.:Meet the Ritchies:.

2011 Summer Family Vacation Details:

Destination –  Wallowa Lake, OR.

Miles logged – 746

Celebrated a birthday. Rode the tram 10,000 ft up a mountain. Played mini golf.  Caught a fish.  Swam in the lake.  Raced the go-karts.  Drove the bumper boats. Took lots of walks.  Fed chipmunks.  Saw lots of deer.  Enjoyed a thunder & lightning storm.  Made S’mores with cousins.  Visited Grandma Wilson.

We had an amazing time in Wallowa County.  It was the first time Mark and the kids had ever been, but I had taken many trips there as a kid.  Our family, on my Dad’s side, homesteaded there from Pennsylvania.  In fact, there is a very old and beautiful barn still standing that my Great, Great Grandpa built in 1916.  We didn’t get to take a tour when we stopped by on Monday, but we plan to do that next time around.  My brother assures me it is spectacular.  It was good to get home and sleep in our own beds last night though.  I would love to give day by day details but I think I will let picture captions do all the work for me, otherwise it would take you forever to get through this post.  (oh, who am I kidding here, truth is I am tired, it’s late and it would take me too long to account for everything!).  I do want to say thank you to my amazing husband for a wonderful birthday celebration in the middle of our vacation, and for doing all the driving.  So without further ado, enjoy the photo montage…

Little Veda. Big chair.

Girls swimming at the north end of the lake.

My cheeky husband.

Our chubby boy chillin' in the stroller.

A big buck resting in the grass along the path.

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Fun family time! It was hot, we all definitely look beat from the heat, especially Enzo!

Dinner the first night, BBQ burgers baby!

See the deer eating grass behind Veda?

Aww, so sweet!

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Fish (the red things!) spawning in the river.

Lake in the morning.

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Two peas in a pod.

Waiting to ride the tram up the mountain.

On the tram!

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View from the tram.

A very fat (and not ashamed of it) squirrel on top of the mountain.

Did I mention the kids fed some chipmunks? (insert slew of very friendly (or pushy) chipmunk pictures…)

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Nephew Hunter feeding the "swirrels".

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Cousins!

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My brother Paul's family.

The Ritchie's <3

This one's for you Grandma Trudie!

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Paul and Wyatt on the go-karts.

Mandy and Hunter.

Mark and Veda.

My birthday cake!

Enzo sitting on his own!

And they got up super early three mornings in a row to go fishing…

Fishing!

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Wyatt doesn't look very awake, does he?

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Sunrise on the lake.

Mark and his catch!

the Wilson barn just outside of Joseph on Wilson Ln (of course!), built in 1916.

And then we had a little fun on the way home…

The Blue Banana in Lostine, OR (can you spot Veda?)

Claire in the blue banana!

In the blue banana on my birthday. For reals, yo.

Those three little words.

Stopped to see Grandma Wilson!

and Papa Ron!

Chew beads!

It was a fabulous trip, and we will definitely add it to our list of preferred family vacation destinations.  If you have never been, we highly recommend you go!  It’s beautiful!

Hope you all had a nice weekend!

xoxo