Working in the backyard

 This is the first place we have lived with a decent sized backyard for the kids to play it.  It is not big, but much bigger than the other places we have lived.  Occasionally I can send the boys outside and they will stay entertained for quite awhile.  However, the times when they are entertained the longest coincide directly with the dirtiest they get their clothes.  They especially love digging in the dirt and rocks, looking for and squishing bugs, and spraying each other with the hose.  

 Isn't Grant a handsome lad?  This is actually his preferred way to wear his jacket and usually gets on the bus each morning with it on like this.  I guess it's like a cape this way.

Luke provided a good size reference to some of the huge zucchini that came off our two plants.  The zucchini were by far the most successful plant in our garden this year.  We tried corn and lettuce for the first time this year and they did okay, as well as our bean and carrots.  Unfortunately the tomatoes did not do well at all this year, which is sad because garden tomatoes are the best.  I guess there is always next year.

Mt. Rainer Camping

 Way back in August Ryan and I were feeling particularly brave and decided to take the kids camping.  We packed our van literally to maximum capacity and headed out for a one night camping trip.  We may never fully understand why so much gear is required for one night of camping, but such is the case.

We drove up to Mt. Rainer and camped in a nice wooded site.  Fortunately the only wild animals we met were some very cute chipmunks at our campsite and a nasty bee that stung Ryan in the forehead.  However, the frequent bear warning signs all over the camp had me on high alert for anything rumbling around in the bushes.  Ryan assured me many times there was nothing to worry about,  I guess I'm not that much of a Westerner to get used to camping in bear country :)   

 After we sent up camp the first day we headed out to hike the Grove of the Patriarchs.  There is a small section of the forest that has been protected from forest fire for thousands of years.  The next few pictures are from that hike.  Of course our camera gave up the ghost before we got any pictures of the old trees, but the scenery even before we got there was beautiful.

 This bridge bounced as you walked across it, thus greatly enhancing the excitement/danger value for all around.

 Here is the paved part of the trail around all the old trees.  We came to two ginormous trees that were close to two thousand years old!  The tops had fallen off and supposedly the tree was mostly hollow inside, but it was still alive and upright.  It's crazy to think of all the events in history that that tree has been around for!

  

The boys really enjoyed camping and actually did pretty well.  They were very well bundled at night and slept in to 6:30 (which is pretty good when the sun still comes up a little after 5).  We had hotdogs and smores at night and a dutch oven breakfast pizza in the morning.  We hiked to Sliver Falls after we had packed up camp and then drove home, exhausted.  Silver Falls was beautiful and if we ever go again, I will make sure we bring a camera that has a decent battery with it.  Ryan and I have desires to be more outdoorsy type of people so we plan on making a family camping trip a yearly tradition.  And who knows, if we ever get to the point where we can spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time keeping the kids from poking their eye out with a stick or leaping into the campfire, we might make it a bi-annual tradition. 

Water Park

 Moses Lake is a small town about 2 hours from here that is know for it's little-big water park.  It's a lot smaller than the amusement park-type water park, but a lot bigger than your community pool.  We went up on a non-crowded Monday and had a blast! 

 We all loved floating around in the lazy river, but none of us as much as Grant.  He would run off during the day and I'd walk over and see him floating/running in his tube in the lazy river.  He just loved it!

 Ryan and I even got to enjoy the slides (note the thumbs-up he's flashing).  In true water park fashion, Ryan even got in trouble on the diving board for doing a gainer.  Still got it!!

 That slide shoots you out in such a weird position.  I look like a mannequin getting thrown into the pool.

 The boys loved the awesome zero-entry kid section of the pool.  We will definitely have to make it a summer tradition to visit Moses Lake.

Summer VA trip

 So way back in the beginning of July we set off across the country to spend some time in good ol' Virginny.  We hadn't been out for over a year and a half and we were more than ready for a visit.  Uncle David was there while we were and uncle Ryan was able to come up for a couple days.  The boys loved playing with Grandma and Grandpa and all the fun things we were able to do.

 We were there over the 4th of July.  We didn't make it out to any fireworks (too tired to face the crowds) but my dad and I ran a 4th of July race in the morning and the boys enjoyed wearing the swag we picked up there.  The race reminded me just how hard it can be to run in about 80% humidity, yikes!

 My mom and dad were able to be off work for a good portion of the trip and we loved being able to spend lots of time with them.  Tate discovered that Papa gives a lot better under-dogs than I do (under-dog: when the person pushing the swing pushes the swing forward as he/she runs underneath it).  He even got to try some over-cats :) (over-cat: another name for under-dog)

 Luke would have been more than happy to spend the majority of the vacation right here in the swing.  He would just sit there and zone out, swinging back and forth, back and forth.  If you'd try to stop, he'd just bring his little fists together (baby sign language) and whisper "more".

