Happy Birthday Little Miss - 5!!

I can't believe my baby girl is 5 years old. She is such a delight, and I love her big personality so much!! She is my little sidekick, and thankfully still loves to cuddle all the time. We are so blessed to have this little sunshine in our family, and wish her an amazing and great 5th year!! Happy Birthday Natalie!!

First Day 2012 - Daniel & Natalie

Daniel is now a 7th grader, yikes, where does the time go.  He is only 3 inches shorter than me, and 20 more lbs, and we'll weigh the same..eek.  He was excited to get back to school, and see all his friends, and get back into the routine.  I know this will be a great year for him.

Little miss is back at her beloved preschool for another year.  We tried pushing her forward into kindergarten even though her birthday is a week past the deadline.  The district said no, and I believe in my heart that really was the best decision.  She is super sassy with her hand on her hip all the time, and all pictures now include her favorite number 5.."cause that's my number now mom".

Summer in Instagram

So thought I would post some of my Instagram pics for family & friends that aren't using it (but really should!!) I've excluded pics from our 2 week vacay beach camping & bear lake, because those are coming soon in another post!!  So here ya go!!

4th of july fun!!

 

splash park

 

farmers market goodies



blue angels at seafair & hanging around




juanita beach



long beach for labor day weekend




jetty island for labor day

The BIG Snow!!

It snowed a couple of mornings this past week, and although it didn't stick around for long, it reminded me of the big snow we had in January..

We had heard that we might get some snow, and were delighted when we came home after some family adventures in Seattle to find snow on the ground..it wasn't much, but we rolled out some large snowballs and put together our first snowman in our new home.  We had no idea we were in store for much more snow!!

By Sunday morning we had over 6", and it was really coming down.  Church was cancelled (the first time ever in my life) and we spent the day indoors making homemade marshmallows, and filling our bellies with hot chocolate, and watching the snow fall.

Monday was a holiday, and the kiddos took full advantage of the weather with neighbor snowball fights, sledding, and playing in the fluffy white stuff.  Dave headed into work (thank goodness for that 4 wheel drive, they didn't even plow the freeways), but by afternoon most of the place was empty, and he decided to work from home for the rest of the week.  By that evening we had 3 more inches, and we received the email confirming that school was indeed cancelled.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday meant even more snow, and by the time it stopped snowing on Thursday we had over 12 inches (and yes, I measured).  School was eventually cancelled the entire week mostly because the buses couldn't get through.  Seattle isn't equipped with snow plows, and because of environmental reasons they don't even salt the roads.  So when it snows, everything just shuts down. We had known we might get some snow, so I was fully stocked, and we didn't leave the house for an entire week (except of course to walk up the street to do some sledding down the hill). 

It was such a fun adventure, and I loved looking out the windows each morning at how beautiful our big cedars, and oaks looked laden with snow.  The kiddos got great use of their snow gear, and we spent so much time outisde playing in it.  It was almost like vacation..but at home in the snow.

Gingerbread Houses

Last week the kiddos made gingerbread houses.  Instead of one large gingerbread house, like we usually do, I opted for each kiddo to create their own little gingerbread masterpiece.

I love the determination in each of their faces as they were decorating.  Daniel quickly finished his before I could snap any pics of him, but it was a fun activity enjoyed by all.

Halloween

This year I'm proud to say we only bought one costume.  Natalie wanted to be a girl pirate, so while my Mom was in town a week ago we went fabric shopping, and got all the essentials for her and Josh's costume.  She sewed Natalie's cute little skirt, and vest, and I added all the pink (did I mention that Natalie loves pink!!)

I was on my own for Josh's angry bird costume, and after thinking about it for a week, I just sat down and sewed it.  I wish I would have put the face a little higher, but he was happy with how it turned out, and he loved how warm and fuzzy the fleece was.

Daniel decided to be the Invisible Man, which was great since he already owned everything but the gauze, and bandages.  After rifling through our first aid box, he was good to go.

Caleb chose to be Optimus Prime, and as ambitious as I might be, I wasn't about to tackle that one, so that one came from the store.

We kicked off Halloween with a carnival at church on Saturday.  The carnival was so cute, and the kiddos had a blast.  They threw rubber chickens for treats and toys, pulled slingshots to knock over cans, tricycle races, fishing for treats, threw darts at balloons, had their faces painted, did a cupcake walk, and snacked on pocorn and hot apple cider.  It was perfect for the little ones, as the lines were short and they just hopped from one activity to the next.  They each came home with a bag filled with candy and treats, and it was a great start to our Halloween festivities.

Monday, after parties at school we headed to Daddy's work for some trick o' treat fun.  We hit his building first, and after four floors of candy just set out on chairs down every hallway their candy bags were heavy and up to the top.  After filling our tummies (of real food, not just candy) we decided to pack up and head home. 

