We were invited to a birthday party last weekend that was a pony party. Haley wore her lovely pink tiara headband to the party, and she asked me to straighten her hair!

The pony’s name is Cocoa Puff. She is very sweet and used to children. Everyone got a chance to ride her. JT was nervous but enjoyed himself and asked to go again later. Haley was very nervous. She was brave when I told her I thought she should try it (she told Mrs. Jen, “My mom says I should do it, so I will.”). She only wanted to go a little ways and then she was done. She said she thought she might fall off.

We had a great time doing all sorts of horse-themed things, including painting the horse, sticker books, and a pinata!

Haley and the birthday girl

Tonight JT and I had the wonderful opportunity to start our 2013-2014 subscriber year at Seattle Children’s Theater. Our season started with Pippi Longstocking. We arrived early enough to get hot chocolate before the show. We also met some friends there and JT was so excited to sit with Gracie for the show.

Haley wakes up much earlier than JT, so she and I get some time together in the mornings. Sometimes she wakes up too early and I’m still doing my Bible study. This morning was one of those times. But she was very happy snuggled on the couch with Fancy Nancy and a cup of milk. What a sweetie. 🙂

The kids and I had such a great time last week in Seattle Center for the day. It’s been a while since we’ve done anything like this! We parked and paid for the whole day so we could have all the time we wanted. We were there early and our first stop was the Seattle Children’s Museum. We started in the Imaginarium, doing crafts. It is a perfect first stop because your art can dry and you pick it up on your way out.

Making clay chocolate bars

Painting

Window art

Then we explored the fake forest. It was at this point that I had an important realization: children’s museums must be for children whose parents don’t let them do real things. My kids kept touching things and saying, “How come this isn’t a real rock?” and “How come this isn’t a real tree?”

We went to story time and learned some sign language, which was really fun. Normally I wouldn’t have taken the time to sit through that, but we had no schedule. I didn’t rush the kids through a single exhibit. It was nice.

Then we went to the marketplace for some shopping.

We ended in the construction zone. We spent a lot of time there. We were mostly the only ones using the tools. Haley learned how to use wing nuts!

Starting a project

Haley’s project: screws in every hole

Haley was done with her project before JT, so we practiced stacking, sorting, and counting the empty paint cans.  Look at her tower!

Done! JT built a cube, with a lid and everything.

Then we ate lunch by the fountain. It is timed to music. The kids were petrified of the sea gulls that were stalking our food. JT decided he should face right, and I should face left, so we could watch each others’ backs. 

Such fun!

 

We went down to the fountain to get close to the spray – but not wet. My kids thought the little girl in her swimsuit was nuts.

As a fun surprise, we went to the Armory after lunch and got cotton candy. This was their first time to eat cotton candy and, of course, Haley was a sticky mess.

On the way out, I asked a nice lady to take our picture. She said, “I really suck at taking photos,” but she did a fine job anyway. 🙂

Love love love them.

By the time we left, we had been there five hours. The ride home was pretty quiet!

I am really not a runner. But God gave me a body to take care of, so I do things to try to stay healthy and strong. So, for the second year in a row, I ran the Black Diamond Half Marathon. It was harder than last year (and eight minutes slower) but I maintained about a ten minute average time per mile and finished well, so that was good. Jim, JT, and Haley were there at the finish line this year and that felt awesome!

 

I am so thankful for the opportunity to challenge myself and do this. This year my verse is Habakkuk 3:19, which states “GOD, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s…” Okay, so I’m not really fast like a deer, but you get the point! 🙂

We try to go to the Puyallup Fair every year. For the past two years, we’ve gone with our friends the Schmalzes. This year we went with the Bonnells, too, and we added the rodeo. It was so much fun! JT and Haley really enjoyed the rodeo (and so did Jim!). JT said his favorite part was team roping. Haley loved watching the women ride in with the large pretty flags.

We ate some scones for a pick-me-up and then we hit the rides. We actually had a tough time because a couple of rides broke as we got in line, and then of course Haley wasn’t tall enough to ride several. Actually, she’s not tall enough to ride any of them but a few rides just let her on. Phew!

Then the boys looked like this. So we got Earthquake burgers and fries and Krusty Pups and lemonades and tried to revive them!

Finally, we went back for one last ride. JT chose the car ride but Haley held out for the carousel. She was so happy to go with dad (and Carl and Carson).

Last we stopped at the Darigold barn and watched a cow get milked while the adults ate ice cream. It was a great day!

This year my son John (as he prefers to go by at school) is attending junior kindergarten. As a summer birthday, we felt the extra year would make a big difference for his confidence. He loves his teacher and is slowly making some new friends in his class of nine boys and three girls. There are lots of options there. 🙂 Of course, we took pictures.

For a look at last year’s photos and interest collage, click here.

Our last hurrah for summer: a Harley ride to north Idaho to spend the weekend with friends. We’ve been planning this trip for so long that it was almost weird to finally have it arrive. We were so grateful to my aunt and uncle who let us use their lake house for the weekend. It was perfect.

