A little walk

The two of us got up early and walked across on the ferry over to Seattle and Pike's Place Market. We loved strolling around shops and looking at things that each of us likes but would never buy. Not having a stroller made this possible, and because my family so nicely said yes to our plea for a little time together, I got to walk along and see all the beautiful flowers in the market too.







As you can see flowers and coffee make me smile. Oh and Alan too of course (but I am afraid he is the one who did most of the laughing...at me because of all the times I tripped)




























Alan takes in a little downtown Seattle music

a long good weekend

This weekend was busy, but very good. Friday started out with a parade that Isaiah walked in supporting our local after school program called Champions. One of the local churches sponsors it so we thought we would walk with some of his friends to have as many kids there as possible (even though we do not go every week).

Then the weekend continued Saturday afternoon when Alan and I finally got to enjoy some time together without the kids. Yes, I said it, we got to sleep in a bed without being woken up at all during the night AND we got to eat out and I only had to worry about feeding myself :)













As you can see here are some beautiful pictures of the nearest big city...Seattle. Windy of course, but thankfully no rain.






























It's hard not to look goofy when you take pictures of yourselves.

Isaiah's photography

Isaiah has been avoiding the camera for a while now...what he wants is to be the one taking the pictures. As you can tell in this picture, he takes after his Daddy in never being able to be serious in front of a camera, has to be tickling or making a funny face. He told me the other day that he wants to be "funny and make people laugh". He is quite the character, and he has been very proud of himself this week because he can follow along with me while I write his letters. Now he can write his name! He was very excited. He keeps asking if he can go to school and since he will be here at home for a while, I have been setting up a little school time on a few days during the week. I love watching the kids learn. Now I need to learn how to put the cleaning, cooking housewife things on pause and sit down with full focus with the kids. I have had many chances to teach little children, but I am far from being a master of it in my own home where life, the phone and meals-to-be-made don't hide from me :)



Isaiah took this picture (along with about 50 others of us and his room) of Emery and Mommy snuggling after her nap. My hand only looks huge (Isaiah pointed that out too). I am a fan of digital cameras. Love them

The guys taking a break after some wrestling

I thought this was a cute picture of the three of them sitting out on the porch one night. The kids probably should have been in bed, but they wanted to visit with Daddy.

I got tagged by Rachel...
What was I doing ten years ago?
This time of year ten years ago I was finishing my junior year of high school and playing softball. That summer I played on a NSA team and we won our division. There were some amazing players on the team. I loved it! I was also probably taking riding lessons on my horse 2 or 3 times a week, even through the rain and cold. I didn't like the spring at those moments though :)

Five Things on Tomorrow’s To-Do List:
1. wake up and feed the kids their breakfast before they try to help themselves. 2. go for a long walk with the kids. 3. make lunch and dinner 4. go to Bible study 5. call the dentist (not necessarily in that order)

Five Snacks I Enjoy:
1. chocolate 2. fruit 3. cookies 4. yogurt 5. coffee or tea

Five Things I Would Do If I Became a Billionaire:
1. Pay off all of our debt and invest a good chunk . 2. give some to our parents 3. Travel around the world – or at least go on a vacation somewhere warm (and pay the babysitters well) 4. buy a new car and computer screen. 5.Give some to our sponsored child, church and the camp

Five Bad Habits- the ones I can share at least
1. I twirl my hair, my left hand is having problems because of volleyball or something and twirling hurts it, but I can't stop. 2. I look back at the kids at stop lights and I get honked at to get moving. 3. My dentist is the only one that sees this … I have a nervous habit to bite my cheek! Gross, I know, but I can’t kick it and Alan hates it (copied from Rach but it applies word for word) .4. Putting off phone calls I need to make like the dentist, doctor (for me not the kids) or much needed computer maintenance. 5. I 'pick up' after my hubby and the kids and not only do I complain, but Alan always has to ask me where I put his things. I have a place for it, and he has another place- where he put it down at. (see still complaining)
]

Five Places I’ve Lived:
1. Duckabush Rd, Brinnon Washington 2. Portland, Oregon 3. Clackamas, Oregon 4.Gresham, Oregon 5. Duckabush Rd, Brinnon Washington - hmmmmmmmright back where I started for the moment...

