My mom, dad, Betti (my river mother), Carl, Greg and I were all there to watch her dunk her precious little toes in the magical water. We brought back several rocks to mark the occasion. I can't wait to take her back and watch her learn to love the place as I do.

Betti, Eli and me dunking toes.

Eli was NOT thrilled.

Do you think she'll forgive us?

The whole event - complete with pissed off baby!

Another amazing thing about Rock Creek is that it is a salmon spawning ground. I love going to the deep hole where they gather. Their journey never ceases to amaze me and I always feel privileged to witness the last stage of their life.

Fun by the river

Eliana, Kimmy (my teaching partner), and I headed out to Hood River yesterday to chill by the Columbia. Kimmy's dad and a bunch of his buddies are avid windsurfers and they lease a piece of property near Stevenson, Washington. They park their motorhomes and enjoy most weekends there during the summer. Her dad's group calls themselves "Team Advil" which I find pretty funny. It was a rad way to spend a summer day and I can't wait to get out there again.

The view from our blanket.

We watched this kiteboarder for close to an hour. Watch how high he goes on the board and then pay close attention to what happens when he's up there. His board actually comes off of his feet! Don't worry, he was back on the board in less than a minute.

Eli and I roughing it.

Kimmy explains our location and how hard our lives are. Caution: she uses a bit of profanity here. Watch out folks, she's an educator and I think she learned that kind of language from her middle school students!

Such hardcore relaxing is very tiring!

Portland Festival Symphony

As you know from the previous post, we went down to Cathedral Park to enjoy the Portland Festival Symphony last Saturday. We took a picnic, met a bunch of friends, and watched Eli roll over. The weather was great, the music was beautiful and the view was fantastic. It is so nice that our city offers FREE concerts!

The crowd

The symphony and St. John's Bridge

Our friend Brooke came out with Mabel. They are both beautiful!

Tiny little thing was born 4 weeks early. She's doing great and is growing really strong. We are so happy for Brooke and Tim.

Taylor was nice enough to share her chocolate cupcakes with us. Here you can see that she is saving some of the frosting for later. I love the ballet outfit/chocolate face combo!

Look who just rolled over!

Eli decided that last night at the Portland Festival Symphony would be the right time to bring out her new trick. She chose wisely; everyone was very impressed. I'm not sure that once she got herself over she was pleased with the results. Being on her tummy is not her favorite thing. This video is of her 2nd rollover because I was too slow with the Flip to catch the first one. Way to go Eli!

Great Grandpa Duncan

Meeting Great Grandpa Duncan for the first time!

This weekend we headed down to Roseburg for a whirlwind visit with family. In less than 24 hours Eli saw her Grammie Pam, Grandpa Steve, and Great Grandpa Duncan. My Grandpa Duncan will be 90 in December and he is such an inspiring person. He is still very active and always has 101 projects going on. I love to visit with him and hear all of his stories. Eli is really lucky to have such a cool great-grandfather.