Sunday, September 22, 2013

Fall Camping

We decided to do one last camping trip of the season.
We went to Howard Miller Steelhead Park on the Skagit River.
Another one of our favorite camping spots.
It was the first camping trip that Avery brought a friend along.

We spent a lot of time traveling in the car this summer.
Our family loves our music.
We seem to create a soundtrack each summer and this year was no different.
One of our favorite jams this sumemer was Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us".
The girls know just about every word because we listened to it so much over the summer.
Poor Kelsey didn't know what she was getting into.....
this is how our trip began....




We got there just ahead of the rain the first night.
We were able to enjoy a fire and hang out a bit.


Jeff, Katie and their girls joined us.
So did our friend Brandi.

Through the night the sky seriously OPENED UP!!!!  It POURED all night. 
I remember waking up at one point in the middle of the night thinking how thankful I was that we were warm and dry in our trailer!!!!

When we woke up the next morning, we realized that the trailer had a leak.
Ugh!!!!
The cabinets on one side of the kitchen were SOAKED!  
We couldn't tell where the leak was coming from, so there wasn't much we could do.

So....we made the best of the day while we were there.
The salmon were running, so Mark and Jeff were anxious to get out and do some fishing.
We met up with them after a little time at the awesome playground!!!!







The fish were dying along the shores....Annalise did NOT love the smell....


We headed back to camp and the boys followed not long after for a little break.


We had fun....even in the rain.
Now we just need to figure out why the trailer was leaking.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Back To School

It was a strange beginning of the school year.
I found out at the last minute that I would be teaching a third and fourth grade combination class.  That sort of threw me off a bit, but I guess change is good?! :)
Avery started school when Mark and I did, but Annalise had a bit of a delay because of the Kindergarten testing.
Lucky for us, Auntie Robin offered to come up and hang out with Annalise for the few days before she got to start full time. (Don't know what we would have done without Auntie Robin!!!  Seriously!!)

Avery was all set for her first day of FOURTH GRADE.
Wow.  Fourth grade?  Really?
Ok...flashback moment...
Avery's first day of Kindergarten....
 With her baby sister....
And now....

 
Annalise and Auntie Robin had a half day on Friday where the grown-up takes the student for a half day....just to get them used to where they would be on their first solo day Monday.
We were also anxious to find out who her teacher would be!!!

Annalise could have done it on her own.
She is confident and excited to start school!
(It does help her knowing that she'll get to see her big sister every day at school!)
So when her first day came on Monday....she was READY!!!!!

 A great start to the school year!
Both are loving their teachers....
Avery with Mr. Diaz and Annalise with Mrs. Pennylegion (Mrs. Penny).
Does our hearts good......deep sigh.