Last Days of Summer Vacation

I finally found a Skimboard, so we bought it and we tried it out today!!!!

It was pretty fun (even if it is 60 degrees.  My children have a huge tolerance for cold weather and water.  Most children even in Port Angeles do not get in the water when it is this cold)!!!

We went out to Salt Creek and let the tide come in on us.

It is a great spot to try skimmin' since the waves are not big and it is pretty shallow as the tide comes in (plus there is a little creek that is also shallow.)

 It is beautiful at Salt Creek. 

It is one place I always find calming (even if there are kids running around and a ton of people around!!!)

We are making progress with Maggie. 

She goes in the water by herself now but doesn't want to be in the water long!!!!

Fort Worden

This Saturday we decided to spend the day at Fort Worden in Port Townsend (about a 45 minute drive). 

It was a beautiful day to walk around the beach and the bunkers.

 Aren't they cute together. 

 In some of the bunkers there are long narrow passage ways that are pitch dark.  They are blast chambers most likely (that is what Thomas, and Henry think).  We decided to go through some of them.  This is what we look like in the dark. 

 Okay, so the first two or three bunkers were really cool.  But the kids wanted to go into each room, go up and down all the stairs, etc.  I was done 1 1/2 hours before everyone else.  (We were there 5 or 6 hours)!!!!!  It is such a boy thing to do.

 Pretty funny sign!!!!!

There is also a lighthouse at Fort Worden.  It is called Point Wilson.  They were giving tours so we decided to go.  I have never been in a lighthouse.  The view was beautiful but it was really tiny at the top. They don't use this lighthouse anymore because the boats use radar and radio communication.    

 More bunkers.

 This is where one of the guns would have been.

We finished off the day eating ice cream for dinner.  I tell ya, I had the best ice cream there.  It was Swiss Orange Chocolate.  Oh-so good.

Grandma Visit

Great Grandma Shaw came to visit us on Tuesday (with Uncle Bill and Aunt Sonia)

We always have a great time when they come. 

WashJam

The boys went to WashJam this weekend.  It seems like they had a wonderful time.  They were busy from sunrise to sunset doing cub and boy scout things.  Thomas came home with some new knot tying skills that he has been praticing on a couple of things around the house.  Henry's favorite thing was the bottle rockets.   

This is how Henry was at dinner Saturday night. 

He actually fell asleep just like this.  Totally exhausted!!!!

Trip to UT

Okay,  I thought I blogged this a couple of weeks ago.  I guess I didn't.  Enjoy!!!!

 Lizzy and I went on a trip to Utah to go pick up the boys from Grandma and Grandpa Camp (or known as Super Serect Cousin Camp).  We went to see Pete and Jess over in Pullman, WA.  For our pit stop, we decided to go hiking at a state park called Ginkgo Petrified Forest.  It is a park that has many different trees that have turned into petrified wood.  It was really fun.  It was right by the Columbia River.

We hung out with Pete and Jess for the night.  Sorry no pictures, you will have to imagine Pete and Jess in their apartment in the middle of no where.

 Lizzy and I made it to Utah and we were excited to have some of our cousins around.  We hadn't seen Brad's kids since the reunion (2 years ago).  We were able to go on a hike next to the river.  We played in the river, hopped from rock to rock when the river got low.  It was fun to be outside in the heat.

 We went to second dam to go fishing and have hot dogs for family night. 

 Kate and Jane roasting hot dogs.  Isn't it funny Kate is holding her nose!!!!

 James fishing!!!!

 Brad with the kids.

Henry loved fly fishing.  He wishing he could do it every day.

The fish he got it!!!! 

Oh- I sure miss everyone.  I have been really lonely the last couple of weeks since we left Utah.  I wish my brothers and their families live closer to me.  Maybe one day!!!

East Beach

Well, we went to East Beach last week again a couple of times.  I was just thinking, it has been a really, really cold summer.  We have gotten above 70 degrees maybe 5 times this year but it seems like we are going to the beach a lot this year.  It is really fun, and the kids are still playing in the water.  Let us just say, you can tell who is local and who is not.  The locals are in the water and thinking it is hot and the non-locals are the ones who have their jackets on and are sitting at the edge of the water thinking the locals are crazy!!!!!

 We take Maggie to the beach (even though she hates the water).  If we do not take her to the beach, when we come home she whines the rest of the day so it is much easier to take her.  She is pretty good at the beach.  We walk her for awhile,  we try to get her in the water, and then she usually hides under the chair and takes a two hour nap.  Last time we were there, we actually got her out in the water where she could not touch.  Not happy, she crawled into Thomas lap on a raft.  It was quite funny.  I still have hope she will like the water some day. 

 Thomas walking on water!!!!

Henry diving off the log.  He was out there for a hour just diving.  He loves it!!!! 

 The boys swam like this for over a hour the other day.  I think they look like Crocs. Oh- the terror they can inflict on the innocence.

Oh-Lizzy.  It is the summer of the swimsuit.  That is all she wears (and her PJ's).

We were able to go out to the log and she jumped off the log too.  Mostly she tags along with the boys when they are building dams by the creek or floats on the rafts with me pulling her around.

Barbie house

Well, Lizzy and I have been working on her Barbie house for the past couple of weeks since we got back from Utah.  My Dad primed it and re-roof it before we took it home so all we had to do was paint and decorate the Barbie house. 

 The outside----The paint color is pray,  Who would name a paint color pray--especially pink.   

 We have named all the rooms so. . . .

Butterfly Kitchen

I am very proud of my curtain making skills since I have never made any and I don't have any in my house yet!!!!  Oh, but what inspiration!!!

 Flower Living Room

(yes, I mosaic the floor.  It was really fun.  I haven't mosaic in years and after doing the floors in the Barbie house I could do some more).

 Pink Room (we pattern this room after Lizzy's)

 Purple room (didn't have to do much with this room but we did wait to get Elena's purple paint so she could use this room for her Barbie's!!!!!)

The Fair

While the boys were at WASHJAM, Lizzy and I went to the fair with Cami (one of Lizzy's best friends.)

We first went to see the animals. 

Lizzy was in heaven because she was able to pet a bunch of horses.  Wow, she could have been there for hours.  We also saw pigs (my favorite) and there were piglets (only 5 days old----so cute).  We saw dogs do tricks, chickens lay eggs, and bunny rabbits that were huge.

 Then Lizzy and Cami went on the rides.

Lizzy loves going fast and is willing to try new things. 



 Lizzy and Cami went to the Fun House. 

They loved it and went through it for a half hour.

 Lizzy and Cami went on the rollarcoaster 20 times in a row. 

Lizzy got brave after awhile and decided to hold her hands up. 

 Lizzy wanted to do the tractor pull and did really well at it.  She had so much fun.  She was able to pull 150 lbs.  She was excited to bring home a ribbon (That is the first thing she showed the boys).

She was so tired by the time we went home but she had so much fun.