Weekly Whitley Fix

It was a GORGEOUS week in Eugene.  Every morning I was able to get out and appreciate it.  Gorgeous blue skies, the smells of spring, the breeze - I do NOT take that for granted....and find myself so full of praise to be able to experience it.

Monday started out with a walk with Ashley.  I met her at Trinity (the brick house in the background) and we walked up to Hendricks park.  It was a new walk loop we discovered, with a little bit of hill to go with it....perfect!  Lovely lady, lovely walk, lovely conversation....

 

I wasn't set up with any walking buddies for Tuesday or Wednesday, so I did some exploring around the neighborhoods nearby.  This is taken not far from where we live - while I can bash my hometown for its liberal views/lifestyles and not-always-so-sunny weather, but it really does offer a bounty of beauty.

 

Thursday was "Take Your Child to Work Day".  I've always ignored this opportunity as I haven't been actively working, and John's job wouldn't accommodate an all-day visitor. Even if I were subbing, I don't have enough relationship to any one school that would make it appropriate to bring a kiddo.  However, this year, Mikayla kicked up her sales techniques and asked if she could stay home to take care of Whitley for me.  Well....why not?  Of course, Brayden was NOT happy finding out she got to stay home while he never has had that opportunity - which led to that ever-so-useful lecture about life not being fair...."get used to it"!

I talked to my neighbor, Kristen (who's daughter, Sydney, also stayed home) about hiking up Spencer's Butte with us.  They'd never been on this hike and I wanted them to see another option to the often-hiked (but I find boring) Mt. Pisgah.  

I had forgotten (I think I always block it out) just how difficult the very last stretch to the top of the butte is.  You literally lose the trail and have to navigate around the rocks to get there.   This time, I had Whitley on my back, and while the extra weight was messing with me - so was the balance as I navigated my footing.  I was TIRED and overheated by the time we reached the top.  I kind of knew I'd overdone it based on how red my face was, but hoped it wouldn't come back and bite me.  It did.  As I'm typing this on Saturday morning, I still have some residual headache pain from the overheating headache that Thursday - (it set in later that evening with a vengeance).  Ugh...I don't do well in heat to begin with and one of my most effective pain prevention medicines only intensifies that problem.  

Nevertheless, we felt triumphant as a crew to reach the summit -

I look forward to introducing the Natt family to more hikes (perhaps less climb!) in the future.

Later that day, Mikayla took her role a little more seriously as caregiver to Whitley.  Tough job, huh?

It did get a little more challenging when Whitley had an, er, "accident" - that went all the way up to her hair.  I decided I better step in to help, and we had fun giving her a bath in the kitchen sink.  She LOVES the water!

On Friday, Whitley and I took a field trip to Cottage Grove where they were advertising a GIANT "MOPS" Garage Sale happening at one of the churches there.  I'm realizing Whitley is at that perfect age for bright "pop-up" toys to play with, but there's absolutely no need for me to be spending full price on them at a store.  I think it bothers Travis (due to guilt) whenever I purchase anything for Whitley - whether that's a toy or new outfit.  What I think Stephie understands better than he does is just how much fun it is - (as Stephie has done so much of that for our kids over the years) - and not something I'd want to be denied doing every now and then.   Plus, how great is it when you get to see her take so much joy in the few dollars I threw out for this treasure trove of toys I found (at the definitely NOT giant garage sale).  (Don't worry...they were thoroughly sanitized!)

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my "job"? =)