Second Grade

Isaiah is off to 2nd grade today!  He was excited and happy as usual and it was much easier for me to leave him this morning than it was a year ago.  I can't wait to see what adventures and new friends and challenges and successes he encounters this year.  Here's my handsome boy...

Handsome 2nd grader

Luke and Lizzy will miss big brother

Welcome balloons at LCS

with good buddy Steiner in front of his classroom

65 years and quite the legacy

Kyle's grandparents are quite possibly the cutest couple I know.  Grampa Grunenfelder still teases GG mercilessly and GG still giggles like a school girl when he does.  They still hold hands when they walk back to the house and you can see their life-long love.

They will be married 65 years this Christmas.  That's a pretty great accomplishment!  An even greater accomplishment is their legacy... 5 kids, 9 grandkids, 14 great- grandkids, who all adore them.  Their house is a gathering place- a place to pick raspberries and blueberries and beans, bbq under the big trees or sit around the campfire, to swim in the summer and butcher and wrap deer in the fall, and be assured of a toasty fire crackling in the fireplace in the winter.  The great grandkids know that great grampa always has a wallet full of ones that he finds joy in handing out and GG has a dish of chocolates in the living room.  It is a happy and peaceful place to be.

Most of the legacy

dancing at their 65th Anniversary party

Happy early Anniversary to a wonderful, generous, hardworking, sweet couple!

Revisiting Summer Memories

"What we remember from childhood, we remember forever- permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen."       -Cynthia Ozick

We were on the east side of the mountains last week for a little vacation with my family.  Ahhh, the dry heat and sunshine.  We had a great time.  I fully enjoyed revisiting some of my favorite summer memories from childhood, and even more fun getting to share them with my kids and make new memories with them.  They seemed to love it as much as I always have...

*  Swimming at the Sproule's pool- many a summer day was spent here (thanks Camille and Bill for inviting us up)
*  A day at the Chelan waterslides- I love this place!
*  Playing No Bears Out Tonight in the backyard- a summer staple at our house
*  Picking green beans from the garden and helping snap them
*  Introducing the boys to Swiss Family Robinson- that tree house never ceases to amaze me
*  The Omak Stampede and Suicide Race
*  Running with my sister
*  Camping at Pearygin Lake- we camped here about twice a year growing up
*  Eating ice cream cones in Winthrop
*  Hiking in the North Cascades- my favorite place to hike
*  Floating down the river- the boys loved this!

Hiking to Cutthroat Lake

Proposal site- we had to take the arbor down

Liberty Bell

Country Bike Ride- the best kind

Rockin' her headband while throwing rocks

Proof that Isabelle doesn't ALWAYS cry when uncle kyle holds her

Chillin'

Pirate Party!

The Birthday Boys

the newly engaged couple

Yep, that's right my baby brother just got engaged!  We all love Meghan and can't wait to have her join the family.  We got to go on a double date with them to the Omak Rodeo.  Yehaw!

Man, Eric you're really tall in cowboy boots!

Eric and Meghan

Pretty ring

Well, that's a lot of pictures and it's just a sampling of the ones I took.  It's wonderful to have pictures to document the moments of our lives but my hope is that moments and memories like these would be burned in the hearts and minds of my kids and will be carried with them their whole lives through.  Thanks for a wonderful vacation everyone!

Our Little Swashbuckler

Our little Lukey turned 5 this week!  I say little because that's what he is... little and cuddly and sweet.  Can he really be five?  Granted he does have enough energy in that little body to power a small house and his rock solid little calves are always in motion.  Yes he's grown 3 inches since December according to the marks my mom makes on her laundry room door (was it 3 mom?)  Did I mention he swims like a fish now too?  Jumps off the diving board and swims right to the bottom sometimes making us wonder if he is ever going to come up for air.  All this aside he is still my little Lukey and probably always will be.

Luke got a pirate outfit for his birthday this year.  This was very appropriate seeing as his birthday celebrations all revolved around pirates this year.  Pirates have been the current craze at our house lately.  Shiver me timbers, it's true!  It is also very fitting seeing as Lukey LOVES to dress up.  Luke and Isaiah are often found in costume to play the role of some character or another.  But Luke is known for his random outfits as well, the one's that make you go hmmmm.  What better way to celebrate Lukey than to take a look at some of his fun outfits over the years.  Enjoy Matey!

Happy Birthday Luke!  He has a fun pirate vest too which is not shown here

Another pirate a couple years ago

Just being silly

Grama with a gun?

This is Pharaoh if I remember right

I'm afraid I can't really tell you what this is

The King- a couple interpretations 

Cowboys are also popular with Luke- he loves his button down shirts and boots

more cowboy!

They keep things interesting, that's for sure

Showing his sporty side

the Garden of Eden look

these just make me smile

Hmmmm....

Oh so cute

Oh so fun to go down memory lane.... but the here and now is pretty great too!

We were camping on Luke's actual birthday (pictures of vacation to come) So we had a little backyard party last night for Luke and our friend Ruby.  Arrrrgh! It was a jolly good time.

a motley crew

Roo Bear turns one and starts swashbuckling 

Well Luke, knowing your adventuresome ways, 5 will no doubt be a very good year.  We love you buddy!