Summer 2010: Part 3

Fourth Of July.

This year for the fourth we stayed home and had Jenn, Danny and the girls over.  In addition to our little party there were many more going on on the street.  In the end it ended up being a big block party.  Which is when the real fun happens anyway.

Hayden throwing super pop-its.

They were as loud as a real firecracker.

Sparkler time!

Hayden lighting a smoke bomb.

Phedora's turn to light one.

Now its Ella's turn.

Getting a little help lighting it.

Time for some bottle rockets.

Hayden turned into quite the little pyro as the day went on.

Phedora's turn to light one.

Ready for the show to start.

Phedora, Rosa and Kaeli.

Coloring, her favorite past time.

Ready for some nighttime sparklers.

kissy kissy.

Its dark, Its time.

Let the fun begin!

Around The House.

What?  I wasn't sucking my thumb.

Peas for sale $0.05 each

Selling her peas.

Our bulbs bloomed.

I just wish I could remember what they were called so we could buy more.

They sure are pretty!

More backyard blooms.

Playing with Ayla.

Originally Hayden and Ayla were pulling Phedora.

Phedora had a hard time as a puller though.

This was so cute.

I wish I could have gotten a video,

but the camera batteries were too dead for that.

Picnic with Ayla.

Please come play with me.

Such a pretty girl.

County Village.

Arr, he's a pirate now.

Finally we get to go on a train ride!

Phedora and Sophia getting their seat belts on.

Hayden and Diego getting theirs on too.

All Aboard!  The train is heading out.

Silverlake Beach.

On Thursday mornings we go over to the Silverlake park for their children's concert series.  Since this particular park doesn't allow dogs we don't usually stay long.  However it was such a nice day we had to stay and play with our friends Jenn, Ella, Layla and Norah.

Robe Canyon Hike.

It tooks us two attempts to make this hike, but it was worth the wait.  Our first trip up to Robe Canyon began great like any other trip.  We got all our water and snacks together and headed out.  We made it all the way to just outside of Granite Falls, when Phedora showed us that she was wearing flip flops rather than socks and shoes like we had told her to put on.  We took a quick drive out to the area of Robe Canyon and then came home.  The next weekend we made sure that Phedora had on proper shoes and headed back up again.  Robe Canyon used to be a mining town and the hike that we were making was along the old railroad track.  We followed the trail for as long as we could.  Once we got to the point that the trail was closed beyond we hiked down to the river to have our snack and play a little.  While all the reviews we read said that this was a kid friendly hike (and it was, for the most part) I wouldn't consider it to be that friendly.  But it was an experience and one that was worth it.

Starting out on the trail.

Hiking along.

Trying to find a good place to take pictures and get down by the river.

This is as close as we are going to get for now.

Our Family.

Nature is beautiful.

The old railroad track.

The end of the legally hike able trail.

We made it to the river!

Isis cooling off a bit, it was hot out!

Exploring the cave under the railroad tracks.

He's King of the River.

Having her favorite snack.

Blueberries and Cashews.

Hayden spotted this little whirlpool.

The loves of our lives.

This tree was growing out the side of the cliff.

Absolutely Beautiful!

Kla Ha Ya Days.

We went with our neighbors The Pishue's to Kla Ha Ya days, well kind of.  We went to the Kla Ha Ya days carnival.  We went up to the actual festival afterwards but decided to skip it when we realized how far we were going to have to walk to get there.  We were all pretty tired from playing at the carnival all day, so we just went home and enjoyed our evening.

Phedora loves carousels.

Hayden and Dan went on this ride first thing.

Hayden didn't like it so Dan had them stop.

I have to say Phedora and I went on it too and I didn't much care for it either.

Riding the roller coaster with Niko.

Phedora loves anything that goes fast and spins.

Phedora and I on that ride that Hayden didn't like.

Aww, Hayden turned into a clown.

Bumper Cars were so much fun!

I have never had so much fun on a carnival ride.

Berry Picking.

The kids and I decided on a whim that we should go pick some berries.  So we headed up to Arlington and pick raspberries first.  I had forgotten just how absolutely amazing fresh picked raspberries are.  I cannot wait to go back again next year, or maybe even better we plant a few of our own raspberry bushes.

Picking some yummy raspberries.

They were so good, we couldn't stop eating them.

She loves them.

So does he, as you can see he has eaten quite a few.

After we had picked ourselves more than 10 pounds of raspberries and probably eaten close to 2 pounds between the three of us we headed back down to Snohomish to pick blueberries.  I am not sure what made me think that this was a good idea, but alas I did.  The kids were in no mood to be picking blueberries as they were tired apparently from the raspberries.  But we managed and came away with about 7 pounds of blueberries.  I think we need to go back though as now we are out of the fresh blueberries and almost out of raspberries.  We didn't pick nearly enough.  Lucky for us there are still blueberries to be had.  Though its supposed to get up into the 90's this weekend so I doubt we are going to want to go picking.  But we will see.

Blueberries are next.

This is not as much fun as raspberries.

Can we go?

We got a lot of blue berries though.

And Raspberries!