Dates with the kids

Steve and I have enjoyed taking the kids out on dates. Although most the time we don't capture the moment with a camera, we are hoping that the one on one attention will leave life long memories with the kids. Our goal is to have one date a month with one child. This month, Steve had Alora and I had Elijah.

For Steve and Alora's date they went to her favorite Chinese restaurant, walked down town Hood River and spent an hour browsing in a toy store (daddy bought her a horse of course). They then went to an outdoor concert where they danced and listened to music. The fire department was there that day and Alora was even allowed to spray a real fire hose (and get sprayed by it as it came down from hundreds of feet in the air!). The highlight of her night was when she got scratched by a weed and the fire men took her into their truck and treated her "wound." My favorite part about the dates is the glow that the kids have for hours and sometimes days after. Alora suddenly wants daddy to help brush her teeth and read her books.

I had a very special date with Elijah this weekend. He had recently gotten over an eight day fever! The previous eight days had been spent in the house trying to get him to recuperate. After his first day of restored health, I decided I was going to go all out for our time. We were going to spend the whole day enjoying the sun and beauty of the outdoors we had been missing. We started our morning off by visiting the Bonneville Dam and visitors center where Elijah got to see the salmon jumping the fish ladders and was able to enjoy all kinds of hands on activities. He especially liked this soldier's bunker that was used to protect the dam during WWII.

Learning to identify all the species of fish. He loved that the boy salmon had ferocious teeth and the girls didn't.
Mommy was glowing the whole day watching her son healthy and happy again.

After the dam, we visited the fish hatchery where we fed the growing salmon and made wishes in the wishing well. We finished our trek through the gorge with lunch in Portland at his favorite place; McDonalds. What a wonderful time I had with my little man! He is so smart and enjoys learning. He even insisted on watching a twenty minute video on the history of the dam. It also makes me laugh that no matter what we do together, I can't escape cars and Kung Fu.

Elijah driving his monster truck down the path at the visitor's center.
Elijah doing Ku Fu kicks while feeding the fish.


This date made me especially excited about all the time we will have just the two of us when Alora starts school! There is still a part of my son I am getting to know.