Vacation Bible School

My kids have had a lazy, no real vacation, just stay at home and play kind of summer. When Tabatha's best friend Madison and her mom invited us for the third year in a row to a Vacation Bible near their house, I decided that a week of singing songs and learning of Jesus couldn't hurt. In fact, I ended up signing them up to a second one that Alicia's Preschool set up through their church.

Both were a lot of fun, but this one was more contemporary. We got a CD of the music the sang, the girls learned Bible versus and the story of Moses through videos and songs, and all in all we may have to do it again.

Don't worry, they aren't Lutheran now, but the week long camp offered inexpensive t-shirts and the girls loved fitting in with the other kids. Now they use them as their new pajamas.

The battle of the Floss

My girls look so great in the first picture, but then the torture began. It my not look like it in these pictures, but the girls love having their teeth flossed. This is the first time they wanted to lay down together for this nightly ritual, and it hasn't happened again (this was on July 7, 2009). For some reason they wanted something different. I am glad I got a picture because they crack me up sometimes with what they like to do.

Ken's English Department Graduation - June 10, 2009

On Wednesday, June 10, Ken walked in his English departments graduation. He looks wonderful in that graduation cap and gown. Well not only was it a milestone for Ken, but it was also a wonderful example for our children. Both Tabatha and Alicia wanted to join in the fun. Tabatha was at the English graduation, but Alicia only came to the big one at Husky Stadium. These girls are both excited to be college graduates, just like their father. It runs in the family, I just wish I had a graduation picture of me to add to the mix. Don't they look just like their daddy :)

June 12, 2009 - Northwest Trek Field Trip

Ken took Tabatha to Northwest Trek for her 1st grade field trip. Ken said she really enjoyed it, and although I missed it, I enjoy these pictures of a mostly daddy daughter date. Ken said that with so many adults, that it was mostly a group of only three for the day. A little girl named Daniella is also in the pictures and was part of their group.

Ken finally Graduated - YEAH!!!

This post is one of exuberant happiness for Ken and me. After many years of struggling, Ken has finally received his Bachelor's Degree from the prestigious University of Washington. Not only was I proud, but Tabatha and Alicia came to congratulate him, as well as both sets of parents, and Ken's sister Debra and family. In all our big gang needed three cars t get us all there, and we had a hard time sitting through the almost four hour commencement ceremony, but I wouldn't complain for the world. It has happened, the world did not end, and Ken now has a BA. It was a proud moment for all of us. We commemorated with a BBQ afterwards, and my sister Stephanie and brother Matthew and their families joined us.

Out with the Brown, In with the Green

We have slowly getting the brown out of our house, and we are proud to be able to say we have a beautifully painted, dark olive green color for a house, with red accents and white trim instead of a brown, with darker brown trim, and a brown door. It has made us feel like we are in a whole new house, and we love it. We had to forego a summer vacation to Hawaii (or anywhere else for that matter) in order to have the Martinson brothers come and scrape, wash, detail, and paint the house. They did a great job and we are very happy with the results.

Fourth of July

In years past, we would go to Celebration Park to celebrate our fourth of July festivities with Kens family, as well as mine. This year my brother Matthew was out of town, and so were Kens parents. Since Celebration Park was so boring last year, we decided to try and do our own fireworks in front of our house in the cul-de-sac. My dad was kind enough to buy sparklers and a box of fireworks, but the best fireworks seemed to come from the neighbors yards where illegal fireworks were aplenty. The kids didn't care who lit off the big bangs, they just wanted to watch. I think it was a near perfect evening of kids learning about sparklers, large

bangs going off all around us, and having a fun time. We never knew sparklers could make sure fun pictures. The only down side was that our niece Katie has been sick. She left in tears at around 10 PM. The BBQ we put on, the sprinklers throughout the evening, and the fireworks wore her out, but for my kids it ended beautifully and even with it being well past their bedtimes, they stayed up looking out the window to see the neighbors fireworks that didn't stop until early the next day.