Warrior Dash

We ran the Warrior Dash a couple weeks ago. Click on the link to check it out -- it has lots of fun obstacles while you run and it was the funnest run I have ever done. It was pretty challenging tho -- and not the obstacles like you would think -- the course itself was extremely hilly. But I thoroughly enjoyed myself and can't wait for it to came back next year. Special thanks to Adam for coming to the run to watch our kids. Here is some of our obstacles...

** i apologize for the small size of these pics - i had to take them from the website - and without me buying them - they wont get any bigger ****

climb over a cargo net.......

crawl thru this pitch black tent thing....
i don't know if you can see my face very well - but i don't look happy in this picture -- that is because i HATED this obstacle. I am not a fan of tight, dark spaces -- at all!! And Lisa and I got stuck behind some idiot that would not move!! We were in there for way too long!
I love this picture because I love how Sam is holding on to the strange woman in front of him...
jumping over fire!!!!
sliding down a mud hill -- i sat and slid on my butt -- i didn't trust myself running down it - i knew i would slip and eat it........................
After..... Lisa had already gone and cleaned off. Fun, fun run!!

first day

Addie started her first day of the 2nd grade. She is getting so big. She is such a great example to my younger children --- she is SUCH a good girl. And a tender heart -- when I left her on her first day --there were tears first from her - and then from me. I love my girl

The week after Addie started school -- Gwendylan started kindergarten. My tiny little baby girl in now in kindergarten. It hurts to look at her and see that she is growing -- and see how much she is trying to be a big girl. I wish she would slow down. She still is my little cuddle bug and I hope that will never fade.
My loves.............................

lake house

Some good friends of ours have a lake house plus lake toys that they are so generous to share with us. We went out a few times this summer and it was so much fun. It's nice and relaxing and the kids really have a lot of fun. This year the girls even built up the courage to ride on the tubes behind the boat. They loved it!! Thanks to Julene for sending these pics to me -- I for some reason never had my camera when we were out there.

me and jax -- he was a little cranky....

the girls - excited to go out on the boat......
on the boat watching the girls tube --
driver gwen.......
driver addie......
all the kids out on the tubes.......
relaxing on the paddle boat........
jackson getting some love from his buddy Ellie........
roasting some hot dogs around the fire -- fun times!!

31

Happy Birthday Sam!!

For some reason this year Sam decided that he didn't just have his birthday day -- he had a birthday week!! Why have I not got these?? He went to a Dave Matthews Band concert up in Washington with some friends, then on his birthday he went golfing with friends and family, then we went to party at Papa's pizza. After that we played disc golf with all the brother in laws and my dad. Then he went on a long bike ride (he's really into that lately -- he keeps buying bikes - he has 2 plus his unicycle now). The next day we went out to Red Robin to get his free birthday burger. A couple days later - he went on a water rafting trip with a bunch of friends. I know I must be forgetting some things -- but he got to do a lot. Although I like to give him a hard time for all of his excursions -- he works so hard for our family -- he deserves to be treated special once in a while.

Big Boy

So Addie actually took this picture -- not sure why.... but I figured I'd keep it to show that Jackson is now potty trained! At age 2 years 3 months.

A couple of weeks ago we were in Costco and I was about to buy another pack of diapers when I just couldn't bring myself to pay another $40 to be able to continue wiping smeared poo off my kids butt. So I put it back on the shelf -- went across the street to KMart and picked up a bunch of "big boy" underwear. The first day - he had one pee accident and one poo accident. The next day he only had one pee accident. (tmi??)

Anyways - I was pretty surprised how fast he got it. He still wears pull-ups to bed - but other than that - he is an underwear wearing boy!! And I must say - his little booty looks so cute in those little underroos.

enchanted forest trip

I had promised the kids that when summer came we would take them to Enchanted Forest -- well I didn't realize how busy our summer would be - so being able to fulfill that promise was a little tricky. But on the last Thursday of summer before school started - we finally were able to get there. It was really fun -- Alicia, Maci and Victoria joined us and we had lots of fun. Sam even splurged for me and the kids to get bracelets so we could ride the rides. whoo-hoo!!

kids with mr. lincoln ...... Jackson LOVED that he got to hold a gun

change

Jackson is out of his crib and into a toddler bed -- AND out of our room and into the girls room. Our house only has 2 bedrooms so Jax has been with us since he was born. I am fine with that - our room is pretty big so he fit just fine. Plus that way I didn't have to cram the girls room -- but the time came -- according to Sam. :)

We pulled the toddler bed out of the garage and moved a few things around in the girls room and set Jackson up in there. It really fits a lot better then I thought it would. And all the kids are thrilled about the new sleeping arrangements. It's like a party every night. (and they get in trouble a lot for it) :)

I have a hard time with my babies growing up on me -- but I guess I'll just suck it up and deal.

