OSU Lambing Barn visit

Today Lauren and mommy ventured to Corvallis to the Oregon State University Lambing Barn. They have only 35 ewes lambing this year (less than normal due to budget cuts I heard). So we didn't get to witness a birth but it was still an exciting experience for Miss Lauren! As soon as we entered the barn, there were many "eeeeeeewwww"s and "aaaaaahhhhhhh"s! And lots of Baaaaas when the sheep baba'd (I know...that's not a word!).

Lauren eeeeeewing at one of the new mommy ewes.












She really thought she was a farmer, even though we forgot our rubber boots! Good thing we didn't step in any "presents"! We'll have to ask neighbor Jake for a private tour of his sheep barns so she can try out her ranching skills!


Poor mama sheep, it was like she was looking at me saying "What did we get ourselves into?!" Trust me mama ewe, I wonder that too!


The barns are only open until March 3rd from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There seemed to be a lot of ewes still big with lambs. They said that a lot of them get stage fright and end up lambing at night. So maybe once the crowds dissipate next week, more babies will be born! I mean really, who wants an audience for labor!!!!

My name is MUD!

Yesterday, daddy was cleaning his boat to go fishing today. Lauren and mommy went to help and talk to him. It was such a nice day that why would we want to be couped up inside! While mommy went to throw something in the garbage, guess who found the muddy ditch?? And of course, I grabbed my camera instead of getting upset.

Hi mom. No I'm not coming out!

Ok, you caught me. Not only did she walk through it, she sat down in it.

I'm helping, really I am.

But this mud is so much more fun!

What if I splash in it??

Hi Neighbor Jake! Ya, that's right, I got muddy...what's it to you!

Regardless of her expressions in the pictures, she was having a ball! I wouldn't be surprised though if a neighbor called CSD since I had to hose her off! She didn't care...except for when I was trying to strip the nasty muddy clothes off of her, which amazingly I got clean last night! She would have rathered kept them on! And Lauren screamed bloody murder when I tried to take her inside for a bath! This little girl is a complete TOM BOY. She would much rather be outside, no matter what the weather.

Our big 16 month old!

Friday was such a nice day that Mommy took advantage of it for a backyard photo shoot. Here's just a few shots of Lauren being Lauren! Enjoy!

Gimme a kiss mom!

Look at those beautiful blues! Daddy loves this one.

This is mommy's fav!

Happy Valentine's Day from Lauren!

On Friday, Daddy and I decided to celebrate Valentine's Day for lunch. We were just going to go to Applebee's, but Lauren decided to have a meltdown instead as we entered the restaurant. So since we were both hungry, we made the executive decision to go to Chuck E Cheese. Yes, our Valentine's Days have changed A LOT! But Lauren had been in the car seat the previous 2 days, so who could blame her! She was much more enjoyable after exerting all the energy playing games at Chuck's.

After lunch we did some shopping and stopped to pick up what Daddy had got us for Valentine's Day....an edible arrangement! Gosh it was good! Lauren snagged the balloon and teddy bear, but mommy ate most of the arrangement!

Lauren with her balloon.


The arrangement had chocolate covered strawberries and granny smith apples, grapes, pineapple and cantaloupe. Lauren ate ALL of the cantaloupe! That girl loves her melon.


Lauren testing a chocolate covered strawberry.....she liked it until she got to the little bit tart strawberry. But of course it couldn't go to waste so mommy finished it off!




She realized that the back of the balloon is like a mirror. Heaven forbid she passes an opportunity to check herself out! Mommy attached a longer ribbon so she could pull it off the ceiling any time she wanted.




Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Visit to Longview

Lauren and Mommy decided to ride along with Daddy on Wednesday to view a timber sale outside St. Helens and then we ventured across the border to see our friends Brian, Libby and Evelyn in Longview. They were kind enough to let us stay the night while Daddy went to a public forum that evening for work.

Here's Lauren's photography skills at work. She likes to press the button and see the picture pop up on the screen!

Allie looking out the window waiting for her master to come home! It was raining that day so she didn't want to go to work with him! And since the weather didn't cooperate for a walk, we ended up playing inside the afternoon.

Here's Lauren and Evelyn playing. Evie had just got up from a nap. Lauren thought it was funny to put the coasters in her mouth and have Evie pull them out. But then Evie wanted to put them in her mouth and her mommy didn't think that was very fun.

Here Lauren is sharing the coasters....one of the only things she did share. We definitely need to work on that. She had a BAD habit of taking what Evie had....and Evie didn't appreciate that very much. Nor was she able to run or even crawl after her to get it back!

Here Lauren is faking Evie out pretending to share. I think this was right before she bonked Evie in the head with the maraca. I really don't think she understood that Evie was a "baby baby" not a person her size and age!

I took a lot of pictures of Miss Evelyn. Here she is being silly.

And even sillier!


Trying to climb up my pants! She's working very hard at being mobile. Evie's only almost 9 months....but it's only a matter of time!

She does a lot of "all-fours" rocking.....she'll get there before we all know it!

Playing with her book.....

It was great to see everyone and be able to spend some time with them even though it seemed soooo short. We so appreciated being able to spend the night.

The next morning we ran up the road an hour and did some house hunting. We found one we really liked (even Lauren approved!), but it went pending the same day. Our home still hasn't sold so we can't be toooooo serious about looking right now any way! It just wasn't meant to be....or at least that's what everyone keeps telling us even though I planned every room's decor on the ride home. Oh well.

Backyard play on Superbowl Sunday

Sunday was so pretty that mommy actually picked up the doggie mines for her to play in the backyard! She focused on her playset. This was one of the first times she's been able to climb and slide on her own with it. She is very good! Imagine that with all of her new climbing expertise!

Climbing up the back "rock wall".....her tongue helps her concentrate.....it's an Erwin thing!

Once at the top, she captained her ship.

Being very cheesy!

There was water in the wheel that made noise when she twirled it. I think she was trying to get it out!

"Now how do I sit down on this thing?"

"Oops, to far back. I bet if I scoot....."



"Whoa, wait a minute....that's not supposed to happen!"

"Ok, let me shake the pea gravel out of my hands!"

Later playset, I'm off to explore! I'll be back!

It's NOT a milkshake!

Lauren loves milk and she loves ice cream so why not put the two together? But she is NOT having a milkshake.

She loves them. She was watching an action movie with daddy as you can hear in the background and she was very concerned! Her expressions are so wonderful right now!

The first homemade milkshake was vanilla and banana by daddy...and she amazingly went to sleep shortly after and slept until 6:45 a.m. which is unheard of! The 2nd one, mommy made a boo boo and put butterscotch in it. She was on a sugar high for 2 hours and CRASHED finally at 9:30 p.m. We won't make that error again.

A busy Sunday

Daddy and I took Lauren to the park yesterday afternoon during the sun break. It was actually quite comfortable. There were lots of others out enjoying the weather as well. And all the other kids wanted to "help" Lauren. She didn't want their help.

First stop was the swings, which were really muddy.


Next, a trip down the slide by herself!


"I'm not to sure about this!" But she enjoyed it in the end!

Climbing the stairs to get back to the slide.

She found the "drums"! We think she's musically inclined!

Running away from us.....again.

"Why do you keep telling me no?" No matter which way we were going, she wanted to walk the other way.....so she ended up "riding" the majority of the time!


When we got home, it was time for dinner. She likes to check out what's in the oven. So daddy turned on the light so she could watch her fishsticks cook. She loves fishsticks!

Trying to say "fishsticks".

Look at our baby. Doesn't she look like such a big girl all of a sudden!?? I think the pig tails help!