The Way I See it

White Coat Ceremony

2011-08-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was all about Heidi. She has been dreaming about becoming a veterinarian her entire life. She has worked so hard to get to this end. The White Coat Ceremony is a convocation recognizing that she has officially started at WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2015. We couldn't be more proud of her and all of her accomplishments. With a little over 100 in her class, she will have lots of support to get her through.

Putting on the white coat for the first time.

The future Dr. Heidi Talbott and her wonderful husband, Jon.

After the ceremony we all drove up to her very good friend's horse ranch in Moscow for a BBQ. What a great time we had at Paul's. We took a short hike up into the hills to a place they call "The Homestead".

Paul's dog, Dude.

This was the first time we were all together since Heidi's graduation (BS) about three years ago. Correction: Actually, we were last together at Heidi and Jon's wedding about 2 1/2 years ago. Photo credit goes to Monica, Heidi and Hannah's younger sister on their mom's side of the family. She did a great job!

After the hike we visited with the horses. The palomino is Heidi's horse, Major Day. What a beautiful horse! He is a little over a year old. She can't wait to ride him, but it won't be for a while yet - lots more work to do in training him and he needs to get bigger, too.

Garrett made some friends when he showed up with a plum.

Major especially liked the plum.

These next photos make me so happy. Heidi is working for and living her dream.

"Knight Major Day"

The beautiful scenery at Paul's ranch.

Both of Heidi's families got to enjoy this celebration and we are so happy we were able to be there. We love you, Heidi!

June Activities

2011-06-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

This summer I told Andrew that we would do something fun every day - big fun or just something that we do together on a small scale. So far in June we have been to some pretty neat places and had some fun together. Here are some of the bigger trips:

The Bug Museum in Bremerton

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma

We joined our friends, Heather and Dani and their kids, for a fun day together.

Couldn't resist some Sonic!

It was such a warm day, so the kids set up the slip and slide to cool off.

Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend

My brother, Paul, and his family went camping and invited us out to visit and play for the day.

I took a nice walk on the beach with Tate out to the lighthouse while the rest played on the beach or visited at the campsite.

We all indulged in a Fat Smitty's burger. It was delicious and quite filling!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Artist, Greg Dietrich, blowing some glass to make a vase with jellyfish on it.

The MC did some glass "stupid tricks" while the artist worked on his piece.

He brought a piece of the glass bubble around to feel.

Next month we plan to have more adventures. I'm having a lot of fun and I think Andrew is, too.

Allie and Tylor Got Married

2011-06-28T22:41:00.000-07:00

June 11, 2011

That day, for me, was spent behind a camera, looking through a viewfinder at a beautiful bride and groom and their families. I don't think I've ever worked harder at getting photos than on that day. Shooting a wedding is stressful for me, so I generally don't do them, but there was no way I would say no to Allie and Tylor. Their day was beautiful and I was so glad to be a part of it all. Here is a sampling of their day.

Our pets

2011-05-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

We have three pets; Sammy, the cat; Beau, the Golden Retriever; and Tate, the Pomeranian. They all get along great...well, Tate thinks he is ruler over all. We found all of them through Craigslist ads.

Sammy, short for Sam-I-am, came to our family first. He was 12 weeks old and still nursing from his mama kitty. He was born into a family that handled him from the very start of his life. He is the most laid back, non-aggressive cat I've ever had. Shortly after we got him, he was hit by a car and went missing for a day. We thought he was a goner when he didn't show up in the morning as usual. When he finally did, he was a mess. He ended up losing one of his fangs on the top, but he gained a respect for danger that has kept him safe ever since.

Tate, short for Tater Tot, came to us out of the blue. I was not all that interested in getting a dog - I wanted another cat. I guess I got a bit of both in Tate. He was about 12 weeks old when we got him. When I saw the posted picture of this little fluff ball I had to check him out. On the drive out to Tacoma, I questioned my sanity, but when I saw him I just fell in love. He came with some eye health issues that were easily resolved with surgery - expensive but well worth it. We knew he was smart when he learned to ring a bell to be let outside to do his business. He barks too much, licks too much, and begs too much, but life wouldn't be the same without him. Every morning he wakes Andrew up by licking him and jumping all over him. Andrew loves it. I wish I had that on video - it is the cutest thing ever.

Beau, short for Beaumont, came to our family when he was about 4 years old (we changed his name from Scooby). We had had a Golden in the past named Lacy and just loved the breed. He is well trained and polite and the perfect dog. He absolutely loves walks and if you say the word "walk" he goes crazy, so we had to start saying "w". I think he is learning what that means, too. If he wants you to pet him he comes up and pushes against you or gives a long, deep growl and nudges your hand. When my dad comes to visit, which is often, he brings Beau a milk-bone - I think my dad likes him a lot.