Florence trip

The day after I got back from Hawaii -- I woke up - re-packed up and took the kids out to Florence. Sam was not home the night before when I got back -- he had to leave to go start working in Florence for the week. He rented a house for the week so as soon as I could -- I was on my way to see him - since I had already gone a week!

His work days were short so we had our afternoons together for the week and it was so nice. And the weather was perfect - well at least for the Oregon coast.

Sammy boy caught himself some crab. Only took him ALL day -- but he did it!!

played at the beach.........

flew some kites...............
i brought the snorkel gear that i had in Hawaii - and Addie decided to try it out - it was cute.....
Sam also got into the snorkel action and took Jackson out for a little ride....
and Gwenny just had fun playing in the water......
We also decided to go out on this big Sand dune buggy thing. It was so much fun. We pass by it all the time but we've never gone - we liked it.


Jackson fell asleep about half way thru -- don't know how he did it since we were bumping up and down and there were freezing cold winds blowing on us -- but he did
cute little guy...................

HAWAII

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to go to Kauai with some friends. And so I jumped at the chance.

My friend Lisa has some connections with the airlines (her brother works for Alaska) - and so we bought stand by tickets for super cheap. This was a great idea at the time. But it turned out it was a bit harder than expected to get onto flights. We had some trouble on the way there and A LOT more trouble on the way home. BUT we were in Hawaii and we just made an adventure out of it (after the tears of frustration, lack of sleep and home sickness) :)

I have been to Oahu twice but I never had never been to Kauai -- well I was missing out. It was beautiful. So tropical, so green and just all around amazing.

We were so lucky to stay at an amazing time share in the Marriott Resort in Lihue. It was super nice. And the pool was awesome!

Here's our pool and our beach..........

This is one of many waterfalls..............
Kaylyn (our wonderful hostess), me and Lisa -- and yes that is rain drops on the lense - it rains a lot - but it passes quickly and it's so warm - it really doesn't matter. It's actually kinda fun
We went to lots of different farmers markets -- the fruit there is really good and they have got some cool varieties. Here's Lisa drinking some cold coconut milk.........
This place is called Puka Dog -- I don't even know how to describe these -- but they were awesome -- my favorite thing I tried while I was there. And one of the signs I'm pointing at says it was featured on the Travel Channel -- so I'm not the only one who loves them
I know I look prego here -- but it's just the stupid dress. I swear! Anyways here is me and Lisa freezing at the top of Waimea Canyon -- they call it the little Grand Canyon. It was a bit foggy when we were up there - but it was so cool! Very beautiful and peacefully quiet.
Here is a cute little sea turtle -- we saw quite a few. We even SWAM with them -- super close up. Like so close up I didn't realize it was about to touch my leg until Lisa pointed it out and then I did a little scream thing. THAT close!! They are so cool -- I think the movie Finding Nemo depicted them well -- they seem so laid back and mellow.
Before we left I did a lot of reading about Kauai so I would know things I didn't want to miss while we were there. I read about this hike that takes you out to a cool beach - everyone seemed to recommend it - so I wanted to do it. It was a 4 mile hike round trip and it was SO worth it. It was beautiful - the whole hike. We could see the ocean around us almost the whole way and every view was pretty.

Our hikes beach destination.......
We went and checked out the coffee plantation...

Lisa is tickling me in this picture. We shared a bed the whole week and I think Lisa grew a little attached to me if you know what I mean. ;) ;) (can't blame the girl)

On our last full day there we went on a zipline adventure. It was so much fun!!
Also on our last day we found a cool beach and hung out there the rest of the day..
So like I was saying before -- since we had stand by tickets things got a little tricky trying to get home. We had to take a few inner island flights (on scary little planes with pilots that look like they are 12!!) We ended up being on 3 different islands in 24 hours.

So here we are in Oahu -- I showed Lisa around a bit -- but it had been 10 years since I had last been so things had changed - a lot. But I found the way to the International Market Place - so we checked that out and then went and hung out on the SUPER crowed Waikiki Beach. Much different atmosphere from Kauai.
When we got to Maui - we had about 5 hours to kill so I whipped out my iPhone to map the closest beach - it was less then a mile from the airport - so we just walked there. (thank you iPhone)

That beach was so nice - and the island looked very cool -- I'd really like to be able to go explore there some day.
Long story short: Stand by didn't work out for us for the way home -- Lisa's brother helped us out a ton and we ended up getting to fly First Class on the way home. I have a new love and it name is: First Class!! :)
I am so grateful that I got to go do this. I am not only grateful for the Phair's and Kaylyn for letting me go -- but to my family for letting me go. For Sam and the kids for letting me go have some time for myself. And my family for helping so much with the kids. I came home happy and rested (kinda) and so much more appreciative of my cute little family. I swear they all got cuter and more funny while I was gone. (I wonder what that says about me...)

OH and of course I can't forget a big thank you to Lisa's brother Ben for getting me home to my family - he seriously was a life saver!