Our Little Nuggets .net » Outdoors

Birch Bay Camping

Mommy — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:10:24 +0000

Last week we squeezed in a last-minute camping trip in Birch Bay. I had told the kids at the beginning of summer that we’d try to do this, and suddenly I realized that school was starting next week(tomorrow!), so we went Sunday night and Monday night, and we were close enough to home that Daddy could come and go from work and join us in the evenings. It was a fun time of forced relaxation for me and the kids had a blast riding their bikes around and around and AROUND the campsite loops.

Cute, sandy feet.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was being down at the water at 9:30am. It was absolutely gorgeous!

Hmmm…someone got up too early!

Dollar store glow-sticks and flashlights are the highlights for the kids!

Thunderstorm Party and Catch-Up

Mommy — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:27:53 +0000

What do you do with 3 nervous kids and a thunderstorm? Have a party of course! And chocolate!

I’ve always loved thunderstorms and I want our kids too as well. I think we’re on the right track.

I think Little D forgot all about the thunderstorm, though. He was too engrossed in his “thunder party”.

And here’s some catch-up photos from the last few weeks:

The “tree maze” at Grandpa and Grandma S’s farm. (the favorite place to play)

At the farm again, Luke trying to keep up with the others and literally eating David’s dust.

Picking Mommy a strawberry.

Why do our children always want to eat whatever Daddy’s eating?

After a vaccine appointment.

playing in the fountains in the middle of town

Enoch is making up for lost time. In the last 2 weeks, he’s begun crawling with increasing speed, and is pulling himself up on all the furniture. He’s also been having a lot more bonks lately….just this morning he pulled a kitchen stool over onto himself.

Why you shouldn’t tickle ants:

(I couldn’t figure out how to crop it and my techy-hubby isn’t here, so it’s kinda’ boring after the first minute)

My New Love

Mommy — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:21:23 +0000

-laundry that smells like fresh air and sunshine

-no ironing

-doing an otherwise mundane chore, outside

-living room shaded from the afternoon sun

-did I mention no ironing?

-lowing our PSE bill(Sorry Dallas)

-pretending to be an old-fashioned country wife

And in case you are all bored to tears….. here’s some baby cuteness:

His pre-crawling contortions.

The (Un)Water Park

Mommy — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:52:36 +0000

Today we headed off to Fairhaven Park to take advantage of the beautiful weather and play in the water park there. Unfortunately, we found out once we arrived that it doesn’t open for another 5 days. Fortunately, there was a pretty great playground, or I would have had a bunch of grumpy kids on my hands!

This One’s For You, Daddy

Mommy — Sun, 31 May 2009 03:10:08 +0000

Today we headed to the beach for a birthday celebration for David and cousin Kayleen. It was perfect weather, and it was really good to see everybody. Unfortunately Daddy had to be far away in Seattle – working hard to take care of us, so these pics are for him. We missed you, Daddy!

The birthday boy finding cool rocks.

Getting ready to sing “Happy Birthday”. (Yeah, we especially missed you when it came time to sing! )

Enoch snoozing under an umbrella.

Giggling Girls

Grandma and Grandpa S

Violet learning about ice-cream trucks.

Tommy…likewise….

Pretty excited about a new lego set!

Investigating a new, REAL toolbox with REAL tools to help him build his tree fort. Maybe now Mommy can get her hammer and nails back….and Mommy really needs to borrow that level….hmmm…..maybe we need to have a trading agreement…

Cuteness (and I can’t believe I forgot to get a picture of baby Dylan!)

More Cuteness!

Likeminded Little Boys!

Deception Pass Camping

Mommy — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:39:50 +0000

This past weekend we were able to get away for a mini camping trip at Deception Pass. We had a wonderful time playing with fire, eating some pretty amazing food, and enjoying the beach and sunshine! This post is obscenely long…Sorry.

How do you go camping with 4 children and 2 dogs? Essential: 1 husband who takes chaos and noise in perfect stride!(Yes, the dogs are tied to his legs!)

Also helpful: a husband with Dutch oven cooking skills. Here he is making David a birthday cake Sunday evening.

Here’s the finished product.

Esther and Luke enjoyed looking straight up into the very tall trees surrounding our campsite.

Everything’s more fun when you’re camping…even holding Enoch!

The birthday boy, eating his hot dog and planning how many pieces of birthday cake he’s going to eat.

Monday morning we headed down the beach towards the famous Deception Pass bridge.

This little monkey was always lagging behind getting wet.

Exploring a “cave.”

Rock climbing.

The “caboose” again.

We spent A LOT of time at Cranberry Lake, swimming….

and splashing…

and hanging out….

and playing in the sand.