Our neighbors have some fun pets, too. These horses live right across the street from us. Pets are great for lifting the spirits. I love my pets and can't imagine life without them.

Riley is a gymnast

2011-05-26T21:44:00.001-07:00

She climbed, jumped, rolled, balanced, and flipped all around the very padded gym. I got a workout just following her around.

I think she loves gymnastics. What do you think?

Prom 2011

2011-05-25T00:26:00.001-07:00

My nephew, Chris, went to the CK Prom at the Admiral Theater. He got all dressed up and excited to go and his date never showed. He went anyway and had a blast. I am so glad he did. I never went to my Prom - I chickened out at the last minute. My date was left hanging like Chris was, but he went to the dance anyway. I've always felt bad for that. Sorry Eric!

The theme was 'James Bond' this year, so we had to do the pose.

The girls were looking gorgeous so I insisted on photos of them as well.

The Bells

2011-05-25T00:02:00.000-07:00

I took these back in the beginning of April when Mariah, the oldest daughter, came to visit from California. I always enjoy photographing the Bell family. They are all so photogenic and fun to work with.

Cherry Blossoms

2011-03-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

Cherry trees are in blossom everywhere. We have about 15 cherry trees in our back field, all in varying stages of bloom. My dad transplanted starts from his trees many years ago and now they are maturing nicely. Every year I take my camera to them - I never tire of photographing cherry blossoms. These are from today.

A Young Couple

2011-03-20T23:21:00.000-07:00

Allison and Tylor are getting married this summer...right after graduating from high school. Yes, they are very young. Allison is the youngest daughter of my very good friend, Candy. Of course Candy is worried that they will have a rough go of it and wishes they would wait a little longer. Tylor will be heading to boot camp right after they are wed, so there are a lot of changes coming up for both of them. I sincerely hope all the best for them. After spending some time with them this afternoon, I can see that they are very much in love. See for yourself...

Creations

2011-03-02T21:02:00.001-08:00

Andrew and I have had fun being creative lately. One of his favorite things to do is make things out of paper - origami, paper airplanes, animals, well...anything. I am always delighted to see what he comes up with. Tonight he made these...

The hat is in honor of Dr. Suess's birthday today. The bird's body is actually a box that opens up to put stuff in. That is something we have in common - we both like boxes of any kind.

I've wanted to learn how to knit socks and gloves for a while now. I finally found a free glove pattern I wanted to try. Turns out they are not so hard to make after all. Next up - socks! But first I need to make the other glove.

I don't particularly enjoy making bread, but I wanted to see if I could make a tasty, tender pizza crust. I started by using the recipe for the Cuisanart machine, but that didn't work. I'll know never to try that again. I ended up taking it out and kneading the dough by hand. Kneading is hard work, but it was worth it. This was so good, I broke from my low fat diet and had some for dinner.

One thing is for sure, we are happiest when we are learning new things and creating.

You are what you eat...

2011-02-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

(Oatmeal with ground flax seed)

That's what they say anyway. My doc gave me the news...my triglycerides are way too high. I started taking niacin, a vitamin B3 drug therapy, to help lower the levels.

Here were my stats in January:

LDL (bad cholesterol): 50 (very good)

HDL (good cholesterol): 27 (too low)

Triglycerides: 477 (really, really bad)

Total Cholesterol: 156 (perfect!)

(Whole wheat veggie wrap with fresh broccoli, cauliflower, onion, carrot, low-fat cheese, and low-fat ranch dressing)

I need to work on changing two of them for the better with a healthy diet and exercise program. When my doc told me that he wanted to prescribe a statin, that was all I needed to hear to get on the ball.

If you are what you eat, then I want to be healthy...

Craft Retreat

2011-01-30T23:11:00.000-08:00

My friends and I made it out to Pacific Beach for our 2nd annual craft retreat. A few of us enjoyed the beach even though the weather wasn't so nice. It was still beautiful and it is always the highlight of these trips even though it was not the purpose.

Candy loves to search for heart shapes in anything. She actually found a heart-shaped hole dug in the sand.

Tomisha loved the grass along the beach.

As we walked along the beach, it felt like we were walking into nothing and the only thing we could hear were the waves. I love that feeling.

Another thing Candy loves to do. (That dot above her is Tomisha finding beach treasures)

We had a great time on the beach and at the retreat.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-01-24T16:46:00.001-08:00

Warning: This may induce a chocolate chip cookie craving. The other day our neighbors brought us the most delicious cookies...still warm. (We are very lucky to have really good neighbors.) Andrew has been asking me to make them exactly like they had, so I set out to find a good recipe. I think these did the trick.

Andrew would not let me take a picture of him eating them, so I had to sneak one. This is the face I was looking for when I began searching for the perfect cookie recipe.

2011-01-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

Andrew was sick all day, so he just laid around and watched movies or television while I was at his beck and call. I got some homework done while he watched with the wireless earphones on.

