~~~BOO~~~

I love our neighborhood.

It's a rare sort of place where everyone waves as they go by, even if they have no idea who you are...

Neighbors are always looking out for one another and lending a helping hand whenever one is needed...

People come together every single year for end of Summer BBQ's and Easter egg hunts...

Nick and Nolan's neighborhood highlight happened just last night. The door bell rang and when they opened the front door they were greeted by a big Halloween bag jam packed full of candy, glow bracelets, skull necklaces, Halloween stickers, cute kitchen towels, and a pumpkin candy dish. They were jazzed! We had been "Boo'ed"!!

This little tradition starts each October and slowly spreads throughout the entire neighborhood. Once you've been "boo'ed", you have two days to "boo" two other families. Pretty soon soon all the doors in our neighborhood are sportin' ghostly signs on the front announcing they have been "boo'ed". It's a lot of fun.

So last night, after poppin' some skittles, Nick and Nolan began contemplating who could have boo'ed them and plotting their booing tactics that would be put into action in the following days.
They love sneaking around the 'hood at night secretly placing the goods on the front porches before ding dong dashing away. Their adrenaline pumps as they hide behind cars and trees. They like hearing the families squeal with delight when they find the loot that they have just left behind.

It's a fun tradition that my kids will fondly remember from their childhood. Just another one of many wonderful things I truly love about this place in which I live.

Donut Friday Round One

Just a shout out to my pal, Karen.

Thought you might like to know that we have followed in your footsteps. The boys and I just enjoyed our first "Donut Friday".

You should've seen the looks on their faces when I told them we would be going out to get donuts for breakfast. I think they thought their mom had been replaced by a donut loving alien or something. So, off to the supermarket we ventured to pick out our favorite donut, then we piled back into the car and headed off to school. We sat in the parking lot munching away happily between swigs of O.J.. We chatted for about 15 minutes more about everything under the sun.

Thanks, Karen, sharing your "Donut Friday" tradition. It was a fun and delicious time well spent with my kiddos!! They think you are AWESOME!

Why?

It's been a year since I started this blog of mine.

Many times after telling someone about my blog, they ask "why do you have a blog?"

In the beginning, I started out with the notion of spinning tales of my family life and keeping in touch with friends and family. Especially those I rarely get the chance to see.

It's been a fun way to document the craziness I like to call my life. After all, I am the blessed mother of two boys. I've received a lot of comments from people who say they love to check in to see what's going on with us. And that makes me happy.

It makes me happy to keep in touch with friends and keep the family up to date on Nick and Nolan's affairs. But one of my very favorite parts about this whole blogging thing has got to be the wisdom and inspiration I've learned from some other bloggers out there. I probably have about a dozen blogs I frequently read and it's not unusual for me to be moved by something they have written.

I've learned about some amazing families that have uplifting tales of strength even though they are facing insurmountable sorrow. I have kept in touch with one of my favorite people in the entire world who is always a source of happiness for me. She makes me laugh, makes me think, makes me proud, and makes me glad to know I will always have her as a dear friend. I've met others who have opened my ears to great new music, and I can't even begin to list how many times I've read stories from other moms that have brought a smile to my face.

I didn't even think about this benefit to blogging when I started out. I like that I often come away feeling uplifted, refreshed, and inspired by what I have read.

Keeping a record of my life's little hurdles, knee-slapping laughs, memories, and it's ongoing journey is what keeps me typing away on this here keyboard. I like reliving moments from past years and being able to share what today has revealed. It's fun and rewarding.

And so that is why.

The youth of today have it too easy.

Case in point...

Today, Nolan and I were in the kitchen getting lunch ready for the fam. He asked if he could have a whole can of soda. To which I replied, "no, a half a can is plenty for you". A few minutes later I started to pour a whole can of soda for Connor into a giant glass with ice. Nolan looked at me and said..."Hey, that's not fair. Why does Dad get a whole can?" I looked him in the eyes and said "Daddy's been hard at work today in the yard so he deserves a whole can. I haven't seen you do any work today Nolan." He instantly responded by rolling his eyes and saying "Oh REALLY? Have you ever licked a WHOLE lollipop before? It's a lot of work, mom. I mean really. It was not easy to keep from biting into that sucker ya know."

Oh my good golly. I just busted up. One of my favorite things about being a mom is getting to hear these little gems from time to time. You just never know what zinger is going to come out of their mouths, they crack me up.

The Seahawks have nothing on my boys...

Lately, Nick and Nolan have been spending their valuable recess time at school playing touch football with their friends. Each day after school they fill me in on the details of their games.

Well last week was a stellar week on the good ol' elementary school gridiron for my boys.

Nick was all smiles when he told me he had made THREE touchdowns all within the boundaries of the lunchtime recess...I'm sure it had something to do with the well rounded lunch his mom lovingly packed for him! (This was a big deal, because only a few days prior, he was feeling like a football flop...and even said he just didn't have "the build" to be good at football.)

And Nolan, well, he too entered the end zone that day with a smile on his face and a football in his grasp...He could hardly wait to show me the celebratory dance he displayed after his big touchdown. The following video is obviously a re-creation, but I think you get a pretty good idea of just how kooky Nolan can be...Enjoy.

Maybe I'm being a little un-Fair

There is an event that happens 'round these parts every single year.

Kids of all ages squeal at the thought of attending this event.

