our Boy Scout

Tonight was Malcolm's first Court of Honor as a Boy Scout.  He was awarded his Boy Scout badge and he also earned his first Merit Badge:  First Aid.  I got a pin for "helping" him.  we joked that if he poked me with the pin, he'd be able to use his newly acquired First Aid skills.

I can already feel the long road ahead to Eagle...I know it won't be easy, but I know if Malcolm puts his mind to it, he will be able to earn his Eagle Scout award.  Keep up the good work, Bubba!

Nickels! (and a visit with friends)

Madi invited Laurel to her birthday (overnight) party.  So we took that as an invitation to join them Sunday afternoon for dinner and Nickels.  You would, too, if you knew the Tharps and you played Nickels.

The kids kept themselves entertained.

And so did we.

We really need to get together more often!

Also, so I can't forget, here's how you play Nickels:

3 decks of cards
4-6 players
11 nickels, and 1 quarter for each player
ante = 1 quarter
scoring: Joker = 25; Ace = 15; K, Q, J, 10 = 10; 2 - 9 = 5

1st hand:
deal 3 cards to each player
Jokers, 2s and 3s are wild
draw a card, try to get at least 3 in a row, or a straight (must be the same suit)
? can you go out? must lay down all cards in your hand (no discard)
? can't go out? discard one card
once someone goes out, all players pay the winner a nickel (remember to pay yourself)
all other players get one more turn to lay down their cards; they can discard one card at the end of this final turn
tally the score; move to 2nd hand

2nd hand:
deal 4 cards to each player
Jokers, 2s and 4s are wild
draw a card, try to get at least 3 in a row, or a straight (must be the same suit)
? can you go out? must lay down all cards in your hand (no discard)
? can't go out? discard one card
once someone goes out, all players pay the winner a nickel (remember to pay yourself)
all other players get one more turn to lay down their cards; they can discard one card at the end of this final turn
tally the score; move to 3rd hand

next hand = 5 cards and Jokers, 2s and 5s are wild
Play to 13 cards (Jokers, 2s and Kings are wild)
Lowest score at the end of the final hand gets the quarters

Alie at Lake Quinault

Alie asked me to take her Senior pictures.  Although I love taking pictures, official portraits are not really  my thing.  However, with the invitation to visit with her family in Elma, and then a visit to the family cabin at Lake Quinault, how could I say no?

We were excited to spend the evening playing Pegs & Jokers and Nickels ~ LOVE these games.  LOVE the people we played with!

Sunday morning kind of drifted away from us...the rain wouldn't stop.  Not even when the kids tried to get into the "too hot hot tub" for a while.

We finally decided that we'd just drive out to the cabin and see what was happening out there.  Fortunately, it wasn't raining and we were able to get some shots taken...at the cabin on the lake;
at the waterfall; and at a nearby campground on the lake.

On the way home we pulled over and took a quick picture of a ship that was featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.  pretty cool!

I hope Alie finds a picture or two that she loves, but if she has to ask someone who knows what they're doing to take some more, it won't hurt my feelings.  :)

We can't wait to get back out to visit our friends again.  We'll bring our nickels.

United Way Day of Caring | Team Tukwila

I volunteered to lead a small team of volunteers for the United Way Day of Caring today.  The foundation encouraged all employees to participate in an effort to give back to the community.  Part of my recruitment technique was to wear this awesome Captain of Caring cape around while I was at work.  Although I got nervous that nobody would want to be on my team, there was no reason to ~ I ended up with 3 additional volunteers!  I give credit to the cape!

We teamed up with Community School Collaboration and some awesome goats to remove pesky blackberry bushes from Thorndyke Elementary in Tukwila.

We were also given the opportunity to read to a class of 4th graders.  Sadly, the book I chose for them was  not received well, but they loved The Grufallo.  So it wasn't a total loss.

I am looking forward to leading another fabulous team next year ~ and making a difference in our community!

Do the Puyallup!

The kids bring home free passes every year.  So far We've gone just once (the kids and me, but not Doug).  We looked at the calendar, and with all the kids' activities, the only day that the Puyallup was going to happen was today -- and only for Doug and Malcolm.  So he surprised him and picked him up from school.
They enjoyed great weather (despite the downpour in the MV), rode a few rides, visited some cool exhibits, and ate "good" Fair Food.

Maybe next year all of us can go!

Dana's first day of Kindergarten

Well, today finally arrived.  And Dana is off to Kindergarten.

After eating breakfast (well, a few bites of it, anyway)

and getting dressed, doing her hair, and brushing her teeth, she was ready to have her first day photo shoot.

She and Davie walked to the bus together.  But he'll come home at half-day, and Dana will stay for a full-day (along with Isaac, Joey, and Josh).

We knew we had a lot of kindergartners on our street.  But two more showed up ~ kids that we didn't realize were in kindergarten!  That makes a total of 9 kindergartners on our street (Josh woke up a little anxious about school, so he didn't want his picture taken).

