jump jump

my girly weekend in seattle

so, i didn't take nearly as many pictures as i wanted to, but i guess that's because i was having too much fun that i didn't think to grab the camera. so, i stole most of these from crystal. :)

last weekend crystal, jessie, and i met tif in seattle for a girls' weekend. no husbands and no children! and i have to say i definitely needed it. i did miss my family but it was nice to get away and be with my best buddies. we did all kinds of fun things. we visited the fremont troll (a first for me), got manicures and pedicures, ate some yummy food (beth's and cheesecake factory) walked around ALOT, went to the bite of seattle (not really a big deal in my opinion), went swimming, shopped and laughed a bunch.









i loved this time we had together and hope that we can make it at least an annual thing.

piggy tails

i put brooklin's hair in pig tails for the first time today! she looks like such a big girl. when did this happen.

see how much she has changed.


i think she was two or three months old in this picture.

brooklin sliding

the great wolf lodge

last weekend we went to the great wolf lodge with my sister and her family and we had a total blast. if you haven't ever heard of it, it's a really big hotel just south of olympia, in grand mound, with a huge water park inside. water parks are my favorite! i don't have the stomach for carnival rides, so water slides are my roller coasters. i absolutely love water slides! the great wolf lodge is definitely a sight to see, and a vacation every family needs to take. i'm ready to go back already!









p.s. the howling tornado is definitely the scariest, yet most fun (i was able to say that once i stopped shaking) and memorable water slide i've ever been on. i could be convinced to ride it again. :)

happy fourth of july!

we started out the day by getting up at 6:45, courtesy of brooklin. :) why is it that on the days you really wish your kid would stick to their normal schedule, they decide to change things up? i guess it keeps life intersting, to say the least. we had a yummy breakfast at ihop and i ate way too much. i'm not much of a breakfast gal (cheerios is just fine with me). we had a little bbq at my parents house, and brooklin and jackson played in the little kiddie pools, but ended up having to share with some big kiddies. :)





and then in the evening we watched the fireworks over bellingham bay at heritage park, which has been a tradition ever since scott and i have been together. it was a great day and we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather.

too cute for her own good

spray parks are awesome!

yes, i know i have pasty white skin. it's pretty bad when your one year old has a better tan than you. sorry if i have blinded you. :)

any ideas on...

how to get my hair from this


to this


as quick and painless as possible?

i really hate going through the growing out process. grrr...!

lake padden

scott had scouts tonight so i decided to take brooklin for a walk around lake padden. what a beautiful evening it was. man i love this weather! after going around half the lake we stopped at the playground so brooklin could get out of the jogger and stretch her legs and get rid of some energy.





she was having so much fun that she didn't want to get back in. luckily, i knew this would probably happen so i brought along a granola bar to lure her back in. the tricks we mothers learn. :)

as we got back to our car we saw two bunny rabbits munching on some grass. brooklin got a kick out of watching them eat "their dinner."



i love living in bellingham and i am absolutely convinced that we live in the most beautiful place. we've got the ocean, the lakes, the rivers, the forest, the mountains. and it's so green and pretty all year round. i wouldn't want to live anywhere else. i definitely have to thank my parents for moving our family up here 17 years ago. wow! i can't believe it's been that long. this is my home, and this is where i want to stay and raise my family.