Nothing like a nice bubble bath to make him feel better.

"The classic bath pose"

After his bath we worked together on a Highlights state activity book and learned all about Utah.

Today I quit Facebook. I was wasting too much of my free time looking at Facebook and not spending enough time being with Andrew. I don't know how that happened, but it did and it is a shame.

Clam Digging

2011-01-01T22:48:00.000-08:00

We went to Ocean Shores for a New Year's clam dig. Great way to end the year!

Andrew actually dug out 2 clams by himself!

He was so proud.

These clams were trying to get away. When they start digging they're quick, so it's best not to leave them on the sand for long.

It's amazing how many people show up to dig clams. There are crowds for miles along the beach.

2010-12-09T17:15:00.001-08:00

The weather in the NW this time of year makes it difficult to get outside for photos, but this last weekend was an exception. I am always grateful for the opportunity to take photos for anyone willing to let me.

First Snow

2010-11-22T14:14:00.000-08:00

The first snowfall of ~~winter~~ fall?! The weather turned cold and bitter quickly this year. We may be in for a long snowy winter...I hope so and I think Andrew does, too. He played for about three hours and made a huge snowball that the dogs promptly peed on. Don't eat yellow snow!

The Ranch

2010-09-15T19:36:00.001-07:00

We took a trip at the beginning of the summer to the Johnson family ranch in Orinda, CA for a family reunion. The scenery was breathtaking, the company was inspiring, and the activities were so much fun. I can't wait to go back again!

Uncle Dick (my MIL, Cheryl's, brother) is always up for riding horses and carts.

***On October 4th Uncle Dick passed away after battling cancer - a very sad time for all who knew him. Angela wrote about him here.

No Blackberry Stains Here

2010-09-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

I've not posted anything in a long time, so I have a ton of photos to post, but I'll have to start with today's. Nette came over to pick blackberries in our field with her very adorable nieces. After cleaning their blackberry stained faces and hands, we got some photos of them.

My Baby

2010-07-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

Andrew is growing up fast, but he is still my baby. He is getting much too old for me to give him a hug or tell him I love him in public, but when he is at home with me, he is my cuddlebug. Getting posed photos of him now is nearly impossible without getting a few funny faces and goofy looks. See for yourself:

A Bit of Color

2010-06-07T23:32:00.000-07:00

This Spring has been very wet and dreary. I'm ready for some sunshine and color. These are for Cheryl, because it's her birthday. Happy Birthday Cheryl!

2010-05-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

I Can't Resist

2010-05-22T15:54:00.000-07:00

There's something about kids eating watermelon that I can't resist. The messier, the better.

And there's something about flowers that I can't resist. The bolder and brighter, the better.

Poulsbo

2010-04-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Poulsbo is a cute little town, known for its quaint little shops and beautiful scenery. I feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful area. Garrett has been making every effort to spend time with us between trips and jobs, so when he had a couple of hours he asked us to go to the Poulsbo waterfront park and downtown area together. We had a fun, relaxing time together. Andrew and his buddy, (little) Garrett, played on the beach catching crabs and throwing rocks. (Big) Garrett had fun checking out the area with his ultra-high powered binocs. And I, of course, had fun photographing it all.

Andrew was so proud that he could put the crab's pinchers together like the guy on "Man vs. Wild".

And, of course, we indulged in a little treat from Sluy's Bakery, made famous for their Poulsbo Bread.

Tulip Town

2010-04-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

I've lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of my life and I had never been to see the tulips of Skagit Valley until recently. It is an amazing sight and I'm so happy to have been able to see them without the crowds of the festival that happens there each year. Because of the mild weather, the tulips started blooming early this year, so we missed the festival by a week - Yeah! I'm not a fan of crowds.

The pinks were more abundant than the other colors, but they were my favorites so I was happy about that.

There was a face painter at the shop at Tulip Town, so we indulged the kids and they loved it. Andrew didn't think it was so fun, though, but he had fun watching his buddy Mike get one.

Now, the tulips were amazing and gorgeous, but I was most impressed by the huge field of just daffodils. Such brilliance!

There was a kite store there and it was a perfect windy day to fly a kite, so....

We headed into La Conner for some shopping and siteseeing. This is how Garrett likes to see the sites.

The ferry ride home was a bit chilly, but always a treat. It was a really fun time and I'm glad we made it up there.

One of the many pleasures of living in the Pacific Northwest.

Color

2010-03-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

I love Spring for all the color. Oh how I wish I had a good macro lens!