Doug and I drove over to the school so we could watch Dana go into the school building with her class.  As the kids get off the bus, staff members greet them and make sure they make it to the right class tent (where the classes each gather).  The teachers say hello, pictures and videos are taken, there are tears (kids and parents alike), and it's generally a pretty exiting time. 

in addition to knowing the three boys from our street, she also knows Isabella from her preschool class with Mrs. Cloud!  It's nice to have friends right from the start!

And then the kids are in the school, and we parents go home.  And spend a rather long day waiting for them to return to tell us how much fun they had!

Dana reported, after getting off the bus, "it sure was a long day, Mommy.  It was a long day!"  Since she doesn't usually say things like that, I suspect her teacher  used the term several times to reinforce what they all must have been feeling.  Of course, it wasn't such a long day that she didn't want to have a play date right away.

When we went to Aubrey's soccer, Dana asked, "Do I have school tomorrow?" 
I replied, "No...it's Saturday and then Sunday.  You go to school again on Monday." 
Dana:  and then the next day?
me:  yes
Dana:  and the next day?
me:  yes
Dana:  and the next day?!
me:  yes...every day during the week, you'll go to school.
Dana:  that's LONG!


Yup, Dana.  The next 12 years or so are going to kind of feel long to you.  Unfortunately, I think they're going to fly by for me...I'm bucking up.

First Day of School | 2011

This morning we sent 3/4 of our kids off to their first day of the 2011/2012 school year.  And it probably felt a lot earlier than it actually was.

Fortunately I overheard one of the kids telling another one of the kids that we would have crepes for breakfast for the first day of school because, "It's a tradition!"

This morning we sent 3/4 of our kids off to their first day of the 2011/2012 school year.  It's a banner year for us, as all 4 kids are in school all day.  We also have kids in 3/4 of the levels of schools within the district:  elementary school, middle school and junior high. 

Laurel catches the bus first to the Jr. High

Malcom is next and catches the next bus to the Middle School

And then Aubrey (and eventually Dana) catch the bus to the elementary school

Baub woke up early and had to chase Malcolm down to get a picture with her favorite brother

Oh -- and Dana finally got to meet her teacher!  The very same kindergarten teacher that Malcolm had 6 years ago.  She is super excited to start school on Friday!

Life has just gotten a little crazier.

Cottonwood Campground (aka: the other side of the mountain)

When Lisa said se was coming to visit, I asked her what she wanted to do.  And camping was at the top of her list.  Except I put off finding a camping spot, and time was ticking away, and suddenly it was almost Labor Day weekend, and I knew there was no way we were going camping.

Until I overheard Jeff and Kaethe talking about their camping trip.  So I jokingly asked if we could come along.  And it turns out we could!  So I totally invited us to join in on their family camping trip. 

I'm glad we did, because from Tent City to Boulder Cave to the grand finale blow-out on the way down the mountain, we all had a great time!

since Doug wasn't with us to say, "No."  I stopped to take pictures of the beautiful wildflowers alongside Hwy 410.  Despite the kids' wailing and nashing of teeth.

this beetle wanted to join us on our hike to Boulder Cave ~ but we left him behind

 

this could aptly be named the Time Out chair after Malcolm got frustrated with us and left the group ~ we were all happy (though a bit frazzled) when Jeff finally found him

Kayla looks great for being so very pregnant with Sophia!

I thought this was a good shot to show how massive this cave is...SO dark inside (hence the head lamps)

the river ~ it was too cold for me, but the kids loved it!

Jeff taught Malcolm how to build a great fire with just one match...and kept the boy busy for a good 45 minutes in the process!

Kayla, Kenzie and Laurel were really roughing it (and watched a few movies in the jeep)

Aubrey took this beautiful picture just before....

the front passenger tire blew right off the rim.  I'll admit ~ it was a little more than nerve-racking.  but I was in a rare spot on 410 that has cell service, and this Good Samaritan passed us on his way down the mountain (and then turned around and came back up to resue us!)

Chris and Kayla were about 30 minutes behind us, so Chris stopped and helped our other Hero put the spare on.

once we met up with the other vehicles at Skookum Falls, we finally managed to take a picture of Aunt Lisa and th ekids

I don't think it was until we get home that I realized how rattled I was from the blow-out.  It was a bummer of a way to end such a fun weekend.  but i am so grateful for the safety that we experienced.  The blow-out could have happened on the backside of the mountain on a narrow switchback.  The kids and I said a prayer of gratitude for both our safety and for the Good Samaritan who stopped to help us!  I'm kicking myself for not getting his name.  But he lives in Auburn and has 3 kids and rides dirt bikes.  He's also got a heart of gold!

Thanks, Long family, for letting us invite ourselves along for the camping adventure!!