Once home we took Josh, Caleb and Natalie through the neighborhood for trick or treating.  Daniel being a little too cool for us went off with a friend, and came home with a bag of full-size candy bars.  After our bags were full, and hands were cold, we decided to call it a night, and came home to hand out candy, and enjoy our treasures.

Pumpkin Patch - The Farm

Last week Natalie's preschool class made a fieldtrip to The Farm in Snohomish just down the road from us.  After a week of beautiful sunny skies, that morning it decided to rain, and the poor little kids were drizzled on the entire time.  They visited the farm animals, ran through a hay maze (that was indoors), and then taken to a special patch filled with small pumpkins just their size.  They had their choice of any of them, and Natalie found the perfect one and picked it off the vine before the tractor ride picked us all up to take us back to the entrance. (picture of her and some of her classmates at the end)

After a few days of rain the skies cleared and the entire family decided to visit The Farm to pick pumpkins.  It was such a beautiful crisp fall day.  The kiddos ran through the pumpkin patches looking for the perfect one.   After pumpkins we walked around and looked at the animals, and saw the brand new baby pigs that were born the day before.  We feasted on caramel apples, and cider doughnuts.  With full tummies we finished up, and headed home.  I love fall here!!

spills, fresh produce, and inside projects..

What a crazy week it's been (is it ever not crazy?)



Last Friday I got a call from the health office that Caleb had took a spill at school, and had some awesome road rash on his face and hands.
..Monday another call from the health office but this time Josh had fallen on his back and got the wind knocked out of him.
..Later that same day while watching Josh at soccer practice Natalie slid down the slide only to collide with a little girl sitting on the end.  She used her eye to stop her, and within seconds had a big puffy purple and blue eye.
..not twently minutes later another spill and a big goose egg on her forehead..there were very few tears from either incident, such a toughie!!
I'm hoping we've filled our quota for injuries for awhile (thank goodness they were all minor)



On a happier note, my neighbor does group buys, and I was fortunate enough to be added to the list.  We currently have over 50 lbs of pears waiting to be canned next week, fresh peaches, pears, and apples that we are feasting on daily, and farm fresh eggs.

I currently have five unfinished projects, that I'm hoping to wrap up this weekend.

Here's a little sneak peek...

I've also finished a project!! Woo hoo, yay me right!!

In the den/playroom/computer room/toy room the boys were in desperate need of a desk.  I built these for our last house, but this room was set up differently, and little miss is nipping at their heels to have computer space of her own.  So I decided on a long desk built into the wall.  The plans made a few changes along the way as Dave brought up a need to house components (xbox, kinect, and two computer systems).  So this is the final product..(sorry the pictures aren't that great)

I decided to stain it to match the baseboard, and trim.  It's simple and very functional, and yes there is room for little miss (when daddy gets around to building her a computer too) 

The room is super bare, and I'd love to stay around and decorate it, but remember those other five unfinished projects? Well, they are a little higher on the list right now.  I've put the bookcases that I built in to house the toys, and some seating for movie watching or play, so for now, it's functional..


We've got a busy weekend filled with soccer games, and finishing projects..hope you all have a great weekend.

natalie's first day

My little girl turned four last week, and now this week she started preschool, where has the time gone?

This is our first time being away from each other during the days.  Usually she's my little sidekick while the boys are at school.  But, starting this week she spends three days a week at preschool for a few hours each day, and I get a few hours of mommy time (OK so far I have just run errands alone).

Natalie walked into her class, hung up her backpack, and got straight to playing.  She didn't turn around to check to see if I was there, in fact I had to walk up to her and said goodbye. 

I walked to the car with my head held high, and was so proud.  Proud of her independence.  Knowing that the last four years had prepared her for this moment, to let go, and to know that she would shine all on her own.

When we got home after her first day, she said she needed extra cuddle time cause she had been gone for so long, she crawled in my lap and just hugged me forever. (I think I needed it too, and I'm glad she's still little enough to want to cuddle.)

Happy Birthday Little Miss

I can't believe my baby girl is four years old!! (Even though she has been saying she's four for the last six months) it's finally official. 

She's such a cutie, and were so blessed to have her in our family.  She brightens the room with her happy personality, and has brought out a tenderness in the boys that makes my heart smile.  I love her stubborness and independence, because they remind me of me, and her softness and lovingness because they remind me of her daddy.  Her favorite phrase is an exaggerated "I love it!!" which she says to pretty much anything pink, soft, or strawberry. 

For her birthday we had a simple family party at home, with a rainbow theme.  I made a rainbow six layer cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, rainbow balloons, and we had to have a pinata.  She spent about twenty minutes hitting hit it back and forth (yes, that's just a stick from our backyard) before the boys stepped in, and got the job done.

Happy Birthday Little Miss, we're so happy you're ours!!

summer vacation in cali - week one

Over a month ago, we left for our summer vacation in California.  We packed up the kiddos, the tent trailer, and even threw in the dog for good measure. 

We left Tuesday late afternoon and made it to Grants Pass, OR where we spent the night in the oh so glamorous Wal-Mart parking lot with the tent trailer (hey, can't beat free!!)  The next morning we travelled through northern Cali to our destination of Half Moon Bay State Beach.  We set up camp, and were soon joined by Dave's brother Andy, his wife and four kiddos.  We were also met with fog, and some pretty cool temps. 

The next morning we ventured out on the beach for some fun, but the cooler water and air temperatures made it quite short.  We then cleaned up and made a day trip into San Francisco. We had lunch on the wharf, explored the piers, and I took the whole family on a wild goose chase to find the Lucas Arts yoda fountain (I'm sure they were thanking me when we finally found it).  Back to camp for some dinner and s'mores over the campfire.

Friday we ventured south to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.  We walked around, played in the arcade, and got some yummy mexican food for lunch.  On our way back up Highway 1 we stopped at a roadside place to pick strawberries.  A big favorite with little miss, since these are her favorite.  After our tummies were full with sweet berries, we stopped a little further up at Bean Hollow Beach where we jumped on rocks, explored the tide pools, and then played on the beach for awhile longer before heading back to camp.

Saturday found us with much nicer weather.  Before heading to the beach we decide to head into town and visit a few local spots, including the farmers market. We visited Lemos Farm where the kiddos fed baby goats, posed for pictures, and climbed on all the fun stuff.  We then headed to Spanish Town to check out the gigantic steel dinosaurs.  We finished of at the local farmers market where I stocked up on (more) strawberries, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, and fresh corn for dinner that night.  I love me some fresh produce.

After another full day of exploring and playing on the beach, and it was time to pack up, and make our way to our next destination a few hours away in Lake Tahoe, CA..

Chocolate Factory

Tuesday morning we joined some friends for a tour of our local Chocolate Factory at Boehm's Candy.

We donned fancy baker hats, and learned how chocolate goes from tree to tasty treats.  We then listened to how chocolate is melted, mixed, and tempered, and watched as oreos were enrobed in milk chocolate.  We saw chocolates hand rolled and dipped to create the amazing Edelweiss chocolates, and then viewed all the molded chocolates (the microsoft mouse was the kiddos fav). 
We finished with tasty truffle samples, and went on to view the rest of the area where the owner/creator lived and created a chapel, fountains, and refuge...amazing.

Of course we made one last visit to the store to take home some yummy treats to share with daddy.

Ensign Ranch

Friday evening we joined some other families from our ward (church) at Ensign Ranch located in Cle Elum, Washington.  We set up camp, and joined everyone for a bonfire and s'mores. 

The next morning we awoke to the sound of rain on our tent.  Thank goodness we put up the rain fly (which has pretty much been un-used up until this point).  After breakfast the kiddos took turns giving/taking rides in the handcarts, and then Dave took the kiddos on a hike while I chatted with friends.

We then packed everyone up and drove towards the entrance (this place is huge..325 acres) and the kiddos all took turns riding the horses, a first experience for all of them.

Then we changed into swimsuits (except Natalie who is always prepared) and went tubing.  The kiddos had so much fun, and I love all these great expressions!!



After tubing, we took out two canoes (you can guess who did all the work..mommy and daddy), and finished up our wonderful weekend at the ranch.

The kiddos can't wait to go back, and we look forward to an even longer camping adventure there next time.

aquarium

Last week I took my two littlest kiddos to the aquarium while the big boys were still in school.  I love downtown Seattle, it is so fun, and there is just so much to do. 

We pet starfish, played on the felt wall (do you like how natalie likes to line everything up, she did the orcas too!)

We looked at lots and lots of different kinds of fish.  We had fun in the orca exhibit, and the kiddos were to busy playing "ring around the orca fin" to let me take a picture. 

Natalie was most excited by the cute little otter, that she says gave her a big kiss through the glass., and Caleb liked the seals that barked.

After a fun few hours we walked farther down the waterfront and had a tasty lunch, and took home balloons as souvenirs.  It was a fun fun day with my Caleb and Natalie.

Poulsbo

Towards the end of Spring Break for the kiddos, Daddy took the day off and we had another day of local fun!!

We woke up bright and early, and took the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island (Daddy loves the ferries).  There we had breakfast at the Big Star Diner, a Triple D's favorite (Diners, Drive-In's and Dives). 

With full tummies we continued on our travels to the cute scandanavian town of Poulsbo.  We parked and walked around the pretty little town, and marveled at all of the fun architecture, and bright colors.

We had to stop at Sluy's Bakery for some tasty treats.  The kiddos had a tough time deciding what to get, and Dave and I opted for their famous upside down Cinnamon buns filled with cream cheese frosting.

The kiddos were getting antsy so we found a nearby park that led down to the water, where they could run and explore to their hearts content.  Then we packed up the crew, and boarded the ferry for our return trip home..