Pink

I know I said I didn't want to dress her in pink. Guilty. But, have you ever seen a pink kitty that is this cute before? Seriously.

Construction Zone

A few weekends ago we got to feeling a little destructive. It started with Greg doing the necessary job of clearing the nasty, old insulation out of one of the attic spaces. Then we freaked out and tore the carpet out of our bedroom in the hallway. Guess we are committed to refinishing the floors now.

Grandpa Steve

This is a picture of Eliana and her Grandpa Steve. It was taken by my mom, Pam, up in the North Umpqua forest in early August. I know that Eliana and I will treasure this photo for many years to come.

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!