olympic penincula

 This is at a park in Redmond where I met up with an old friend sierra and her 7 boys. We had a great time letting the kids play and getting reacquainted.

 We were in bellevue this last weekend for a conference joe attended for work. We really wanted to take a different way home and visit the Olympic peninsula, the rain forest and the ocean. So we went  on a ferry across the puget sound and had great time on the ferry. We walked all around and took some pictures of course while on board.

 looking out over the front of the ship. truly remarkable and beautiful ship.

 Here is a look that I think amber would enjoy. He has been doing this lately for no real reason. It usually sticks out further but I think I got the picture at the wrong time.

 The first picture I got of him is where I could see all the way down his throat. I told him to close his mouth and this is what I got. much better.

 The picture I got of this one was where he was winking at me. That has been something he does since h learned how on his birthday. I again wanted a nice picture, and asked for him to not wink for the next picture, he obliged.

 The fun picture of them all in a row.

 Rain coming down and playing on the top. we pretty much had the top to ourselves. I wouldn't want to make that commute everyday. Expensive and boring if it was done all the time I bet.

 joe and i got out at this beautiful lake to take a picture. it was such a peaceful lake. I bet not so much in the summer. It was perfectly smooth water, I wanted to ski on it so badly!

 Hiking in the hoh rain forest.

 These guys were so strong, they were able to hold up this tree.

 I should have kept the camera on fast movements, darn.

 ty has very cold feet. he was jumping in every puddle and halfway through the hike he was just miserable. we went to the store and got everyone rubber boots when we got to town. their shoes didn't dry out for 2 days.

 walking down to la push beach

 beach 2 on la push. about 1 and a half mile hike in. Joe had no sugar besides some lifesavers in his pocket and was going low on our way back to the car. did I mention, that was the sunset? the lifesavers really did what their name says. he was ok and then we went to the store and got a little bag together that carries sugar and a meter for him to carry when he gets out of his car. I was ready to run back to the car and get help if needed but I am glad that wasn't necessary!

 kind of too far away but a fun family photo

ok so here is the most recent family photo
We had a wonderful time in washington. we went on the ferry, and hiked the hoh rain forest, went through  port angeles, la push and stayed in forks. we saw some crazy twilight fans and really had an enjoyable trip together. we are grateful to our friends who watched our dog and 2 chickens. I will get pictures of them soon.

 Not a great picture of the house, and needs cleanup, but we are excited to announce we are hopefully making this our long term home. I know what was the longest address we have had since we have been married? 3 years in Wy, Cali, came in a close 2nd with just shy of 3 years. Our goal is to make this a long term home where we can raise the kids. Of course I can't ever say that we won't move again. But this is the goal. We are going to do the whole farming thing. We already had plans to get chickens, oh we already have 2, and get goats, or a cow, and maybe some pigs to sell at the fair. I would love to produce our own honey but, I am highly allergic and Joe said no.

 This is a view standing next o the guest house looking towards the barn.

This is standing next ot the barn looking out obviously at the christmas trees. The machine next to joe is a tree wrapper. We have lots to clean up and make pretty again, we have fruit trees that have been producing fruit for a long time,  8 acres of river access to fish and swim in. Plenty of hunting grounds and tons of trails in the wilderness that surrounds us.
The kids are very excited and I can't wait to take them there and show them the house. Joe and I went to view the house without the kids. So all of you who plan to visit us this year, we are in a BIGGER house now and will have plenty of room for you. We will have 5 bedrooms not just the 3 that we have had here. very excited.

playing kick ball

A few weeks back we went to the park and played kick ball and had tons of fun. The sun was shining and we ran around for quite a while. next time I will take more pictures, but everyone wanted to play with me and I couldn't take pictures forever.

 Such a cute  picture, he is winking and telling me how much he loves me. On his 4th birthday

 Ty's dump truck cake. He told me he wanted gum balls on his cake so I pot them on for lights. I put chocolate rocks dumping out and he LOVED his cake. It tasted great.

 Ty's cake and getting ready to celebrate.

 His fire truck that he wanted so badly

 Some fun pictures  when the kids were little when we lived in Wyoming

 New bikes that we got for the kids for Christmas that they love riding.

 setting up the tree stand last summer

 When he was 6 months old

 Tyler and the great pumpkin. 2 falls ago

 08 visiting the biltmore in NC

 Kids when we went camping in 08 in TN

 Ty 2 yrs old

rolling down the hill in IN


I don't have all the pictures from our old computer on this one so I know some are repeats from years past but they are fun.
Tyler is now four and is such a character. He is very stubborn, energetic, full of life, imaginative child that loves his trucks, and riding his trike. He still is very skinny but is getting very tall. Getting off the gluten has done wonders for him. He is learning to be a good friend and loves others very much. Tyler seems to have something funny to say that he doesn't know is funny and makes us all laugh.

Snowcapades

Adam exausted after all day in the snow with the scouts playing games and sledding and tons of fun!

Adam's first run down the first hill of the day. many more runs and hills to come.

End of the day for John, he didnt want to have a picture taken of him being sooo tired.

Here is the sooo tired picture, I was dragging him to the car.

Joe and I

Johns run

Helmet getting a little lopsided from all the fun

Sammi at the end of the day

Sammi going down the slide

Having fun

Sam's drawing

 Boys and Joe in the iderod pull, the boys pulled the sled

Adam pulling

 The start

 Snowshoeing

 Building the fire

 building the fire still

 and another angle

 one of the hill for sledding

 group picture of all the cub scouts and family members that could go

 John's first run down the sledding track

At the end

We went as a family last weekend to the scout camp and spent the whole day in the snow. We woke up at 5AM and dropped Ty and Ian off at a friends house so we could go up the 5 of us.It would definitely not be fun to have had the little ones there, too cold and long of a day. We got home at 6PM. It was a wonderful time together and we had tons of fun with Adam's cub scout troop. Definitely will happen next year.