Preschool Family Picnic

Every year the preschool puts on a family picnic at the park so that all of the families and teachers can get together, relax and spend a few hours together before the end of the school year. Since the preschool started this tradition, the day of the picnic has always been rainy and wet, but they still had fun and made the best of it. 
I dont know if we brought extra luck with us (being that this was our first year there) but the day of the picnic was sunny, warm and perfect.  The kids had the chance to run around and play on the really cool playground, eat hot dogs and cupcakes and enjoy time with their friends outside of school. It gave the parents a chance to mingle and talk as well. 
Elli and Abby with Ellie’s favorite teachers assistant, Mrs.Suket. Ellie absolutely adores her!
My little climbing monkey
Exploring the fossils on the wall.
Playing and thinking… the usual. 🙂

The picnic was a big hit and the beautiful sunny weather was the icing on the cake. To top it all off, the kids in Abby’s Pre-K class even found a dead snake and decided to share it with everyone!  There were a few terrified screams, especially from the mothers of the boys who carried it over with big grins on their faces. Priceless!

Memorial Weekend 2014

I took Memorial Day weekend off from work and at the time, we didn’t have a thing planned.  We talked about it, threw ideas around but never set anything up. Friday night the travel bug started to get to us and after doing a little research we decided to get up in the morning, pack an overnight bag and just drive. We didn’t have reservations anywhere and didn’t plan to make any until we knew where we were heading.
So we did just that and hit the road. The wind carried us out to the Peninsula and out to Ocean Shores and Westport. The drive out was spectacular and the day was gorgeous. Off and on clouds, cool breezes and just enough sunshine to keep us warm and happy. We didn’t find a place to stay in Ocean Shores but the small little town of Westport, just across the mouth of the bay had a great and clean little hotel for us to stay.
Happy to find a hotel and then get out and explore.
Our view of the Pacific Ocean from our room. So pretty and nice and cool too!

After checking in, we took to the road to explore Westport, Ocean Shores and the surrounding areas. Ocean Shores is really where the fun is at. The girls really wanted to play on the beach so we found a place to stop. Much to our surprise our stop was on the beach! Yep, we parked our cars on the beach. Pretty fun and Abby and Ellie couldn’t stop giggling about it.

It was nice to get out of the car and see the Pacific Ocean. Not the Puget Sound, not a lake, but the Pacific Ocean. It was a beautiful afternoon and we took in as much as we could, including lots and lots of sand.

Look at us, we can park our car on the beach!
We cant stop giggling and smiling!

Hello Pacific Ocean… we missed you!
I dont think this day could get any better or more beautiful!
Drawing in the sand.
Love that little smile and the joy she has for being on the beach.
My beautful Abby. Love this face and all her joy and love.
Sisters
Little tiny butt crack
Sand time!
My wonderful and handsome hubby!
One of only a few pictures you will see of me!
Birds of a feather
Horseback riding on the beach

After some playtime on the beach which included lots of sunshine and fun, we decided we needed something tasty to eat. Ocean Shores is a small town with only a few laces to eat but we certainly picked an awesome place. Pegasus Pizza was a great little hole in the wall, family pizza and pasta place and we loved it. As we we left the restaurant, Ellie asked if we could come back to eat next weekend and its almost worth the 2+ Hour drive.

Ugh daddy…
She does this face all the time and it makes me think of a little old man. What a goofy little girl.
Silly Abby making faces at mommy. We had a lot of laughs!

With full tummies we made our way back to the hotel in Westport. The drive back was at dusk and we saw a lot of little critters along the roads, like deer and racoon. We also watched as the clouds and fog rolled in. While we get fog from time to time over where we live, its nothing like livign right on the ocean and getting fog nearly every night. I think we all slept really well that night, especially with a little rain coming down.

The next morning we got up, had some breakfast and headed back out on to the road. Since we were already out on the Peninsula, I thought it would be fun to drive around the long way and go through Olympic National Park. Shaun and I have not been out that way since 2005, when he took me to Seattle for the first time just after proposing to me. I was excited to stop at one of my favorite places, Ruby Beach!

Good morning sister snuggles
Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park
Walking with daddy in the rain along the mossy trail down to Ruby Beach.
Among the Cedar trees
Throwing rocks into the ocean and searching for crab shells.
Love the beautiful rock formations along the coast in the Pacific Northwest. Ruby Beach does not disappoint.
The rain cannot keep people away from this beautiful beach.
The girls found a cozy and dry spot in the roots of an old fallen tree.
It might be rainging but these adorable people still love to get out and play in the rain.
Blackberries are starting to come out on the Peninsula.
Love that Pacific Ocean
Sisterly love!

After a good hour playing in the rain on Ruby Beach we had to continue on our way so that we could make it home at a decent time. We drove in the rain and took in all of the beautiful green around us. Our drive took us through Forks, Washington… a little town made famous by those vampire movies… oh what were they called???  Oh yeah… Twilight. I was never a fan so this didn’t mean much to me, but it was interesting to see how much the town had grown since the movies made them famous.

The biggest Rubber Ducky I have ever seen lives in Port Angeles!
The remainder of our trip was quiet and peaceful. We took the ferry home and hen snuggled down for a cool and rainy night. We may not be all that spontaneous anymore, but when do have the opportunity to do so, its worth every single moment!

