Back to School

Emmett's first day back was on Monday and it was 100 degrees!

Yesterday we finished up some summer fun - it was 101 degrees! I think the hottest two days of the summer (which has been hot and fabulous since the end of June) were Monday and Tuesday this week.

Working on a craft project I promised Gracie we would do before school started.....we'll be finishing it today because the paint took a long time to dry.

Gracie's first day was today and it was just like the old routine, but more exciting! :-)

Jessie was in a mood and wouldn't stand with Emmett and Gracie for a picture....I think she's ready for them to be back in school too.

I am so happy for the kiddos to be growing up and experiencing new things, but I really can't believe I have a 2nd grader this year! Next year all three will be in school - crazy!

August Fun

We're squeezing in a lot of outside stuff before the white stuff hits.  The kids experienced their first multi-day camping trip, Amy visited friends in Colorado Springs, and in-between trying to wrap-up some lingering projects, we've hit the water park and taken in a baseball game.  By the way, Gracie is becoming quite the Quirkle player...

While Amy was visiting friends, I loaded up the squirts and we spent 2-days camping along the eastern front of the Rockies.  Only complaint, really, was having to dig a hole to go potty... :)

Kids loved chasing the cows

Very, very cold water

Jessie really did wear more than one shirt... :)

Amy came home to a bunch of hugs and good stories...

Watching the plane land

A little birthday cake

We've missed a lot of photo opportunities this summer but we attended the Voyager's baseball game tonight with our neighbors - we lasted through the 7th inning and Amy won a door prize...  man, she's lucky :)

Summer Road Trip

Getting Ready to Go 
(Dad distracting the kids, so Mom can pack!)

We had a great summer trip visiting friends and family in Washington and Oregon.

 

We started out in Sedro-Woolley, spending a few days with my parents. Good thing we packed the rain boots and jackets - it felt like October it was so wet & cool!

 

Then, we headed south, met friends for lunch at their home in Raymond, WA, and finished the day in Monmouth, OR, where we stayed with college friends. After two nights in Monmouth, we went east to stay with friends from Great Falls, who now live in Bend. After only one night in Bend, we headed north to Chelan, WA, for my cousin's wedding and a few days of R & R before finally heading home. 

 

Unfortunately, our camera only came out a few times on our journey and the pics below are all that made it! Things we missed on camera: visiting with all our friends, the kids camping with Grammy and Pa, swimming in Lake Chelan, the waterslides at Lake Chelan with cousins Cal and Bennett, and getting all dressed up for the wedding. If anyone has pics to share from our journey - please send them to me! :-)

Trying out Pa's Zip-Line

Enjoying Port Townsend, sans the kids - thanks Mom and Dad for taking the kids camping! We had a wonderful day walking on the ferry and walking around Port Townsend. We ate a two fabulous restaurants and Jason got his fill of seafood. The kids didn't come home until the next day, so we had a total of three meals out together - alone. Happy early anniversary to us!!

Checking out the lava flows on Mckenzie Pass. This was an amazing drive through old-growth forests, then climbing up to the Dee Wright Observatory in the middle of the lava flows. We could see many Cascade peaks including Three Sisters, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Washington.