My Baby Birdie

A highlight of my summer, and my life, has been the hummingbird nest outside my kitchen window. Earlier this summer, we noticed this little nest and then started seeing more and more of the hummingbird mama who built it. Although it seemed too good to be true, especially since we didn't even have a hummingbird feeder in our yard, I began to wonder if there might be egg(s) in the nest.

It got to the point where the mama bird was there around the clock, so I started seriously researching the nesting cycle of hummingbirds on random websites. Eggs are incubated 1-2 at a time for a period of 21-28 days and when the eggs get close to hatching, the mama bird stays with them up to 55 minutes of every hour. 

On Saturday, August 4th, we went to a movie (Christopher Robbin - which I really liked!) and came home to the yuckiest, poopiest window I've ever seen. Jason got out the ladder and captured this incredible picture of our newborn hummingbird! Baby birds can't regulate their own body temperature, so the mama bird stays very close by the first few days.

The next day, Sunday, baby birdie started popping his little head out of the nest for feedings from the mama - and we seriously contemplated staying home from church so that we could watch our little miracle. Ultimately, we went to church, but only because we were already in our church clothes by the time baby birdie was making appearances. And once you're dressed and in your church clothes, you're practically there already.

It wasn't very long before baby birdie was flapping it's tiny wings. Which was so incredible to watch. We spent a lot of time that whole week sitting at the kitchen table waiting for baby birdie to appear. Ask to see my videos of the mama feeding her little one and the superfast wings in action! The little chirp chirps and his tiny beak are so cute.

Again relying on a random website, I learned that hummingbirds take care of their babies in the nest for 8-12 days, and then the babies go off on their own. We started noticing the baby spending a lot of time just sitting on the top of the nest, and we figured it was getting close. (Although I hoped we were wrong.) Sure enough, on Tuesday, August 14th, our little baby birdie left the nest. It was interesting to me that once he left (we started calling him "him" at some point and I'm pretty sure he was a boy), he left for good and we didn't see him in the nest again. The mama bird flew by several times that evening. I think she was checking on him. It was very sweet. But he was gone.

Empty nesters. I was kind of sad. But we sent him off into the world with happy hummingbird thoughts. I wish he had a little bitty cell phone and he could text us and let us know what he's up to. I'd love to follow him on Facebook. In any case, we have a very popular hummingbird feeder now (we wanted to keep both mom and baby bird around as long as we could; plus - I wanted to do something for the mama bird and getting a hummingbird feeder was the closest thing I could do to taking her meals) and I like to think he comes by sometimes to visit and see where he was born and spent his early days. Maybe he'll bring his kids here one day and show them the kitchen window he liked to poop on so much growing up. I'd like to think so.

Cheesing the Day

When Ashlee and Izzy come to town, we do fun things. The stated purpose of the trip is for Aunt Traci to talk to the new-off-to-junior-high-er about making good choices and being happy with who you are. But, to be honest, that conversation with both Alena and Isabel has been pretty short. If it really even happened at all. Let's put a positive spin on it and say I prefer to teach by example.

Our first stop on Saturday morning was the local library, for another one of Ashlee's famous library vacation shots. I purposefully saved some library books to return for the weekend she was here. You can see that Dally was just as pleased to be in this picture as Jason was to be taking it.

Next stop: Ikea. Where Dahlia got a new lamp, Izzy got a stuffed panda bear, and Ashlee and I both got new dish scrubbers. Then we all had lunch at the cafe. Best Swedish meatballs.

Then it was off to Newsies for Izzy, Ashlee and I, while Jason took Dahlia to a movie, so everyone was happy.

The new Hale Center Theater is really nice, and there's a lot more leg room than there was at the old theater. Plus, it's conveniently located up the street from my house. And they still do all their shows in the round. They did an awesome job with Newsies and we enjoyed every minute and did our very, VERY best not to sing along. But it was hard.

Then we went home and may or may not have put on our own show of fake YouTube teenyboppers video blogging about, who knows really. The most important thing is to start each sentence with "Hey guyzzzz" and be sure to constantly remind people to leave comments about how much they like your videos. I'm sure my neighbors, who could undoubtedly hear this outdoor production, now think I'm nuts. But oh well. When your best friends from middle school are in town, you get to act like you're in middle school. Or at least that's always been my rule. 

