Facebook is not a Blog

So I still like to read my friends' blogs, and I knew that I had been slacking on our blog. Facebook is just so quick and easy, you know? When I logged into our blog today, though, I was reminded that it has been NEARLY A YEAR since I last posted. Oopsie. Not sure if anyone is reading it anymore, but just in case...

So just the last week in review...We went on our first annual family camp with the Read/Young and Bergman families up to Silver Lake. FABULOUS time. The kids, ages 7 to 13, all had a blast. The adults did too! The kids' favorite parts were night bike rides with Mr. Cool/Dad, playing in their fort (I don't even know where it was, just that it kept them occupied), and shooting video clips for a zombie movie.

Henry, Riley, and Guyan in their fort...wherever it was.

My favorite part was a hike to Skyline Divide, the same hike Sean and I did on our second or third date, many moons ago (fourteen years...that'd be about 182 moons).

The drive up to the hike was a *tad* longer (like, 11 miles-on-a-dirt-road longer) than I remembered, so I was feeling quite guilty about the promise to everyone that we'd be back at the campsite by lunch. The only food we had in the car (besides Breakfast Cookies we'd planned on taking on the hike) was a watermelon and junk cereal. Given that Sean wanted a workout, he offered to carry the ~25 pound watermelon to the top of the hike in a backpack. A tradition has been born.

Guyan with a well-deserved rest at the Skyline Divide.

Can you find the happy hiking dog? Hint: she is on-leash.

And finally, our Cool Family Tradition...Tree Pose.

(I feel like I should offer a prize to the first person that reads this post...not counting those that get the automatic email and have it "force-fed" to them. Not that I will offer a prize, but just so you know...thanks for reading, and I *hope* to be more consistent in the future).

School Days, Happy Days

Sumer was a *tad* longer than anticipated this summer (teeny weeny four-day strike, long since forgotten, ready to move on, yada yada), and the first day of school finally arrived. Guyan was totally ready for fourth grade, and Owen all set for first.

Guyan's teacher this year is Mr. Hall. Guyan says that it's a perfect match, he thinks Mr. Hall is awesome already. I've been impressed with Mr. Hall over the past couple years--the man seems to have high standards and expectations. Guyan and I think he'll do just fine...he's going to rock fourth grade.

After Guyan was delivered to his classroom, it was time to get Owen into his. His teacher is Mrs. Pottle. I've known her for a few years through Jazzercise and the gym I go to now. I don't know her teaching style too much (all the first grade teachers are supposed to be great at Cascadia), but I do now that she's energetic and well-loved by the kids. That's gotta be good!

So Owen let me take just a couple of pictures of him, then wanted me to leave. Pronto. So I did. As I turned around, I swear he was needing me. I rushed back "you okay? want me to stay longer?" And what did my big first grader say? "I'm fine, Mom. Fine. Now bye."

I'm thinking next year he won't let me walk him in or take pictures. Oh well...at least Guyan will humor me.

Oh! And by the way...it was not my intention to dress my kids alike on the first day of school--it was theirs, promise. We had found these shirts at Old Navy ["Cooler Than Anybody Here"] and had to have them. Both boys insisted on wearing them for their first day of school outfit. Love it! Wish they'd had the shirt in my size, too!

Three Happy Campers, One Crabby One, and One Very Happy Dog at Fort Ebey

Our first of two weekend camping trips this summer was at Fort Ebey, on Whidbey Island. This state campground is known for its old gun battery, and lots and lots of mountain biking trails. The boys will remember it for the gun battery, Sean for the trails, and me for the cold and damp weather. Guess who the crabby camper was?

Freckle was not the crabby camper. She loved being included on the family trip, and was a natural camper...that's all she ever did before she joined our family, I guess.

One crabby camper, and one happy camper, looking slightly manic.

When we first went out the the gun battery, some deer were out grazing. Guyan thought this was just great, and got as close as he could. The deer didn't even care, and even posed for the camera.

The gun battery had all sorts of historical information...used in WWII...yada yada yada. Maybe I'd remember more if I didn't wait a month to post about it.

All suited up for the bike ride! The boys and I quickly discovered that the trails were a bit beyond our comfort level. Sean did some solo riding, and got a few scrapes as souvenirs.

So the main reason I was a crabby camper was the weather. Ironically, this is probably one reason Sean was a happy camper. When it started drizzling, he put up his blue skies. So very proud of himself in this picture. I took it from the relative dryness and warmth of the tent.

Whenever we go to a nice place in nature, Tree Pose is a necessity.