Cuteness

2010-03-07T23:05:00.000-08:00

Clam Digging

2010-03-07T21:34:00.000-08:00

We took a trip out to Ocean Shores to go clam digging on the day a tsunami was predicted to hit. The 8.8 quake in Chili sent out a wave that was to affect all of the Pacific coastline. They had closed the beaches earlier in the day, but all the diehard clammers were not going to stay off the beach. Fortunately nothing happened and the water level was normal when we got to the beach.
It is an amazing sight with all the clammers on the beach, a huge crowd spread up and down the coast as far as you can see. In Washington you can only dig a handful of days a year and only during a really low tide. You are also limited to 15 clams per license per day which doesn't take long to get if you know what you are doing. People come from all over and flood the beach looking for razor clams.

This was early in the dig. The beach filled up pretty quickly after this.

Garrett made a special trip home from a job in Colorado. It was really nice to have him there with us. He thought it was fun to make the water squirt through the clams and make them "pee". Do men ever grow up?

Pacific Beach

2010-02-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

There were nine of us that traveled to Pacific Beach the weekend before last. The main reason we went to Pacific Beach was to scrapbook or do a craft we enjoy. While we got a lot of projects finished, we had fun playing on the beach as well. Sandy, Candy, and I were the only ones that wanted to go to the beach, so unfortunately I don't have any photos of the other fun ladies that went with us. (I could add the ones of them in their pj's working on their scrapbooks, but they'd probably not like it too much)

We all had fun oooohhhing and aaahhhing at the only bauble store in town. In fact, it was one of the only stores in town.

Candy's Family

2010-01-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

This winter has been really wet and dreary, so when I saw the bright red rosehips along a fence I had to photograph them (in between downpours). I love color!

One of my best friends, Candy, asked me to get some photos of her children and grandchildren while they were all together for the holidays. Unfortunately it was a rainy day and late, so we didn't have any natural light to work with and I don't have any equipment for studio photography. These were all taken with my speedlight bounced off the wall or ceiling. They are not great technically, but I did the best I could with what I had - a great learning experience. Now my new motto when it comes to photos...something is better than nothing, especially when it doesn't happen very often. I enjoy a good challenge, too.

***I forgot to mention that Candy was very sick, so she couldn't be in the photos. The plan is to "photoshop her in" somehow. I haven't learned that trick yet.

Her three grandchildren: Jackson, Summer, and Ashlee. Aren't they adorable!

Shaughn, Jessica and Jackson
Scott, Chelsea, and Ashlee

Sharie and Summer

All five children: Chelsea, Matt, Allison, Shaughn, and Sharie

Andrew isn't easy to get to pose for photos, so I'll be content with a photo like this I suppose!

(Playing Wii Fit)

Missouri Kids

2009-12-01T22:48:00.000-08:00

This year we traveled to Independence for Thanksgiving. We had a great time visiting everyone, but didn't feel like we stayed long enough. We, along with Angela and her family, stayed with Jonathan. We woke up to the cutest red-headed kids. See for yourself...

The many faces of Avery and just as many personalities. She is full of energy and love.

Benjamin is one of the coolest kids. He's willing to do anything and go anywhere. He joined Garrett and Jonathan on a walk, went geocaching at night with them and Andrew, and was always up for whatever was happening.

Daniel was just plain cute. He would sneak out of bed at night after Jay and Angela went to bed and go exploring.

Sara's kids:

Rebecca is definitely a red head through and through. With a fiery personality and full of curiosity. She had broken her wrist just before we arrived, but that didn't slow her down a bit.

Thomas is the squishiest, cuddliest, cutest baby ever. He was born with Downs Syndrome six months ago and he is making strides every day toward being strong and capable. He was accomplishing many new things while we were there. Go Thomas go!!

Jordan's daughter:

Samantha is a tween. She sings and plays the piano beautifully and is also a pretty young lady as you can see. She has an adventurous spirit, joining in with the guys on a nighttime geocaching adventure.

I failed to get pictures of Joshua, Sara's 16 yr old son. It's a shame too, cause he would have rocked the camera. And of course, Andrew would not cooperate a bit, but then again he is probably the most photographed kid in the family anyway. It was so fun to see everyone, but it's always way more fun to see the kids!

**I just learned how to do side by side photo layouts. With more practice I'll find ways to be more creative with them.

Hunter Farms

2009-11-14T22:49:00.000-08:00

Every year we take a trip out to Hunter Farms to enjoy the harvest and play in the hay maze. During the month of October the place is so crowded. I think we figured out a way to enjoy it without the big crowds. We visited on November 1 - we were one of two families there. We had the place all to ourselves. It is a lot more fun when it's crowded, but due to illnesses we couldn't go in October. We still had a great time.

The chickens kept us company

The produce looked delicious. Check out the huge head of lettuce!

Garrett loves old equipment like this.

The only thing we missed was the tractor pull ride out to the pumpkin patch.

The piglets made us laugh

The reindeer loved to be pet.

After the pumpkin patch we stopped at Twanoh State Park and watched the salmon run in the creek. They were headed back to open water after laying their eggs so they were pretty exhausted and many died right in front of our eyes.

