A Quick Trip to the Safari Park

Every Wednesday my kids have a minimum day so last week I picked them up, we got In & Out for lunch and we headed up to the Safari Park.  It was probably our last trip there before we move because our passes expire at the end of February.  Estelle has been begging to feet the Lorikeets in this big aviary.  Every time we go they say that they aren't eating because they're too full or last time there was construction around them so they were to afraid to eat.  So this was her time.  Anyone who knows me well, knows I don't care for birds much, but I usually pretend like I'm fine just so I don't pass my fear of birds on to my kids!  So she was feeding one and it was sitting on her arm and she was over it.  So she asked if I could take the little cup of food from her.  Oh my.  They were all over me!  I had a slight terror inside of me that one would try to peck my face off, but I stayed calm.  We also got to watch the cheetah run which we had never seen.  And the highlight of the day was seeing a gorilla eat it's own poop.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I could hardly handle it.  Ingrid was the first the first to notice it and yelled "EWWWWWW."  Estelle didn't realize what was going on until we were in the car driving home!  These kids!

Seriously.... All over me!!  Can you see the one on my back.  I had like 5 or 6 on me at once.  Deep breathing I tell ya!

She was so cute holding that little baby in her arms and then she had to eat her own poop.

Love these three!

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!

Hockey 2014-2015

Lane had a fun season of hockey this year.  It lasted from November through March 11th!  Whew!  He did really good and learned a lot!  He can skate so well, backwards weaving through cones, impressive to me!  He got a hat-trick award (3 goals in one game).  He says it's his favorite sport, so I guess we will continue it when we get to San Diego!

 Sitting in the penalty box :)

 Getting an award.

Lane in action!

Halloween 2014

 Our annual pumpkin carving.  Lane does his own now, which I love.  Estelle chose a Tiana pumpkin.

 My dork and the lovely queen Elsa.  This is right before we went trick or treating, it snowed earlier in the day and then it poured, it was wonderful...

 A sweet little chili pepper.  I had another chili pepper once too (Link to Case the chili pepper)

 Reese's work had the Halloween party again the weekend before.  The kids had fun and Elsa even had her sister Anna there!!

Lane's Birthday

 Lane was super excited about his presents this year!  He is really into skateboarding so that was pretty much the theme of things.

 Lane got one of Tony Hawks biography books.  He really likes him, and he's met him so that's even cooler!  (Meeting Tony Hawk Link)

 Tech Decks are all the rage, pretty sure they had those when I was a kid.  He got a tech deck half pipe from us and another ramp from grandma.  He also got a trick scooter that he's been riding in garage, along with a new pogo stick!

 Later in the day he had 6 friends over.  I was a little worried about how these kids would be entertained, but it was a nice day and they played outside mostly.  They swung on the buoy swing, played in the woods and did the zip line.  Easiest party ever.

Lane wanted a skateboarding theme for his party.  So in true Natasha form, I decided to make a skateboard cake.  It was actually really easy, one more cake feat under my belt.

Love this 10 year old boy!!  I really like the kind friend he is and (usually) the kind big brother he is.  ;)

Happy Birthday Lane!

 How did this little baby boy grow up to be 10 years old!?!  What a blessing he has been to Reese and I.  He has been such a great big brother to all of his siblings!  These girls are so lucky to have him as a big brother and protector.  He's is a great friend and cousin, athlete and student. I look forward to watching him grow in the next 10 years, what an adventure it will be!

 Lane and Case

 Lane and Estelle

Lane, Ingrid and Estelle