World's Best Dad

Isn't he dreamy?

Alki Beach

This summer Conrad & I have made a conscience effort to explore all of Seattle's hot spots. Since I have a photo shoot next weekend at Alki Beach, we decided to check it out. Dreamy weather, fish & chips along the water & ice-creams & italian sodas... The day couldn't have been more perfect~

Razzle Dazzle Douglas Jam!

Have you ever tried Razzle Dazzle Douglas Jam? It is fabulous!!! It was made by three very cute little girls & their momma the other day. Best of all, the raspberries were picked from our very own backyard. We gave some to the neighbors who gave us their old lawnmower. They came back to tell us how much they loved it! Bronwen said we should sell it. Then she said we should just make it free so we'll have more customers LOL. ;-) I love that girl & her entrepreneur's heart!

Fourth of July

I know it's a little late, but I have to talk about our fabulous time! This year was hands down the best fourth we've had.

Conrad & I were brainstorming on what we should do for the holiday. As all the fireworks shows began at 10, it seemed like it would be a bit of a nightmare to try & take Cate out that late (she would freak out -this girl loves her sleep). We didn't want Bronwen & Ava to miss out though. The solution? We had our own "neighborhood firework show." We bought sparklers, poppers, snakes (that looked like gross poop coming out of a tube -ick!) & a few other types that went up a few feet. When we began celebrating with the kids across the street, we heard our neighbors behind us come out. They had a bunch of really cool (& probably illegal) fireworks! We joined forces with them, then another family came out. Then another & another! In total there were about 25 of us out until 1030. And guess what! Cate didn't cry at all! She was having a great time watching as all the other kids were.

I think the only people who weren't having fun were the neighbors with a newborn. Their house just happened to be at the center of all the action. ;-)

Cate "gardening"

I've been meaning to put this photo up for a while, but I haven't gotten around to it until now. :-) About a month ago the big girls & I started getting our garden ready for summer. We were busy pulling weeds, trimming bushes, edging, etc.. Bronwen & Ava then asked if they could water their seeds. I said okay. Within a few minutes I heard this:

"Cate! No!"

I turned around & saw Cate literally jumping up & down in the muddy water hole! To top it off, she bent down & started to drink the water like a puppy!!! It was hilarious!

Flowers have yet to grow in the "garden" LOL!

Teamwork

Ava had a lose front tooth. She wiggled it for days & days, but it wouldn't come out. That's when Bronwen took matters into her own hands (literally).

I was in the kitchen when I looked over & saw Ava laying on the couch, with Bronwen hovering over her.

Bronwen: Does this hurt?

Ava: Nope!

Bronwen: Does it hurt now?

Ava: No! Just get it, Bronwen! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!

Bronwen: I got it!

Ava: What?! Mom, Bronwen got my tooth!

I swear, Ava's little toothy smile kills me. It is the cutest thing! Boy, life with little kids is wonderful!

Bronwen's Birthday

Bronwen had three birthday parties this year! For her party with her classmates she wanted to ice-skate. I was laughing at the beginning of the party because the "ice-skating" included everyone walking around the rink, holding onto the wall. By the end though, everyone had the hang of it & the kids were definitely having a blast. Bronwen told me that when she was skating in the middle of the rink she felt like Barbie in one of her movies, ice-skating on the pond.

On her actual birthday, we celebrated at home with cake & ice-cream. She was very happy & surprised when she got a cute stuffed puppy & Eugene from Tangled.

Last, but not least, I had a photo shoot in Portland, so I thought it'd be fun to have a party for her there with my family & some of my high school friends. Everyone was so generous to her & she was on cloud nine for the whole week!

A Day at the Beach!

A few weeks ago I did some family portraits at Discovery Park in Seattle. The views of the sound & Cascades are breath-taking & there is even a lighthouse! I loved it so much that I wanted to take Conrad & the girls. We packed up sack lunches & were off. Ava said her favorite part was riding the school bus shuttle to & from the visitor's center to the beach. Bronwen's favorite part was when they were digging tidal pools. Cate's was eating & drinking out of the tidal pools!