Beach and Science

The children don't have camp anymore, but school doesn't start for another week and a half.
So, this week, we went to the Science Center a couple times, plus the beach one day.
The squirrel was one of the first things we saw at the beach.

Maggie had fun in the sand.
Lilly wouldn't go in the water or play in the sand.
She only wanted to lay in the sun.
So, the beach pictures are only of Maggie.

Maggie's hand is orange because of the shovel she found to dig with.

The handle was an orange color and it was wood, so it stained her.

Maggie made the towel like a cape and wanted me to take a picture of the shadow it made.

There was this huge bee's nest at the hospital earlier in the week.

They had to make a barrier and have it taken down.

Holland America Cruise people came to make us dinner and provide activities earlier in the week.

Maggie won these sunglasses.

Andy came to visit again, and brought Maggie's shoes that were in his car.

They are so beat up, but look so comfy.

We went on a LONG walk by Lee's house.

It was about 2 1/2-3 miles long, and it seemed like the walk was uphill both ways.

The bridge that we go under when walking on the trail.

The spots are from the camera lens that needs to be cleaned.

The girls were running up and down each side.

Andy and Maggie with their ferns.

On our way back, we went through a nice neighborhood.

One house had grass "just like at Safeco Field!!"

It was literally like a plush carpet.

While Andy visited, we went to the Science Center again.

The girls waited in line for over an hour to do the acrobatic bungee, but we ran out of time before we had to go to our Imax movie and leave for a chemo appointment.

So, hopefully next week we'll be able to go back and maybe get on the acrobat bungee.

The glasses below are for the 3d movies.

On our way home, we saw a blimp for Farmer's Insurance.

I don't like the company, but the blimp was cool!

Metropolitan Market had their first annual Movie in the Park to benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle.

Here is the projector screen that was used.

They had hot dogs, ice cream, popcorn, basket giveaways, and we got to watch Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

It was such a fun night and almost as good as going to the drive-in.

Oh, and there was a bouncy house.

The girls let me take their picture, but Josh tried not to let me take his.

Pacific Science Center

We went to the Science Center today.
Arriving right at opening time has definite perks.
The Center has a Circus exhibit right now, and the tightrope and the acrobat attractions end up having very long lines that take FOREVER to get through.
But, getting there early gets you in a short line that doesn't take long at all!
Lilly and Maggie did the tightrope, but our time was too short to do the acrobat part today.
We'll be going back later this week or next.
I know I'm biased and all, but I do have to comment on my daughters.
The boys ahead of them in line were too scared to barely even step out of the gate up there, let alone go across the tightrope in less than 10 minutes each.
MY GIRLS went straight out, walked across and back, in about 3 minutes each.
They got the job done, no monkey business. They're so awesome. :)

Lilly and Maggie contorted into human pretzels.

They tried on circus clothing.

We went to an IMAX movie, Hubble 3D. It was so cool. The girls were enthralled from the moment they were handed the 3D glasses.

They weren't the only ones reaching out to touch the stars.

The baby liked the movie too. Someone is 2 today! (had to sneak that in:) )

We didn't have much time after the movie (only paid for 3 hours of parking), so we hurried through a couple more exhibits.

Maggie liked the ukelele.

They both liked the huge table and chairs.

They also love to pose.

We met a couple new families here at the house.

One lives near our old home in Graham. They will be here for 6-8 months.

It was so weird to hear someone say that and realize that we will finally have someone here for a later date than us! Sad to be excited, I know.

Sunday

The girls were having a really hard time behaving today.
On Sundays, we don't allow tv, movies, or computer games.
The girls were doing a paper doll/sticker book.
I thought it was so nice that they were working on it together, but they were embarrassed that anyone else would find out. Note Lilly's expression. :)

After dinner (provided tonight!!), we went on a nice, long walk.
It was perfect weather, and there were a LOT of blackberries.

Maggie's take on the flower

My lame attempt at making the flower look even cooler

I can't believe some trees are already changing color.

This one I pass on the trail everyday.

summer is so busy

Ohhh, I'm so tired, but need to update this (because you know we'll be publishing it soon for our family history).

Andy had the past 4 weeks off from work because the baby had a nasty fever and some other major problems as a result of having no immunity, all because of nasty chemotherapy. :(

So, after the week and a half~give or take~that I was in the hospital, Andy help up the fort with the other children at our Seattle house. Then, we spent time together in Seattle, plus traveled when the baby's counts were high enough, but not quite high enough yet to start the next round of treatment. Gotta love those windows of traveling opportunity.

