Garret gets GOLD!

Garret passed all 3 sections of the 4th grade WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) last year. Tonight we went to the celebration where he got a GOLD medal! Way to go Garret... math, reading and writing! We love you buddy!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!

Lost the first one last week and the other tooth came out on Friday night! She wasn't too thrilled to have her picture taken, but decided it would be okay if she had company... so one with Tiger (the most expensive cat we own!) and one with Cotton... he slept through the excitement.

Puyallup Fair

Today we "did the Puyallup"... not sure if we did the trot or the gallop?

We don't always go to the fair, but this year we braved it. Last time we went, I think Katie was a baby and we left the boys with a sitter... I did notice today, it was so much easier without a stroller, a diaper bag, and a screaming toddler??

It was such a fun day, we might do it again next year! Kids in our area always get free fair tickets and so do the teachers, so we all got in for free... there was still: parking, lunch, cotton candy, rides... ok, so not free all the way around.

We had to stop by the photography section, where our good friend (former daycare lady) Arlynn had entered a photo she took of Katie.

I wasn't supposed to take pictures in the pavillion, but I snuck one anyway... Her picture did not win in its category, but it did win a "Judge's Choice" award.

Labor Day Weekend

Weekend at the Cowlitz... fun was had by all!

Marc caught the only steelhead of the day!

These pictures actually make it look like the weather was nice, but in reality it poured down rain almost the whole time... I guess we know after all this time... the weather doesn't always cooperate!

First Day of School 2009

Aloha Maui

Our trip started out to be a rough journey... but in the end, Maui was the paradise vacation that we were hoping for!

We experienced a little delay at the airport, so we headed off to have lunch.

The delay (fuel leak... part needed) ended up lasting more than 18 hours and we did not leave for Maui until 1:00 AM... poor Katie couldn't do it anymore!

We finally arrived in Maui and the kids were blessed by a nice lady from Illinois with 3 boogie boards to use the whole time we were there! Thanks kind lady!

Hyatt Luau... we enjoyed a great meal, hula dancing, and fire knife dancers. Garret ate only the meat: pork, chicken and beef... Katie ate only the noodles and fruit... they were all happy in the end. Mom and Dad enjoyed the Mai Tais!

Walked out to "Dragon's Teeth" formed by the volcano and waves.

Hiked down some steep rocks to get to the Nakalele Blowhole. The kids were way faster than we were... I called them my "goats".

Then we hiked down to the Olivine Pools...

Dinner at Bubba Gump's Shrimp House... our waiter was from Tacoma... funny!

Katie and Garret loved to boogie board in the surf...

We took a snorkeling trip out to Molikini to swim with the fish and turtles.

We visited the Maui Ocean Center one afternoon... the kids loved it!

We "hung out" around the Banyan Tree in downtown Lahaina one day.

The kids enjoyed swimming in the pool EVERYDAY!

We had a great trip to Maui!

July Fun

Marc had major eye surgery in July...

We enjoyed a fun day at Lake Lawrence with friends from college. All of these guys lived in one house together!

Katie and Garret (and Conner) enjoyed swimming lessons for 2 weeks... in anticipation of our trip to Hawaii.

Tiger (our older cat) does not appreciate his newest family members... Cotton and Ash... here, he is showing his disgust.

I enjoyed a fun weekend with my girlfriends from High School, we were celebrating our 40th birthdays... Terese, Me, LeAnna, Andie and Taffy... brunch at the Space Needle

Our Red Neck Yacht Club

We went crabbing on Hood Canal... got some crabs, but they were too small!

Here we are in front of Chico's Pizza Parlor... the best pizza EVER!

Visiting Grandpa Dwight in Royal City... he was working on a friend's deck and the kids were watching.

Katie and I picked peaches in the orchard when we went to visit Grandpa.