Lots and Lots of Snow

Well, Christmas is almost here and we are ready. We put our tree up the first weekend in December - it is our biggest tree yet!! The gifts are wrapped and under the tree. The girls are anxious to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house, because that is where Santa will deliver their presents and of course see everyone. Now we just need the weather to clear up a bit so we can get over the pass.

The girls posing in front of the tree.

We had snow all this week, but the girls went to school the first three days. There were 90 minute late starts on those days (AM kindergarten cancelled), but since the girls have PM kindergarten so they went to school. I love PM kindergarten. School was cancelled on Thursday and Friday and the girls have been sledding ever since. They go out at least four times a day and sled with the neighborhood kids. Our dead end street is semi-steep, so the kids can sled right outside our house (I can watch them from inside). We also have a grassy knowle in our development that is fun for sledding. Dave hopes he might get a skiier out of one of them.

Anna sledding in front of our house

Anna and Madison sledding on the grassy knowle in our neighborhood.

Madison conquers the snowy hill.

Madison making snow angels

Madison trying to hide from the camera

Anna falling out of the sled

Thanksgiving

For thanksgiving this year, we flew to Utah to spend it with our Aunt, Uncle and cousins. Our whole family flew down and Mom and Dad drove down. It was the first time the girls had been there and they had a good time meeting everyone. We visited with everyone and had a nice relaxing time. On Thanksgiving, Mom, Uncle Bill, Dave, myself and the girls went for a drive up to Sundance Ski Resort. The girls played in the snow and then we went home for a great dinner.

Doug, Megan, Toad, Kara, Me (Madison & Anna in front)

Kara and baby Zoey

Playing at Sundance Ski Resort

Great Uncle Bill and Anna at a park near their house

Anna patientily waiting at the SLC airport for Doug.

Bad Blogger - October Update

It has been several months since I last updated and I apologize. It has been a busy few months. October was a fun month. I went to visit Kara for four days in October, we had beautiful weather - lots of sun. We went to the beach, saw a movie and relaxed. Kara invited Doug and some friends over for dinner, which was fun. Then, the next week Uncle Doug was in town for a wedding, we went to Gene Coulon Park and had dinner with him.



Halloween (my birthday) was fun. Madison was Sleeping Beauty (costume from Costco) and Anna was Dora again (her third year in a row, her costume is now retired). Mom and Dad came over for the weekend to help celebrate. Perfect weather for trick-or-treating, the girls didn't even wear coats. I included both pictures, they never smile at the same time. Mom and Dad babysat the girls Saturday night and Dave and I went to a local theater show.

Remodeled Bathroom!!!!

We remodeled the girls bathroom in August. We planned to tile the floor and replace the toilet, but then we thought why not replace the vanity, countertop, sink and faucet. The only glitch was that the new vanity was higher than the old one, so the mirror had to be resized (we had professionals do that). It turned out great and it only took us a week to finish the majority of the work. I don't have any pictures of the before bathroom (it was pretty boring - white linoleum floor, which I hated!!!!!)

View from the doorway of the new tile floor.

The new vanity, coutertop sink, and faucet.

First Day of Kindergarten

The girls started school last Wednesday. They are in PM half day kindergarten, which works best for all of us (Madison and I aren't morning people). We got into the school we wanted and they have a great teacher. Anna was very excited to start school, so she could have homework and ride the bus. The Renton School District has a 90 minute late start every friday, and the AM/PM half day kindergarteners alternate going for the full day every other friday. So the girls went all day last friday and they have it off this friday. This is nice because I have 6 hours to myself (on those fridays) and they get to have lunch at school on those days also, which will help prepare them for next year.

They rode the bus home all three days. They rode with our neighbor, so that reassured me they would get home safely. I took them to school last week, but we will try the bus this week. They have matching princess backpacks, Madison's is pink (of course) and Anna's is purple.

They are both excited, we were 15 minutes early for school!!!

Madison posing in front of her class.

Anna contemplating whether she will have homework!

We went to Ocean Shores and Long Beach, WA this past week. We had a great time, the weather was typical beach weather, although we had one sunny day that was 70 degrees. We were actually staying in Copalis Beach, which is just north of Ocean Shores. We would usually go to the beach in the morning and then we would spend time in the pool after that and again in the evening. One day they spent 4 hours in the pool. They are already looking forward to it next year.

Anna liked drawing pictures in the sand, smiley faces were her favorite that day. (the picture didn't load right)

Dave flying a kite on the beach.

Anna in the hot tub with her life jacket (just in case).

Madison in the pool with Dave. Usually the girls use floaties, but they didn't allow so they used life jackets, which they discovered were better. Madison found new freedom with the life jacket. She jumped in the deep end, swam all over and had a great time.

Madison running from the waves.

Anna flying her Dora kite.

Anna liked to build sand castles rather than play in the water, it was pretty chilly.

Madison posing strangely in a tide pool.

Anna and Dave in the pool. Anna finally strayed from the shallow end by the end of our stay.

Anna in the wading pool with her life jacket.
After spending 5 days in Ocean Shores, we went to Long Beach for two nights. We went to the beach right after we got to Long Beach in the afternoon. It was the peak of high tide, so there wasn't much beach.

Madison with another strange pose on the beach.

Anna and Madison running on the beach during low tide the next day.

After the beach we explored Long Beach. Anna and Madison rode the carosuel in downtown Long Beach.

Posing for a picture while I'm shopping.


We went to Cape Disappointment and walked to the Lighthouse and around the Lewis and Clark Museum. This picture was taken at Dead Man's Gulch.

Madison posing by a large tree on the path to the Lighthouse.

Wallace, ID and Silver Mountain

We went to Wallace, ID - the Silver Capital of the World. The park in Wallace highlights the mining history of the area.

Anna is posing in the mining cars that took the miners down the tunnels.

Madison is doing a stripper pose on the drilling exhibit.

We took a tour of the Sierra Silver Mine outside of town. It was really interesting and the girls did really well, although they got sick of wearing their hard hats.

Madison in front of a mining cart.

The girls after the tour, they were glad to be outside again. It was about 50 degrees in the mine.

After the tour we had lunch in Wallace and then we decided to take the Gondola up to Silver Mountain. The ride lasted about 20 minutes and the views were beautiful.

Grandma Marilyn, Myself and Madison on Silver Mountain.

The girls on a bench on Silver Mountain (made out of a snow board), the only picture they cooperated for. Anna fell at the playground and got a large scratch on her leg, so we took her to Ski Patrol and they bandaged her up. It was an eventful trip.