Bear Viewing Trip

We had an amazing opportunity to go bear viewing in August.  We have lived here for almost 3 years and I had only seen one bear and the kids hadn't seen any.  We left Ingrid with a babysitter and we headed out to the Katmai Peninsula on a float plane.  The flight was beautiful.  We were flying over a beach and I looked down and there were two bears running along the beach.   I was a little nervous that when Estelle saw bears that she would get scared, but she really didn't seem to care.

 The first bears we saw were the two behind us in the picture below.  The one bear next to the seagull was the laziest little fisher.  He just hung out on the shore and watched the fish swim, his head moving back and forth, back and forth.  Every once in a while he'd take a swipe at one.  The other bear was running all over the river catching fish.

 They were so close at times.  These bears are quite used to human just standing there taking pictures of them so they could care less that we were there.  Of course we respected their space, but if they came nearer to us we just kind of hung back and let them do their thing.

 This mom and her first year cub were my favorite!!  Look at that little one standing!! It was the cutest thing.

 This guy was quite the fisherman!

 We saw a total of like 12 or 13 bears the 2 hours we were out there.  It was amazing, I really don't have the words to describe it.

 It started raining quite hard toward the end.  Estelle doesn't really like to be wet or cold.  But we all had a great time.  It is certainly something I will remember for the rest of my life and hope the kids will too!

Our Annual Summer Trip to WA: 2015 Edition

I took the kids by myself to Washington this summer.  The flying was tiring, but it went smoothly.  Ingrid for the most part was good, busy, but atleast she didn't scream.  Our time there was packed full of events.  One of Reese's cousins got married in Seattle, my Grandma's 80th birthday party, and we headed over to Moses Lake for 3 nights too.

Girls picking blackberries at Grandpa Jim's

Before we went to the wedding we met Kelly and family at Chuck E. Cheese.  Good times!  Those two boys have been friends since preschool and I'm so thankful that I got a great friend in his mama out of that deal!  Kelly loves my girls and my girls love her too!

 Ingrid is the selfie queen, we totally practice at home.

 Later on that day we headed to the wedding.  I am so happy that my kids have so many cousins on both sides!  Grandma and Grandma (aka Mop and Poopa, aka Papa and Mimi) loved having those kid there I'm sure!

 Abby, Estelle, and Raylan

 My Grandma's 80th birthday!  She is amazing!  What a wonderful example she has been to us all.  So thankful for her!

 Those boys... 12, 11 and 10 what in the world?  And where did that 9 year old Will run off to?  They have so much fun together!

 I got a good one of these two!

 Daniel, Lane, Merit and Will (there he is)!  Kelly's family also met us in Moses Lake!  Hanging out at the arcade and in Vance and Michele's yard was a fun time!

 The water park the next day!

 The cousins!!  Kinda hard to get all 10 of them to cooperate.  But a great picture none the less!

 My three munchkins!

 During our down time, which wasn't much, we enjoyed hanging out in Grandpa's yard.  After Ingrid would go to bed we would sometimes take an evening golf cart ride around the 40 acres I grew up on.  Good times.

One of the last days we met Mop and Amanda and kids out at Beachwood to swim.  I wish I would have gotten a picture of Ingrid in the water.  She loves it!  I also wish I would've taken more picture of my girlfriends and their kids!!!  Anya, Lindsey, Kyrsten and Joelle.... we didn't take any "usies"!!!!  What in the world were we thinking!  I think every year this trip gets a little harder to accomplish, especially when Reese doesn't come.  But the memories we make are worth it!  Someday we will look back and think we were crazy for taking a million kids to an arcade or waterpark, etc.  But it was some good times anyway!

Ingrid's 1st Birthday!

 Ingrid turned one a while back.  But since August was probably one of the busiest craziest months on record, I am just now posting some pictures!  We had a little party for her and a boy who was turning 5 with a couple other families here.  It was fun, Ingrid seemed to like the attention, presents, and cake.

 We decorated cupcakes,

 Hung out with our friends,

And opened presents.  We had a pinata too but Ingrid didn't feel like doing that, she didn't want to be too much of a show off with her mad pinata beating skills.

 Estelle always enjoys decorating for a party and just parties in general.

 Ingrid's first birthday cake!  And we had to do it up right "Natasha style" with some cupcake sugar cookies!  Happy Birthday Ingrid!  You are pretty much the sweetest baby girl I know!