Five Jobs I’ve Had:
1. Waitress at small restaurant 2. Village store attendant and cleaner 3. Cleaner of the journalism house in college 4. Preschool Teacher’s Assistant 5. Bank teller for Wells Fargo oh and may I add #6. Mommy and homemaker (that includes most all of what I have ever done prior to this - cook, cleaner, customer service with a smile not a yell, trying to deal with young, energetic children patiently)

TAG, YOU'RE IT! Lisa and Alan

Today was definitely Emmy's day"

This morning for breakfast I opened a new gallon of milk and I had only turned around for a moment when I looked back to see this sight (look below). Of course this picture was taken after I had flung myself across the kitchen, afraid that she would spill the whole thing- then laughing, I decided to give it back to her for a second so I could snap the picture. Already she has picked up some of Daddy's 'before marriage' old tricks. At least I thought he had given this up, drinking out of the carton...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm




On this beautiful day I let Emmy go outside alone and watched her from the front door. Here she is peering around the corner at the bunny rabbit in it's cage. She loves animals



say "cheeeeeeeeesssssssssssseeeeeee" (she really is saying it, can't you tell?)

She loves that she can say 'chair' and this is one of her favorite reading spots- a chair on a chair.

This picture was taken an Grandpa and Grandma's house when the kids were visiting (probably on a youth group night). They always get very excited to visit them of course. Also, selfishly, I love it when they run up to us after the evening and say 'mommy, daddy!'. I am with them so much I don't get to hear that as much as Alan does when he comes back from work.

Emmy is now 1 yr and 4 mo old. She is our climber. Have I ever mentioned that before? :) She also loves to eat. She eats about as much as Isaiah does in two sittings (he says he has too many fun things to do other than sit there and eat more than 5 bites). Thankfully, Emery still likes to eat her meat and vegetables. We will see how long that lasts

This is what Isaiah would rather be doing. Playing with cars, trains, jungle animals...and the list goes on. He is a very hands off kid when it comes to the Dr and Dentist. Last year it was torture to try and let the Dr just listen to his heart or look in his ears. Just last week though, Isaiah sat in the chair like a perfect little angel while the dental hygienist looked at his teeth, and then again a few days later when he had to get his finger pricked to check his iron. I was amazed at how much he has grown and matured. He handled himself very well and I was a proud Mommy. I think he knows it because I told him many times :)

a gloomy day...a little complaining...skip if you want

Krysten reflects on the weekend: Sunday we went into 'big town' Silverdale for our bi-monthly shopping trip. The difference between this day and all the others is that this is the month for annual eye-checkups so Alan can get more contacts. It has been a couple of years since my last eye check and Alan has challenged me numerous times to try and read a sign or writing...Well, you guessed it, we all knew this day was coming-after 3 hours in the office, waiting, looking through a little hole, and trying to touch my eyeball... I need glasses. I know most of my friends already have glasses or contacts, but I am feeling really bummed- feeling a little old, a little money-spent over the limit (I didn't realize how much these things cost!!!). I have made it so long without. Now, I won't say I have mastered packing for two kids, but I have adjusted to life with four of us in the family now and can successfully get us packed up for a day trip, or a week trip without forgetting too many things. SO...what I did not need was one more thing to remember about myself. I have enough trouble getting time to shower semi-alone in the room or remembering to brush my teeth every day.

I have a week to try the contacts, then next weekend I have to decide which glasses I will choose to wear for the next few years (as long as I can get out of them and get my money's worth), and I also need to decide what to do about contacts. Those of you who know me well, know this will be a hard, long day of deciding. Stupid and shallow yes, but I have semi-dreaded this day for a while (especially since Rachel is not around to tell me how the glasses really look). Monday after 12 trys on my right eye and about 9 on my left, I finally got the contacts in my poor, red, irritated eyes (I don't think I am very good at this).

OK, enough complaining. On a happy, pre-eye trip note- we had a work party in camp on Saturday. Over 30 people came and worked very hard for most of the morning and early afternoon. We also had a great time of fellowship at lunch time. I was working most of the time in the kitchen with Emmy on my back because I thought I would be more help there then running after her in the forest while I tried to rake. It worked out nicely. Praise God for the workers, and only one minor injury. The interest and help was a encouragement.

Well this has been a long, drawn out post. Time to do something fun...like talk about pictures of the kiddos :)

Easter Rain

Emmy is overwhelmed by the mass of eggs...too bad Mommy took all the candy out







Bunny Ears #1
















Bunny ears #2















Isaiah and Jenessa

There were SO MANY eggs because these two were the only ones to pick them up!
Isaiah: the proud winner of stuffed duck in the raffle :) My how happy he looks

This is a few weeks late, but here are some pictures of the rainy Easter weekend. We weren't going to hunt eggs, but Jenessa (the little girl I watch during the week) was the only other kid Isaiah's age so it was the just the 2 of them. They had a great time, despite the weather and cold.

Recent video

It is Thursday, our busy day, and the kids are in Isaiah's room sharing the same little chair. Since they were all in a good mood, I figured I would let them say hi and show some of their silliness. They may be embarrassed by it someday, but that is fine with me it is cute:)

How sweet is the sound of little laughter

This little video was taken a couple months ago. You can hardly see a thing, but hearing the little laughs makes up for it. (Hopefully I can figure out how this video thing works)