On our way to 50

This weekend, we celebrated 7 years!
I got up early and set up this little cozy on the deck, basically a little breakfast in bed but outside on a wonderful morning.

This direction does not have a good backdrop - however...

(a close up - 7 years is copper and wool - wool is not sold in the summer for obvious reasons so no wool, and copper is super expensive at the moment... so a really nice mixing bowl and some coppertone sunscreen will just have to do. :)

... The view when laying on the hamock is perfect!

Isabelle couldn't wait for some cinnamon roll!

Cuddle Time

Happy Anniversary... Here's to many many more.
I love you!

Been Busy

So, an update to those that read this on how we are:

Eric, still working at MS... until Sept, when he is going to take a month of paternity leave when I go back to work.

Isabelle is growing like a weed, and she completely exhausts me... not phyiscally, but mentally, since she is non-stop chatter. Gotta love it and all that she comes up with, her mind simply amazes me!!! I will have to really start writing down all the things she comes up with... hopefully I can find the energy to keep up. She will be starting preschool in the fall, a couple days a week.

William is long and 3 months old... he is smiling a TON and he has started to chuckle a bit here and there.

Me... well, I am currently still stay at home till Sept, when I go back to teaching in Tahoma ... still 8th science... but there is a change. I will be going back full time!! I have waited for this opportunity for 3 years and am excited to accept the offer. I am also super busy with all the photography... word of mouth is working!! YAY! The down side is that I am too nice, weak, something, and none of what I have done, am I getting paid for, all favors. I am chalking it up to experience.
Last weekend, I had four (4) sessions... a graduation / party on Fri night; a bridal shower sat; then Sunday an action session where I photographer moving bikes (both pedal and motor) and then went to a family portrait session that same afternoon. Hopefully Eric will be updating the website soon. I keep saying that, for months now, and it still has yet to happen. hmmmm

It is bedtime, but I must print the Father's Day photos super quick first. Sorry, cant post those here yet... it will ruin the surprise. Good Night

Memorial Day Photos

As promised, here are the photos from Memorial Day, in which Isabelle rode, with help from our friend Mark, and she had an absolute BLAST!!!

We made sure of all the safety precautions, as you can see... and adult riding with her, and a very large protective helmet.

Tripple Door Concert

Last night I went to the Tripple Door, a theater that has fine dinning, located in Seattle. If you have never been, then I HIGHLY recommend it!!! It is an old 1920's stage theater, refurbished and made into a dinner theater, where you can order from an amazing menu (mostly Asian food), eat and have great conversation, meet people and then enjoy whatever show you came to watch, from the comfort of your booth/table. If you are into concert where dancing or mosh pots are involved, this is not the place for you.

This wonderful night of June 2, 2010, I went to enjoy the amazing sounds of the twisted fiddle AKA the 6 string electric violin of the talented Geoffrey Castle and special guests Beth Quist (amazing vocalist with a 8 octave voice) and Dan Connoly (guitarist). The opening act was the most talented Gothard Sisters, who are three young ladies that are great Irish dancers and on top of that, fiddle players too!

Over all, it was an amazing night!

Something that I found very hard to do... take photos during a concert. All sorts of cameras were aloud (videos, stills, etc) however NO flash! Ok, no problem... but that made all the photos I took SUPER dark and on top of that the random colors of stage lights proved hard to work with after the fact as well. So these are a few of the photos I took that I was able to work with.

Hopefully I will get more chances to practice taking concert photos too, after much research first.

Memorial Day Weekend

The long weekend was nice! Well, the part of it that Eric was home for 4 days was nice. The part that the monsoon type weather never let up, not so nice... all our plans of doing things around the house, well more out in the yard, (like lawn mowing) did not happen.

We know I am attempting to build a sandbox for the kids, and I am so close… but due to the rain mainly (and the fact that I don’t like circular saws and have to wait for hubby to cut some wood), but again, mainly the rain, it is taking forever!!! It will be a very cool sandbox and a unique one too, when it is done. No kid will have one like it. Originally to be a 8x8, it is now closer to a 9x9 but no side is the same length. ;) The dimensions are off, on all accounts, however it is level. Really all that is left to do is make–shift a massive cover for it and then dump in the sand and then play. Like I said… so close. Good thing I did not go into construction of any sort. hahaha I did spend some hours out there working on it, even in the rain... but... maybe next weekend it will get done and then I will post some pics of it.

Isabelle had another first this weekend... hmmm... Pics will come of this too. I did not bring my camera with me to the BBQ we went to, since it was raining... I didn't think I would 'need' it. Well, I really should have. Good thing my friend had hers!!! While being safe and wearing a very large helmet, Isabelle went on her first motorcycle ride. It was just around our friend's property and of course our friend Mark went with her... drove the bike really and she just held on. :) She had a BLAST! It was on one of those little bikes that I guess you can put training wheels on (another friend so generously pointed out).

It was a good weekend.

And it is still raining...

Graduation

Yup, Sweet cousin Sophia has graduated...

... from Pre-School

Break Time

Sandbox building and digging was hard work, so we had some breaks on the deck... of course little kids these days have way more energy then us oldies.

My daughter, a comercial for strawberry milk and
TRM Wood Products!

Love It!

Run, Run, Run around the deck... what about resting during a break???

Smiles all around

Isabelle insisted that she take one of me with the hat on too.... after about 5 tries, this one came out pretty centered. She loves the small camera and is getting fairly good at getting the subject in the frame... sometimes.

The entire afternoon, Sweet William was sleeping in his stroller in the deck.

Sandbox Progress

Before we begin with the sandbox, we must show off another play area that is in the back yard. All the flowers were planted by Isabelle and her favorite are the flowers in the in the little red wagon that she can pull around the yard with her... thanks for the loan of the wagon Liz and Matt... she is taking wonderful care of it while you are away.

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Sandbox time!!

Placement... someday all that wood in the pile will be moved and/or burned

Helping dig the holes for the corner posts.
Did I mention that this is going to be a MASSIVE sized sandbox!

Posts in holes, ready for concrete!

Mixing and shoveling and putting concrete in the holes.

Daddy's help screwing the sides in place.
Soon after this it started raining and for days, hasn't stopped :P

So, there has been no progress after this point... I'm hoping for Memorial Day weekend weather to go and buy some sand and start playing!

This beautiful sandbox measures slightly larger then 8x8

Yard Work

Isabelle wanted to help out weeding in the rose garden, on one of the two good days that we have had, that was sunny. She was a big help!

Weeds into the princess wheelbarrow and then out to the big hole in the front yard.

Farmers Market

The FarmersMarket in Gig Harbor used to have actual pony rides, but it turns out the guy that did that has since retired and instead there is now a pony cart ride. Isabelle really liked the pony, named HoneyComb, and was thrilled that she got to get the pony to move a tiny bit and 'drive' the cart.

The coat and sweater she is sporting were both mine.

Then she and I both got to ride in the cart around the Market. No, we did not get to actually drive the cart, it was lead around by the owner of the pony.

Isabelle and Grandpa taking a stroll!

Little Angel

There were so many to choose from.

She is such a little angel!

Christening of William Michael

May 16, 2010, we christened William Michael at St Luke's Church in Tacoma

(same place we were married 7 years prior and had Isabelle christened 3 years prior).

He was good, cried in the middle of the ceremony because he got hungry... this kid eats A LOT!

All the family!

During the ceremony, a certain big sister was getting a bit tired.

Kristy and her girls

Man of the hour in his '3 piece suit'

His new straw hat... How Handsome!

Auntie Karen!

Generation Photos

3 Morceau Men

Dad and Grandfathers

4 Generations with the girls