Halloween

2009-11-14T22:44:00.001-08:00

This was Andrew's second time being a magician for Halloween. When I made the cape it hit the ground when he wore it. He has loved it since and enjoys wearing it throughout the year.

Another Great Family

2009-10-26T15:03:00.000-07:00

I met Christy (the mom) when she was walking along our road one day. They recently moved in a few houses down from us and happened to be LDS, so we have some things in common. What a beautiful family she has! I've never photographed this large of a family, so it was a definite challenge for me, but I had fun and learned a lot. I'm always grateful that someone trusts me enough to take the time and allow me to photograph them.

A Delightful Family

2009-10-12T22:56:00.001-07:00

This is my friend and hairstylist with her family. What a delightful family! It has been such a pleasure to be able to photograph her daughter last month and now her family. Their home is gorgeous - who needs a studio with landscaping like theirs.
After we finished with the photographs they showed me their beautiful gardens and shared their produce with me. The Asian pears are as juicy and delicious as they look.

This was one of the smaller zucchini. Amazing and so good!

The Cutest Little Girl

2009-09-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

Riley was in true model form today and changed her wardrobe four times and posed like a pro.

The umbrella wasn't quite useful, but she looked cute!

A Husky fan, through and through. Big sis Caylee and Aunt Mischelle ought to be proud. Sorry Steve and Heidi!

Taming the Cougar...

In her new dance outfit

And finally her Halloween costume

Soccer

2009-09-15T22:49:00.001-07:00

Andrew is having fun with soccer this year. His teammates are all great players and his coaches are very encouraging and patient. His first game was last Saturday and we are still talking about how well he played. Can't encourage that boy too much, ever. He laps it up and promises to do even better the next time, because he loved the feeling of playing so well. I've never seen him work so hard at a sport as I did at that game...at least the second half anyway. He got right in there and blocked kicks, stole the ball, and even passed to a teammate for a goal. We are so proud of him.

My Third Grader

2009-09-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

Andrew is officially a third grader now. I've seen a lot of changes in him this past year. He is more willing to do chores, which has been very helpful. He has grown to nearly 4 feet 7 inches and is one of the tallest in his class and among his age group. He is playing soccer again this year and although he is not very aggressive, he is starting to feel more confident. I can't wait to see what the next year brings for him.

Photoshop Fun

2009-08-31T23:40:00.000-07:00

I've been playing around with Photoshop trying to learn some new things and I'm having fun with it. This is a photo of a friend's daughter that I took a couple of days ago.

Original Played a bit with the contrast Added a dark vignette

Used an Action by Brenda that I found through another blog

August

2009-08-25T22:16:00.001-07:00

Heidi and Jon had a reception on the 9th of August. It was held at the Red Lion Inn in Vancouver, WA, also called the Quay.

Ready to throw the bouquet off the balcony...

...into the waiting crowd of single women below

Garrett's sister, Sara, and her two children, Thomas and Rebecca, flew all the way from Missouri to be there. We had a fun visit with them.

The next weekend we went out to Fort Worden in Port Townsend (where An Officer and a Gentleman was filmed) with Heidi and Jon and all the dogs. Boy did we look strange - 5 people, 5 dogs.

Andrew loves Mercedes

He also had a great time with Buster, who is obsessed with sticks among other things.

Heidi and her baby, Mercedes

There is a nice sandy beach at Fort Worden that was pretty quiet that day, so we let the dogs run loose.

One of Heidi and Jon's brood, Shay, loved playing with Tate and vice versa.

Beau had a ball running around exploring and chasing sticks in the water.

Andrew had fun on the beach, too.

It's berry picking season here, so I made tons of jam with all of the blackberries in our yard and our neighbor's yard.

This is one of my favorite images so far this summer. I've come to love the rainy days so that I can find droplets like these on all the plants.

The Hottest Day

2009-07-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the hottest day on record for our area...104 degrees! We decided to spend the day at the beach that is known for being 10-15 degrees cooler than everywhere else. The beach is called Point-no-Point and is about 45 minutes north of us up in the Hansville/Port Gamble area.

The water was numbingly cold, but felt so good when you got used to it.

Andrew's buddy, Michael, and his sisters came with us and we met up with a couple of their aunts and cousins.

Lots of jellyfish to find on the beach...

...and logs to float on.

Then came the sand and water fight. That got a little out of hand, but boys will be boys.

My mom and dad drove up with Chris, but unfortunately couldn't find a place to park, so Chris stayed with us and they found something else to do.

The LeFebvres Visit

2009-07-12T09:57:00.001-07:00

My sister, Mischelle, and her family came for a visit. We have had a very busy, very fun time with them. We spent the 3rd of July out at my brother's cabin at Mason Lake. It was such a hot day, so the kids enjoyed some play time in the water.

