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!

The Happiest Place On Earth

Finally I'm posting our Disneyland pictures, it was a little overwhelming because I have so many pictures!  And I didn't realize I only got like one of Reese.  Estelle got to meet lots of princesses.  We've never done that so it was really exciting for her!

 Ingrid and I even got in a couple them.

 Lane and Estelle in the forest adventure area.  Can't remember the name.  It's a fun place for the kids to fun around and it was right next to our hotel.

 My sweet pea Ingrid and I, she did so good.  Really easy going most of the time.

 Kristen and girls met us a couple times because they live so close by.  It was great to see them and for them to meet Ingrid!

 Kyle and Leah's family met us for a half day as well.   I am so excited for all of our girls to grow up together!

 Watching the World of Color show.  I love that show!

 The last day Estelle had a Elsa makeover in the Anna and Elsa Boutique.

 Gorgeous!  And then we went straight over to meet Anna and Elsa!  They were so fun and talked to Estelle a lot.  She was loving it!

 Me and the kids on the Cars ride.  I love that one.

Lane, Ingrid and I on the carousel.  He was pretty pumped about it ;)

Our trip was fun and much needed.  Disneyland might really be the happiest place on earth.  Our family loves it there.  Lots of great memories were made, and Estelle was at such a great age for it.  It's really magical for her!  Lane loves all the big rides and Reese takes him on all those while I take the girls to princess stuff.  It works out well.

San Diego, How I've Missed You

We decided to stay home for Christmas, but we left on New Years Eve for Southern California.  We spent the first half in San Diego and the second half at Disneyland.  We flew into Orange County and let me say that the sun on my face as we drove to San Diego that day was glorious!

 Me and my boy in Old Town San Diego.  I have many memories here.  On Sundays we would sometimes just head there, have lunch, go to a candy store etc.  Lane loved to roam around in the little park area and climb trees.  Reese and I actually spent our "honeymoon" in Old Town.  I met him on a long weekend in San Diego for our honeymoon, a month after we were married :)

 We got to our hotel that afternoon.  This was our view from the room.  I will never tire of looking at San Diego bay.

 The next day we headed over to our old stompin' grounds!  We met some friends at the park in housing that we used to play at all the time.  It's just outside of our old house, the house that holds so many memories.  It was just nice being back, among friends.  Lane and his buddies, Daniel, Seth and Max got to hang out.  As well as my good friends Katie's kids Paige and Blake, Lane hadn't seen them in 4 years!

 Estelle and her buddy Cara and Katie's daughter Reese, who we all got to meet for the first time!

 Me, Susan, Kelly, and Katie.  These girls saw me through some very hard times in my life, as well as some very joyous ones!  I love each of them for many reasons and they hold such special place in my heart.  I was so excited for them to meet Ingrid too! Oh and that is my old house in the background :)

 Then we headed over to my friend Kaysia's house.  Estelle and Emmy picked up right where they left off!  And so did the older kids for that matter.  And they all loved Ingrid :)  We planned a big surprise for Emmy.  She had no idea Estelly was coming and Estelle went and rang the doorbell.  Emerson seemed a little shocked and confused more than surprised :)  Emmy didn't want much to do with Ingrid, she told Kaysia she didn't really care for babies, but it looks as if she put a "baby in her tummy" before  I took this picture.  But that is the last memories she had of me before they moved, big and pregnant!

 The next day we headed over to our friends Kyle and Leah's.  We were so excited to see how our girls would play together!  They hadn't seen each other in 2 years.  They are 4 days apart and they had great fun together! And I notice Estelle's hair had been styled by Lucy before the picture!  Charlie and Lane hung out a bit too.  Charlie always loved coming over and hanging out with big boy Lane back in the day.  Now Charlie is a big boy!  Hard to believe.

 Lucy loved Ingrid, she also loves her little sister Evelyn who is about 6 months older than Ingrid.  I think those girls will have lots of fun together in the year ahead!

 The last morning we were there we took a walk from the hotel to the park that we had spent a lot of time at.  Lane played baseball there and I took lots of walks with the babies in the stroller etc.  Oh and Lane checked out the skatepark that he would like to frequent when we move back :)

 Estelle just couldn't wait to walk barefoot in the sand!  So we headed down to the beach later on that day.

 I think she'll fit in just fine in CA when we get back!

 Cool kid on the rocks, that kids has always loved climbing on rocks!

Me and my sweet Ingrid.