First Day of School

SJ- 1st grade

(she wanted a silly photo)

C, 3rd grade- entering Discovery Program

They both had a good day!  C says her teacher is "really nice" and SJ said her is "fun."  Sounds like a perfect situation for both of them.  :)

Hood to Coast/Rockaway Beach, OR

We went for a long weekend to Rockaway Beach, Oregon.  It was our first visit to the beautiful Oregon coast.  Greg was there to run in the "Hood to Coast" relay... from Mt. Hood to Seaside with a group of friends.  The wives and kids tagged along and played at the beach (or hid from the giant windstorm) while they ran and ran and ran.  

This is the starting line at Mt. Hood

This was supposed to be the finish line, but the beach had to be shut down due to high winds.  :(  Instead the teams ran across the finish line on a street just off the beach.  

We were so proud of Greg and his 7:30-ish pace for 3 legs of 5-6 miles each.  

Afterwards we ate pizza and played at "Fun Land."  Our kids think it was properly named.  

Busy Summer part 2

Here are a few highlights from August.  

Nicolle played tennis is the city summer league and celebrated the end of the season and new friends with a painting party.  

We went crabbing with cousins on Whidbey Island

Hiking and camping at Deception Pass

Picking wild blackberries and making jam

Hiking with friends to Greenwater Lakes (SJ arranged the pose for this photo... I love it!)

Girl Scout day camp for C and SJ.  They made new friends, learned new skills, spent lots of time outdoors, and wrote letters to and were on the lookout for fairies.  

Busy Summer

Last summer I didn't plan very much, and by the end my girls were pretty stir crazy. This year, when Clara had been home from school and vacation for only two days she started making these plans:

-Host a gymnastics club

-Have a neighborhood "school's out" party

-Open a school for orphans

-Run a soccer camp

-Make biggest magazine ever and get in the Guinnes Book of Words Records

-Bake sale

-Pet sitting business

Etc., Etc.  

Needless to say I was glad we had some things planned to distract her from all of her plans.  

 

The girls did swim team and had practice each morning.  They also took tennis lessons twice a week in the afternoons.   Below are some photos from their first swim meet.                   

We went camping with some friends on San Juan Island and had a really fun time relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery.  

We also got to attend lots of fun events.  

Sounders (soccer) game

Mariners (baseball) game

Clara, desperately trying to get on camera, resorted to putting her popcorn bucket on her head.  Greg promptly asked her to stop, but not before taking her picture.  

Amazon employee family party.  Wow... our kids will never be impressed by any other party ever again. Free treats and fun activities everywhere.  Greg's favorite:  getting to kick field goals at Century Link field and shooting hoops with Shawn Kemp.  C's  favorite:  laser tag.  SJ's favorite:  jumprope workshop.  S's favorite:  playing tug-of-war and flirting with the Seahawk mascot (she kept rolling him this hula hoop and then would run away giggling).  He finally convinced her to stand next to him long enough for a photo.  Nicolle's favorite:  Watching Greg get picked to participate in the jump rope show.  

SJ doing a basketball clinic.  We loved seeing how focused and serious she was.  

C trying out the rock climbing

We also helped plan our neighborhood National Night Out.  Silvie was very proud of her cupcake face paint "with a CHERRY on top!"

We feel blessed to have been able to make so many happy memories as a family.  We are worn out, but with almost another month before school starts I'm sure we'll find some more fun things to do... either that or Clara will get busy and be named youngest entrepreneur of the year.  

SJ's 6th birthday

SJ

6 years old

What is your favorite color?  Gold

What is your favorite animal?  Unicorn

What is your favorite book?  Diaries

What is your favorite TV show?  My Little Pony

Movie?  Home Alone

Song?  Slippery Fish

Food?  Cinnamon rolls

Drink?  Root beer

Breakfast food?  Waffles

Snack?  Cereal

Outfit?  My new school dress

Game?  Paw Patrol Trouble

Toy?  My little mouse named Crumbs (he is not real) 

Best Friend?  Finley (and Rachelle)

Favorite thing to do?  Have play dates with Finley

Favorite thing to do outside?  Ride my bike

Favorite holiday?  (no hesitation) Halloween

What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  Stuffed animals

Where is your favorite place to go?  Bowling

What is your favorite restaurant?  Nutty Squirrel Gelato

Where do you want to go on vacation?  Ireland (to see the fairies)

What do you want to be when you grow up? Artist and scientist

What did you do on your birthday?  Went bowling with Finley

Baby S isn't a baby anymore :(

 

We celebrated her 3rd birthday with a family "Pinky Pie Party"  (My Little Pony).  The girls decorated while she took a nap.  When she came downstairs she was so thrilled... she gasped and put her hands up to her cheeks and said "Oh my goodness!"  She is so easy to please.  

 

Something we love about S:

At the dinner table we take turns saying one "thought" (scripture) each night.  S always says, "Love one another as I have loved..." and then she pulls back her finger and looks around the table and leaves us in suspense as she chooses who she loves the best that night and points to them "YOU!"  Probably not a correct interpretation of that scripture, but it is so sweet and whoever gets pointed at feels great. 

What is your favorite color?  yellow

What is your favorite animal?  hobby horse

What is your favorite book?  Are you my mother?

What is your favorite TV show?  Team Umizoomi

Movie?  Tinkerbell

Song?  Rapunzel (At Last I See the Light)

Food?  Cupcakes with ponies on it (she is also looking at the photo above as I type this)

Drink?  Smooshie (Slushie:  juice and ice blended by Dad)

Breakfast food?  Cereal

Snack?  Yellow and white (colby jack) cheese and yogurt

Outfit?  My ballerina dress

Game?  Nopoly (Monopoly)

Toy?  Ponies

Best Friend?  Hazel

Favorite thing to do?  Play ponies and eat cookies and drink milk with Hazel

Favorite thing to do outside?  Be a Mama in the playhouse

Favorite holiday?  not sure

What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  lots of lots of books

Where is your favorite place to go?  Nursery

What is your favorite restaurant?  Terrri Fresh (Asian)

Where do you want to go on vacation?  to the Beach with my swimsuit

What do you want to be when you grow up? a big girl

What did you do on your birthday?  Had a pinky pie party!

 

NC trip/50th anniversary celebration

We were able to go back to NC to visit friends and family.  We flew into DC so that Greg could visit some suppliers.  Greg's cousin showed us around the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorial.  On our way out of town the girls and I visited the museum of Natural History.  

              

        

                    

Then we drove to the farm to visit Gigi and Poppi and Aunt Boog plus cousins.  Then we went out to the coast to spend some time at our favorite beach.  

S and cousin A

The house we stayed in had a detached deck (360 degree views).  We saw some crazy looking storms roll in almost every evening.  Luckily, the daytime weather was sunny and hot hot hot (we aren't accustomed to the heat anymore!)

Finally, we met up at Lake Gaston with 4 of my siblings and their families to celebrate the 50th anniversary of these two lovely people.  

                             

children

grandkids

the whole crew

The cousins had a blast together

We