Fun in the Sun!

It has been so nice and sunny this week that we decided to spend not one but two days at Bloedel. I had a great time swimming with the kids, building sandcastles, having a picnic, and just plain enjoying being a mom. My kids were so great all day long. They played nicely with their friends, the didn't squabble (much) and there were no injuries. Just Fun, Fun, Fun, and lots of sun!

Who Needs a Hot Tub?

Ok so maybe I wish we had a Hot Tub, but the kids obviously don't care. They can kick it in the kiddie pool just fine still. Actually my friend Sam, whose house we are hanging out at in these photos, has a mommy sized Hot Tub, it just isn't working and hasn't been for years. I keep picturing all us girlfriends lounging in it sipping some lemonade and soothing away the Mommy headaches and pains at the end of the day. But she keeps not getting it fixed-- so for now I guess we kick it in the kiddie pool too.

More Park Days

Just another day at the park. My kids are pretty fortunate to not even know how privelged they are to live in such a beautiful town with beautiful parks and fresh running water spraying out of the ground for them to run and play in. With Mommies and aunties who bring tons of snacks for them to munch on and warm towels for them to dry off in. And never mind the many friends to play with. Yes I must say we are blessed. Blessed indeed.

Annual trip to Birch Bay

We went to Birch Bay the other day and played at the beach. It was a super low tide and the sand seemed to stretch forever before you could get your toes in the water. Because the tide was so low, the sand wasn't too muddy. It had dried out a little except for where little rivers ran through. That didn't stop my kids sensory issues from kicking it into high gear. Carter does not love the beach. There are crabs,and seaweed, and sand, and water and all kinds of things he decides to be afraid of when he sees them. Addie just seems to get mad at everything, sand beween her toes, water in crocs, shoes off her feet, dirty feet back into her crocks. Its a challenge. but the beautiful beach is worth it. And every year I just have to remind myself it was a little easier than the year before.

Birch Bay

I was surprised that Addie and Carter were not the only ones who didn't love the beach. Sadie had been allowed to bring Tori so she wouldn't be stuck hanging out with a bunch of "little kids". But still the girls spent quite a bit of time asking if they could go sit in the car. Can you believe it a beautiful beach on a bright sunny day and the girls wanted to go sit in the car. I swear they are skipping into their teen years. At least Philip had a blast running around with David and Evan. That is until his stomache reminded him it had been more than 15 minutes since he had eaten. Growing boy and his unsatiable appetite. You know even the dog seemed a little whiny at the beach. Of course that wasn't until she ended up swimming in the cold salty water. because she could touch when we passed over a little inlet. She kept trying to drink the water and then would get an awful look of disgust on her face until she got to the next pool of water where she would stupidly try it again.

After walking out to the water's edge we headed over to the state park to wash the sand off our feet and enjoy a picnic lunch. i could have spent the rest of the day out there exporing the rocky side of the beach, but Samantha and her kids were done so we decided to head back to town to go to a park.

Well at least by the time we left everyone agreed they had had a good time. Their tummies were full, their feet were covered in sand and their buckets were filled with shells and treasures. It was a good day.

Same Day Therapy

This summer we were able to get the kids all to therapy at Susan's on the same day. Thanks to Tina, the new therapist there who works on Fridays.

Our therapists are so nice they decided to work the scedule out so we only have to drive to Lynden once a week. Yeah for saving on gas!

While Sadie is not in school they are allowing her to join in, which has been a huge blessing because she had felt a little left out. It's also really good for all of them because the dynamics change when you add an older sibling into the mix. I love the communication strategies the therapists come up with.

This first session of everyone in the same time slot was a little hectic... the kids were having a ball... so it was loud. Then we moved outside and it was a little more organized, and the kids didn't feel the need to be quite so loud.

I am just so incredibly thankful for the therapy they recieve and the talents the therapists have. I can't say enough good things about these sweet, caring, and patient woman. Especially having therapy on Fridays when it has already been a long week and everyone is tired. But these great ladies just never seem to run out of patience and always are full of great ideas and new insight to the workings of my children's minds. I don't know how I'd get along without them.

Artists at Work

One of the kids favorite outside activities is to paint the house. Of course they just use water, but they have a great time doing it anyway. I thought Sadie would think it was too babyish, but perhaps her artisitic side just can't resist the chance to create. Mom loves it too, because it lets them be creative, keeps little hands busy, and it's good clean fun that mom doesn't have to worry about the mess.