Baby Boy is Getting Old!

Our little boy Benji was born in August. He is too cute! I am very busy and lazy and blogging is, frankly, not very convenient.

After a four-hour, epidural-less, whirlwind labor, Benji joined us. Yes I was upset that we only had our phones for his first pictures.

He was 7 lbs 2 oz and 19.5 inches long.

He was a sweetheart from the very beginning.

We got a huge surprise when our families drove up together from Utah to meet Benji. They are crazy and only spent 1.5 days not travelling. But they got to meet our little guy.

And since then, we have fallen even more in love with him and have taken him on many adventures including many walks, a trip to the zoo, and his first dip in the lake. I think he looks a lot like my dad.

Now that he is getting older (I mean, he is super old, 2 1/2 months!), it is really fun to see his little personality develop. Benji is so smiley and is constantly cooing and gurgling (not constantly, he is quietish when he sleeps and sometimes he screams). He is so chill and loves to be snuggled.

We love our Benji Boy!

Outdoorsy Summer Adventures

You know us, we love to be in the mountains. Even though we are busy with a house, fun with friends, Rachel, and trips, we have gotten into the great outdoors a few times this summer.

Bridal Veil Falls

In May, we hiked to Bridal Veil Falls. It was a bit steep but not too bad. It is a beautiful, roaring waterfall. Rachel loved it. We hiked with Andrew's brother Wesley and his wife Maren. Andrew took many beautiful photos.

Unfortunately, Andrew used his $250 memory card that he was swindled into buying. It died in June on our family vacation. And we do not have the money to pay for someone to recover the photos at this time. Needless to say, we are unhappy about this. The moral of the story is to not spend that much money on a memory card.

Fishing in Daddy's "Boat"

We don't have a real boat (someday!), but Andrew does have a float tube. He went out one morning to our neighborhood lake to try his luck at fishing. No luck. Rachel and I went to see him in the morning. Rachel got to wear her life jacket and did really great on Daddy's "boat". Since then, she loves pointing out boats and saying they are Dad's.

A beautiful sunrise; lilypads; "Mom, the sun is in my eyes!"; Rachel and Andrew seeing the sights of the lake; Rachel and Sarah after the cruise.


The Big Four Ice Caves

In the middle of July, we went hiking to the Big Four Ice Caves. It is a pretty easy hike. I was 35 weeks pregnant, no climbing to the top of a mountain this pregnancy. But we had a great time. Rachel kept singing, "Hiking! Hiking!" I think she likes hiking. You were born into the right family, little girl.

The cutest hiker EVER; the Ice Caves are pretty much melting snow that make caves, they weren't very impressive right now; Sarah and Rachel; trees in front of The Big Four (the mountain); Sarah waiting for Rachel and Andrew (can you see the belly?); a waterfall going down to the snow; Rachel and Sarah at the picnic at Coal Lake; wildflowers along the road.


Camping at Cascade Park

We went camping with our friends at a Church property called Cascade Park. Rachel had so much fun getting dirty and playing with the big kids. All the kids loved the awesome barrel swing next to our campsite. We ate yummy food and had lots of fun. Rachel even slept really well in the tent!---until 5:20 when some very noisy crows started cackling in the trees next to our tent. I went out and shooed them away, but Rachel would not go back to sleep. She was fairly pleasant but super tired. Andrew and I were really tired, too, as we had stayed up late looking at stars and chatting with our friends.

Claire, Rachel, and Dallon having fun around the fire; all three kids on the swing, pushed by Kendra; Dallon kept kissing Rachel in the swing, which was really funny because she always tries to kiss him when she plays with him, but he never lets her; Rachel in the swing; a very sleepy Rachel snuggled up in a sleeping bag; Rachel and the awesome swing---so very tired but she did not want to get out.


We have had a pretty great summer and have gotten out into the wild at least once a month. That has been nice. I hope you have had a great summer, too!

No Posts in June?

Yes, no posts in June. We had a fun and busy month. We were gone for half the month and we were busy/I was tired the other half of the time.

Here is a summary. Maybe there will be more posts later, and maybe there won't.

Rachel painting on our vacation with Grandma.

Blowing bubbles with Grandma and Nigel.

She climbed this all by herself. She is getting to be a climber.

Helping mom work in the yard.

Getting wedding cakes ready for Elise's wedding.

Rachel at the wedding.

And there are some pictures from my phone.

In other news, I have just 6 weeks left until The Boy arrives!

Our Trip to Utah

My grandma passed away on May 1, so we all took a quick trip down to Utah for the funeral. Although it was for a sad event (and a joyous celebration of a lovely, long life), we made the best of our time with family.

Who knew SeaTac airport had a little play land? Rachel loved climbing and sliding on the toys, especially the slide and the airplane.

We went to feed watermelon rinds to the local horse and colt. The kids were very intrigued.

We also made a point to visit with Andrew's elderly grosseltern, Oma and Opa.

The bottom two pictures are after the funeral, where we got a picture of all of Grandma's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Quite a legacy!

