Hodge Podge

I tell you, I have not been in the blogging mood. I had a few ideas for blogs but they passed so quickly I couldn't even write them down before they were gone. So instead of having a theme or idea or even a flow to this post, it's just a whole lot of pictures from the past few weeks.

As a side note I did get a new camera to replace the one that had no view finder and the screen stopped working. Come to think of it this one doesn't have a view finder either, but it is a Canon therefore I trust it whole heartedly not to stop working for at least 4 years unless my children touch it before then.

Secondary side note: I have an unnecessarily large computer screen -my brother-in-law insisted it was needed at the time- so this layout, picture size and all that looks fine to me but if it gives you problems please let me know.

Here the girls are playing beauty shop, after playing about six other things judging by the mess of their room.

I love this facial expression especially when it is accompanied by a strained breath in and her eyes up and off to the side.

This is at our new library, I'm not sure I like it. It's all modern and big and almost feels a little cold, sterile and impersonal. But then again I haven't ventured out for story time yet, so my opinion might change.

Belloise loved all of the nooks and crannies they have to climb in and through.

Ballerina stuck mostly to the play kitchen.

They have all kinds of little things to discover around every corner.

The girls have been in the mood for picnics lately. Belloise was sleeping when we decided to head out for this one. Check out that jungle behind us. Yeah we haven't done much yard work lately. Although this last week I took pity on my husband and his terribly long work hours and took care of the weeds and grass in the front and top portion of the back yard. Well most of the grass I ran out of gas with about two swipes left so the yard is sportin' a mow hawk.

Penny graced us with her regal presence during our picnic.

Belliose has become interested in doing more chores than the two on her current list.

I decided to move my piano out of the back room and move the dinning room table out into the room more. I love it, My Beloved hates it. No he loves it but he hates that he has to reinstall the chandelier because he forgot to attach the chain the first time and now we can't swag it over the table until he does that. As an electricians daughter I am utterly useless when it comes to electrical stuff. He also is not a big fan of the fact that he has already smacked his head on it twice that I know of. I clear it by a good 9 inches myself.

And we went back to the library another day. Belloise loved the wood puzzles.

I overheard the sweetest conversation between Ballerina and some girl at the library. The girl didn't want Belloise to play with the kitchen plates and things and Ballerina went right up to her and told her "y-y-y-y-you don't need to talk to her like that, sh-sh-sh-she's my little sister." and as if that was all the girl needed to know she let Belloise play in peace.

Ballerina loved the felt garden.

This is Belloise' "OH WOW I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN SO LONG!" look I'm pretty sure she's never met that child before in her life.

We also have been spending a little time at the park. Belloise loves this hat even if it is too small.

And the frog or as she calls it aaaaah

We even had a visit from HamHuck

I love this little guy.

Mmm cousin kisses

Later in the evening we noticed a lizard had gotten itself caught in HamHuck's hair

Sing it cuz'.

~And So That's What She Did.

Ten Years Together

Monday was the anniversary of the day that my Beloved and I started dating 10 years ago.

I was the new girl in town and my parents told me "Anyone but him."

We dated five years before we

got married,

had birthdays,

and a few interesting meals along the way,

we've gone on camping trips,

owned dog,

after dog,

after dog,

after dog,

met Pete Rose in Vegas,

(I think my exact words after meeting him were "Who was that?" I am such a huge sports fan!)

bought a house,

moved in,

had a baby,

had another baby,

became a family,

and three years after our first child,

finally enjoyed a weekend of peace and quiet,

just the two of us,

at our favorite spot, Lake Quinault.

Thursday my Beloved came home and told me to please pack a bag for two nights for us and another for the girls. Drop the girls off at Grandma's house and be ready to get out of town by noon Friday.

My pleas to know the location of our vacation fell on deaf ears, he refused to even answer me.

I figured it out just before we turned down the road to the resort.

I love it when he surprises me.

~And So That's What She Did.

Let's Be Real Here

I'm just wondering, am I the only mom who threatens to sell her children to the next passing gypsy caravan?

I'm just saying I'm glad we aren't on their route or they would be up two children and I would have a little spending money. 

hahah that's so horrible that I even wrote that. 

I think that helped.

Thanks for the therapy session.

The checks in the mail.

Camping Trip Number 2

A few weeks back I scooped up the girls and headed out to the beach to meet up with some of my family. My hubby had to work so it was just us girls.

We were meeting Nana and Papa Bear, G.G. and Grandpa C. and Aunt D. along with her munchkins, Deedle and Lulu. We camped in Grayland, WA.

Wherever G.G. is, you know that good food is coming too and this was no exception. They bought fresh crabs, shrimp, clams, and Mom and Papa had caught a salmon only a few days earlier.

G.G. gave Papa Bear lessons in cracking the crabs. Something about dead man's fingers and don't pay attention to the liquid that comes out. I stopped listening, I wanted to enjoy the food.

Aunt D. just kept inhaling the clams :).

After all that work this is all we found in the body.

 Or at least all that I saw come from it. Like I said I stopped paying attention.

Oh but in the legs, there was so much delicious meat!

 

Nana kept the kids entertained.

I think she's hungry

Ballerina has become camera shy so I have to snap quick and hope I get a good expression. . .this'll do.

G.G.'s delicious potato salad and a beautiful bouquet from her yard at home.

I did my best to Bogart these shrimp they were so delicious

And the crab ooohh dip it in a little garlic butter and oh heaven.

Sundown brought a heavy dew along with it but we toughed it out and spent the evening by the campfire, Belloise didn't last too long.

The next day the fog was still in and it was a bit chilly so we headed inland and visited my favorite vacation spot, Lake Quinault.

I was a little disappointed that the pizza place was under construction and the Salmon House didn't open until 3 so we had to scour the convenience store for sandwiches and snacks to make up a lunch.

Which we enjoyed on the lawn by the lake.

After we finished eating we went down by the water so the kids could play a bit before we headed off on a little hike.

I LOVE this spot!! They even left our sailboats right where we left them. (okay so they aren't mine but it's fun to pretend)

The kiddos enjoyed floating pieces of bark out into the lake.

Dog pile on Papa

just over halfway done with our hike. This area is so beautiful and there were so many huckleberries both the blue and the pink ones. The kids hands were blue by the time we were done.

When we returned to camp their was delicious ribs and ravioli waiting for us. The dew was back as well.

But the next morning we headed out to the beach.

We stayed until Belloise stuck her cast in the sand. It was at that point I decided it was time for us to start the 3 hour drive home. That way we could be somewhere that might have a drive through by lunchtime.

It was a bit windy at the beach.

Trying to get Ballerina out of the sand is practically impossible. Every time I would pause in my step to re-situate Belloise on my hip, Ballerina would sit down and start playing. I'll admit I was a bit frustrated by the time I got to the car.

The trip home was beautiful we stopped in Raymond and got some Dairy Queen, which we ate on the grass in the sunshine before piling into the car and driving and driving and driving.

I wanted to take the scenic route just because I hadn't taken it before. I took the route through Pe Ell and out through Vader to I-5, I loved it, all farm and forest land. It was amazing. Wish my Beloved could have shared it with me. . . and driven I could have used a nap. :)

~And So That's What She Did.