This picture makes my feet cold just looking at it.

But this picture....ahhhh, peace.

Before we headed back home, we had to stop again at the bunker...

...with a few trips up and down the ladder, watched by nervous parents. It was a long way down!

Next was a trip into Coupeville. I wanted to get some Penn Cove mussels to take home as a souvenir and make for dinner. In the downtown historic part of Coupeville, I couldn't find them anywhere...except under the pier. They were ALL OVER. The boys didn't understand why we didn't just get them there. I finally did find some at a local grocery store. Mmmmmm....as long as you don't think about eating their digestive systems and all their contents, too.

This pier is so cool--so old! Coupeville is a really old town relative to other cities or towns in Washington state. Can't remember the specifics (it's been a month, folks)...Google it if you want more info :-)

On the way home, Sean had to shore up Deception Pass Bridge.

And with the sun coming out, and mussels on ice in the cooler, I was turning in to a happy camper (tree pose!).

On vacation with these guys, how could I not be a happy camper? ...I probably shouldn't answer that. My feet get cold just thinking about it, too.

Happy Campers at Diablo Lake

The camping at Diablo lake was fabulous! Located right off Highway 20 in the North Cascades Recreation Complex, you only see it for a second as you're driving through. But spend a few days camping there, and you can see a lot more.

Like clouds...we were looking at clouds.

We also used my Grandpa Black's Dutch oven. True, we only did potatoes in it, but my, they were great baked potatoes. Each trip, we'll get a bit more adventurous. But we're not going to catch squirrel to roast, like a library book suggested. Ewww.

(especially since Sean is so happy with his hot dog and beer)

Lake explorations...

...and fishing (no catching).

The boys found these leaves and wanted to keep them forever and ever and ever...how about just on the blog?

Sean taught Guyan how to fish a bit...

...and Owen how to open a can of chili in case the fishing wasn't good (which it wasn't).

And I taught them to appreciate a beautiful place with a little bit of yoga. Tree pose has become quite the family tradition.

Oh! This camping trip was also on our anniversary--twelve years of bliss! Happy Us!!!

Foam Fingers

We went to a Mariners game last week. It was on the boys' Summer Bucket List, right up there with camping ("check!"). Thanks to Grandma Rae for some Christmas money earmarked specifically for Mariners tickets, we were able to get to a game.

The boys insisted on foam fingers for a souvenir. Authentic from Safeco, and they do great double duty as machine guns and/or rabbit ears.
Guyan REALLY wanted to catch a foul ball. When it got to about the eighth inning, and still no ball, he started to get ticked off. He apparently didn't see the other 30,000 people there that were all clamoring and praying for their own foul ball. But here, in this picture taken in the third inning or so, he had that gleam in his eye, mitt at the ready, visions of grandeaur playing out in his mind...

What have I done all my life without a foam finger? The things I could use it for..."YOU! Guyan!! Go clean your room!"...

Despite all our foam fingers, fancy signs, and MLB paraphernalia touting the prowess of the Mariners, they lost, keeping with their game plan this year. Consistency is key.

Tired, tuckered out kiddo. With a foam finger.

Fish Don't Need to Know How to Dive (do they?)

Owen and Guyan had swimming lessons the past two weeks. For both of them, the swimming came along great in the second week. Very impressive!

Owen had a hard (but humorous) time with diving, though.

Fortunately, he got a lot better at swimming. Sean and I figure if he was only able to learn one of them this go 'round, we prefer it to be the swimming.

And Guyan? I think we can officially call him a swimmer now. His goal for this summer was to be able to go in the deep end of the Newton Wave Pool and meet the Canadian lifeguards' standards. High standards, let me tell you! We need to make another trip up there soon to see if he passes the test.

Oh-No-Guy!

A couple of weeks ago, my sister Liz, her husband Dustin, and their absolutely adorable little kiddo Nolan came to visit. I think I got a couple pictures of others besides Nolan.

'Da boyz.

Nolan spent a lot of time sucking his toes. I wondered if my boys could still do it. Apparently, yes, they can.

Nolan would like to be a veteranarian or a dentist. He's not sure. Freckle was really good with him. Really.

See the blue eyes? You can trace the path of inheritance in this photo pretty well.

And on a random note, this picture of my dad. It REALLY makes me want to open a Facebook account for him and use this as his profile. So tempting.

And one final picture of the cutie pie. Awwww....I remember giving Guyan a bath in this sink. Today, he could probably only wash his feet in it (but we won't, Grandma, don't worry).