 I rode with the boys and the other two ladies drove over in a car, mostly because one is 21 weeks pregnant. But it worked out great because then we had somewhere for a weekend of food and clothes for six people besides saddlebags!

Ready to go

Me on the back + two behind us

The view for a looonnngggg time!

Stretch break

Dry Falls – last picture here, Labor Day 1999

Uncle Jim and Aunt Sara’s lake cabin

Trying out stand up paddle boarding

The girls jump in

The boys are watching…

…football on the deck!

Morning sailboat ride

My aunt brought us freshly baked peach pies and we took them into “town.” We bought ice cream and listened to live music at the park while we ate. It was a nice end to the trip.

The ride home was warm and sunny. We were having a great time.

Until we hit I-90 holiday traffic and went less than 50 miles in three hours. Boooo.

On the trip, the Harley turned 16,000 miles. We rode over 700 this weekend and it was a lot of fun. 
We couldn’t have done it without Uncle Jim and Aunt Sara’s awesome lake house, and Grandpa and Grandma Cole’s stellar babysitting skills (which included baking apple pies, s’mores, kayaking, movies, power tool projects, picnics by the beach, and more).

Jim had a business trip to California and he invited me along. It really was only going to cost airfare, so after we lined up JT and Haley visiting Grandpa and Grandma Keene for the weekend, we bought my ticket. Finally the big day arrived… and I was looking forward to some relaxation! We drove out to Hermosa Beach our first night there. I didn’t bring my camera, so all of these are with my phone!

We stopped at Whole Foods on the way back to the hotel and stocked up on breakfast and lunch items since our room had a fridge and microwave. So I got up in the morning and made my husband breakfast before work, just like at home. 🙂 Then Jim went to work in the morning… and I had the day to myself. For three days in a row. Hmmm.

I worked out one day in the fitness center, which was fun and felt great. I watched two episodes of Say Yes to the Dress while I was there. Awesome.

I spent a LOT of time at the pool. It was pretty empty and very lovely. The weather was 90 degrees or so. I read two books, a 70-page leader guide for my fall Bible study group, and wrote Haley’s birthday thank you notes right here.

The second night, we went to Venice Beach for dinner. It was nice but not nearly as clean as Hermosa.

World’s smallest front yard. Ha!

Venice pier at night

One day I went shopping at the mall across the street. That was fun too!

Then I came back to my spot at the pool. 🙂 I even watched a movie there one day.

By the time we were at the airport to come home, I was tanned and rested and missing my children. Jim was just missing his children. 

Thanks for a great trip – to my husband and all four grandparents!

I told Jim the other day that I’m good now. My kids can officially freeze in time and we’ll stay this way forever. They are so. much. fun. And they still think I’m pretty amazing and want to snuggle me sometimes. It is the perfect mix. But *sigh* they will probably still get older.

So Haley turned THREE.

We started with a family party over the weekend.

People must know her pretty well, because she got a LOT of dress-up, frilly, princess accessories. Like new Cinderella slippers that light up when you walk.

And her first pair of TOMS, in sparkly purple.

And a new tiara. 

JT waited patiently for “his” gift: a baby doll bed he helped Grandma Keene sand and repaint. It was hers when she was a little girl, then Aunt Jennifer’s, and now Haley’s. It is extra special that way! And it matches Haley’s bed. Grandma Keene made a pillow and quilt to match. Right now, Haley’s doll is tucked into sleep in the new bed upstairs in her room.

What a nice looking bunch. 🙂

 Haley had asked for a Hello Kitty cake. So that’s what she got. Thanks Grandma Cole!

On Monday, Haley had her friend party. She wanted a “princess party” but I made it a fancy mother-daughter tea. I stayed up pretty late the night before getting everything just so… including these petit fors, which didn’t look perfect but tasted amazing and, hey, it was my first attempt at these!

We used Bible verses as a theme that, although we were getting fancy and beautiful, our beauty should come from our character not from our appearance.

Ready to celebrate!

I made a craft station for each girl with four crafts (and four verses): decorate a name card for the lunch table, glue flowers and rhinestones on a headband, design a pop bead bracelet, and top it off with necklaces and a feather boa.

The mothers and daughters

The girls get fancy!

Our fancy lunch

Opening gifts… including a pretty new apron, Hello Kitty stationary, and a Cinderella dress!

She got a real Cinderella dress and couldn’t wait to wear it!

 
Today is her real birthday. We don’t have much planned, but she got to open one last present at breakfast: a mom-and-daughter necklace set from LaMerLove on Etsy. I’ve been wanting to get her a necklace she can wear often, and this seemed just right!

What a precious gift God gave us in Haley. She is such a wonderful addition to our family. Her checkup is in two weeks and I am laughing inside thinking about what her doctor will say… she is just over 24 pounds, 32.5 inches tall, wearing 18-24 month clothes, size 6 shoes, is flexible like a pretzel, is crazy clumsy, and speaks like a five year old. Good luck figuring that all out. We love it!