Black Butte!!!

At the end of September, we packed our bags and  headed back to Oregon for the first time since moving. Granted we had only moved 5 weeks prior, but it was so fun to get a chance to see family and realize how easy it is to connect, and how close we really are.

We left on the same day that Kylie and Justin went home, so Amber was amazing and took O for the afternoon so I could pack. She sent this adorable picture...our kids love each other! (and then they hate each other...it goes back and forth more rapidly that even the parents can keep track)

And the welcome to Oregon sign...I thought it was going to feel like home, but our house and Meridian already feel like home to us. We love to visit our family and friends, but Idaho is home now. It was a relief for me to realize that as we were driving. I felt a confirmation that we had made the right choice for our family.

I have a tendency to not take pictures when there's a lot going on, so we missed the entire time that Ali and Gene were with us, but it was a blast! Nice fall weather, the ranch was absolutely beautiful, and the perfect time to introduce our kids to Black Butte, a part of Casqueiro family history.

The next morning we headed to the pool. I should point out that it was pretty cold, rainy, and totally not pool weather. However, the indoor pool sounded good. It is heated, but not enough (I can still remember the shivering, and the blue lips of my kids). Right before calling it good, we decided to at least try the outside pool. It was at least 10 degrees warmer than inside! So even though we had to be totally submerged to not freeze, it was still fun to be outside.

One of the nice things about cooler weather is that we got to play a lot inside with our Casqueiro family. It's so fun to just relax, hang out, and to know that my kids are totally at ease running around, ruling the nest with their grandparents and aunt & uncle. Here's some blanket burrito pictures...

I loved this shot of Alex and O in such a beautiful environment. We are so blessed to live in what I consider to be the most beautiful part of the nation, if not the world. Everything is alive and adventurous. Just perfect for our family.

on the 22nd we hit up the local fish hatchery.This is another place that is prominent in the stories and folklore of the Casqueiro family, but I had never been before. The kids loved seeing the thousands of fish, and both got into feeding them. I mostly walked around taking pictures, and enjoying the extra hands to wrangle the kids.

And what would the fish hatchery be without a trip to the Camp Sherman store?! I've seen pictures of hot, ice-cream eating Alex and cousins from 15 years ago, so I love that my kids get to experience the same thing.

Princess Olivia and her chariot :).

We finally saw rain-a-deers!!! It was the only animal that Olivia really wanted to see, and she continually asked about them. These aren't actually reindeer, but every deer is a reindeer to our imaginative almost-three-year-old.

I always wish I had more pictures, but we had a wonderful time the entire time. As usual, the kids traveled very well, and we love taking trips and having new adventures. It was a great first time in BBR for my kids, and a much more relaxing one for me!