I PROMISE...

This is the very, final post about Washington. I just had to share a few random happenings from our vacay.

On a dirt road drive near Palmer Lake, we happened upon the coolest, oldest wood building ever. (the little red sign may or may not say 'No Trespassing')

Inside were the coolest old beams wrapped with vines that had worked their way through the walls.


All I could think about was what an awesome setting it would be to take portraits. When I mentioned it to Andrew he snapped one for me. =)

Once again, I was this close to the border and couldn't get across. I had forgotten my birth certificate. Who cares about Canada, anyway? =(

Later, we were here...

(Can you say GORGEOUS?)

...when I almost died.

After pausing to take a picture of my predicament, Andrew risked everything to save me. My hero.

After Andrew graduates, we plan on moving here. Anyone care to join us? We'll have plenty of room.

Apparently, apples is to Washington as potatoes is to Idaho. We passed THOUSANDS of these apple picking boxes stacked in rows, patiently waiting for fall.

This is a bush that made me very happy, because it reminded me of Christmas.

Have I mentioned that Washington is gorgeous?

Look who we got to sit by on the drive there and back! No one could keep her entertained and happy quite like Andrew.

We stopped in a little touristy town that reminded us of West Yellowstone or a mini Jackson Hole. Very cute place to walk around.

Well, darn. Now you know all about my whorish, beer drinking ways.

It just seemed right to be holding drippy ice cream cones in such a quaint, happy place.

So we did.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Well, school is back in session. It took the entire summer to recover from last year (physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually), so I feel I have been dragging myself back to work every day. Don't get me wrong...teaching is a blast...it's just that the first year was EXHAUSTING. Fortunately, after the first week of school this year, I am already feeling SO relaxed and confident. Plus, I've set some goals for myself to keep me from getting too burned out again. Next time you see me you should ask me how they're going:

1. I will NEVER, EVER stay at the school working past 5pm again (unless it is before the class play or report cards or parent teacher conferences.), something I did just about every night last year.
2. I am to do everything in my power to keep teaching from consuming every aspect of my life. It takes so much effort to STOP THINKING about work once I am home, but I am determined to do it. For my sanity I must take time off to focus my attention on my home, my husband, religion, and being social.
3. There is a co-worker that hates my guts for reasons that she won't explain. It has been very stressful in the past, but this year I am not going to spend any time worrying and trying to please her. I will be kind and helpful in any way I can and then I will FORGET ABOUT IT. Let the chips fall where they may.

Now that I have that out of the way, let me just say that I am very excited for this new year. My class is packed with some of the cutest 8-year-olds you ever saw, and quite honestly, very few things make me feel more alive than teaching. Bring on the new year!

third day of school: Walking my kids down the hall at the end of the day when a BAT flew past my head. It crawled behind that shiny mirror thing in the background until it was caught in a bucket. The principal gave it to this kid. All I can say is he's got one lucky mother. ;)

DAD, I WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU THE OTHER DAY

We drove over a lot of these on our trip to Washington.

Look at what was going on in Ferndale, Washington at Hovander Park. We went to check it out before we saw it cost a significant fee to get in. No offense, but I have seen more than enough of these for free...I wasn't going to pay a cent. From what I could see from the entrance, it was sure a pretty one though.

Andrew's brother made this himself after playing with mine a few years ago. It is pretty sweet. I may have lost a game or two, and it made me long to be playing against you. I prefer to win. =)

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE LAKE...

Friends and family are enjoying a relaxing, peaceful day in the sun: swimming, splashing, and playing on the water toys. When suddenly...

...Everyone gangs up and decides that Bodey needs to be shoved from the tramp.

A few brave souls make the first tentative moves!

But to no avail! Bodey is much too powerful for their compounded strength!

But then, what is this?

His attackers lash out with a combined ferocity that can not be matched...even by Bodey's massive fortitude!

His enemies celebrate their triumph!

And scorn him from their stronghold.

But the struggle is soon forgotten. All are too worn out and sun burnt.

And besides, Bodey is a pretty cool guy to have around.

NEW EXPERIENCES

After our vacation on the lake, Andrew and I met up with Jeff, Andrea, and their cute kids in Ferndale, Washington. Our first day, they took us crabbing{for crabs much bigger than this one}! It is one of their favorite past times, and I, having never lived near the ocean, had never been before. I enjoyed experiencing life as a North-Westerner. So different from Idaho!

We dropped the boat in Bellingham Bay under grey skies...

Then, our traps were lowered down to the bottom connected to a buoy

Next, we went back to the beach for an hour to eat lunch and wait for the crabs to go after the bait.

Adelle content with her potato chip

I loved Braxton's rain coat. It kept him dry from the ocean spray as we pushed against the waves in our boat to check on the traps.



There were crabs in every trap. But we had to throw back the females, those smaller than 6 1/4 inches, and the red ones. When all was said and done, we had one little fellow to take home and eat. It was very Yummy.



That night was Jeff and Andrea's 6-year anniversary. They were kind enough to take us out to the coolest sushi bar for dinner.


Andrew and Jeff both went to Japan on their missions, and so they were not new to the whole idea of raw fish. I on the other hand, had never eaten sushi before in my life.




The plates of food went around on a little conveyor belt, directly in front of where we were sitting. As soon as something looked good, we would just grab it from our seat before it went by.


The first plate I snatched for myself was a cheesecake. It was the only thing I had seen that looked remotely normal. But then I got brave and ate some delicious sushi wrapped with rice and seaweed and cream cheese, giyoza, and even octopus! {I only ate that bite of octopus to be able to say I had. It wasn't all that bad. It tasted like chewy...cheese. The whole suction cup thing-ys just ruin it for me though.}


We ate til we were stuffed and then took a walk out by the ocean. That was a good day.


The next day, while Andrew and his brother Jeff worked under the hood of a car...



And drooled together over dream trucks on Craig's List...

...Andrea and I went blueberry picking! I've never lived anywhere near many blueberry bushes, so this was also a new experience. It was SO fun! We could hardly bring ourselves to stop. When all was said and done, we had 18 pounds of blueberries to bring home!



And what did Adelle think of our spoils?




You tell me. {Isn't that such a sweet shot?}


They gave her the energy to be Spider Baby all weekend! She ran all over the place in that hood and cap...I could hardly get a picture of it she was darting around so fast! =)



Braxton is my very favorite nephew. He is so much fun!
{Can you see Adelle in her outfit back there?}

As for this new experience...I really have no explanation. We just all had the sudden urge to prove our ability to fit through that plastic basketball hoop.
{Yay Jeff!}

Hooray for me! I was so proud.


The only one who couldn't get through was Andrew. His muscles are just too dang big. ;)

Since we are on the topic of new experiences, Andrew attempted to change his first poopy diaper while we were there. It was really rather pathetic. He very nearly threw up on poor Adelle before Andrea had to take over. {He is going to get over it soon I hope. I have zero intention of changing every single one of our kid's poopy diapers.}

We all played a lot outside in the evenings

Andrew and Jeff even got schooled by the girls in a game of T-ball!

And one last photo just because it's cute: Braxton pulling his teddy bear around the backyard on a sled. {Everyone else was too heavy.}

We had such a nice time visiting the family!