Adventures of the Neeley Family: May 2021

Wow, May was a busy month be ready to be bombarded with lots of pictures with our fun adventures. We started the month by celebrating Hartland's 75th Anniversary. It's been amazing to be a part of this long lasting ministry.

Family Photo

There was a climbing wall, Zane made it to the top!!

For Mother's day we camped at Pinnacles National Park. Zac and family joined us for a day and we did a hike to the reservoir and hung out a the campsite. It was really hot but we had a good time with family.

Climbing the stairs to the reservoir

Playing in the water(we found out later that we weren't supposed to be in the water, oops)

One of the caves we had to walk through

Zane and Casey

Group hike to the reservoir

Zane flying his kite at the campground

The following weekend Zane and I flew to Washington to spend some time with Grandma Connie, Rachel and Becca. While there we got to do lots of fun things. I got to visit Cascades and take Zane on a trailride. It was very special to take him for a ride and he loved it.

Leading Berit down from the pasture

Trailride with Mom

He loved riding on his own in the arena

Riding bareback up to the pasture

We also got to ride Cascades zipline while we were there. It's great to show up during some staff training. We got to ride it together.

He really was excited

Off we go

One day we loaded up and headed to NW Trek. We got to drive in the Anderson's truck through the open wildlife park and then see the animals in the rest of the park. Zane enjoyed seeing the all the animals and playing on the playground.

NW Trek

Seeing a Bison roll from the truck window

Otter

A Grizzly bear playing in the pond

One afternoon Zane and I went to the Deschutes Falls State Park for a hike. The park was officially reopened after we left WA, so I had never been.

Lower Falls

Upper Falls

Checking out the River

The Camas was blooming

Zane made some new friends at Cascades, Parker and Hudson. We spent some time checking out the lake and turtles with them.

Parker and Zane

Elbow Lake

Turtles

Hudson, Parker and Zane playing in the water

We got to spend an afternoon with Rowanne and hiked along the water of Puget Sound.

Zane and Oliver(our old cat that now belongs to Rowanne)

The Sound

Finding the small crabs under rocks and logs

He finally got brave enough to pick some up

Zane and I were blessed with a second chance to go ride at Cascades. Zane really wanted to trot by himself and he was finally able to do it at the end of our ride.

Zane trotting on Berit

Zane and I on Berit and Elska

Our time spent with Grandma Connie, Becca and Rachel was really wonderful. Zane jumped out of bed every morning to go let the chickens out. He was quite the chicken farmer helping with the feed and care of the chickens. Zane got to help mow the lawn and do other farm work. At the end of the week the Anderson's threw Zane a wonderful Birthday Party. Zane even got to help make his own cake! Grandma Connie's kitchen is where Zane's love for cooking all started, when he was a baby he would sit on their counter or be in a carrier and watch them cook.

Mowing the lawn

Taking care of the chickens

Adding sprinkles to the cake

Spreading the frosting

Adding the dirt and worms

Happy Birthday

6 candles this year!!

Legos from Grandma Connie, Rachel and Becca

When we got home Nana and Grandpa were here and we got to have another birthday party for Zane with all his friends from Hartland. It was supposed to be a squirt gun fight, but the weather didn't cooperate so we had fun in the gym instead. We were able to do the water fight about a week later when it warmed up.

Opening presents with friends

Playing in the gym

Squirt gun fight

Then we brought out the water ballons

Casey and I got Zane a drift trike for his birthday

While Nana and Grandpa were visiting we got to go out jeeping twice. The first time was a pretty tame trail but we stopped to see the Chicago Stump. The second time we did the Buck Rock Jeep Trail. It was a little crazy at times and Grandpa took the toughest route of the whole trail and did some crazy driving.