Way to go Jeff, Toby, Dan & Kara!

June 27- Padden Triathalon, Sprint Division....

1/2 Mile Swim
21 Mile Cycle Ride
5.2 Mile Run

74 degree weather
4 proud spectators
1 borrowed bicycle (Thanks Roger! I owe you big time :-))
1 Orca Tri Wet Suit
4 trips to Lake Padden
3 friends cheering
4 friends competing
217 photos taken (is it okay that I tell you this or are you gonna turn me in for an addiction?)
531...Jeff's number
66 Jeff's overall placement out of 240 participants
All for this day...1 single day....of excitement
1 very happy man
Good Job Jeff, Toby, Dan & Kara....you guys are an inspiration!

A Very Happy Friday

It was a beautiful day to have a birthday! I had lots of phone calls in the morning and that made me feel very blessed to have such great friends. One dear friend even snuck around to find out that my favorite coffee is a coconut carmel Machiato (sp??) and that I like raspberry scones and then brought one in the morning for me to enjoy (even though it was her sons birthday on Friday too and she probably had a gazillion things to do!)

Then we went to swimming lessons which is always a treat (when it isn't raining :-) ) The kids have such nice families in their classes....the Mhyres, the Timmers, the Muljats, the De Ruyters, the Honcoops....seriously! Such nice kids! They have learned so much this year! I can honestly say that I feel like I could take Micah to the pool now and not have to put his life jacket on...that is a huge horray!!!! I wouldn't trust him to go in the lake or ocean...but we are making serious progress!

Anyway, after swim lessons the kids and I met Jeannie at the park. Bless her heart, she had made some phone calls to various friends and asked them to come celebrate my birthday with me. I felt so loved! We had sack lunches and let the kids play down by the water. What a great afternoon!

Jeff had arranged for Jeannie to have the kids on Friday night so we could go out. So I got home around 4 and Jeff was there and ready to leave on our date. We went out to Birch Bay and sat down at the State Park. It was so warm and beautiful out there! We had dinner later at C.J.'s.....the best meal I think I have ever eaten....crab stuffed halibut in a bernaise sauce with fresh vege's and a super yummy shrimp salad! What a treat! Then we came back to get the kids and headed home. Jeff and I watched the movie "Radio" and I give it 2 thumbs up! We borrowed it from the Library which (in my humble opinion) made it even better-FREE :-)

I am so richly blessed! I know this coming week could be very turbulent with some things that have been going on for Jeff and of course raspberry harvest beginning. Thank you Lord for giving us some time to sit down and sort things out and thanks too for giving me such a wonderful husband who I admire so very much! I am 35 years blessed today!

Happy Daddy's Day!

So every year I ask my kids these questions....I love all their answers but we quickly forget all they said. Not this year! I made a special little desk book for Jeff that contains all their answers this year. It is small enough that he can have it on his desk at work. I really like the way it turned out. I made one for my dad too and think I may make one for my father-in-law soon!

Here are some of the questions and answers:

My dad reads:
Taylor: Fortune Magazine
Hailey: the Bible
Micah: books to me

I wish my dad:
Taylor: would always get to stay home with us

Hailey: got home earlier
Micah: could bring me to Hawaii again!

My dad likes to:
Taylor: Spend time with his family
Hailey: Play with Sadie & me
Micah: Go swimming at Lake Padden

My dad is super when he:
Taylor: Takes me out on daddy daughter dates
Hailey: Swims in the pool with me (but he never does)
Micah: brings me to boys night out

My dad’s favorite sport is:
Taylor: Soccer
Hailey: Soccer
Micah: Road Biking

My dad’s favorite color is:
Taylor: Blue
Hailey: The Mountain Skies (periwinkle blue)
Micah: Black

My dad likes it when I:
Taylor: cuddle with him in the morning
Hailey: cuddle with him and laugh and watch a movie
Micah: clean the garage with him and mow the lawn with him

Dad’s should always….
Taylor: have ticklish feet & like dogs
Hailey: be happy and safe

Micah: bring us to go camping and to Hawaii

Dad’s should never…..
Taylor: Leave home without their family knowing it (like abandon their family)
Hailey: hurt themselves
Micah: take drugs

Micah serenaded Jeff while he was served breakfast in bed....blackberry scones with whip cream, a carmel latte, and fresh fruit.

Our King!

Then we got dressed and went to church. My parents joined us. After church we went to their house and celebrated some more!

A daddy worth celebrating!

Starting Swim Lessons

This was the big week! So glad we were able to get into the June session! It is nice for the kids to have the rest of the summer to practice what they've learned! Linda Bode is amazing and the kids love her!

Back to Padden

After fishing we headed back to Lake Padden for another practice swim. Jeff will be competing the day after my birthday in the Padden Triathalon Sprint Division. He will swim 1/2 mile, bike 21 miles, and then run 5.2 miles or twice around the lake. We will be his number 1 fans although I think we will need some special treats or coffee to wake up that early! :-)

We missed it!

These are pictures from after the fishing derby that Micah has been talking about for nearly a year. You see, he is finally old enough to participate and he has been so excited for it! So the day before the derby I asked my mom if dad was ready to go and she told me that it wasn't gonna be this weekend. She said it wasn't in the paper and everyone she knew said it wasn't this weekend. So we went to bed figuring we would wait until we knew when it was gonna be held. Next morning she calls to tell us that we have missed it! Seriously...what a bummer! But she and dad made it up to the kids by taking them to fish in the afternoon. They had a great time and she got some great shots! I guess there is always next year!