On the 4th we had a fish fry and fire at our house. Later we watched the fireworks being shot off all over the neighborhoods around us and gave the kids sparklers to enjoy. Our neighbors put on a good show that we enjoyed, too.

Playing with the Zip and Hit. I think Mike had fun trying to "throw" a curve ball.

Not much got past Marc

Garrett treated the kids, including the neighbors' kids, to a tractor ride. They loved it and I think Garrett did too.

My brother, Steve, came for the weekend.

We took a walk on the Clear Creek Trail. Marc was thrilled to walk Tate.

The Four M's

Grandpa hid beneath the bridge and scared the boys as we were crossing. They thought he was a real troll.

Afterward, we met Paul's family at DQ and had some ice cream.

We had a BBQ at Paul's house while Marc and Riley were enjoying the arts.

We took the boys to play in the pools at the fountain park.

It took a while for the boys to enjoy the fountains splashing them over their heads.

On the last day of their visit (yesterday) we visited Salisbury Point Park and caught crabs.

Such excitement!

We had such a great time visiting with the LeFebvres.

Something Pretty Cute

2009-06-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

Well, some things pretty and cute..

Andrew and his buddy from Idaho, David.

Michael, David and Andrew, best buddies for life.

Trying to be like his cousin Chris. Oh, he also started lifting weights...so funny!

My Dad

2009-06-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

My Dad is gone every Father's Day it seems. He's gone again this year, but will be back on Monday. He's fishing...what more can I say?

There are many things I admire about my Dad. One thing about my Dad that has always impressed me and I am most grateful for is his dedication to his family. He has always been there for us and our whole family. He would go out of his way to make sure his children were taken care of no matter what inconvenience it is to him. He's there for the important times in our lives and our children's lives, always supporting and helpful. He is a great example to me. Thank you Dad, for all that you do for us and for being such a great Dad!

I love you!!

Our Newest Graduate

2009-06-11T22:38:00.000-07:00

Caylee Marie Holden graduated with honors tonight from Olympic High School. We are so proud of her and all that she has accomplished. She will continue on in her education at the University of Washington in Seattle and wants to study Biochemistry. She has a very bright future ahead of her. Congratulations, Caylee!!! We love you!!!

The proud parents and brother, Chris (sorry for the shadow, Steph!)

Step-mom, Tina

Grandparents (Dad's side)

Grandparents (Mom's side)

Great-grandparents (Mom's side)

Great-grandparents (Mom's side)

Her boyfriend, Phillip (also attending UW)

Phillip's mom and grandmother

Best friend since Kindergarten, Lauren

Best friend since birth, Jessa Lee (also graduated this year from NK)

More best friends, Ariel and Lynn

Now the fun begins........

Alaska

2009-06-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

Just a few of the beautiful things we saw in Alaska on our cruise.

The Beautiful People

2009-05-16T22:45:00.000-07:00

It's prom night and they're looking good, aren't they! They'll have fun tonight!

Baseball

2009-05-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

Well, T-ball for now. Andrew's team, the Cheetahs, are well into their second season of baseball and I'm loading up the camera.

Showers bring Flowers

2009-05-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

I thought the saying was "April showers bring May flowers", but I guess we are in Washington. I love my neighbors' gardens....maybe I should pretend they are mine!

Couple of Wild and Crazy Kids

2009-04-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

I got a knock on my door Sunday afternoon and this is what I found outside. They were quite wobbly at first, but they got the hang of it.

Phillip got the front seat first....

What a goofball!

Caylee had a try in the front seat. She was a bit nervous

and shaky....

But she was doing great after a while.

Easter

2009-04-12T22:57:00.000-07:00

Our egg hunt was rained out today, so we had fun hiding the candy-filled eggs in the house. I had to give him a hint on the last one. I hid it in a clock, so I told him that it was in something that could tock. He, of course, thought I was saying "talk", so it took him a while to find it.

We finally got around to coloring the eggs tonight....

Update on Garrett: He is nearing the end of his last round of chemotherapy and is doing alright. His energy level is low, but he manages to keep up with everything. I can't wait for this to be over with as I'm sure he can't wait either.

As for me, I'm enjoying school - lots of homework, but I'm able to keep up with it and still maintain the house.

Spring is Here

2009-03-26T21:04:00.001-07:00

Chelsea

2009-03-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

This is Chelsea, one of my best friend's daughters. I've known Chelsea since she was inutero, so it was really fun to be able to take these photos of her. It was my first shot at maternity photos and indoor at that. I'm not very confident with lighting indoors, so it was a lofty challenge for me, but she is beautiful no matter what.

