routine walk

Robert and I's parents live just a block apart.  When we visit one set of grandparents, we usually end up visiting the other. This is us on a routine walk from one house to the next.  (pictures are of the way there, then the way back, notice Tabor lost his shirt somewhere in between).  We love visiting the grandparents so regularly!

In the Garden

 raspberries at the great grandparents

 *carrots*bell peppers* tomatoes*

(we also have several herbs, rhubarb, peas, squash, pumpkins, zucchini)

The garden for my kids is pure bliss.  It is a constant snack bar.  They have been snacking on raspberries, blueberries and sugar snap peas.  Our tomatoes & bell peppers are about to ripen and become their newest chow.  I really enjoy gardening, although my thumb is not naturally green.  I am slowly learning.  In another 25 years I will be an expert.

good old time

I loved loved loved Pioneer Day.  We did different pioneer chores in order to earn our dinner.  Our chores included... scrubbing clothes on a wash board, archery, sifting for gold, churning butter, hammering, fishing and grinding wheat.  Taking a break from our chores, the kids were able to get a couple of rounds of stick pulling in.

where kids should be

I am a firm believer that kids should be outdoors. Not just on a soccer field or going down a slide, but in places that men have not tampered with.  Places they can observe bugs and animals, pick berries and collect sticks.  Directly across the street from our house is a trail through the forest. We visit it daily.  Tabor begs to visit it two or three times a day.  It is where kids want to be.  These pictures are in my grandma's backyard.  She has the highest house on the mountain so her backyard is never ending. As kids we would take hikes back there.  It is a haven for me.  Somewhere I can forget the worries of everyday life.  I love it.  I also love farms.  I probably should have been born 50+ years ago.  Forest and farms were certainly easier to find back then. 

occupying time

This entertained her for a long time.  Try it!

Big Like Korver

Tabor's recent obsession is his cousin Korver.  Korver is older, bigger and POTTY TRAINED.  Watching Korver run off to the potty has sparked Tabor's interest and he has been asking to sit on the potty as well.  He now wears boxer briefs.  In 3 days he has only had 3 accidents.  Once a day, not bad!  He even woke up dry last night.  Hip Hip Hooray!

&

 Tabor has always CLUNG to us while in the water.  He saw Korver swimming all by himself and since then he says "I want to do it myself, like Korver".  And he does. 

   

Thank You Korver

lake sammamish

My heart would break if my kids didn't love my blessed lake Sammamish.  Luckily it revitalizes them as it does me.  It is what my summers consisted of as a child/teenager.  I don't think there is anything more refreshing then being flipped off the tube or having Robert throw me into the water (as long as it is warm out).  It is fun to go out on the tube with my kids and see them love what I love.

Whidbey Island

Robert has a gift for finding and using his hands to catch all sorts of animals.  At the lake he will catch ducks, turtles, fish etc.  In our yard he catches frogs, bugs, snakes, baby birds etc. He has caught many seagulls on the waterfront in Seattle.  And the kids LOVE to observe his finds.  Last Friday we rode the ferry over to Whidbey Island and scouted out the beach.  We found crabs, star fish, a fish under a rock guarding it's eggs (picture #5), and clams.

my crazies on the fourth

Our fourth of july was super busy.  We left "the great grandma's" at 7 p.m. in hopes of going to the lake to set off a few of our own fireworks (little ones of course) before heading out on the boat to watch a firework show.  Out of my sister and I's 6 kids, 5 of them fell asleep in the car ride. We didn't dare wake them.  So Tabor was the only child to see the fireworks.  It was more peaceful that way :)  Don't feel too bad for them... we did a mini firework show at grandmas the next day.

observers

Pepper would prefer a park full of children to play with.  Tabor not so much.  Although, he does LOVE to stand back and people watch.  He notices everything and is very sensitive to what other people are feeling- but he isn't quite sure how to help when a stranger is sad.  Usually he comes to me and tells me to go help.  He avoids contention at all costs (just at the park... with his sisters he is perfectly fine with contention).  Socially he reminds me a lot of myself. This day at the park Pepper decided to try out people watching with Tabor.  It only lasted for a couple minutes, until she joined the other kids on the slide, but I thought it was so cute how he put his arm around her.

art

We have been doing several art projects lately.  Tabor usually waits for instructions and Pepper just goes for it.  When using crayons she usually colors within the lines and is very neat and tidy.  When it comes to painting she has her own ideas. She is all over the place. Notice the up-side-down plate full of paint she was smearing all over her shirt? Anyhow... Tabor's shirt turned out well. And messy haired Pep thought hers turned out fabulous.