Birch Bay 2012

Mom and Kids Only Camping trip! Looking back over the other 2 trips we've taken, I realized that we have steadily increased our stays each time (Deception Pass - 1 night, and Ocean Shores - 2 nights), soon, we may be up to a week! This year we decided on a shorter car ride up north and stayed at lovely Birch Bay State Park, right across the water from Canada. We nabbed a great site complete with it's own forest trails. E spent most of her time in a huge climbing tree with Asher, and N and Mini were great companions. The 3-night trip (as you may imagine) presented itself with its unique challenges; a burst of rain on our ill prepared tents, a tick lodged under Mini's eyelash, early wake up calls, raccoons bumping around in the night, mosquito bites, uncooperative children howling in the showers, and a table full of picky eaters. None were so terrible to deter us from planning another trip again next year. Here are some shots from our time, none sadly from my actual camera, all via Instagram on my phone.

E's First Swim Meet

E was all smiles during all 4 of her events (she must have swallowed a gallon of water with her mouth open like that). She competed with other 7/8-year-olds, and felt great about the experience. I was volunteering the entire evening as a timer, so I didn't get to focus on her like I would have preferred, but her 4 grandparents were in there in full force along with N, I was so thankful for their support.
   

*This cracks me up every time. She's swimming, but more interested in spotting her grandparents on the side.

On the Receiving End of a Video Chat

As I mentioned before E got to tag along on the last leg of her daddy's tour. Kinda awesome, right? Not too many kids get to take a week and a half off of homelife and drive from Atlanta back to Seattle in a tour van. She's loving it. I've had a harder time not having her around. I think there were 2 consecutive nights I spent away from her last year sometime, but nothing like this type of separation. Our family is equally divided down the middle; 2 away and 2 stay. Of course we have our multiple daily conversations when I have to interrogate her on teeth brushing and vitamin taking. Every once in a while my phone let's me know there is a video chat afoot; let the silly face making contest begin! Her and her N could have hour long spells doing this: 

We miss her, and cannot wait until next week when we're all back together again.

Party Time!

N got to celebrate his big day for a week. I started decorating the house a week before the actual party, and I was glad to have it so festive! N really wanted a Totoro Party. Our family has a very soft spot in our collective family heart for the Studio Ghibli animated films and Totro is at the squishy center. I set to work checking out blogs from moms that had done the same thing, I filed some good ideas away and wondered if I was really going to pull this off? I found a site dedicated to free printable's I used for hanging ceiling decorations, I found another that offered free wallpapers that I downloaded and printed up for magnets. The kids and I started sunflower seeds so our guests could take home a few sprouts a la the acorn garden scene. I visited a handful of Asian markets to pick and choose a few snacks that our American kid palates would appreciate. I began strategizing how to pull off a Cat Bus birthday cake and Soot Sprite and Totoro carnival games...I had waaaaay too much fun with this.

Seed Starting

Making Acorn Bean Bags

Turned out Great!

Exacto

These Guys were Lurking Everywhere!

Making Pom Pom Soot Sprites

Assembly Line

Super Cute

Late Night Cake Assembly

Magnets

Bean Bag Toss Final Product

Hiding

Fishing for Soot Sprites (we also had leaf hats and soot sprite necklaces )

Bubbles are always a hit

Soot Sprite Balloons

Take Home Gifts

The weather was so nice

The finished product

Surveying the Goods

Stamp of Approval

Blow out the candles

Soot Sprite Cupcakes

Gifts! (notice the lovely Totoro hat he got!

Thank You Card Sneak Peek

* Thanks so much to Jason and Eileen for taking pictures for me at the party, you made this post possible!

3 Already

He joined us with a ferocity to be reckoned with. Big in stature and personality. He gives his 7-year-old sister a run for her money every day. He's a sweet and strong headed, bright-blue-eyed and brown haired hurricane. He's 3 today.

I delivered him here at home he weighed in at 10 pounds 12 ounces!

He was a little slow learning to walk, but practically runs everywhere now!

Give this a guy a shovel and he's happy for hours; at the playground, beach or in the garden with Mama.

Like many boys wheels are his thing.