Heidi and Jon's Wedding

2009-02-15T14:08:00.001-08:00

February 14, 2009, Moscow, ID. There were only 15 present, but it felt like everyone was there. Garrett walked his daughter down the isle and handed her off to Jon. Jon's step-father, Tom Edwards, officiated and Roselyn played Canon in D Major by Pachelbel. Hannah sang beautifully and we all wept uncontrollably. After the ceremony we all gathered at the Red Door restaurant in Moscow and enjoyed a reception dinner. It was a beautiful ceremony and a wonderful celebration of the beginning of their lives together as a married couple.

This one is pretty blurry, but thought it was worth showing.

2009-02-07T23:15:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love about the area we live is the ferry system. Garrett and I took the ferry over to Seattle for my birthday. We visited some dear friends, Glenn and Carolyn White, for a bit. Glenn and Garrett came to know each other when they both worked for DLI Engineering teaching a training seminar together. The two of them together made for a fun show really..."The Glenn and Garrett Show" they jokingly called it. In the last few years, Glenn's health has declined with the onset of Alzheimers and has come to the point of having to be moved to a health care facility. That has been difficult for all who know Glenn as he is one of the most brilliant, genuinely caring gentleman we know. As we walked in with Carolyn his face just lit up when he saw us. We sat and talked with him and laughed with him, sharing current events and memories with him. It was a wonderful visit and I'm so glad that we were able to do so, and hope to be able to visit again soon. If you'd like to know more about Glenn, read this.

It's been a while since I've updated on Garrett's health. He just finished the 4th of 7 rounds of chemo and is tolerating it quite well. The doc increased the dose and he's still doing well with it. He'll be getting a CT scan next week just to make sure all looks good inside.

Not many pictures to share today. I've been practicing some features of my camera I learned about in a workshop so this is all I really have....Next week - Heidi's wedding! Here's the announcement in the newspaper.

Big Toys

2008-12-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

This is the way the big boys play in the snow Garrett had a ball piling the snow and shoveling out our driveway and all the neighbors' driveways, too. About time he gets to use that big yellow monster!

No School Today!

2008-12-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

It finally snowed! Andrew has been waiting to hear "no school today" since Tuesday when the snow was predicted to start falling. It seemed that everyone around us was getting tons of snow, but last night we finally got about 2-3 inches and it's still coming down. No school today, let us play! The dogs had fun especially when Andrew was throwing snowballs at them.

2008-12-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

We went to Seaside, Oregon with my parents for a couple of days and had some fun on Cannon Beach. Andrew's favorite activities combined - playing baseball in the sand.

Skating on the boardwalk at Seaside

Baking is Good Therapy

2008-11-24T21:50:00.001-08:00

" Rising to the occasion"

My boys have started baking therapy. It heals all kinds of ailments. Garrett has perfected his bread making abilities and Andrew just loves to eat cookie dough. I'm not complaining - just getting fatter with every bite!!

Caylee

2008-10-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

Caylee, my niece, just turned 18 and is a Senior this year. We had some fun today and got some great Senior photos. She is gorgeous!

And this one just for fun. We jokingly call this the "album cover"

Hunter Farms

2008-10-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

We made our yearly trek to the pumpkin patch last weekend. This year was the busiest I've ever seen it - good thing we left early. Andrew always has to have the "perfect" pumpkin so he searches all over the patch for the best one. Meanwhile, of course, goofing off with his friend, who happens to be named Garrett. Unfortunately, our Garrett couldn't take the bumpy hayride out to the field so he stayed watching all the other kids playing in the hay maze.

This one may be a bit big to carry out!

This one is just right

This was our favorite animal there. Doesn't she look comfy?

This cracked me up

2008-09-22T15:46:00.001-07:00

Boy Huddle

2008-08-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

One called out "boy huddle!!" and the scheming began.

Dungeness Spit

2008-08-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to go see/hike the Dungeness Spit. I probably wouldn't make it very far (it's 10 miles round trip), but I'm hoping to try hiking it next spring or summer. We went out yesterday with our friends, the Roaches and Celeste, but the weather was cold, windy and wet, so we didn't stay for long. We did have a great time, though.

Lightning watch

Wave racing
Note: I obviously didn't take the aerial photo at the top :)

Wedding

2008-08-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

I took photos of a wedding on 8-8-08. It was such a nice outdoor wedding in a great location. Honestly, though, I don't like doing weddings. They are way too stressful for me, because I'm hard on myself for mistakes. Fortunately the bride and groom and their families couldn't have been nicer to me, so it was a fun experience. Hopefully they can look past the mistakes :)

Tom and Ester CashThe bride thought she wasn't very photogenic. I have to totally disagree with her on that. I think she looked gorgeous in every photo.

The Kids

2008-08-07T23:48:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share some impromptu photos of the kids from tonight. They were willing.....except for Andrew of course!

