Having A Great Time!

Can I just say that so far, this break has been amazing?!?

We left friday night to try and beat all the crazy traffic due to it being a three day weekend for lots of people. I have to say it was the best idea my husband came up with! Made for me having to rearrange my expectations for saturday, but who could say no to getting to come to my parents a day early (and thus actually getting to see them!).

Saturday, we played around the house, spending time with my folks before they ran off to Seattle for a play.

Sunday morning, my parents headed out on their Alaskan cruise. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't jealous!

After they left, I took the boys and went to the church I grew up in. Haven't been there in about 11 years due to changing churches when I was 16 or so, moving from the country and then taking up residence across the sound. Even when I visit my folks, if I go to church, I usually go to the church they go to now. 

So, long story just to say, I took the boys to my old church for service and it was a morning full of nostalgia. The sanctuary...the hallways...everything so exactly like I remembered. Only the people I recognized were older. I even saw some old friends, which was really fun.

After church, I took the boys to the bakery downtown and got the huge donut men. One for Liam...David and I shared one. We took a walk along the new pier and into the woods and then ran a couple errands before heading home to spend a quiet afternoon/evening playing outside.

The weather has been just beautiful and the boys are outside alot. It is so nice to be able to let them play outside. I've pulled up a chair to their favorite play-spot, a gravel pile that they dig in and stuff and I sit out there and read magazines while they play. It really has been great.

We have a bunch of fun stuff in the mix for the rest of our time here. A visit to the Marine Science Center downtown, a trip to a tea house for just my friend and I (her husband has amazingly and lovingly offered to watch all 5 of our kids), and plenty of time with friends and family around here and everywhere. I have a feeling this week is going to simply fly by but for now, I am so glad to be a part of it!

If I can find a cable to hook up my camera, I'll share some photos in my next post.

***I'm remembering the bravery and sacrifice of our fallen soldiers today. my heart is fully and deeply grateful for what our military does to keep us safe and free, yet saddened by the cost of freedom*** 

Feet Friday---feet in the sand

To go along with yesterdays "fun at the beach" post, here is my feet friday post: David's little toes-ies in the sand! How cute!

Dry sand:
Wet sand, down by the water (he had waves hit his feet too, but I didn't get a picture!):

Fun At The Beach...

ABC Wednesdays---R

For the second week in a row, my mom and I have similar posts. I find this humorous.
Anyhow, R is for Reading. One of my absolute favorite pastimes, although I have had to severely slow down my reading in the last few years due to getting insane migraines if I read too long. Talk about torture for this girl!

Liam reading to David:

My Grandma and I reading at the Lake:

Quotes about reading:

“He that loves a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, as in all fortunes.” - Barrow

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” - Emilie Buchwald

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” - Mason Cooley

“So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall.” - Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

“A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight.” - Robertson Davies

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.” - Walt Disney

now run on over to the ABC Wednesday website and check out everybody else's R posts!

seed update...

We have sprouts!

Yesterday, when we watered the seeds, we found a sprout!!! We were both so excited!
Take a look:

Feet Friday---feet in the sand

While Jon and Bill were building the walkway last weekend, Liam steped in the sand they spread under the bricks. I thought it a perfect "feet friday" shot:

ABC Wednesday---Q

Q is for Quilts.

I love quilts. They are cozy and warm like any blanket, but have the added joy of the loving thought and care that went into making it.

My mom is a quilter. She makes absolutely beautiful quilts. She made my wedding quilt:
And Liam's "I Spy" quilt (can't you just tell that Liam loves his quilt!?):

And the Pinwheel quilt that Jonny designed:

She also taught me how to quilt, although I'm really bad at finishing them. Here's one of the first ones I made, a Log Cabin quilt:

And here is the “Touchy-Feely” quilt I made when Liam was little. Each block is a different type of fabric, for babies to play on for sensory fun (being used by my nephew, Pierce in this picture):

There's always more fun ABC posts you can find at the ABC Wednesday site!

Feet Friday---exploring feet

David loves to experience life "feet first". This makes it easy for me to get a bunch of really cool feet friday pictures. Here he is sitting on the kids bench at my inlaws, feeling some flowers with his toes:

ABC Wednesdays---P

P is for Pierce. My sweet nephew. The little guy who gave me the name of Auntie.

After a tumultuous beginning (he was born 5 1/2 weeks early) he is now a healthy and happy 13 month old. You can read about his beginnings and see pictures of his wee little newborn self here, here and here. And below are just a few pictures to enjoy:

Pierce enjoying his cake at his 1st birthday party:

Pierce and Liam last August:

Pierce and David (also last August):

Make sure you check out the rest of the ABC Wednesday group!

Starting Seed...

Last year, my parents bought Liam a pot and some plants with which to make a mini vegetable garden to go on our deck.
He had so much fun with it. We had some delicious cherry tomatoes and lettuce out of it. I think the rest of the plants got crowded out by the lettuce.....
Anyway, I wanted to grow some again this year and thought it would be fun to start from scratch. So last night, I bought some carrot and pea seeds at the store and this afternoon we set to work:

I tore the lid off one of my many egg cartons and had Liam fill the egg-cups with dirt from his pot:
Planting carrot seeds:

Planting pea seeds:

Showing off the seed packages:

We then gave it a good sprinkling of water and set it in the window sill behind my computer because it was WAY too windy today to set outside. Liam kept asking me how long it was going to take for the seeds to grow...it will be fun to watch it all happen. We will keep you all informed of the progress!

Water Play

We've been spending the last couple of sunday afternoons out in Granite, visiting Bill and Carol (my inlaws) and the weather has been extremely cooperative for outdoor play!
This last sunday, Carol rinsed out the bucket that sits under the faucet and refilled it with fresh water for the boys to play with:

Signs of Spring

So the weather here in the Northwest has FINALLY taken a turn for the better. In other words, it's FINALLY warm and mostly sunny. After an exceptionally cold and long winter, which I wasn't even the least bit ready for when it started, I am really, really, REALLY enjoying the warmth. Even the mugginess, which was my apartment this afternoon before I opened the windows.

Well, to take advantage of the weather (and get some new scenery...with the boys being sick, I've seen alot of my home), I grabbed the stoller, trike and the boys and we headed out into the loveliness. Here's some pictures to show you how beautiful it is around my apartment complex these days:

The Same, But Different...Boxes and Swings

Here's another installment of "the same, but different". Enjoy!

Here we have the boys playing in the baby swing:


And here, both boys have decided that it's better to play INSIDE of their toy box:

So, there you have it! Isn't this fun? Do you have some comparisons to share? Let me know!

Feet Friday---me and my Love

I was muttering about not having a picture for feet friday and my lovely husband threw his foot up and said, "Take a Picture!" I added my own foot and here you go:
(I think it's kind of cute, don't you?)

Passing On The Word

My mom has a quilting buddy whose husband is having to have heart surgery soon, and in an attempt to help raise up enough money to pay for their portion of the cost, my mom's friend is raffling off a quilt she made for a fundraiser.

If I can just say so, the quilt is GORGEOUS! I wish I had tons of money to just pay for the surgery and get the quilt for myself. But, since I don't, I thought the least I could do is pass along word about the fundraiser through a post of my own.

So, here I am!

Here's a picture of this amazing quilt, and a link to the blog that will give you more info on helping!