Back to normal

Well it seems as though our lives have gotten back to normal. After all of our trips it took (for me at least) almost a solid week and a half to feel like I wasn't drowning!! Before we left it was my month-end for billing so I had a lot to catch up on when returning. My poor girls had to endure that on the days to follow . . . Mom on the computer A LOT! Anyways we've recovered are are doing great.

Swimming lessons have started for Ashlee and she is loving it. I take her and my niece, Haley everyday for a 1/2 hour. Sometimes that seems like a lot or prep time for a 1/2 lesson, but they both have a ball. Alexa, on the other hand, doesn't have such a ball when we're there. The entire time I have to deal with her trying to get in or close to the water to be by her big sister and cousin. When I tell her no she runs for her life and then throws herself down (on the cement no less) and has a fit. It's so embarrassing! Gotta love the tantrum stage! I'm surprised at how much improvement I've noticed in Ashlee after only a week of lessons though. She's always loved the water and has had plenty of swimming opportunities since we go to my mom & dad's so much but this is the first time I've put her in lessons. This weekend we swam a ton and Ashlee was sooo good! I was also impressed that she can do front flips and back flips underwater! I didn't know she could do it - and I don't know who taught her, but wow was I impressed.

We had a fun weekend in Othello. Lindsy (my younger sister) brought a boy home so we all went to check him out. We went on Friday (they only came for Saturday) and had a game night. We had a ton of fun playing an array of games. Game playing at my Mom & Dad's is awesome because we're all so competitive we get loud and laugh a ton. Miraculously our girls slept through all of it! Nice . . . anyways the next day we swam and had a BBQ. Dell's always the BEST at taking care of things on the grill. I feel bad that he gets stuck standing there getting hotter and hotter while we all visit and swim. He's great - what a trooper!

I don't have any pictures to post this time (I'm sure everyone's relieved since I posted so many last time! ha) I get too busy being in the middle of things and don't take pictures. That takes a lot of effort, I've decided. Anyways even if I had our computer's in the shop so I couldn't have downloaded them anyways since I'm using our old stone-aged computer. So maybe next time!

Family Reunions

We just got back from our 2 weeks of vacation. Man alive how time flies! We've been gearing up for these two trips for months now and in the blink of an eye they're both over. No fun! We had a great time at both.

Colorado with the Anderson's
We had so much fun. The car ride was indeed long and tiring . . . but we managed. Ashlee had the time of her life with so many cousins her age. We didn't hardly see her - she was too busy with all of her new "friends". Alexa did great as well. I couldn't believe how friendly she was to everyone. Usually she's on the shy side (crazy that I have shy children - I know). Anyways she let everyone talk to her and gave out a lot of hugs.

Julie, Joanne, Rebecca, Ashlee, Alyson & Rachel enjoying a day at the rec center

Brooke & Holly with my girls - they were so good to them!

Dell & I after hiking the waterfall

Grandpa & Grandma Anderson

We had a ton of things to do there. We hiked up to a waterfall, swam, played mini-golf, ate & ate & ate, went to a mini-carnival, played cards (Kaylene & I especially indulged in a lot of games of California speed), went to the rec center where the kids roller skated (I took my turn at it too. Wow it's different when you're older!!) and climbed a rock wall. So we were never bored - that's for sure. On the way home we decided to drive through the night - much to Dell's dismay . . . at first! It was the BEST decision we made. We left at like 7 p.m. Dell drove until midnight and then I drove until 4 a.m. and then we switched a few more times before we got home at 11 a.m.! The girls slept from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. so that was fantastic. We had plenty of time to get home and get things done and ready to head out again on Monday. Driving at night is hard, but so worth it when you have little ones!

Sanpoil with my family . . .

Mollotte's

I absolutely LOVE going to Sanpoil every year. This year I was not on the "early crew". I left Monday morning and got there about 11ish. The plus sides to not being on the early crew is that everyone else is pretty much set up so I got a lot of help with my stuff. The weather was great, the company even better and we just had a blast. We swam, floated, boated, ate & ate & ate, visited, played cards and marbles, played kickball and enjoyed a nightly fire. Dell fished off the bank, in the stream and at some "hot spot" about an hour away off the Columbia River. It turned out not to be so "hot" he said. The kids loved roaming around and especially loved playing with the kittens. My mom just got two kittens and brought them for Ashlee because she knew she'd go nuts over them - which she did. I think those poor cats were traumatized after all those little girls mauled them to death for an entire week.

We had one really windy day where three of our tent poles busted. We managed to make do until the end of the week though - luckily! All in all we had just the best time ever and look forward to next year. Ashlee already told me, "Mom, I wish we could stay camping forever." A girl after my own heart!

Riding the ferry!

Dell fishing

Sisters

Alexa after eating licorice while taking a bath

Ash with her beloved cats

Lexie & Launa enjoying their boat

Mollotte Granddaughters
Mya, Ashlee, Haley, Alexa & Launa