2/20/2010 A Date with Sara

Saturday
My "Old" college friend had a layover in Seattle, so we all got to hang out together. Besides eating, we went out for a "friendly" game of miniature golf. We are always glad when Sara is able to make time to see us! We can't wait for her next layover!

3 fierce competitors! Sara, Cea, Bryan (or is Bryan just Casper's "Caddy"?)

Sara shows off her form

Quiet Please!! I am trying to concentrate! :)

Going for the hole in one

Cea did a great job! But I think we need to work on her counting a bit more!--she would count how many times she hit the ball, and then give us a different number for the card.

Sara, Bryan (with Casper peeking), and Porsche

we are all still friends after our "friendly" match

The score card--ummmm Sara could use some more practice!

Getting a kiss from a very well behaved and patient little boy!

Looks like he had fun from his point of view!

Good bye Sara! Have a good flight! Please come back soon!!!!

An afternoon at the Park

September 15th
We went to this cute park to play, as it is still nice enough to play outside. It was fun. Cea is a great climber, and Casper could get up to the slide by himself, and then slide down by himself. It was a fun afternoon.

We started out on the swings. There is a choice of these little kid swings or the big kid ones.

Climbing back up the slide just like the other big kids do!

Casper and Cea on the slides

The playground. (the part to the right of the 3 slides is all new)

Up the steps to the slide

Hmmm, what to do next?!

I love this park, Casper is able to climb up to the slide himself, and then slide down by himself. You can tell that he thinks he is a big boy!

Climbing Trees

Casper wants to climb like Cea

Climbing to the top

Big steps

Uncle Bud

Saturday, June 6th

Every year we get together as a memorial to my Uncle Bud. Usually we eat at Whistlin Jacks on the pass; however, this year my cousin Dan and his family were unable to make it, so we decided to make the breakfast place closer.
It was a lot of fun and chaos--which means we will continue to do it next year too!
We ate at the Maltby Cafe, about an hour north of us. Those who made it were: Ginny's family (minus Steve), Beth's family, Beaner and Allen (Beaner is my cousin), my dad and mom, and us.
Bry says, make sure you write that it was crowded, because somebody reserved a table for 12 and there were 16 of us (BRUCE)!!!

The handsomest boys at the table

Allen (almost cut out), Beaner, Grandpa, Mircea and Joe

Reading the menu or coloring

Samantha, Ginny and Alex

My twin sisters family with Casper stealing the show

Beth, Troy, Joe and Danny

Grandpa and Mircea

The "CINNAMON ROLLS"
We ordered 4 for the 16 of us
Grandpa took 1.5 home with him
They were rather large!

The BITE

The BLISS!

Alex

Danny

Mircea eating CREAM

Casper patting Joe's cheeks!
Casper liked all the attention--
The kids would come over to our side of the table to visit him

Samantha

Getting our food.
There was too much food, so a lot was left over.

Cutting up pancakes, sausages, etc.
Then all conversations stopped!
(Well, Casper would complain periodically if I didn't give him my sausages fast enough)
We ate, Grandpa paid, we left.
I think we'll do it again next year!
(Uncle Bud would have really enjoyed this!)

Visiting NW trek

Today we went to NW Trek with Sean and Dakota (it's spring break, which is why Dakota is not in school). NW Trek is a wildlife preserve that includes a free-roaming area that you can take a tram ride through. It was a fabulous sunny day, and warm enough to not need a sweater, though we took ours along. We saw tons of animals--actually, quite literally tons of animals--when you consider how heavy bison are!
Anyway, here are pics of the day. Unfortunately Bryan had to work, so he missed out and we missed him! Also, thanks to Sean who has a family membership to the park, we did not have to buy tickets. It was great fun! Oh, and thanks Sean for providing our lunch as well, and also for the donuts, etc. . .

Walking to the entrance from the parking lot.
Note that Cea is carrying her backpack--Way to go Cea!
Coda, Cea and Moose
2 Owls--can you see them?
Pointing out the owls to Cea
Walking on the path to get to the tram
A Moose also walking to where we meet the tram. (It is a SHE moose)
Waiting for the Tram
Dakota gets a turn carrying the pink backpack--thanks Dakota!
Porsche, Casper, and Cea on the tram
As you will notice, we got a lot of "bum shots". These are goats.
Sean is wearing an appropriate shirt! Such fashion sense!!
Casper peaking about
More goat bums!
There are actually deer in this pic
Umm, what you want to see is behind the tree--so just look behind the tree
Dakota, Sean, and Casper
more goats--It took 5 pics before I got one NOT of their bums! sigh
Casper and Sean and lots of giggles
Dakota--he was actually quite good at spotting things!
Bison
"Hello, Bison!"
As you can see they were rather close to the tram. They are huge!--of course I knew this from the many trips we took as a family to N Dakota.
This one was outside our side of the tram--it was quite close! We kept all body parts inside the tram--though Cea tested that rule a bit!
There were a lot of antlers laying around on the ground
Elk
Another tram down the hill from us
some unhappy souls.
An elk
a bunch of bums
a herd
Again, if you peak around the tree you will see what I was trying to take a picture of.
A trumpeter swan. It and several others are permanently disabled and stay year round on the lake.
a melt down and a dirty diaper
Happiness. I think her favorite was this area, where she climbed around on the posts.
balancing carefully on the posts

Keeping busy

More balancing
The boys: Sean, Casper, Dakota
Ahhhhh
The girls: Porsche and Mircea
The remains of a donut with chocolate frosting and sprinkles
Dakota watching the donut making machines/process. (It was cool!)
Yum, donuts--what a great tradition: go to NW Trek, and then eat donuts!