July

July: We Swim. We Bike.

That can pretty much sum up our July...in between the 4th of July, our family reunion, and everything else. The days have been so hot...perfect for swimming and the nights have cooled down nicely...perfect for biking.

This month we have enjoyed the lake, our favorite swimming hole, and our local water park a couple of times:

Dane, Ailey, River, Bryn, Elle, and Kameron

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We have also eaten a lot of ice cream!!

This summer all the Johnsons can ride bikes!! That is pretty exciting news. It's been great because we have been riding bikes a whole bunch. We love it.

Bryn learns to ride a bike!!

The Fish Lake trail is one of our favorites. It is perfect for a beginning rider and the scenery is beautiful!!

So pretty!!

And...there are frogs to catch!! Awesome!!

And check out that sky...Gorgeous!!

There is also a stream that runs along the trail full of watercress and water skeeters! Fun stuff!!

Aahhh...so peaceful.

We also like to get on the Centennial Trail and ride that all over. You can ride all the way to Idaho. The kids like to ride downtown to Riverfront Park and have dinner.

I appreciate that Kameron has taken over this job that used to be mine!!

Prior to Bryn's training wheel removal. 

That girl is a hardcore biker!! One day she rode 10 miles on TRAINING WHEELS!! Now she is an absolute speed demon on her two wheeler. Get out of her way!! She and Reilly are very similar in their fearlessness and gusto. Ailey and Kameron are/were more cautious.

Lovely downtown Spokane!

Reilly has been working like crazy and any spare moments are spent with the BF... Yes, he is still around.

Pretty much every week we ride somewhere.... It's been fun.

We have also been exploring and checking out different lakes in our area. It has been great!!

This beauty is Sullivan Lake up near Ione, WA.

Most nights Tyler and I go walking and look at the stars. We are getting much better at identifying different constellations and we see shooting stars nearly every night. We have been enjoying lounging on our deck and drinking Brazilian limeades nearly every night. Summer is delightful and we are soaking up every minute!!

Onto August!

We Interrupt July...

We Interrupt July for this Message

My child is moving away from home and out of state in 18 days. 18 days and her childhood is over and young adulthood begins. So many emotions. Last night she pretty much packed up her entire bedroom except for the clothes she will need for the next 18 days. She called me and Tyler to come downstairs and see. The three of us stood there, looked at each other, and had a moment. Then I went upstairs and cried. Change. Our family is changing and the change is good and necessary but... wow...is it bittersweet.

Kelley asked me the other day if Reilly heading to Utah for schooling made me feel old. No. I feel conflicted. I don't feel old. I feel 50% super excited for her. I remember this time in my life and it was awesome!! I feel 25% sad because I won't see her face every day. I love that face. I love our girl. Reilly has the talent of making me laugh hard; each and every day. It has saved her butt on MANY occasions. I will miss all the laughter and craziness that is Hurricane Reilly. She is loud and lives large. The other kids aren't like that. The house will be much quieter. I am 25% worried. She's 18 and Tyler and I still check on her at night. We like see that she is safe and sound in her bed. I worry that she will get abducted, fall while hiking, be cyber-stalked, or be lonely or...or... a million things. I wake up at night in a panic wondering if I have told her what to do and how to stay safe in various and random situations. I'm not the only one up in the night worrying. Tyler is too and he rarely worries. I can be tossing and turning all night about something and he will be sleeping soundly. Not these days.

I have rarely fretted over our parenting. I feel like we are good parents and have done a good job with our kids. They aren't perfect (nor are we) but they are loving, contributing, enjoyable human beings. Now it's time to see if we have actually done our job which is to prepare them to be independent and to live on their own. It reminds me of sending her off to kindergarten and the panic I felt wondering how she would do all day without me. (Just fine.) It actually reminds me more of when they sent her home from the hospital with us and Tyler and I were in a panic about keeping her alive. (She and we did just fine.) This is pretty much a combination of both of those terrors...sprinkled with joy that she is doing what she wants to be doing and living where she wants to be living and working toward her future. See... conflicted.

So while I am cheering her on and excited for her... I might cry at Walmart looking at the college supplies. I might cry in the shower when she gets a move in date for her apartment in Provo. I might cry when I see her life packed up in suitcases and bins. I might cry when I write this post and Tyler and I might hold each other close in the darkness of the night as we worry about our little girl heading out into the big world on her own.

So while some days are like this:

 and some days are like this:

Tyler and I are so proud of this girl and all her hard work to make her dreams come true. She'll be fine. I'll be fine; and Tyler and I will sleep through the night again.