Idaho Trip

2008-07-22T11:31:00.001-07:00

Andrew and I took a road trip out to Idaho Falls, Idaho to visit our good friends, the Hill Family. They moved away about a year ago and we miss them so much. We did A LOT in the few days we got to spend with them and we made memories that will last a lifetime. We really enjoyed our time with them. Thanks for everything, Steve and Shauna!

David and Andrew

EmilyMatthew

Feeding a BIG bird at Tautphaus Park Zoo. I think it was a pelican.Feeding the ducks and geese at the fallsShauna's brother, Darrin, saddled up his horses for us to ride. That was a highlight for sure!Someone left behind some ice blocks at the park, so the kids slid down a hill on them

LeFebvres

2008-07-21T20:17:00.001-07:00

My sister, Mischelle, and her family came for a visit the first part of July. We got to do some fun things together. We all headed out to my brother's (Paul) cabin on the 3rd to BBQ and watch the fireworks on the lake. What a great show! Matthew went with Garrett on a ride in the kayak while some of us enjoyed a nice, fast boat ride around the lake.

Matthew played basketball with his daddy and Chris.

On the 4th we had a fish fry and bonfire for s'mores at our house.

We visited the beach and caught crabs

And had a bonfire and s'mores at Paul's house. My brother, Steve, came to visit for a couple of days, too. The four M's - Mischelle, Mike, Matthew and Marc

Fishin' with Grandpa

2008-06-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

My Dad took us out fishing on Island Lake. It was Andrew's first time fishing. Unfortunately, we didn't get a single bite, but we had fun and we're looking forward to trying again.

Andrew rowed the boat all the way back to shore. He was able to get us right to where we needed to be.

I think he had more fun rowing the boat than fishing!

Here's a couple from last week.....

Going to the tadpole pond.

Family Fun

2008-06-22T00:59:00.001-07:00

Another fish fry with the family last weekend. We had fresh clams, oysters, halibut and cod. What a treat! The kids all had fun playing with each other, too.

Shooting the rocket with sound effects and all.

Summer Fun

2008-06-22T00:35:00.001-07:00

I love the free and easy days of summertime. The boys barely knew I existed while they dipped their jars over and over in the water looking for tadpoles. They never caught any, though, even after an hour of trying. That didn't bother them one bit. They still raced home without a single worry on their minds.

Fun on the Slide

2008-05-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

I babysat Riley yesterday and we had so much fun playing outside. Her favorite thing was going down the slide over and over again.

She helped me weed the garden, too :) She did not want to wait long for me to help her climb the ladder to the slide So...she tried to climb it herself

More Baseball

2008-05-14T08:58:00.001-07:00

Andrew is having a lot of fun playing baseball. I think he's beginning to catch on to the game, although a lot of times he's just out in the field picking clovers. His favorite position is 2nd base and I think he enjoyed the catcher's equipment a little too much!

Playing short stop. He stopped 4 balls!Soon they will start coach pitching in the games. He's doing pretty good with that in practice.I've never seen him move so fast
Made it home!Tagged on his way to first.

The Graduate

2008-05-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

We spent our weekend with Heidi and Jon out in Pullman, WA, home of the Washington State University Cougars. Go, Cougs!!! Heidi is now a college graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and plans to continue on with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. Though, she plans to take a year or so to work in a clinic and gain some experience before applying. We are very proud of her accomplishment!

A glimpse into the future...

Cheetahs

2008-04-26T20:50:00.001-07:00

Games started for the Tracyton Peewee Cheetahs. They had a Jamboree last weekend when the temps were 32 degrees and freezing rain with snow fell. Not enough to call the game off, so the boys were freezing and had a hard time playing.

Jamboree game - first time at bat

First league game, temps were around 67 degrees (nice!)
Running to first, watching the ball as he shouldn't

Snow in the Forecast

2008-04-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that we are expecting snow this weekend? It was so nice last weekend that we set up the slip 'n slide and played in the water all day.

No More Training Wheels

2008-04-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

Andrew learned how to ride his bike without training wheels tonight. He is so excited that he can do it that he is still outside with Garrett in the dark riding in the neighbor's driveway. I think we are going to need to get him a larger bike though!

Here he is just starting out.

First time to let go

It only took a couple of minutes and he was zooming past us.

All I Want for Christmas....

2008-04-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well, if Christmas is in June!

Riley's 2nd Birthday

2008-04-03T12:12:00.001-07:00

My Niece, Riley, turned 2 on March 30th. They threw her quite a party with a puppet show that was really fun. She was a bit nervous about them at first, but it didn't take long for her to really get into it.

About 30 people were there and when we all started singing "Happy Birthday" to her she didn't quite know what was going on.

Couldn't resist this photo op

Fish Fry and Bonfire

2008-04-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

We all got together on Sunday and had a fish fry and bonfire at our house. We roasted marshmallows and played with the kids. It was really cold outside, but that fire kept us very warm indeed!

Even Tate enjoyed a marshmallow