26 Days, PT 1

It was time to get away. We got a little cabin for two nights in Vernonia, OR and camped.

We took the MAX train in to the Zoo, the kids loved it! 

After a morning at the Zoo, we took the train a little further down town and walked around the old familiar places we used to live/work/visit/attend school. There is a fun park at the very south end of the Park blocks right in the heart of PSU where we hung out and the kids napped in the stroller for a bit. The weather was warm and perfect. 

Unfortunately the second day of our adventure it rained so we headed out to the coast to Skyler's parents house. Skyler spend Memorial day with us and then had to head back to Pullman for work. It was great to get away for a few days as a family though.

The kids and I stayed a week longer at Skyler's parents house. We enjoyed the beach, took walks, went to his nephews' baseball games and choir concert. We drove in to Sauvie Island one day and picked strawberries for jam. The kids loved it, Hobbes pretty much just ran wild stomping and chomping on everything. Ripe or not he didn't really care. 

As any visitor to the coast knows, it's hard to get a perfect day on the beach. Warmish where the wind isn't blowing you over. It's not uncommon, but it certainly doesn't happen every day especially when you factor in nap times and the marine layer. But we did catch a few days/times where the kids really enjoyed themselves and managed to get sand in every nook and pocket available. 

(love Hobbes' face)

(um ya, they were sick of me taking pictures)

Just for kicks...

(He's holding a Calvin and Hobbes comic book)

Cousin Skyler's choir concert

"When in Seaside..." 

This would be Hobbes' "NO!" face.

Cannon Beach...

A stranger offered to take the picture so I could be in it too. 

Too bad the light was behind us.

Love them.

Happy 5th Birthday Hayley!

(These pictures are from two different parties. Family one and friends one, to clear up any candles on dessert confusion.)

How could she be 5?!

I can tell you how:

 She is so determined, has her mind made up and knows what she wants. She always wants to know her schedule, she is very much enabled by rules and guidelines, she yearns for structure and thrives best when she can predict what is going to happen. She is totally ready for kindergarten, loves to work on projects, and write cards and letters to send to everyone and anyone. She can be the sweetest big sister and also a great helper to Mom and Dad. She's a lefty, she has the cutest freckles under her eyes and is always excited when she finds a new one anywhere on her body...or anyone else's for that matter. She is so close to telling time and reading I wish I could push her over whatever speed bump that's holding her back from doing so. 

The last five years haven't flown by like everyone says. 

Each day has been a journey. Each day I've learned a new secret to Hayley. 

Constantly I learn what makes her tick, when her favorite colors changed from pink and purple to pink and yellow. When she decided it would be ok to not only wear stretch pants but that corduroy and cotton pants would be ok too. Still working on the concept of jeans though.

She is all girl and always begging for new "play"dresses for everyday wear instead 

of pants and t-shirts (which is my go-to outfit).  She loves to feel pretty and has great confidence. 

When she protects her brother, and knows when he's timid but Mommy is tied up. 

She steps up. 

Skyler is in Nashville at a conference this week so he had a friend bring by a balloon bouquet for him. They were a huge hit. 

Hobbes also loved the balloons Daddy had sent from afar. 

He didn't get to get down after cake to play with the balloons, it was a straight to the bath situation, so I tied one to his tray that he bopped up and down laughing and giggling.

Hobbes wasn't sure about sharing his ride on car with his cousins.

Frozen is sort of a big deal around here.

We love you Hayley and are so excited for the next 5 years. 

Easter

My parents and my sisters family came to visit for Easter and to celebrate Hayley's birthday early.

It was so fun to have visitors. We went out for pizza at Gambino's in Moscow on Friday. 

Saturday we went to the town Egg Hunt, it's so fun living in a small town.

They had it very well organized by age and everything roped off with 6,000+ eggs. 

Afterward we hit up Sunnyside park, let the kids run off some energy, saw the ducks/goats/sheep/llamas. Hobbes was very excited about the ducks and kept trying to get them. 

We did another small egg hunt at the park.

That afternoon we had a Primary activity at the Wacker's house. 

Which looks like a barn. It's pretty cool.

We made egg carton Easter FHE story kits. The kids loved putting all the little elements in the eggs.

Then we sang Primary songs on the wagon.

That night we had traditional fare with my family before they had to leave after church Sunday.

So glad everyone could visit, it sure made Easter fun.

(Logan, Adriana, Paxton, Alyssa, Caleb, David)

Spring

Winter is finally over, we've been getting out for walks and park visits just about every day it isn't rainy. It's tiring for some ;)

Our fourth year in Pullman and she can now master this giant climbing structure at Krugal park. 

She was very proud of herself.

Our little bookworms.

We don't usually play April fools pranks but this year we decided to do some friendly ones. 

We made "sushi rolls" with fruit roll-ups, rice krispies treats and mini swedish fish. I also put out orange "juice" for dinner. Which was orange jello in glass cups so nothing comes out when you try to drink.  haha

This is my on going project I started over Christmas break. Making family fridge magnets. But once the pictures were laminated the magnet wouldn't stick to them, so I used easy to remove velcro strips so the kids can role play with family members. 

It's so nice to see everyone everyday since we're so spread out. 

 Love them.

Hobbes gets pretty excited about bubbles.

Pullman is so bittersweet. I wasn't expecting to still be in pullman to have to say goodbye to these three lovely ladies, nor do I want to. It's so tough to say good bye. I've really cherished all the laughs and funny stories and sweet friendships we've made over the last years. 

(Raccoons, bear Spray, birthing stories...what am I missing?!)

SEINFELD!

Seinfeld actually came to Pullman. Beasley coliseum. We couldn't believe it since he's like big time, travels the world and all. And just to be fair the first bits he did were ABOUT Pullman...and they were hilarious/true just the same.

We saw him in Portland probably 5 years ago and sat in the very last row up top at the Arlene Schnitzer. Let's just say that this time we were WAY closer and laughing/crying for an hour straight. 

He is hilarious. 

Too bad the lighting was such that made getting a decent picture impossible.

This site has some video bits and better shots if you want a taste of humor from the show that night.

Every so often you gotta get out there and do something big and fun and out of the norm.

On an unrelated note...

Hobbes also got his first official haircut, not by mom. 

So he got to sit in the big chair with the fun cape.

He was not sure what to think, my friend cuts hair from her home and he's quite familiar with her and her kids but pretty much held this expression the whole time. Not sad, not happy, didn't really try to get down or wiggle, it was funny. And yes, his hair is still perfectly strawberry blonde "ginger" as people say. Just like his Grandpa Dave.

We love him!