Beautiful Afternoon at the Park

The sun has been out and despite a few clouds in the sky, its been warm and beautiful. So Shaun and I packed up a picnic basket and we headed to one of our favorite parks for some lunch and play time. The day was perfect and the ducks were out in full force. Abby and Ellie made a few freinds too! Ducks friends that is.
I love Seattle and days like this just enforce my love for this place. I love the rain but I also love that it made me appreciate the sunny and beautiful days even more.

The Fire Department Comes to Preschool!

Today the fire department came to Abby and Ellie’s school. Don’t worry… it was planned. The kids had a great time visiting with the firefighters and Abby and Ellie were very excited to see that one of them was a girl! Such a great role model for both boys and girls to have.
I love the idea and reasoning for having the fire department come. They do it not just to show off the trucks and people but also to teach the kids. Yes there is fire safety to teach but its also about showing children what a firefighter might look like in full gear so that if they need to be helped, they aren’t afraid of them. These guys, and lady, did a great job doing that today and boy oh boy did they have to field a lot of questions from some very curious preschoolers.

Firefighter Kelly and her crew talk with the preschoolers about the jobs of a firefighter.

Ellie and Edie waiting and watching as their friends ask some very interesting questions

A little unsure about this big red truck and the people standing in front of it.

Ellie liked the truck but wanted out right away. My shy little monkey.

Abby loved the fire truck!

Checking out all of the equipment.

Firefighter John gets ready to show all of the equipment he has to wear.

Piece by piece he puts on his important gear.

Piece by piece he puts on his important gear.
Piece by piece he puts on his important gear.

Piece by piece he puts on his important gear.

Everything is on… but its still firefighter John underneath.
Taking a look at all of Firefighter John’s gear and to see that it really still is him under there.
Setting up for the end of their visit.
Lots and lots of questions for Firefighter Kelly!

The best ending to a fun day… seeing the fire hose in all its glory!

Thank you Bothell Fire Department for coming out and visiting at the preschool today. You made a lot of kids very happy today and taught them some very important things. Thank you for your visit and all that you do for our community!

New Do!

Its been over a year since I last cut my hair, so it was time for a change. SO today I put on my brave pants, went in to see a new stylist and let her take off as much as she felt was needed. This is the end result and I love it! Its short, healthy and the color is awesome. Just in time for summer! Yippee!

Kindergarten Dinner

Tonight was Abby’s first interaction at Woodmoor Elementary School, Kindergarten Orientation night! The school offered a pizza dinner and then the chance to see all of the classrooms and meet the teachers. Abby was beyond excited about it and we did not hear the end of it until we arrived at the school.
Abby wore her pearls for this momentous occasion. How very lady like of her. Love this girl so much.

After our tour and visit in all of the classrooms, Abby is very excited for school to start in September. I have to say, I love their new school and I see a lot of great things happening for Abby and Ellie at Woodmoor Elementary. Anyone who says otherwise can have their try with LAUSD and then get back to me.

Happy Mother’s Day 2014

Happy Birthday to all of the beautiful mama’s out there! Every day you should be celebrated but enjoy this extra special time with your little ones (whether they are newborn or have little monkey’s of their own).
To my mama, thank you so much for showing me how to be the mother I am today. Your endless love and support is contagious. Thank you for picking me up when I fell, for teaching me the important life lessons, and showing unconditional and sometimes tough love. Thank you for your sacrifices and selflessness. Thank you for understanding the craziness of this mama’s life and appreciating even the small amounts of time we get to talk. Like a true friend, we can always pick up where we left off. You are amazing and I am so happy that I can call you mom. Love you!

To the little monkey’s that made me a mama, I love you both in a way that I cannot describe in words. I didn’t know I could be so lucky in life until I met your daddy and both of you were born. Thank you for teaching me patience (and goodness knows I have to be very patient with you at times), for showing me love, showing me how to smile and laugh at the little things in life and for letting me live life through your bright and intelligent little eyes. I learn something new every day because of you! Thank you for letting me be your mommy! I love you both so much!

Slow But Steady Progress

Its been a long road, but I am finally starting to see results. Bought a pair of jeans that’s 2 sizes down and it feels great.  Still plenty of road to cover and pounds to lose, but this is the first full picture of me that I have taken in a long time. And its awesome!

Mother’s Day Tea with the Girls

Today was the Mother’s Day tea at Abby and Ellie’s preschool. The girls were both very excited about today and I, of course, could not wait! We had lovely tea treats, some wonderful gifts from the girls and I was so happy to spend this lovely time with them.
Yummy tea time goodies
Mommy and her beautiful little girls. Thanks for making me a mommy!
Abby made me a coconut and lavender sugar scrub! Yummy!
I loved her answers for the questionnaire and the hand prints and poem had be tearing up in public. Oh my I love these kiddos.

First Fishies!

The girls have been asking for a dog, so we took them to the pet store… and got them some fish! Our house is limited to the size of dog we can get and if I am being honest, after losing Jack I am not sure I am ready for another canine companion just yet.
Instead we thought fish would be a great pet for the girls to have. Teaching them responsibility; making sure to feed and care for them. Its also a great way to teach them about loss, as we all know most guppies have a pretty short life span. Hmmm… maybe a puppy is a better choice. I guess only time will tell.
So after a trip to PetSmart we came home with a tank, all the needed accessories, some fun decorations and 4 fish picked out by our adorable little kiddos. Ah new fishy parents! Lets hope all of our new fishies adapt and survive. No matter what, it was a fun day sharing this moment with the girls.
Trying to decide which ones to take home. If the girls had it their way, they would take them all.
Our new tank with our 4 new fish. Each has a name but I have not committed them to memory yet. Just. In. Case.