Summer 2018

We enjoyed another summer creating memories of fun & chaos. The actually calendar dates for the seasons never seem to coincide with the weather in Washington.  Summer in my head runs from the last day of school to Labor Day weekend.  Since moving to Whatcom county in June 2015, we don't spend as much time at the parks.  Although the people in the community are more family oriented & friendly, the parks system leave much to be desired after living in King County.  Our favorite park this summer was Lynden City Park.  Issac spends the entire time in the creek chasing fish and crawdads.  Josie goes back and fourth from the water to the swings, with the tire swing being her favorite.

We did less camping than last summer but we participated in more summer time activities than ever before.  Issac played summer baseball and the kids each participated in a couple of summer camps.  The kids are become very social little people and spent a lot of the summer playing outside with thier neighborhood friends; riding bikes, skateboarding, swimming, jumping on the trampoline and just running a muck!

The last week of June, Issac & I attended Welbos Resident Camp at Fire Mountain Boy Scout Camp.  It was 4 days jammed pack with all things scouting! We went swimming, rock climbing, cannoeing, shot BB guns, Archery and more.  It was a lot of fun for the kids & parents alike.  On Thursday evening, after work, Tyler joined us while Josie spent some time with Aunt Andalyn & Grandma Laura.  

Above- arrival at camp

bellow- opening ceremonies

Above- Archery

bellow- canoeing on Lake Challenger

Above- Friday Morning Polar Bear Plunge

Above- Tyler & Issac 

Bellow- Issac & I

Tyler had to work the week of the 4th of July so we decided to camp at Birch Bay State Park.  The camping grounds is actually closer to his work then our house & he showers at work normally anyways.  We camped with our friend Shannon and her two boys and the first night, Josie's friend Emersyn joined us.  It was nice to be able to walk down to the water and watch the fireworks.  

Above- The girls in the Hammock

Bellow- The boys in the Hammock

Bellow- 4th of July at the beach

Josie enjoyed a ton of fun activities with her Girl Scout Troop over the summer.  The hiked Whatcom falls, rode horses, meet a bee keeper, tye-dyed shirts, letter boxed and of course played games and sang songs.  In August, Josie also attended Girl Scouts Whatcom Twlight Camp.  It ran a week for 6 hours a day and she LOVED it!

Above- Hiking Whatcom Falls

Bellow- Riding a horse

Bellow: 

At the end of July, we welcomed a new family member! 

Galaveya Sipress is our new cousin & both Issac & Josie shared in big sister's excitement!

Bellow- In July, after years of asking, Josie got her very own kitten. 

Bellow- Josie & tyler attended the local father daughter dance for the 3rd year

Above- In August, we were able to enjoy a fun afternoon at Howarth Park with Jayson, Andalyn, Astalena & Galaveya.  The kids played while I got some baby snuggles in the shade.

Bellow- Scout night at the Everett Aquasoxs was super fun!  Not only did we get to watch a fun game & run on the field but we also got to sleep overnight in our tents and watch a movie on the field.  Definitely, fun for all!

Bellow- Issac had a personal goal to read the Harry Potter series this summer.  He started the first week of June & achieved it by mid-August.  Then we enjoyed all the movies as a family.  I love that both kids love to read!

This year we also attended AND enjoyed the NW Washington Fair in Lynden.  The fair is not for everyone.  In addition to everything being over priced, it is very overstimulating.  So many people, noises, activities, booths, animals, I could go on for a while.  It had been 3 years since we went and our last experience was not good.  We spent a whooping TWELVE hours at the fair.  We saw the animals, rode the ride, played the games, checked out the exhibits and of cousre, ate mowhiches & elephant ears!

We ended our summer with our favorite people, Maddison & Haley.  Labor day weekend, they came up to stay.  We hiked off Chucknut, we swam in the pool, we visited Birch Bay & we slept on the trampoline!  This Summer went fast, super da dooper fast. Our summers are so different but so the same.  The ages of the children make it so a park doesn't entertain them for 4 hours and there is no nap time.  But there is other blessings in the change.  The kids have shared experiences with their friends that they will not forget; cops & robbers on their bikes, baseball in the park, jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath, sneaking in to the neighbors yard to get back a ball.  It is these moments they are going to remember and hold on to as they grow older.