I'm sad I don't have pictures of the scones we had at my Dad's house or the crepes Jason made for us the next night (crepes because we also bought linden berries at Ikea and you pretty much have to have those on crepes immediately).  It was a fun couple of days. I wish they could have stayed longer. Although, my neighbors may not agree.   

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye

When you've been lucky enough to spend several days in several of your favorite places with several of your favorite people, it's a little hard to leave. Especially since this is probably the only vacation I'll take where I couldn't have checked work email even if I wanted to. The Church shut off my email access the day I left, and Kirton McConkie hadn't set up my new account yet, so it was kind of a weirdly wonderful limbo period for me. Sigh.

But all good things must come to an end, apparently, and I really was looking forward to my nice linen closet at home with my piles and piles of fresh, clean towels. And being able to use the bathroom without someone yelling about who's taking so long in the bathroom. And, although it pains me to admit it, I was a little bit ready to see Rooney Tooney again. So, we packed up and said goodbye until next time. I can't wait until my Dad takes our family there next year. It's going to be SO fun!!!!

On the way to the Portland airport, I strongly encouraged everyone (and pretty much forced everyone in our van) to stop by the Portland Temple. The grounds are so beautiful. I know I've been saying this a lot, but it really is one of my favorites.

We were glad we stopped. And we still had time to go to Killer Burger before our flight, which I later realized was the real concern people had with going to the temple grounds. #priorities But someone had heard about this burger place in Portland where they have an amazing peanut butter burger. Which I didn't order, but Jason did, and I can tell you it tastes a lot like what you would imagine a hamburger with peanut butter would taste like. I'll stick with bacon.

And that, my patient friends, is the end of my Pacific Northwest vacation pics. Until next year, when my Dad repeats the entire vacation with the Thomas family.

Family Pics at the Ocean - Check

I don't have a bucket list and I can't commit to New Year's resolutions. But when you travel with the Torgerson's, an early morning photo shoot on the beach is not optional - even if one unnamed person decides to get up extra early that morning and pass a kidney stone they didn't know they have. So while the actual photo shoot may not go down as my (ummm.... the unnamed person's) favorite experience of all time, the pictures themselves are pretty great. If I do say so myself! And I can cross "ocean family pics" off the bucket list I don't have.

LOVE this one.

LOVE this one too.

Kaylene & Scott

Mom and the Siblings

Jay's Family

Ty's Family

Holly's Family

Brady's Family

Megan's Family

These two pics I'm including because it really does make me jealous that I can't be the wicked stepmother AND the cool aunt. No question who the kids like better! Sigh.

Astoria and Cape Disappointment

Tired of vacation pictures yet? Well, the good news is, we are getting closer with every post.... On Thursday, those of us who like beautiful drives with amazing scenery and overall awesomeness (so me, Jason, Kaylene, and Scott) crossed the bridge into Washington to look for lighthouses. We ended up at Cape Disappointment. Which, for the record, may be a disappointment if you have to dock a boat in stormy waters, but is certainly not a disappointment if you like pretty nature walks with ocean views and historic lighthouses. I was only disappointed you can't actually go up in the lighthouse.

We couldn't figure out what this structure might once have been used for. But the double windows did cry out for a photo, which we were happy to take.

Plus, Kaylene had never been to Washington, so that alone was worth the drive.

Back on the Oregon side of the bridge, we went to the Astoria Column and climbed the 164 steps to some incredible panoramic views. Scott felt bad that someone had stopped us on the drive in and given us their $5 parking pass, so Kaylene and I made up for it at the gift shop with mugs, playing cards, pins, and the Goonies tee shirt Jason's wanted since, well, forever.

And speaking of Goonies, the nice lady at the gift shop told us to be sure to stop at the Oregon Film Museum and see the Jeep Cherokee (with bullet holes, bullet holes!) and the county jail where the opening scene of Goonies was filmed. Jason was thrilled the Jeep was parked outside the museum and he didn't have to pay to go in and get pictures. He wishes more museums kept their most prized items in the parking lot. So there's an idea for all the museum curators out there.