 Grant and Ryan proudly scaled a large rock at a local park.

 One of our favorite activities was spending a couple of days at the beach.  I love how the beach is free, but also great non-stop entertainment for the kids.  We built an awesome moat with 1/2 a sandcastle inside, played in the water, looked for crabs, played some more in the sand, picked over seashells, and caught lots of waves with the boggie board.  I took Grant out with the board and would set him up just right for a wave and he would ride them all the way into shore.  He caught almost every one I set him up for (with only a couple wipeouts!)

 One of the days, Ryan constructed a makeshift shade out of a beach umbrella, a tent rain fly, and two pieces of PVC pipe and it was nice to get out of the sun.  A regular MacGyver he is.

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of our day at Busch Gardens, but we all had a blast there.  We arrived right when they opened and enjoyed not having to wait in any lines.  In the afternoon, right when the park was getting too busy, a freak thunderstorm came through and it seems like most of the people in the park left.  We waited out the torrential rain, which stopped after ~45 minutes, and again had an almost empty park to enjoy for the evening.  It would have been even more awesome to not have been drenched and cold for a portion of the day, but luckily we brought a change of clothes and warmed up again.  The next day the boys were already asking when we could go again!

We had such a blast with our family in VA and hope we can make it out next year too!

Hiking Franklin Falls

Before we flew out for our trip to VA we stopped to hike to Franklin Falls in the Snoqualmie Pass.  It always amazes me how driving about 1 1/2 hours from the semi-dessert of Yakima can put us in a lush forested climate.  The hike was probably around 2 miles round trip but with a lot of ups and downs on the trail, so it seemed a little longer.  The boys were troopers and we all enjoyed being able to stretch our legs in preparation for the our cross country flight the next day.

We were pretty far from the falls right here, but really it was much, much bigger.

I loved all the vines on the trees.  After being in Yakima for so long I felt like we were in the jungle.  Too bad it rains too much on this side of the mountain.

On another note, one day Ryan came home from work with cotton candy from a party at work.  It was quite an exciting moment that had to be captured on camera.  Plus, I though Lukey looked especially cute with his backpack on and a backwards hat.  We have such cute boys!

Summer Fun Photo Shoot

 

In Ortho residency Ryan had to purchase a very nice digital camera to use for his patient records.  I have had a goal for quite a while to try to figure out how to use the camera and improve the quality of the pictures I take.  Unfortunately that goal must not be very pressing to me since I have taken the camera out of it's bag about 5 times.  Even though these pictures are probably all wrong with the lighting, aperature, etc. it's easy to see what a difference a nice digital camera makes.  These are just some pictures from one hot afternoon in June.

Tate was trying to go somewhere, fast.

 Grant's bandaid is to keep some fresh stitches he received out of the sunlight to help prevent scarring.  A few weeks after his trip to the ER for his broken arm, Grant got stabbed in the lip by a kid we were babysitting (Grant probably deserved it), with a toy dental drill.  Thank goodness for our oral surgeon neighbor who saved us another ER trip and stitched Grant up in his office that day.  I'm especially grateful now that we've started to receive the bills for the first ER visit, yikes!!

Later that day they snuggled up on the couch to watch a little movie.  Such sweet boys!!

Super Heroes Never Give Up

Back in June Grant participated in Yakima's Gap 2 Gap race with a few of his friends.  It's a relay race (with age groups ranging from six to adults) consisting of running, biking, skating and obstacle course legs.  Grant's team was The Avengers and he was able to test out his new birthday present in the biking leg.

Here he is after receiving the wrist band from his teammate who did the running portion.  It was definitely a high energy scene.  Parents were yelling for their kids to go faster, people were everywhere, competitors all over the course.  I noticed that Grant was getting a little nervous before his turn just because the atmosphere was so hyped up.  Once he got going on the course, he was flying!!

Grant did great and enjoyed being part of the race.  And yes, his left arm is casted.  That was from jumping off the couch and punching the ground Hulk-style one evening while I was at work.  Ryan had to take him to the ER and Grant got his first cast.  Exciting times.

 Tate cheered on Grant and is excited for when he's old enough to participate.

 Grant with his teammates, Luke, Jordan and Micheal.  They had a blast. 

 Later that day, the boys were able to go to a birthday party and came home with this balloon.  I had to work that evening as well but saw this nice piece of art work the next day.  Ryan said Tate and Grant were playing all afternoon and had decorated this balloon as their team motto, translation "Super Heroes Never Give up, by Grant and Tate.  We love this Balloon".  I love the super hero picture drawn on the side.

And this picture is just because The Duke is so sweet!!