McClellan Family Reunion 2015

Family Reunion 2015

A few weeks ago my family gathered at the lake for about 10 days of togetherness. Jordin, Ramon, and their family came from Kansas City, and joined our family, Stacey's family, my Mom, Kelley and Elle (and her friend Chelsea and her son Sawyer) and our grandma. Kirk and his family were unable to come this year because they have a baby on the way. My new nephew is due any day now and Meki has been on bed rest. Our family's time at the lake is always a much looked forward to event and it's so nice to be able to hang out at the lake and do nothing for days on end.

I will let the pictures do most of the talking...

The lake has been the glue that has bound our family together for 5 generations. Love this place more than I can say!

Jaylah, Bryn, Ailey, RJ, and Kameron

These girls had a great time together!!

The first night swim of the year was a little bit chilly so hot chocolate was required.

My mom brought a bunch of vintage swim caps out to the lake. She wanted to get pictures of all the little girls wearing them in the water but we kept forgetting about doing it and the only swim cap picture she got was of these two!! Ha ha.

This year we rented a bunch of paddle boards for a few days. It was one of the best things that we did this year!! Tyler and I had been mulling over buying two paddle boards last Christmas for our family but we didn't know if everyone would enjoy them. Both Reilly and Kameron had tried paddle boarding at camp and loved it. Yes, we WILL be purchasing some in the future. They are so fun!! We all had the greatest time on them. Even the kids!!

There was a lot of playing on the beach...

They played a lot of dress-up:

Bryn, River, Jaylah, and Ailey looking good!!

There was lots of fun cousin time:

Dane and Ailey

Elle and River

Kam and Dane

There was plenty of mother/daughter bonding time!!

Most of the time we just hung out and enjoyed the water and the sun!! I can't get enough of either.

Everyone wanted to drive the boat...

We went to the ice cream shop!!

Three studs right there!

We cooked for a crowd and ate great food! Each family takes a day to cook and it is hellish but when your day is over you just get to kick back and enjoy!!

Aunt Kelley did her nature walk with the kids.

We ate out!

We enjoyed these almost daily...the luscious avatars!!

Aunt Jordin dug out a million slivers from everyone and even super glued a big toenail back on...mine! It's nice to have a nurse around. :)

We celebrated RJ's 3rd Birthday:

There was a pinata:

One day my grandma...the original "lake girl" was kind of down. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that she "just wanted to go and jump in the lake" so we let her. Kind of. Once she got her toes in she wasn't so sure she liked it but I am glad that we helped her do it. I hope that when I am an old granny my grandkids and great-grandkids will help me jump in the lake too. :)

We did a lot of laughing...

A lot of nothing...

It was 10 days full of good food, great water, lots of boating, wake boarding, tubing, floating, swimming, laughing, late nights talks out on the dock, star gazing, reminiscing, cooking for huge groups, missing loved ones no longer with us, fishing, relaxing and it was hot enough that Tyler and I even got a night in of skinny dipping after our brutal day of cooking. The weather here has been so unseasonably hot.

Then we found out that our cousins were arriving a day earlier than expected. So we packed up, cleaned up, had a crazy eventful swim across the lake, and headed home. We came back out two days later to spend time with our cousins and to have a memorial day for my Uncle Mike. His family was scattering his ashes in the lake. Not a bad final resting place. I like thinking about resurrection morning when my Uncle Mike rises triumphant from the lake with a grin on his face and his laughter echoing off the cliffs.

Here are a few pictures from our family gathering that day:

Jordin, Jaylah, Hannah, Aunt Bonnie, Jennifer, Jackson

Tyler, Aunt Margaret, Ramon, Kelley, and Jordin

Back Row: Justin, Grace, Miley, Kameron, Jeff

Middle Row: Ailey, Jaylah, Aunt Ade, Lauri

Front Row: Jackson, Whitney, Zoey, Wendy, Paul, Addie, Haylee, Stacey, Mom

Stacey, Lauri, Jeff, Mom, Peyton, Dane, River

Me, Lauri, Uncle Steve,Tyler

My Aunt Bonnie got a wind chime and had it engraved with my uncle's name on it to hang out at the lake in his memory.

It was nice to have this time together to laugh, cry, and share memories. That man was very loved. He made a difference. He made others feel loved...and... he was hilarious and super fun. Can you ask for more than that in life?

Then it was time for some cousin selfies thanks to Jordin. :)

It was a good day following a good week. Family, love, laughter, lake time.