Long Beach

We made our annual trip to Long Beach again. We made the trek down and we were waiting for the house to be available. We decided to take a walk down to the beach while we waited. We weren't planning on staying very long or getting wet. We went up to the water to put our feet in. I was holding Jake and Tom was standing next to me. A little wave came in and Tom panicked. He started backpedaling and all of a sudden he was on his back laying down in the water kicking and screaming. He was only in a inch or two of water but the little wave was coming in and he wasn't getting up. I grabbed him by his shirt and was barely able to keep his face just out of the water until I could get a good grip and pick him up. He was still kicking and screaming and I was still holding to Jake, but I managed to get him back on the sand and calm him down. Needless to say he did not want to go anywhere near the water the whole rest of the vacation. Jake was still try. I was drenched from the waste down. And of course we had no towel or change of clothes. All I had was a dry sweatshirt for Tom. So that is what he wore back to the house. Fortunately it wasn't too cold or windy...yet...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eMMU8SG5go6cqpT5A

Then the storms came. The power never went out, but it did flicker. We walked down to the beach but barely peaked out of the dune. The sea foam was doing weird stuff where it was piling up like snow drifts. The wind was wiping down the beach and the sand would sting you. It was pretty amazing to watch but you couldn't stay out there because it hurt and it was cold. So we sat up in the dune for a bit and watched. Tom didn't like it much so I walked him back. But Jake was riding in the pack and actually enjoyed it so we went back out for a while to watch the wind some more.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DUy8ZwEu41v7Mijn9

The next couple days we found breaks in the weather where we could go out to the beach. But it was still not very warm and a little windy. So it was a good time to hang out in the dunes and fly kites and play in the sand. Jake got to experience his first face full of sand, but he really enjoyed playing around in the sand.

This trip we did spend a fair amount of time at the house thanks to the weather. But we enjoyed the hot tub and put together puzzles. And Jake treated us to Mickey Mouse and Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog more times than we cared to hear it. We also took the kids to the arcade. Tom was super excited because he got to wear his flight jacket that my mom got from Granny's for the first time. Tom was old enough to understand some of the easier games. I had to lift him up to some of the games but he was able to sort of figure them out. And he made me do dance dance revolution with him even though neither of us were really attempting to follow the directions and we mostly just moved our feet around a bunch. He got so excited about the cars you could sit in that he did a nose dive right into one and got a bloody nose, but he was OK and wanted to keep going.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/orKqLzX6DAmUQk747

Hazy Sunshine

Woke up this morning to a hazy sunshine. It was very cool to see the sun try to burn through the smoke. But it was a reminder how dangerous the forest fires are, especially with both brothers over there in Eastern Washington fighting them.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PuTq8okpRYaCvBy96

Poscicles

I made some popsicles this summer with fruit we had. These were made with some of our blueberries so them make a really good popsicle face. I don't think I have to tell you that the boys enjoyed them.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9n5nx8SGXxHcWtUT7

Dockton Park

Eric had some things he wanted to get done at our property on Vashon today. So while he was doing some work the boys and I went down to Dockton Park and played for a while. The boys loved the playground there. And they were excited about the water. Having lived in the foothills for the last 10 years and the closest water being the Green River, they boys haven't spent a whole lot of time by the water other than sitting at the ferry dock. We go to the ocean once a year, but that has pretty much been their time at the beach. So to sit in the swings and look out at the water they were pretty excited to sit there and look at the boats and stuff. We walked a little ways out the dock and they were amazed at how they were standing over the top of the water. The things you take for granted growing up on an island. We'll make them into islander before too long.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XBq36DeDx4dpjzzR6

Summer Fun

Jake has been enjoying the summer and checking out all kinds of new things. He has been showing interest in drawing so I brought out the sidewalk chalk and he had fun with that. He tiptoed into the sprinkler a little and then ran away. And he did more swinging and learned a new word while he was at it too.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/15Pinqr89k6sCrxz7

Playing Together

It has been difficult try to explain to Tom how to play with Jake. Jake is starting to communicate a little and  Tom is finally understanding that Jake doesn't know many words so just telling him "No" doesn't always work. Sometimes it is just best to keep things you don't want Jake to touch out of his reach. Jake has about 10 words that he can say now. And then randomly he just started saying "I did it". I think he must have heard Tom saying it a bunch and just picked it up. Too cute.

Now that Jake is walking around pretty well there are certain things they can do together. The race track is one thing they found that they can do without too many arguments. So they have been having fun doing that. Although Tom still likes to be in charge :)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ocUqDeYoj3SDG6o68

Playground

Picked up the boys from Grandma's and Grandpa's and let them play at Ober Park for a little bit.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2cbqPUkZqQBmXUiE9

Eric's 30th Class Reunion

After the Mariner's Game we took a cab down to the Renaissance Seattle for Eric's 30th Class Reunion. It was pretty fancy. The food was great and the view was amazing. I wish Tom could have seen it. He loves the Space Needle since we took him for his birthday and the pictures don't do it justice. Eric had a great time visiting with old friends. And we got to take our time because Grandma and Grandpa took the kids for the night.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cnQGhjNGdQq7GaU16

Jamie Moyer Hall of Fame Game

Eric and I went to the Mariner's game today. It was the Jamie Moyer Hall of Fame Game. Eric dropped me off at the stadium early and then took the kids over to Vashon. I watched all the pregame festivities and he showed up later. It was great to see all the old players and hear all the fun stories. What an amazing guy and humanitarian. Unfortunately we had to leave early and in the cab we were listening and it turned into a bit of a zoo. But we had a good time hanging out at the ball park.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fKCpPHcKAEqWhgqcA

Little Monkey

Jake figured out how to stand on a stuffed animal and then climb up onto the couch today. He was so proud of himself and thought he was so cool. Look out everyone this little monkey is on the move.

Tommy Dressing Himself

Tommy has been wanting to dress himself more lately. Especially since we are really trying to get him potty trained. I don't know which is more funny, that when we rolled up to Grandma's house I noticed that he put his pants on backwards. Or the fact that it took me that long to notice.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PgFF4GznmYFgmzRc9

Grandma's Houseplants

Eric and I adopted all of Grandma's houseplants when her house got cleaned out. I have never been great with house plants because you constantly have to remember to water them. But I have really tried to keep on it. Most of them did just fine. There were a couple that I really worried about. The bougainvillea that was huge and took over a large portion of her sun portion was severely cut back. It was basically a six inch stump when we took it home. We said we would give it a year to see if it lived. The following spring a small little shoot came off the stump. Then it grew and grew. And finally this year it finally bloomed again. The other plant that I was worried about was the large Kaffer lily that sat in the corner of her living room. Every year it would have large beautify blooms. But it did not bloom once we moved it to our house. And finally this year it also bloomed. Not as big and beautify as they used to be. But at least it bloomed. I am so glad they are both still flowering.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/D62S5S8r267fRGjw7