Good Morning Campers

Day 2 - 5am wake up time.  We are the family that everyone hates because we let the kids out of the RV at 5:55am.

Reade's camp outfit.

Last Days

Here is Reade's preschool portrait:

Today he is a free man:

Today is Blake's last day of Kindergarten.  He smiled in the next picture I took, but it was blurry so this is the best we all get.  We have enjoyed our time at North Beach, but are moving onto another school in the Fall (more about that later!).  Big guy:

Cultural Care Au Pair

I got a part time job and put in my first working hours.  It feels good to be dusting off a back portion of my brain and getting it back in working order.

I am now a Local Childcare Consultant for Cultural Care Au Pair.

I learned about this position when I was a nanny back in Livermore, CA.  I was friends with au pairs and one of them told me I would be a great LCC.  I am really excited to be working in a liaison position between families and au pairs.  If you aren't familiar with au pairs, think of them as foreign exchange students who take care of children instead of focusing on school (although they do have educational requirements while here).  If you know of anyone looking to explore the option of having an au pair then keep me in mind.  I can direct them to the right place!!!  The wonderful thing about this position is it is a work-from-home position with super flexible hours.  I can start small now and gain more hours when Piper gets into preschool.  

Italian Food

I have a lot of chores to finish.  So why am I spending so much time reading this hilarious blog?:

survivinginitaly.com

Hop on Pop

Happy Father's Day

I was super excited to call my father this morning to tell him that I got tickets for him to be at next year's U.S. Open since it will be held on a golf course near Seattle.  The tickets are for the last Sunday and it happens to fall on Father's Day 2015.  Win Win!  My dad deserves so much for remaining calm and having so much patience with me and my new loud crew.  I love him.

And then there is my husband...

Father to three kids who adore him and hang on his every word.  I am so lucky to have chosen a man to head up my brood who: makes everyone smile and laugh with his wit, would rather spend time with family than alone, knows the answers to 92% of everything, is coordinated enough to play the majority of sports in the world, puts up with the woman of the house's whims, and is excited about all of the potential having to do with children's ages and stages.

They have an idea, but they have no idea how lucky they are to have such a wonderful father.

Happy Father's Day Andrew.

We love you.

::sorry Piper and I spilled beer all over you at your Father's Day dinner::

Sound To Narrows

Piper's birthday evening was spent in a hotel in Tacoma so she could prepare for her first running competition.  

This morning, she participated in Tacoma's Sound To Narrows race.

This was Reade's first 2K running race also.  Here he is with Band-Aids all over because he fell on cement while running around after dinner:

I didn't expect to be running the race, for I seriously thought Reade would walk.  He didn't.  He ran the  majority of it and ran it fast to keep up with Blake.  That meant I had to run up those hills with Piper in the stroller.  I was sweating more than they were:

Go Reade!

We did it!

Andrew ran the 5K portion of the race.  We missed capturing his grand finish on video because Blake was pooping in the porta-potty.  No cowbell, no family, no nothing for Andrew at his finish line!  Sorry.

We all went to bed way too late the night before and woke up way too early for the race.  We started racing at 8am and had to wait until 10:30am for Piper's Diaper Dash.  She didn't want to be around anyone so she sat on the baseball field playing in the sand:

Time for Piper's 20 yard Diaper Dash.  One cranky competitor:

Blake has been obsessed with going to Red Lobster for months now after watching their commercials.  We don't have one in Seattle so I thought it would be fun if we took him there for lunch in Tacoma.  He asked if we brought his swimsuit and needed to get on a plane.  He didn't understand it was a restaurant, but thought it was a beach vacation.  Boy did we ruin him with reality.  At least the server let him pet the lobsters in the tank and watch as they stuck crayons in its pincers:

Happy 2

Piper is Two today!

We threw a video chat birthday party with family at 7:45am this morning.

A morning started with cake and lemonade is always a thrill.

Proof that she is two:

Piper, I love your two-ness.  Here are the things I adore about you right now:

* You are so strong.  Your upper arm strength is amazing.

* You refuse to wear pants and insist on skirts or dresses (I had heard parents saying that, but I didn't really think it happens)

* You love dollies and everything pink.  You watch tons of Batman with your brothers and hear boy stories all day so this too surprises me.

* I love the way you talk and what you say

* You have your dad's wit

* Your skin is so peachy and all I do is pinch your squishy

* You count all the time

* You are loud and screech like a girl

* Are obsessed with doggies

Happy Birthday to my little girl of sweetness.