summer at crystal.

today we drove down to crystal mountain. it is our fave winter playground for skiing, and nathan has always wanted to go down there in the summer and check it out. we rode the chairlift to the top....it was a gorgeous, sunny day for it.


the chairlift ride up.


this made me want to break out in song a little.....oh wait! i DID break out in song, i felt all maria-like and belted out a few strains from "the hills are alive" LOL

up at the top we stopped for a potty-break and had a snack. this little beggar was quite brazen, and ran right over nathan's boot one time.


i wanted to do an animation of him eating the pringle LOL but was too lazy to figure out how to actually do it. and i only had the 2 pics and i didn't know if that was enough :)



there were some women along the way out for a ride with their horses. they told the kids they could pet them, but sam was too scared. those were the BIGGEST dogs he had ever seen :) i had no problem gettin' right up on in there though!


katie and "nugget"


me and "shotgun"


mt. rainier. even through the clouds, it looks majestic.

we hiked back down the mountain. probably not the BEST idea for my shin splints, but the views were unbeatable and we all enjoyed the wildlife along the way.













thanks for looking!

kitsap lake.

i &hearts this one of austin (stolen from wendy)


katie loved the rope swing....wish it had come out just a little clearer....ah well.


sam preferred the tire.


helping the littles with their life vests (stolen from wendy)


rollin' in our paddle-wagon


future swim teacher-in-training?


my friend wendy and her cutie kaylee


the kiddos out on the floating dock


sam....refusing to cooperate and just give me a cute smile.....






*WARNING*


do NOT attempt this at home.




he is a trained professional.

thanks for looking!

whaling days 2010.

some pics from this weekend.....my mom came down to help with the kids because nathan was out of town. i ran in the "whale of a race" saturday morning and set a new personal record....4 miles in 31:17 (for those of you keeping track that is a 7.82 minute mile, UNHEARD of for me, i'm usually a 9.5 minute miler on a good day :)



then i met up with my mom, katie and sam to watch the parade. austin marched in it as he does every year with his scout troop.





i love the whaling days parade....they always have lots of fun entries, and they're one of the only parades around that actually throw out candy and goodies (hence, making it my kids favorite parade as well.)




i love this guy, i always want to hug him!


cool hearse for the "haunted fairgrounds" entry


purty!!


the roller derby chicks scare me just a little....


this cute little number kept winking at me ;) (the car, not the girl)


and sparky the fire dog was waving at me.....score! a cute firefighter flirting with me! LOL


how sam viewed much of the parade. whenever someone would honk their really loud horn, or rev their engines, he'd cover his ears.


this was supposed to be me and my mom, but sam weaseled in. note: random sticker on my arm placed there by one of my kids.

after the parade we went down to the street fair. we found a shady grassy spot to sit and take in the views and listen to the band that was playing.


our gorgeous view.


sam, enjoying the afternoon.

thanks for looking!

our chuck-e-cheese-o-rama.

today i met up with a bunch of girlfriends and their kiddos to hang out at chuck e. cheese....a great way to kill an afternoon, i must say! we were proabably there a good 4+ hours.....


sam rollin' with his homie chuck e. (whom he kept calling "mickey mouse" LOL)


hamster much?


our lil' gamer girlz :)


aw, dimi offered to play air hockey with sam.....


but then he ditched her halfway through the game and his bro had to fill in for him.


sam goes for a ride in the jeep.....


while gabby chooses a more "eco-friendly" ride. (as the creepy clock stares on...)


our whole gang together! thanks ladies for the fun afternoon!