For my 2 readers . . .

I've been seriously neglecting our blog for the past few months, and this week I'm determined to get it back up to par . . or at least as close as I can get it to par ;) There will be lots of pictures and silly antics by the kids. I know, I know, you are just waiting on the egde of your seats - ha ha ha! Look back often . . .

PS I will be dating the posts as they actually took place, so scroll down to see my new posts!

Labor Day Weekend Camp-Out post 1

For Labor Day weekend this year we went camping with my (Stacy's) family to the beautiful Orcas Island. It was a looong journey - 5 1/2 hours in the car (not including stops), a 2 hour wait at the docks, a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride, then another 30 minutes to the campsite! The views though were amazing, the company friendly ( Ü ) and the weather mostly cooperated.

This is the view from the highest point on Orcas. We are looking North and slighty East - the thin dark sliver of land in the middle right is Canada. Me and my sister Sarah/Cati at the top of the island. She takes good pictures - I do not.

This is Andrew waving at us from the tower at the aforementioned highest point on Orcas.

Natalie, Colten, Me and Andrew - did I mention that these pictures are all taken on the highest point of Orcas?

Natalie and Aunt Sarah/Cati - always being silly!

Monte and Kaylee did not go on our trip this year - Monte was working and Kaylee chose to stay home to try out for the volleyball team at school.

Labor Day Weekend Camp-Out - Misc. post

I had just a few random pictures of our trip that didn't need their own posts, so I put them all into this one.

On our way to the ferry terminal, we stopped at a rest area that is near Smokey Point - north of Marysville. We only stopped to get pictures with this GIANT arborvitae. The tree is dead - it had a fire in the trunk some time ago but it is still standing! Someone stabilized it with beams so that tourists, like ourselves, could have our pictures taken with it. Here we are at the San Juan/Victoria Ferry Terminal in Anacortes, WA. We just sat around and waited for the ferry. This is Brady, Natalie, Andrew, my bro-in-law Jonathan and my sister Cheri.
When we finally got to our campsite it was around 4 in the afternoon. We quickly organized the campsite, set up tents, and the cooking/eating area shelters. Colten went right to work in our tent making everyone's beds and organizing it. He was quite the little housekeeper in our tent - he made our beds every day and made sure everyone's clothes were put away!

Ahhh Andrew loved the woods.




On our last full day there, we drove to this place that usually has tons of deer that are tame. We only got to see 2 because it was drizzling, and one wouldn't even come near us. But the other one ate carrots right out of our mouths! Only Natalie, Koby and I were brave enough to try it, but I only got a picture of Nat doing it. Isn't that crazy?!?!?!

Labor day Weekend Camp-Out fishing post

We did some fishing while we were on our camp-out. Here is a picture of one of the lakes we went to. It was so serene and peaceful here. Brady-man caught the first fish - it was HUGE! Not! My boys' hands are covering it all up.
And poor Ethan - he fell completely into the lake. This kid had all the bad luck on this trip - he fell into this lake, fell into another one, got a fish hook caught in his neck and fell down the hill behind our campsite. He was fine after all his injuries, but was ready to go home.


My sister cut up that fish that Brady caught and had a little fun with it - enjoy!

Nickleback 2009

We got to go to the Nickleback concert a the Gorge again this year! We went for the first time in 2007 and had so much fun we did it again. Playing with Nicleback was Hinder, Papa Roach and Saving Abel. We ran into our friends Annie & Devin from Prosser - they ended up sitting by us. And we also saw some of our friends (Mary & Ron) from when we lived in Othello!

The Gorge is a great place to have a concert - the view is breath taking and the natural amphitheater gives it such a great sound.

Here is the sun setting: The Hinder stage
Monte man


Our friends - the Petty's - their sign says "We miss you Dale!". It was taken for Dale while he was at boot camp in Texas.

first day of school!

School started early this year for Prosser - August 25! This year Natalie is in Mrs. Rose's 4th grade class, Kaylee is in 7th grade and Colten is in Mrs. Fortune's 1st grade class. Andrew was not yet awake that morning, so he is not pictured :) but he is in Pre-school at Kiddie Korner with Liz Elliot as his teacher.

Baby shower invites

My great neighbor had a shower for her daughter over labor day weekend, so I helped her make these cute invites: