Sunday-Monday: Seattle to London
Wednesday: Fly to Split, Croatia
Friday: ferry to Hvar, Croatia
Monday: ferry to Dubrovnik, Croatia
Wednesday: fly to Venice
Friday: fly home
European Adventure: Take Off
Author: Denise
Silly Piper
It’s almost go-time! We’re about to go across the pond for almost two weeks, and we did two necessary things before leaving: pedicures and underwear. I got it in my head earlier this week that everyone needed to have a 3 pairs of travel underwear–basically noncotton underwear that dries quickly. We are traveling each with a carry on and backpack, so ease of laundry is near the top of my packing priorities.
Piper has other priorities.
As I handed out underwear, I had done some reminiscing about how the kids used to like putting on unders as a super hero masks. Piper obliged.
And here’s her pedicure. The cat faces are a perfect touch for her.
Buddies
Wes and Wes have known each other since pre-K, and even though we only get to see him and his grandmother a few times a year, we are all still good friends. We’ve had time to meet twice this summer, and enjoyed time at the pool together.
In the meantime, Piper was out on the lake with friends. #WeLoveAugust
Chopping of the Locks
And an hour later…..
Lovin’-worth
My wonderful parents organized a family vacation this year by renting an enormous house for all of us: my brothers and me and all our families. It was 15 of us not exactly crammed into this beautiful house.
It had a darling stream that entertained the kids for hours.
The Cousins, in particular, loved their time together. From 18 months to almost 13 years, the seven grandkids get along really well.
The grandkids loved having a week around each other…and Grandma and Grandpa! Their babysitting services were, ahem, barely abused.
My favorite part of Leavenworth is the interconnected parks and trails by the river. We played on the toys and walked the paths nearly everyday. I even went jogging twice (in a week or in a year, it’s the same measurement for me!).
The best part of the park is the water. We don’t have pictures of the 3 hour innertube adventure we did, but all the kids love water.
Dwayne and I explored up Icicle Road one afternoon and discovered a lovely time, scenery, and verification that Icicle is aptly named.
One afternoon, Kyla, Dwayne and I went over to Ohme Gardens, a literal oasis in hot, arid Chelan County. I have fond memories of this lush hillside, and Kyla enjoyed taking a hundred pictures of park.
Of the seven grandkids, 3.5 have August birthdays (Kyla is the .5, with her Sept. 1st date of birth). Julie made cupcakes to celebrate Cecily’s 7th birthday.
Thanks, Mom and Dad, for a beautiful week and many new memories! Wes enjoyed it far more than he enjoys posing for pictures…thankfully.
Me & 3 Camping–and it was fun!
For the first time in our Me&3 career, I took the kids camping…and we all really enjoyed ourselves!
Because Kyla needed to be droppped off by 9 and picked up by 3pm in Eagle Creek (aka Middle of Nowhere But Pretty), OR, I searched for a convenient place for us to stay that week. We found a pretty campground less than 10 minutes away from camp. We only stayed for 3 nights, but if I had been able to alter our hotel reservations, I would have happily done a 4th night. I was too busy reading books (currently evangelizing Sherry Thomas’s Lady Sherlock series– started first book at 10pm and finished at 3 in the morning!) to take many pictures, but the kids were happy to *hang* out all day at camp, too.😁
True to form, Wesley spent most of the time in his pajamas.
The kids got to try street tacos for the first time and LOVED them. We are developing our palate, thankfully!
Kyla in 1850, Oregon
To make up for, ahem, “Spelling Camp”, I promised the kids their choice of summer camp. Kyla had no idea that asking for another Living History camp would take us down all the way down to Oregon!
But down we went, and Kyla really enjoyed living in 1850, not far off the Oregon Trail. It was just a day camp, so I picked her up at 3 every afternoon for more adventures in the morning.
During the day, she did some pretty great things she never would have gotten from Mama Camp. She blacksmithed this S hook, made a Jacob’s Ladder toy, made clay marbles, and had many adventures.
Next year, another Survival Camp! (And I’m sending them all away to overnight camp, hopefully at the same time….)
17 Years and counting!
We celebrated our 17th anniversary by having a Family Adventure & Creative Day. We like downtown Redmond with its Saturday market and the outdoor shopping center (with a Brazilian coffee shop!), and I made arrangements for us at the ceramic painting place.
Dwayne and I made a glass infused clock (two years after getting engraved watches for our 15th) to mark our anniversary. Dwayne and I are the larger flowers, and the kids each chose a glass color for their own shorter flower. Clearly, we need to now add numbers!
Kyla took her time to make this lovely plate–the intricate leaves are my favorite!
Wesley is extremly happy with is Minecraft plate.
And Piper enjoyed making a very colorful vase.
It was an afternoon that brought out the best in everyone!
Back to Bed
Despite the TANTRUMS that my announcement of summer school (aka “Spelling Camp”) ignited last spring, I’ve had cooperative kids up and out of the house by 8 o’clock every day in July. However, today, “being ready to go” meant falling back to sleep in the hallway. I was inexplicably charmed.
Guest Blogger: Piper!
A friend’s mom, Dorre. taught me how to do a different form of craft, Crochet!
However, I got bored after doing about seven scrunchies, so I decided to expand on the idea. I made a loop the size of mom’s head. Then I did the same thing like I do with scrunchies. chain a good length then end, etc., etc.
This is a cup-cake holder that a made off of my thoughts. I made it for cousin Amber’s B day.
I think is a fun and a cool way to store little things 🙂
Needopedia 