Wow Wallowas!

We picked Caden up at Camp Magruder on Sunday morning. Families were invited  to the closing campfire, and everyone enjoyed singing favorite camp songs.

Then, we drove east:

We met up with some of Mama's college friends - and their kids - in The Dalles:

Then, it was on to Boardman, where we met up with Ama and Adad and Finn discovered how fun it is to climb stairs.

From there, we continued east to Ama and Adad's cabin at Wallowa Lake. We spent three nights there, and we had fun visiting with Great Auntie Janet and Great Uncle Tom...

... fishing with Adad ...

... reading ...

... playing mini golf ...

... swimming in the lake ...

... hiking ...

... and climbing more stairs.

Thanks, Ama and Adad!

Oregon Coast

Tomorrow morning, Mama, Dada, and Finn head over to Rockaway Beach to pick up Caden, who has been at Camp Magruder for the past two nights. Then, we all bid farewell to the coast and head east for a few days at Wallowa Lake. It has been really great to spend some time working and staying at the coast. It's been far too long, and it's a special place for us.

The trip started with a night in Corvallis, where we took Finn over to the old Zoology Department at OSU - where Mama and Dada met - and introduced Finn to Bruce and the Wall of Shame:

We then headed out to Oceanside. Dada and Caden headed up to Cape Meares to scout our field site. We went on a bit of a wild goose chase, but we found some great views, the Octopus Tree, and a gnome:

Finally, we found the site, which is a truly beautiful spot:

Finn continues to be a mischief maker, crawling, climbing, opening, and emptying whatever he can get to and protesting loudly when his way is blocked.

Cousin fun

We're spending 10 days in Oregon right now while Mama, Dada, and their students are working on an experiment on the coast. Caden and Finn have been having a great time with their cousins. First, we spent a night in Corvallis, where Nate and Isabelle are staying at Ama and Adad's house:

Then, we met up with cousin Rowan in Oceanside:

Back to Irvine, amidst much mischief

We departed Sitka and returned to Irvine on the 6th. The days leading up to our departure were filled with packing, shipping, wrapping up our field experiment, and saying farewell to our Sitka friends and colleagues. Caden and Finn joined us in the field for our last day at John Brown's Beach. As you can see, fieldwork can really tire a little guy out:

Our site is at the end of the runway, so we waved goodbye from the jet, as well:

During the last several days, Finn has been making mischief of one kind and another:

Diaper time reading.

This is what happens when Mama loses a chocolate chip while cozying Finn.

The wedge, repurposed as a climbing toy.

What can I find in here?

Or here?

Wagon games. Earlier today, Finn was using it as a scooter, with one foot inside and one foot out to push.

How big is Finley? Sooooooo big!

And, we found a new place to hike:

Love to all!

Sunny in Sitka

As our time here in Sitka winds to a close, we have been enjoying warm, often sunny weather. Nana and Boopa visited from Petersburg to spend time with us and help out while Mama and Dada finished their field experiment. Thanks! Caden's enthusiasm for fishing continues unabated, and we enjoyed his latest catch for dinner last night. Finn is charming everyone and getting into everything. And Mama and Dada are excited about the data that are emerging from their experiment. In addition to a steady harvest of wild berries, we've managed to buy and beg a good supply of rhubarb, which Mama is turning into all sorts of yummy concoctions.

Catch of the day.

Swingin' in the sun.

Totem touching.

Happy guy.

This past weekend brought the annual Seafood Festival, featuring all sorts of fishy food and games. Caden and Mama competed in the fish head toss. Check out the size of the halibut head en route from Mama to Caden:

And Finn is learning to walk with a bit of help from big brother Caden:

Fishing frenzy and huckleberry harvest

Late July in Southeast Alaska means salmon coming into the streams and berries ripening in the woods, and we have been enjoying both over the past couple of weeks. Caden has caught the fishing bug that infected Dada when he was young, and he has hooked and landed a variety of fish in the nearby river and ocean, including lots of Dolly Varden, a quillback rockfish, a little king salmon - too small to keep - and a pink salmon.

An evening's catch, not counting the ones that we let go. A couple of these are Adad Bruce's dollies.

Quillback rockfish make yummy tacos.

Tonight's dinner.

When we arrived a couple of weeks ago, the salmonberries were going strong. Now, they are waning, but the red huckleberries are here. This afternoon, we picked a bunch. Tonight's dessert? Huckleberry muffins!

Berry picking.

Huckleberries for Finn.