1st Annual Neighborhood Block Party!!

This was our first year to have a block party on our street. This is worthy of a blog post, because my wonderful husband was the head coordinator of this event! So, of course, I have to brag about what a great job he did. The first time you want to actually block your street off takes quite a bit of paper work and phone calls. Then you have to make up invitations and take them around to all the neighbors and coordinate all the food. Then the party is ready!! We had a great time hanging out with neighbors we knew and some we had never met before. The weather was perfect and the kids had lots of fun riding bikes & running all over the street (since it was totally blocked off - meaning no cars could come through). Since everyone had so much fun we hope to do it year after year! Yeah! Way to go Matt and everyone else who took part!

Here are just a few pictures. If you notice almost all of them are of the kids! =) I didn't get many pictures of everyone else.

Our stick creation....

Last Sunday we decided to head down to Richmond Beach for the annual sandcastle contest. We weren't planning to partake in this event, but just enjoy watching others dig their hands into the sand. But.......before we knew it we were engulfed in making our own creation. It actually got some attention, because we didn't really use sand but sticks instead (and a few logs). We called it modern stick art.

After a few hours the judges went around and looked at all the sandcastles. There were some amazing sculptures (a spaceship and an octopus just to name two). We didn't win any prizes, but one judge came up to us and said, "Too bad we don't have a category for most unique." So, for next year we already have a stick design that we are gearing up to make! Hoping we could actually win a prize! =) Oh, I'm not normally so competitive!

Below are some pictures of our time.

Everyone hard at work planting sticks into the ground.

Our friend, Seth, helped us out too. Yeah...what a fun memory!

One Year Ago.........

One year ago today my Mom left this world. She battled cancer for six short months, and passed at the young age of 67. Sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday and yet other times like it happened many years ago.

I have greatly appreciated this quote by Doug Manning as I have processed though my Mom's death:

"Grief is a journey...we move from seeing the person by sight to seeing them in memories. Memories are also in constant movement..at first they are too painful for endurance, and every memory breaks our hearts. Gradually they help us establish the significance of our love and our loss. In time, our memories become our most precious possession. The ones that once hurt the most become the ones we never tire of telling. Then the memories wrap themselves around our being. And our loved one is reborn inside of our hearts. That is called the journey of grief. "

Just a few memories of my Mom that stir up in me great pain are: remembering my Mom's excitement every time I called (which was almost everyday). "Colette!!!' she would say, and you could almost see her smiling through the phone. Another memory was watching her hold, embrace, and sing to our children as if they were her own. Next, would be going with my Mom to her radiation / chemo treatment and realizing she was the bravest person I have ever met. Lastly, feeding her slices of mangoes the last few days of her life because she was too weak to feed herself.

Memories like these break my heart! Yet, I would never want to forget them. My memories are my precious possessions.

This is the last picture I took of my Mom before she passed away. It was a just a few weeks before her death, but I still think she looked beautiful.


I can just imagine my Mom in heaven right now! She'd be having her afternoon tea with Jesus, reading a good book or catching up with her own mother. This brings a smile to my face!

Part 2: Time in Urbana, IL

During our Midwest tour we took a little side trip to Urbana, IL. It was fun to be back there to show the three older kids where they were born and the different homes they lived in. We also saw friends that we hadn't seen in over four years! Here are some highlights:

We met up with a few of our friends that were involved in the Navigator ministry at the University of Illinois while we were there. Scott, Amy, Keith, Lucas and Lauren. Neat group of people!!














We took the kids around the U of I campus. None of us were used to the humid weather. Here the kids are taking a break on the Quad.



















Lana on the Alma Mater statue.



















I thought it would be fun to get a picture of every place we lived in while in Urbana during those six years. The first place was an attic apartment we rented in a huge home. It was actually kind of a creepy place! From the picture you can only see the attic room. I was glad we were only there for a few months.














We then rented an apartment. We were there for one year (before kids).



















The first home we ever owned. Great little house! We lived there during the time Asha was born. Two years later we found out we were having twins, and started looking for a bigger place. I sometimes miss this simple little house that we put a lot of work into!














We found this great home in an awesome neighborhood right before the twins were born. We lived here almost three years before we moved to Seattle. We bought this five bedroom house for only $132,000. Can you believe that? How cheap (compared to prices in Seattle)! We loved this house, and miss it and the sweet neighbors we got to know there.














