Last Three Weeks

We have been busy the last three weeks getting into a schedule. 

We are busy with soccer, piano lessons, scouts (Webelos, Bears, soon to be 11 year old scouts and now Young Men since Chris is the new Young Men's President) and our normal day to day life. 

I honestly don't know where September has gone.  But poof,  it is gone.

 Lizzy started Preschool on September 10th (It has been wonderful for her and me).

She loves her teacher Lezlee.  Lizzy is always smiling when I come and pick her up.

 Lizzy in front of her Preschool. It is called BoBaggins'

 Lizzy also was able to go to a Daddy Daughter Dance that the city put on.

She danced a week before and a week after. 

They had a wonderful time going out dinner, dancing and getting desert.

 Cannot blog without a picture of our dog Maggie.  Every morning Lizzy hugs Maggie and Maggie puts up with it (but Lizzy hugs are great).!!!!!

 All three of my kids decided they were playing soccer this year.  I honestly feel like a soccer Mom this year (especially on Monday when I drop Thomas off at 5:00, Lizzy 5:30 and Henry 6:00 with pick-ups at 6:30 and 7:00).

 Here are a few action shots of Henry.  This is him right before he scored his goal of the game. 

He loves soccer and is a fireball.

 Lizzy loves soccer also (but in a totally different way).

She is dancing around the field and not really paying attention to the ball.

She is still a clown!!!!

 Lizzy got to be on Elena's Team this year (added bonus Cami is on it too!!!!)

Oh-yes, life is a party!!!!!

No action shots of Thomas yet (but I'll keep trying).  It is harder to get pictures of Thomas's action since his field is so big (plus he didn't play his normal position last Saturday---He usually plays center-Mid).

1st Day of School

1st Day of School for the boys was Tuesday. 

Henry is in Ms. Bunch's Class and Thomas is in Mrs. Anderson's Class.

It should be a great year (even though the boys are not excited about their teachers.) 

Thomas got into the split class again which he is really bummed about and Henry of-course got a different teacher then Thomas which he is bummed about. They have had different teachers every year except one and the one year they had the same teacher she got married during the summer so she had a different name!!!! 

 Henry is my 4th Grader

 Thomas is my 5th grader

 Oh-the joy to be the older child.

 Best picture of all my children on the first day of school!!!!

 While the boys have been going to school, Lizzy and I have had a great week of FUN!!!! 

She doesn't start til Monday.  She learned to ride her bike without training wheels.  She is so proud.  I don't need to help her at all.

Way to go!!!!

 We also went shopping and got twirly shoes.  She has been twirling ever since.

(Hopefully, she will actually wear these shoes since she is known all over town the girl without shoes.  She will have to wear shoes since she is going to preschool

Maggie has been sad the boys haven't been around lately but she is getting more walks with me.

Look at how big she is!!!

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!!!