What to wear

Next time you can't decide what to wear, here's an idea.

She wouldn't put on anything else, so this is how we went out. (Just to Walmart - she fit right in with some of the other outfits there). I think is day 3 this week she's worn a swimsuit all day. I decided not to wear a matching outfit this time.

Hike and more birthday stuff

This is a hike close by where we live - the trailhead is right off the main road in Pinetop. We'd done it before and wanted to go back while cousins were here. When telling friends where we were moving to, we always had to explain that we weren't going to the desert part of Arizona. This gives you an idea of where we live!

Our town is at about 7000 feet. They like finding lizards and crawdads on this hike.


Hmm, what to do with that hair.

After it rains, Jackson likes to get his training wheels stuck in the rocks, and spin his tire in a puddle of water in our non-grass yard. It's make a pretty cool fountain of water - soaking the back of his shirt.

Jackson at his preschool birthday celebration.

Big 5 Years Old

After doing a penguin party last year, (and once a kitty and sheep party for Olivia), this year Jackson gave me a more "normal" theme to work with. He mostly wanted Batman because he went to a really cool Batman party last year, and still remembers it all (and stills wears the cape and mask to various places, too).

My sister and her family came up for the weekend (Jackson was excited to have a "cousin party"), and she got to help me get ready for the party. I'd been trying to figure out what to use to look like buildings on the cake, and Michelle had the genius idea to use Nutty Bars. So with a nutty bar Gotham city and a happy meal batmobile toy, we had a cake decorated in about 5 minutes, and good enough to eat.

They stayed busy for a while making a Batman gadget/tool/weapon out of Legos, then we did a couple games.

Then they stayed busy for a while doing this.

First Day

Second grader! School started last week. She is enjoying it, and really likes her teacher - the M&M math on the first day won her over. There are only a few other girls in her class, but she has just been playing on the swings every recess so far, and wondering why her old school is deprived of swings.
She tried buying lunch today. "I wanted the chicken, but then when they put it on my plate I wished I got the taco. It looked so disgusting with bones everywhere and a yellow thing probably was the heart. I think they gave me the chicken's stomach."
That's about the most she's reported about her days so far.

Catching up some more . . . Olympic Peninsula

We wanted to make it to Olympic Peninsula before leaving the northwest. We only had a day, so we got up early to get on the ferry.

First stop, tide pools - lots of them!

Next stop, lunch. We decided not to eat here:

Then we left the ocean and went up here:

The deer weren't afraid of us.

Either were the llamas (at an animal park in Port Angeles). But some of us were a little afraid of them - and their friends the yaks.

It made for a great day trip - but we could have stayed for a week if we had time.

Okay, I think I'm caught up - I'll write about the move and our new place next.

Catching Up

We went to 3-2-1-Bounce for Olivia's 7th birthday.

She had fun.


But next year, when it's not right at moving time, she'll have to go back to another homemade party by mom.

Going Away

A couple friends planned a going away picnic for me and Emma, another friend moving away. Cailean always does great decorations, as you can see.

There were several who were out of town or had sick kids that day, but it was great to see all who could come! I didn't want to say good-bye, and I still had a few days left, so I just kept telling people I'd see them again soon. It was hard to believe we were really leaving.

Wendy and Cailean - thanks so much for doing this!


Katelyn and her friend Stephanie



He he - they didn't know I was taking pictures.

Some last Seattle adventures

Pacific Science Center



This room is why my kids call this place "the dinosaur museum."




Katelyn waving hello to the butterflies.



Olivia flying like an acrobat in the circus exhibit. If I would of known it would take 45 min. just to get through the 4 people in front of her, she might of missed out on getting to do this. She felt pretty brave, I think.



Jackson shaking his bum for the funny mirrors.

Mt. Rainier

Playing in snow in June.



My kids have been a little afraid to go here since hearing about a friend who got close-up to a bear on a hike. But the only wildlife we saw was a marmot, and Olivia found a ladybug with it's eggs laying on a rock - they talked about both long afterwards.

A Fabulous Day!

The last day of residency. Done! Yesterday was the long-awaited day.
I took the kids to visit him at work (as a surprise) with some chocolate and cards they made.

They got some cool sunglasses in return. (And took some of his chocolate back for themselves).

We were all ready for this day, even though it was hard to believe it really would come! We haven't seen much of him the last few months. Whenever John got paged to go to the hospital, the kids called it "going to the monster." I grew immune to him not being home before bedtime. When he'd tell me it might be a late night, I'd just say, "that's what I'm planning on." It was easier that way, since that's how it usually was lately. When talking to Katelyn about who lives at our house, she named everyone except Dad. When I asked if he lives here, too, she said, "No, work."
I've probably complained about it on here before. But to anyone who has a husband going into residency, it's not all so bad. All the rotations haven't been as bad as this last one, and there is life outside of work. Sometimes. (:
I found a card among the things he brought home yesterday. He didn't want me to put it on here, but I'll just put some of it. It's from the daughter of a patient he operated on, thanking him for "a miracle for my family. She went from blind to clearly seeing. She is safer in her home. She can see the joy and wonder of her grandsons growing up . . . . " And she even says at the end, "thank you to your family for thier support of your work and training."

I think it's pretty awesome. In the end, it's all been worth it! I'm just glad we don't have to do it again.