I will miss my Grandma, but I know I will see her again. And, as one friend said to my mom, "Look at the great lengths she went to so that you could have all your kids with you on Mother's Day!" And look at how wonderful it was for all Grandpa's grandchildren to be with him for this day.

Our Little Fish

I signed Rachel up for swimming lessons, you know the kind where the parent is in the water and you sing songs and splash and pretty much just try to help them be comfortable in the water. She loved it. So did I.

She liked "swimming" after the rubber ducks, singing the songs, "jumping" off the wall into the water, and watching the other kids. She did not like "floating" on her back very much. Some days she liked blowing bubbles and splashing, other days she did not.

Since swimming lessons have been over, she has found her swim suits and said "swinnin" almost every day. I think we will be spending a lot of time in the pool, lake, or wading pool this summer.

February Photo Dump

Andrew got a new camera, so if it looks like he doesn't do anything with us, that is not true. He is playing with his fancy pantsy camera.

In February, we didn't do anything big. We lived our normal lives.

We went on lots of walks in the cold.




We bathed.




We napped and awoke from said naps.






We went to the zoo and hung out in a meerkat hole.


We learned how to climb things.




We celebrated Valentine's Day. Thanks Andrew!



(You can see that I'm not good at the new camera)

We read books.


We practiced the piano.


And brushed our teeth.


Pretty uneventful but also really great!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (in February)

We had a pretty good snowstorm a few weeks ago. Andrew and I were on a hot date at the Stake Valentine's Social/Seminar/Dance. That was pretty fun. Especially because Rachel was at home, sleeping in her bed. We looked at the window and the snow was coming down! Beautiful. We both really miss the snow. It doesn't feel like winter (especially Christmas) without snow or general freezing conditions. We drove home after doing a few donuts in the Church parking lot (CURSE YOU, SUBARU! Not conducive for donuts). And while driving home, we were amazed and laughing and horrified as we watched Washington drivers who did everything you aren't supposed to do in the snow. (I realize that it does not snow here very often and that they don't have these things pounded into their heads, but it was still amazing.) One of my friends described it as "a clumsy ballet." Yes.

We saw:

• Slamming of the breaks
• Overcorrecting
• Sharp turns
• Hitting the gas

Wow. Who knew driving in the snow was such a skill?

The next morning, we went out and played in 2 inches of the white stuff.


Rachel seemed pretty interested.


Her boots collected the snow so she was walking on platform boots. It was hilarious.


Going down the hill with Mom.


Rachel raising her arms in the sled with Dad.


A beautiful baby who loves the snow.

I think Rachel really liked it. Every time we are in the garage and she sees her snowboots, she grabs them and drags them everywhere.

I hope that it snows again soon!

A Day at the Beach

Andrew's mom and aunt came to visit us. We went to Picnic Point one day. Even though it was cold and windy, we all enjoyed being at the beach.


Rachel and Tante Karen


There were a whole bunch of these dead, dried up jellyfish all over the beach. They must have gotten stuck when the tide went out.


Rachel learned how to throw rocks into the sea.


And she loved picking up rocks.


I fell off the log and into the water. No surprises there.


We found a dead salmon.


It was beautiful.


And we watched the train go by. It was loud and fun!

Good day at the beach.

Rachel's Birthday Extravaganza: Part 1

You all know from Pinterest and current culture that your child's first birthday is really important. The second birthday or the first birthday for the third child, not so much.

None of those Pinterest Moms love their first child as much as I do. Rachel is having three birthday celebrations. Pin it and compete with me.

My parents and sister were in town a weekish ago so we, of course, celebrated Rachel's birthday. And Andrew's too a little.


Not so sure about this presents thing.


Opening a present with Grandma.


She opened this dress and held it up and it was so funny.


What could it be?!?!


Hmmm...


A wagon! "Quick, some assembly is required, Dad!"


Andrew assembling the wagon handle.


Nigel wondering why he doesn't get a present.


Cousins. This trip was fun because they actually interacted with each other, unlike two months ago.


The birthday pigs.


"I WANT MY CUPCAKE!"


A delicious red velvet cupcake made with beets and topped with classily spread cream cheese frosting.


They were delicious. Rachel isn't much of a cake smasher/smearer. She is very dainty and wants the food in her belly.


"Dad, you have got to try this."


And in the morning, Nigel pushed Rachel around in her wagon. So cute.

Happy first birthday party to my sweet little Rachel!

Winnie-the-Pooh Nursery

Andrew's mom came to visit and was happy to paint a mural on our nursery wall! She said she always wanted to paint a mural in her kids' rooms but never was bold enough to decide on something and then follow through. I think she did a great job.


The base layer of the painting. She wanted it to look like a watercolor painting, as the A. A. Milne text's illustrations are.


Trees to frame the painting.


Rachel loved watching Oma paint.


Time to lower the crib! She's only 9 months old, for goodness sake.


Putting some finishing touches on the beehive.


Owl.


The honeybees.











More characters will appear on the opposite wall at a later date.

Rachel loves it. She waves at Owl when she wakes up and points from Owl and the honeybees whenever we go into her room.