Our visit to Urbana was very special. I loved telling the kids stories and reminiscing with them (since they don't remember much). Though the best part of our time there was the time we had swimming as a family in the hotel pool - isn't that funny!?

Trip to the Midwest...

We just returned from our trip to Indiana and Illinois. Thanks to Matt's parents we were able to fly our whole family back there for two weeks. We mostly stayed with Matt's parents with a short trip to Urbana to visit where we lived for six years prior to Seattle. The kids did incredibly well traveling, and we have so many special memories to share! Where to begin....I will let the pictures tell the stories.

First stop was Fair Oaks Dairy Farm in Indiana. There is around 90 calves born each day, and we got to witness a birth. Wow!!














Luke and Asha had fun climbing the "milk carton" wall. Plus we got a tour of how the dairy farm works. Quite the production!














Can't forget the ice cream! Awesome! Right from the cow (well..almost).















Matt's Sister and family came for a few days. The kids had a lot of fun playing with Emily and Tami.















Friends and cousins!















Asha and Emily enjoyed playing with their American Girl Dolls.














We frequently went to parks in West Lafayette. Here Luke and Jeffrey had made some friends, and before we knew it they all had their shirts off to show off their muscles.














Matt's parents took us to Columbian Park where we took a train ride and visited the zoo.









































































One of my memories of living in the Midwest was hearing the cicadas each summer (the cicada song). Here Asha has a cicada on her shoulder. Actually, this is just the skin of a cicada. They have a very interesting life cycle.

More to come on another post of our trip to Illinois. There was just too many pictures!

Also, wanted to thank Matt's parents for making this trip possible, putting us up in their home for almost two weeks, taking us to some fun places, serving us in so many ways, and spending lots of time with the kids loving them and playing with them. We are so grateful for them!!!

Family Vacation to Leavenworth, WA

Since we have moved to Seattle (four years ago) we have tried to take a trip with my side of the family every Summer. This year's trip was a bit different - as it was the first "family vacation" without my Mom. So many firsts! It is almost the one year anniversary of my Mom's passing. So many sad memories are tied to that time! It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since I have talked to my Mom or seen her. I never hardly went a day without talking to her before her passing. She is greatly missed every single day!

Anyway, our trip was still very special! Leavenworth is a cozy and romantic Bavarian style town nestled in the mountains. My Sister's family and my family stayed in a big log cabin, and my Dad got a hotel for two nights. It was beautiful! I have a lot of pictures to post. Sorry if it gets too long! I don't want to leave anything out. I'm so thankful for my family and the precious times we have together!

Cute Bavarian downtown - mountains so close! My Sister and I enjoyed checking out the shops. We got matching purses and of course some fudge. That went quickly!

Even a Starbucks! Obviously, we aren't too far from Seattle!

We visited a fun petting farm where we saw some interesting animals - including Lamas. I like this lamas' big eyes.

The girls in front of our cabin. Behind them you can see our beautiful mountain view.

Matt in the hot tub with Luke and Tyler.

All the kids in the hot tub. There must be a number limit! Hmmmm..........

My family (in front of the log cabin we stayed in). 10 kids + 5 adults = lots of fun!

My silly family. =)

Marissa, Annalise, Asha, and I. My sweet girls.

So many memories.........

4th of July

We decided to do something different this year for the 4th of July. I had heard that Edmonds was having some fun festivities - including a parade. So, we packed some lunch, got on a bus, and headed to Edmonds for the day. The weather was hot and the kids ate way too much candy, but we still had a great time together! Below are some pictures to share.

We met up with some friends from church for the parade. Here the kids are all lined up waiting for it to start. So cute!

All the kids enjoyed waving their flags!

Asha and her friend Natalie.

Luke in front of an old fashion fire engine. He enjoyed going inside it too, and pushing all the buttons.

Edmonds Fire Fighter competition. They competed to get the ball to the opponents side. The kids enjoyed getting wet as the fire fighters often would spray all the kids (I even got a little wet - it was hot)!

On the bus ride home.

Jeffrey on the bus playing his harmonica. What a kick! Hope you all had a fun 4th of July too!