Sunday, June 28, 2009

Ferry time!










Our San Juan Island trip this year was really special. It was Jack's first time going since he was a baby and his first real time on a big boat. He really enjoyed the ferry ride over which was full of the sights of the islands including some porpoise and cool terns. The kids were champs as we got up at 5:30 am to drive up and catch it! On the way we found this incredible old red cedar stump that used to be a tunnel for a road and no has found its home at a rest stop!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Mount St Helens











We had a fun visit last Sunday to Mount St Helens. This was our first official visit to the area and there was so much to see. We stopped off at a few of the odd little museums on the side of the road, like the bigfoot one.. It also had an A frame that was covered in the initial mud flow that was cool. Our favorite place was the forest museum! Cool playground with cement volcano for the kids and amazing views of the remaining mud flats. The museum itself was quite immpressive as it had larger then life exhibits with reinacted rubble and tree planters. There was a cool discovery room that had every kind of fur, fungus, petrified, fossilized, you name its. Jack kept remarking that he actually petted a black bear! Yup a whole bear pelt was there. I was secretely in heavan as I rummaged through the forestry books and botany samples.
As we made our way to the view point we realized the Helens was shrouded in a thick cloud cover so we decided to stop off for a short hike at the newly made, from the last eruption, Coldwater lake. It was a beautiful habitat of wildflowers, lupine, and lake front. Our first impression was getting to watch a beaver ten feet away from us swim in the bright blue water and climb on logs. It was incredible! There were swallows, owls, and plenty of other critters. It was so pleasently quiet, fragrent, and peaceful that I wanted to sit there all day. Its a place we want to come back to soon.

Zoo too!






We got to spend a whole day running around the zoo with our best buddies!
The kids had a blast... and the mamas too! We love those guys!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Bandana love!


Jack and I found bandanna's for a dollar at the fabric store and he immediately became a bandit of the west...wearing it around his mouth. As all bandits know.....you rock a different style in the grocery store!

Memorial Day!









We spend Memorial Day this year with our dear friends. The Paxtons had us over for a wonderful bbq, play time, and even swimming bounce house fun. It was a gorgeous day and we were in great company.

Back to the zoo!






We had a fun day at the zoo with Nana and took advantage of the most gorgeous 80 degree day. We were treated to an up close encounter with some gorgeous birds of prey and the kids loved it!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mother's Day Hike











We had a great day hike at Wahkeena falls. The trail is called the Fairy Falls trail. It is considered a moderate trail and is basically series of steep switch backs for a mile! The kids were super champs and made it to the top! We were treated to dozens of different wild flowers, ginormous banana slugs, a sprawling view, and spray from the falls. It was a great way to spend mother's day and an even better way to overcome any trials of the heart.