During that time, Andy and Daniel went on a Boy Scout hike to Entiat Meadows. It was a 30 mile hike in 3 days. Daniel has been on many, many hikes with his troop, yet said this was the hardest one he's been on.
Of course, it's the one Andy chose to go on...he was barely walking, moaning and groaning, and was sore for days after returning. But, he got a few good pictures on the hike.
They saw a bear and 2 deer came close to their campsite.

While the boys were hiking, the other children and I went to visit Marge's family.

We had an awesome time, regardless of the long drive. It's 3 hours each way, and the weather was atrocious, in the 90s, I think.

Steve and George worked on replacing their roof the whole time we were there. Hot weather to be doing hard labor, but it will look grand when it's done.

Marge's neighbor has a mental illness or something, because she was doing some very scary, horror-movie-like things the 2nd night we were there.

We had the children all go upstairs while waiting for police to arrive.

After all the excitement, the children all watched a movie downstairs. I really wished then that I had brought the camera instead of sending it on the hike with Andy.

There were 14 children in the room, plus Steve, watching the movie.

Earlier that day, we went to South Spokane, to a simple water park. It was in such a nice area.

With this leukemia, I have had my mind open to the possibility of moving to a larger city sometime in a few years. This is so that if the baby were to relapse later on and needed a bone marrow transplant (3-6 month process), we wouldn't have to be separated as a family again.
So, after driving to the water park, I was impressed with how close it was to major hospitals in Spokane, yet felt very rural. Plus, it was so pretty.

When we arrived back at our house, I looked up real estate for that area.

Wouldn't you know I picked the million-dollar neighborhood... nice.

The homes didn't look like million-dollar homes, but I don't want a postage stamp yard either.

The cousins who went, had a great time at the water park. It was hot, but there was a breeze, so it was the best of conditions.

Marge and I even went on the water slide. We also took the smaller children down the slide.

The baby didn't like the slide so much, but LOVED the lazy river. Everyone commented on how cute the baby was. :)

We got back to our house a few hours before the boys got back from their hike.

Our case worker was so wonderful to bring us some needed documents on a Saturday, because she understands how our windows are few and far between for visiting home.

That week, we also had 4 visits with case workers in 2 days, because we were home. We're getting closer to the adoption!! It should be final within 2 months, I'm guessing.

The following day, we went to church all together!! Then, we headed back to Seattle.

On the way back, we saw a dead porcupine with all the quills, a pretty dead deer, and an opossum.

Andy had been saving change all year. He had a big jar full when I told him about the Ronald McDonald House Charities fundraising project for this summer. It's the summer of change, so they are having kids collect change in their communities, neighborhoods, etc., then bring it in for a chance to have a lunch with Ronald McDonald.

We decided to donate the jar, but not for the lunch. :)

Lilly and Maggie put the change in the collection box.

They saved all the quarters for last. There were at least 15 or 20 quarters and they split them evenly (who got to put which ones in) by state.

Andy's extended time off ends tonight, as he returns to work tomorrow.

He brought the oldest children back home yesterday.

I have the little girls and the baby with me.

Our friends invited us to dinner tonight.

It was so wonderful to get out of our room at the House, but I felt so bad when I realized that both the girls don't eat seafood (neither do I, but I thought at least one of them liked it), which was the menu.

Our hosts were so gracious though. I enjoyed visiting with them, and learning about Indiana, genetics, seafood preparation, and pediatric dental care in relation to Down syndrome.

They prepared LOTS of yummy food.

They had purchased dungeness crab, oysters, and halibut from Pike Place Market.

It was fascinating to hear how they made Rockefeller oysters (broiled on a bed of salt!) and the crab. I didn't know that Atlantic crab has a different taste than Pacific crab. Interesting stuff.

Andy would have just feasted!

Visiting home again!

Counts weren't high enough to start the next half of this chemo phase, but they were high enough to be able to visit home for a week again!!!

We are so happy to be home and can't wait to visit family this weekend...then, it's back to Seattle for a busy medical week.

Things are moving along with the adoption, and I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting the day when we can call him ours!! And, I'll be posting at least 200 pictures here for everyone to see our darling baby!

House of Horror

We're visiting home for a couple days again.
This is what we found in the front yard last night.
It was about 2 1/2-3 inches big.
Then, the cat had fun with it.

Tonight, we had the missionaries and a friend for dinner.

After dinner, the children played Missionary Impossible with them.
It was so hot in the house, they played outside to have it cooler.

Daniel was trying to show his crossbow off.

Andy brought Josh and a friend back from Seattle on Friday.

They went to the drive-in theater after swimming.

Then on Saturday, Andy had all the children pick plums from our tree.

Josh and Lee put the bad plums on a stick-skewer.

When the other children and I arrived home yesterday, we saw this poor pony in the Suburban window.

Evidently, Josh was trying to make a statement against My Little Ponies.