Pumpkin Patch

We did not get to go to Spokane this
fall and I was sad.  Very sad.  To placate me we headed to a local pumpkin patch.  It was pretty fun.  They had about a dozen old apple trees and you could pick a bucket of apples for $10.  Same with some old walnut trees.  I had heard some co-workers/neighbors complain that the pumpkins were not very orange this year.  Some were green some were getting a little squishy.  I would rather have a green-ish local pumpkin than a bright orange ball shipped in from california any day.  Everyone under the age of 21 picked out a great pumpkin!

 

 

The Beach

Well, we have lived here for 6+ year (really almost seven).  Every time I think of that I feel so pathetic because I haven't even painted the upstairs hallway yet.  It really is pathetic.  Just this summer we found the best beach ever.  Actually, Shane found it one day when he was driving around with the boys.  Super sandy and at the perfect spot around a point of land so that there is very little wind.  The boys loved playing in the sand and I was pleasantly surprised that they stayed well away from the water except for when Tayler took them close to throw some rocks.  This was our favorite outing for the 2nd half of the summer.  We even took Grandma Westby one day when Shane and Grandpa Gary went fishing.  I cannot get enough of this beach!  One of the fun surprises was one day when we were there around 6pm and all of the huge cruise ships leaving Seattle started motoring by one by one.  Beautiful.

 Amazing beach wood and structures that people build.

 I just gave his hair a trim and I miss his long-ish hair and curls so much.

 

 You can tell who the boys favorite person in the world is!

Chopping Wood with Dad

This was so so long ago.  Calder's face is even thinner now...in these pictures there are baby remnants left.  Not anymore.  I had to put this up when I found these photos last night.  Shane was cutting up some trees that fell down on our property.  Calder went down to help him load up the pieces.  Calder had so much fun.  He was in heaven.  Then I told them both to look over at me so I could take thier picture and Calder proceeded to copy what Shane was doing.  Looking over several times to make sure he had his hands folded just right.  The pictures are blurry but the idea is there...

 Checking to see what Dad is doing.

 Folding his hands just right.

First Time at the Barber

Calder's hair grows fast.  And I like the skater/shaggy look A LOT.  But, we (ok, I) felt like he would be missing out on a valuable life experience if we didn't take him to get his hair cut soon.  He did great sitting so very still.  He is obsessed with this creepy little baby that used to be Tayler's.  He takes it and his "purse" everywhere these days.  He took the baby to the haircut appointment...Shane is just shaking his head all of the time...I am sure.  I will say that it is nice that he no longer pretends to nurse his baby.  I am not joking...this kid.

 And now he looks sixteen.

First Day of HIGH School

First day of high school for this girl.  I snapped this photo at the end of the day so she was looking a little "first day of school is over and I want to collapse-ish."  I took T and her friend Hannah back to school shopping in Seattle and she picked out this sweater/tank/jean combo.  With our unusually warm september I thought she might melt when she insisted on wearing it on day#1.  So, high school...wow.  Really, no words.  She is doing well.  A lot of homework.  A few days of no one to eat with at lunch (the schedule is really strange-she has a different lunch every day due to block scheduling) but she eventually found her friends in all of her different lunches.  I look back at high school with a "mehh" attitude.  Shane is the same way.  He got info about his 20th reunion and his reaction a cross between indifference and I have zero interest in going to that.  I have mixed feelings about my next one.  The people I want to see probably won't go and the people who live close enough to go I probably see already.  I don't want high school to suck for T but I think a lot of people loose track of the fact that life gets better after high school.  Sure, it can be fun.  But it can also be brutal, hard tiring and mehh...none of those things.  I hope Tayler has a great high school career and tons and tons of fun adventures.  But, mostly, I hope she learns how to make life after high school fantastic.

Spokane

Shane had an AP conference in Spokane.  So, we got to spend a week.  We probably would have anyway but it was a good excuse and kept Shane from getting too bored.  Not that he would have been bored anyway.  We were SO busy.  Sorry if we did not see you.  We were SO busy and I am still getting the hang of three kiddos and timing naps and teenage outings, etc.

 

 Lincoln made himself right at home on the orchard.

 

 This handsome boy is exactly three days older than Calder.  Fun to get to know him and his mama who were staying with my brother.

 Floating the River
(and nobody panic, this was a floating pit stop at a park where the boys, my mom and I were hanging out.  Shane was high centered in about one inch of water in every direction for about 20 yards and there was absolutly no current.  We didn't have the boys out without life jackets)

 

Silverwood was a blast!  We did the waterpark and the amusement park.  We could have easily spent two days there in order to do all of the rides.  Some of the highlights were... 

The log ride.  Everyone but Lincoln (and I) did this one.  And everyone loved it. 

 Madi, Kadene, Robert, Stephanie.

Tayler, Caitlin, Calder, Grandma:  This is the cutest picture if you can zoom in at all and see thier faces. 

The airplane ride:  Robert was not suuupppper excited. Don't worry his Mama rescued him before take off.   Calder only wanted to know how it worked. I don't think he looked around at all.

More River Adventures. 

Coeur d'Alene Lake.  Calder and Lincoln LOVE LOVE LOVE water.  It was so warm and so sandy.  Oh, to live in Eastern Washington just for the lakes!  They could have stayed in these positions for several days. Tayler and Kadene and Madi rented a paddle board.  For some reason when I mentioned that to Shane I said, "parasail" and he kind of got really excited (like, oh my gosh HOW FUN!) before I realized my mistake and had to break the bad news to him.  Next time we'll rent you a parasail, T.

 

We also did Manito park, lots of orchard work, a Microbrewery grand opening with a live Jazz band, visited with Erica and Brayden and sweet sweet Delaney, lots of cousin time.  It was a really really busy and fun week. Thanks to everyone who made the week fun.

More Beach...

You may have seen some of these on facebook...but here are more photos from the beach trip.
We went with our friends the Bruns Family.  It was a good time.  A little cold.  A little windy.  But a fantastic sandy beach and lots of red wine once the little kids were in bed. 

Shane, Calder, Tayler, Sienna, Alan.  No joke....it was cold and windy.

 

This boy loved the free range.

 

 

A cute little series of pictures below.  Calder and Sienna "jumping" of the deck.  Sienna is way too smart for Calder.  She would stand next to him and hold his hand but when it came to actually jumping her response was something along the lines of, "oh, no you don't.  I am not a fool.  You go ahead and kill yourself and I'll stay right here on my nice sunny warm deck."  And then Calder would basically pull her down on top of him. Poor Sienna.

 Also, Calder is, apparently, Michael Jordan:  Tongue Out in concentration.

 

These two shared a bedroom.  Both sleeping in big  boy/girl beds.  Nobody worry, Lincoln chaperoned from his pack n' play.

I love this picture.  Don't they look sweet? 

 

I love how Sienna protectively held on to Lyla during this picture session.  She did not let go for any of the pictures.  If that had been my boys Calder would have dropped Lincoln long ago.

Fun Trip.  I highly recommend doing it.   Pacific Beach.  I guess there is a cute, fun little town just north of Pacific Beach that we will have to try out next year.  A lot of kids but more adults-so it all broke even.  Tayler, as usual, was exceptional.  Sienna took a liking to her and so Tayler was called on often to watch or see or observe whatever the littles were doing.  It was the cutest.  Plus we let her curl up with unlimited ipad use once the little ones were in bed and the grown ups wanted to watch a movie.  So, you know, bonus for her.