David needs a bit more blubber on his bones…he enjoyed the warm sand more than the water a lot of the time.

Enoch playing back at the campsite.

Dinner Monday night -- before it started cooking. This is a pork roast, potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms with onion soup mix thrown over the top and a bit of water.

Daddy once again manned the Dutch oven. Most of the heat went on top, but there are a few hot coals underneath the grate as well.

Here it is about 1 hour later.

A highly scientific finishing process involving lots of fun flames.

The finished product! Words cannot describe how amazing this tasted!

Monday evening we headed to the ocean-beach for a bit before bed. Here, they are climbing on a really cool fort someone constructed.

Tuesday morning, we woke up early, packed up quickly and headed back in time for work and school.

What a great time! We can’t wait to return…either for Labor Day at the end of summer or Memorial Day next year!

“Say Fuzzy Pickles”

Mommy — Sat, 02 May 2009 21:25:31 +0000

(Alternately titled: “Why I Haven’t Replaced My Blog Header Picture Yet)

“Okay guys, how about you all hug each other?”…”no, no Luke, not like that…”

“No, no Luke…Here, Luke – let me help you…like this”

(Luke gives up and gets distracted)

“Luke, come back…we’re not done yet”

“Dar-i-us…hel-looo….”

“Okay…now everyone smile”

“…Everybody smile…..say ‘fuzzy pickles’…Esther if you don’t smile, you’ll be grumpy forever in the pictures”

“There we go – that’s better…kind of “

Daddy: “I’m going to give you tickles!”

Randomness

Mommy — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:05:31 +0000

David in his treefort that he is building. (This was just before bed, hence the pajamas)

Bath Boy.

Playing meeting. That looks suspiciously like my Bible in Luke’ hands!?!

Esther, your child/husband(?) is acting up.

All tuckered out after his first afternoon spent playing outside.

Cute!

More cuteness!

A Jaunt To Leavenworth

Mommy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:32:06 +0000

Uncle Dallas and Aunt Leesee invited us to join them in Leavenworth Sunday evening and Monday for some fun in the snow. They rented a cabin that was not really a cabin. David’s last experience with cabins was at Lassen Pines where there were “ants on the potty”….that definitely wasn’t a problem here….it was a beautiful 3 bedroom home with beautiful woodwork, a cozy fireplace, and a hot tub on the deck. As you can see, I took lots of photos!

Here’s the kids all excited when we first arrived.

We headed into town the first night for a fireworks display…Luke found them kinda’ loud. It was the 14th annual Bavarian Ice Fest.

A cool ice sculpture in the center of town.

Playing with Candyland.

Bedtime snack: cookies, oranges and hot chocolate(with little marshmallows, of course!). Bedtime was pretty late!

Monday we had a late breakfast and then headed to Wenatchee State Park just down the road for some sledding. The hill we found was pretty tame, but just right for David.

Esther mostly enjoyed watching.

Little Bri went down once with her Daddy.

Heading back to the car.

Nothing better than a hot tub after sledding.

One of my favorite pics.

“Mommy does it look like I’m frowning?”

Monday evening we headed back into town for some sledding on the kids hill in the center. There are some jumps set up for the more adventurous, and Peter tried a few of them.

Little Bri enjoyed the outdoor music and was bopping along to it a bit.

Then it was off to dinner. We went to this fun little place called Andreas Keller where every night there is someone playing live music (usually Bavarian, some hymns, classics, requests, etc.). Tonight it was a lady playing the accordian.

What we ate: Giant pork hocks with authentic Bavarian side dishes, winekraut, red cabbage and a pickly potato salad. We split 3 of these between us and had tons left over. It was quite the food and quite the experience.

Before hitting the road, we fueled up at Starbucks.

The kids entertained Enoch so I could do some serious coffee drinking…and biscotti dunking.

As you can see we had a really great time! Thanks so much Uncle Dallas and Aunt Leesee!

“Is It Getting To Be Summer Now?”

Mommy — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:14:01 +0000

This is what Esther asks everytime the rain or snow clears up for a few hours. I told her a while ago that we can have popsicles again when it’s summer, so she is eagerly waiting for popsicles(?!?). Hmmmm…maybe her sweet tooth is a little out of control!

As my latest plan in the battle of The Fat, I’ve been taking the kids to the park at the end of the street whenever it stops raining or snowing, and jogging around the track there while they play on the playground. It works out pretty well, and they’ve been enjoying the fresh air.

Luke thoroughly tramping some remaining snow.

Here, he’s following me around the track, then he decides to cut across the grass to better keep up.