Dad had a day off work and the sun was shinning. I packed a lunch and the bikes in the car and we met cousins to ride bikes, so great to hang out in the sunshine with the whole family!

My girls are not as brave as their cousin when it comes to bugs. . . it is rather entertaining to watch the discovery. We seem to average one cold a month this month we are staring off with the flu, but seemed to be well enough to be outside. My thought was that at least it would be one less carpet to clean! We enjoyed a nice break in the clouds. The buds are all beginning to bloom around here, seems so early.

our dress-ups for halloween

Dress-ups for halloween and many other days!

What to love

The girls loved showing off the projects we made to Dad after work.

They love to do projects!

Oh my what a mess this was to clean up! Do you ever have those moments when you remember laughing not getting upset would be the important thing to do here. We smelled baby powder for a long time after this. (And if you are wondering, I did remember to laugh. . . I just had to leave for a minuite first. . . and grab the camera so I could look back and remember the good times.) It was worse than it looks.

Family outing to the Mariners game with some friends from church.

Gathering tools to work out in the yard. The girls are great at helping me out in the yard and garden. We just love being outside!

I love being entertained by their creativity.

I had been canning and my sweetheart was needing to cuddle and resorted to the bear, I love these pictures. Good thing Dad could come snuggle. She is such a love bug.

Maybe it was the way the sun was shinning this day but I was just so grateful for the simple things. Yes, the little bees my girls made and the ripe tomatoes from my garden and the bowl they were in that a dear friend gave me years ago and a birthday card from a friend that said such nice things. My Dad having been forced to slow down in life has found time to do some of the projects He has wanted to do. . . Soap making being one of them. Yes, a picture of one of his bars of soap. To me Beauty is simplicity!

Love fresh herbs in my garden!

And fall harvest!

And the bottles of canned fruit!

and being creative, even if it takes longer than it should! (I think I looked forward to each step I could get to after the girls went to bed, savor the progress even in baby steps.)

Love that my girls also enjoy the harvest from the garden! Just wish it were big enough to keep up with them!

My birthday

My birthday fun! My sweetheart made dinner Pecan crusted salmon. . . That is what he made me on our first date, that is how he got a second date. (I thought it was the guy that was won over by the cooking, good thing it is the other way around.) We had Mom and Dad over, fresh carrots from the garden and lots of water fun afterwards.

The girls will miss Megan! She has been a great babysitter and we all love her!

The girls loved swim lessons this summer, "Zipper, airplane, rocket!" (try that in the bath tub)
Not a dull moment with this girl!

We love to dance and dress up!

Chiquita Pinnapple girl!

I bet you'll never guess who the best was in our car wash / water fight. . . Jess! No fear to drench you!

Denny Creek campout with the family July 2009

This tent was fine for my family of one but for our family of four it is not going to happen again!

It was a rough night. . . Dad was in the car and well we made it to morning.

Happy Birthday to Jessie!
It was fun to have family over to celebrate with us, thank you!

I think that Jessie is growing up to be the comedian in the family! She has been such a happy, fun, wonderful, busy and no fear of danger kinda gal! She is catching up to her sister in height and I still call her my baby, and she lets me. . . but instead of kisses she blows on my cheek. She likes to hold our ears when she is sleepy. She loves to follow her sister around and do everything that she does, and loves to wear her sisters shoes (she does not get to far with that one)! She loves us to read to Her and loves to read. She has been more of an observer and now she has had an amazing out pouring of words. She loves music, singing, playing and listening, her timing and pitch always seem to amaze me! Dancing and dress up with sister is always a favorite as is loving her baby dolls and esp she loves kittens and I guess just loves animals! Most days I just can not get enough holding loving Her, She has been a wonderful blessing to our family even if she still likes to throw food on the floor!