Molly Jane is ONE!

It has been a year since this little bundle of energy joined our family. We are so lucky to have this adorable little fireball in our lives!

We had a great birthday party with a few of MJ's playmates from church. It was so cute to seem them play together. Molly knew it was her special day and paraded about laughing and getting as much attention as she could from everyone.
Afterward she was showered with gifts from her grandparents.

Molly loves this book from her Great Grandpa T. It makes noises :) Her favorite is the balloon going up and the dog barking.

Her new playhouse from Grandma and Grandpa. It was a big hit with both Molly and big brother Sam.
Sam gave Molly a peek-a-boo book "Where is Baby's Birthday Cake" and was nice enough to read it to her.

Mmmm cake!

Happy Birthday Molly Jane!!!

Ocean Shores

We went to Ocean Shores for Memorial Day Weekend with Grandma Susan and Grandpa Mike, Aunt Kara, and Roxie.

It was a wonderful weekend of relaxing, watching movies, playing games, going for walks, flying kites and playing in the sand and surf.

Here is a hidden gem in this little tourist beach town. This Irish Restaurant and Pub is our favorite place to eat here and there is live music on Saturday nights. The potato soup and soda bread are simply scrumptious.

Happy Birthday Grandma Susan!

For Grandma Susan's birthday we rode the ferry, not to go anywhere - just for fun. When we reached Bainbridge Island, we just stayed on the gang plank and got back on the ferry.

Sam has been asking to ride on a boat for several weeks. He was so excited! It was a beautiful day to be out on the Sound. The scenery was gorgeous. It was also the day of the Seattle Maritime festival, so there were lots of boats out. We even saw the Seattle fireboat putting on a show.

After our ferry ride, we went to Ivars for lunch and fed the seagulls. This has been a favorite family activity/tradition since my family moved to Washington 20 years ago. It was Sam's first time! He thought it was the greatest. What isn't to love about hurling french fries in the water and seeing it devoured by birds, or watching them snag a fry in mid-flight.?

Sam's, "sandwich in a boat!"

After lunch we went for a ride on the carousel. It was a fun day.
If you ask Sam, he will tell you how old Grandma Susan is.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Susan!

Mother's Day

i thought it would be fun to get a picture of my kids and i on mother's day. (i am usually the one behind the camera so we have very few of these) we didn't get the shot that i had unrealistically painted in my head but i love the ones keenan took - more true to life. the one in the middle is my fave :) i love being a mom!

Happy Birthday Dad!

For Keenan's 30th birthday, we went to the Mariners Game! The Mariners didn't play a very good game (they got stomped on by Tampa Bay) but that didn't stop all of us from having a great time!
Sam was very proud of his "nice, cool hat." and his Mariners baseball shirt. He loved cheering for Ichiro and Ken Griffey Jr. (When we played baseball in the backyard the next day, Sam was still cheering for "I CHI RO!" and "Go Gurffey.") He was very excited to meet the Moose, but was a little intimidated once we got to the Moose Den. If you want to here Sam tell you all about the game click here.

Grandpa Mike and Grandma Susan came with us to the game. They gave Keenan and Sam matching Griffey t-shirts as a birthday gift.

"Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks" or rather pizza, hot dogs, chips and kettle corn. What's a baseball game without overpriced junk food to stuff yourself with.

Sam and his dad had a real good time together!

Sam was over by the bullpen watching them "throw the ball really fast" when Jose Lopez hit his 3 run homer - and guess who ended up with the homerun ball!

Molly Jane cheers on the Mariners!

Not - my favorite word

Sam really likes to say what things are not. If I give him milk, he says, "that's not apple juice." When we got in the car yesterday, a song on the radio was playing and he said, "that's not Row, row your boat." We passed by a painting of a dragon on a building at the park and Sam said (in his best gravely scary voice), "ooh dinosaur. No, that's not scary"
Sam's other favorite thing to say lately is "To infinity and beyond!"

Locked Out

It was a beautiful, sunny morning. I planned to go to the park to meet some of our friends and enjoy the sunshine. I went out to the car to load a stroller for MJ. I shut the door behind me and opened the garage and as I was carrying the stroller to the back of the car I heard Sam behind the door, banging and wanting to come out with me. We live on a busy street, so playing in the front yard is off limits which just makes the front yard a more fascinating and alluring place for my little man. I ignored his banging (this was only going to take a second) and loaded the stroller and went to go back inside ...and the door was locked. Sam had locked me out of the house! Then I heard a little scratching at the window. Sam was in his room watching me and playing with my keys. The little guy had locked me out of the house and stolen my keys and was taunting me with them. So there I was in the driveway, locked out of the house, my kids in the house - but at least I knew where my keys were. I thought it was so funny I took a picture of him with my phone.
I know Sam didn't lock me out on purpose, he was just trying to join me. He probably saw my keys and tried them in the door (which has a child lock on it so he can't open it) and then when that didn't work, went to his bedroom to see what I was doing out there. I went around back to the sliding door (he knows how to unlock and open that door no problem) and knocked until Sam came over and then he unlocked the door and opened it for me. I said "Do you want to come outside?" He said "No, I want that outside" referring to the front yard.
Next time I'm keeping the keys with me.