My boys are no exception. They beg and plead each and every year hoping their mom will cave in to their wishes.

I cringe at the first sight of anything advertising it's existence.

It is....

The Puyallup Fair.

Ya...I know, I'm such an old fuddy duddy. You ask yourself...why does she despise the fair so much?

I mean really who doesn't love sitting in traffic in po-dunk-ville only to be followed by an exhausting search of a little piece of some one's front yard to park your car. That is the exact moment that the money in your wallet starts to effortlessly disappear for the next several hours.

After entering the main gate, you're senses are a flutter with the sight of about a BILLION people, the smell of deep fried twinkies, the sound of an infomercial salesman touting the miracle of his knife set that can cut through pennies.

You finally get used to the barnyard scent filling the air and decide to take the kiddos to the rides. (It's always better to visit the rides BEFORE finding a bite to eat...) Isn't it wrong for the carnies to charge more for their rides than Walt Disney charges for his?

I mean really, would you rather go to the movies or buy 50 seconds of pure stomach turning bliss only achieved from riding the scrambler? Hmmmmm.

Next thing you know, it's time to go in search of some overpriced, artery clogging grub. Should you visit the Sausage Shack? Earthquake Burger? Or perhaps the Krusty Pup? I swear the only vegetables at the fair are the ones on display proudly wearing blue ribbons.

Anybody up for winning a Nascar mirror? How 'bout an inflatable trumpet? You only have to toss a one inch ring around the neck of a two inch wide bottle! That is after you've paid the kid behind the counter three bucks to make you look like a total uncoordinated loser.

This is the point at which your feet start screaming at you... You would sit down to give them a break, but finding real estate to rest your derriere is not an easy task given the fairground is filled with half the state of Washington.

Awww...So much fun to be had.

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So what did we do today?

ALL OF THE ABOVE, and you know what?

I'd do it again in a heartbeat because of this...

Pure fair induced joy!

We really had a fun day, it's amazing that contagious laughter and smiles can help make something you dislike into a great time.

Gotta love kids!

Happiness is...

Having this view of the sunshine through your favorite tree while swinging in a hammock on your day off!Finding this little note on the fridge from a sweet, red-headed boy....
(I love how he wrote "please respond" at the top)


As you can see, I've had a nice day so far...and it is only 10:45 am. Gotta love that!

And We're Off!

The boys are off and running to school this week! Nick sprung outta bed at 6 am on the first day, he was completely ready for the school day even before my feet hit the floor!

Nolan, on the other hand, takes after his mother... He likes to take the "more sleep the better" approach to the first day of school.

They both had a great first day... It's shaping up to be a good year.

As for me, I'm just off and running.
Or at least that is my new goal...

Here are my new best friends.

They will be gracing my feet and hitting the pavement starting tomorrow morning.

Connor took me to a cool shoe store in Tacoma this afternoon that helps you pick the perfect running shoe. They watch how you run, then decide what type of shoe would work best for your running stance and foot shape.

And we all know that my foot shape is completely CRAZY.

So crazy in fact, that I even wondered if they would sell any shoes to fit my freaky wide, high arched feet.

Well they do. And OH. MY. GOODNESS. They are the most comfy shoes I've ever worn. I didn't know shoes could feel so fabulous.

Let's hope I feel the same way about these beauties after my run tomorrow...

Hammer Time Is Over!

We finally finished! We've spent a great deal of our Summer hammering, measuring, sawing, and swearing while working on our new and improved fence. Take a look at our handy work...

This is obviously a BEFORE picture. We knew it was time to replace it because anytime the boys threw a ball at the fence, part of the fence would come crumbling down!
Pretty sad excuse for a fence... Rotten and hanging by a thread.

But lucky for us, we had some helping hands along the way.

Thanks Gary for all of your generous help!

We also need to send a big thank you out to our friends David and Bill who also spent an afternoon sweatin' and helping us build this massive fence.

STATS: 320 linear feet

675 fence boards

2700 nails

6 gates

countless sore muscles

But look how pretty it turned out!

Connor did a fabulous job, he is a perfectionist and it shows!

Go ahead kids, just try to knock this puppy down...

Ahhh... it feels so good to be done. Now hand me a cold beer and a lounge chair so I can put my feet up and relax in our beautiful back yard.

Connor, you rock! I hope you get a smile on your face every time you look out across the lawn at the awesome fence you created.

What Does the Future Hold?

What do you 'spose is in your future?

I like to think ahead to the days where I might find myself gently rocking in a comfy rocking chair on a lovely back porch that overlooks a peaceful and serene lake. I can hear the birds singing sweetly in the distance and maybe a few grand kids playing in the sand near the water's edge... This is my dream for my future.

Today, Connor shared a little dream of his with me...

Apparently, there will be an alpaca and a goat in our future.

And their names will be Bert and Ernie.

Can you say old and eccentric?

Heaven help me.

Empty Nest Syndrome

My house feels so empty.

It's been bustling the past four weeks with lively interaction between grandkids and grandparents.

Yesterday they packed up the car for their drive back home.

I love it when my parents come to visit in the Summer. They get a chance to escape the scorching Arizona heat and we get the opportunity to have fun with them.

They are AWESOME house guests... Extremely helpful. I couldn't get them to stop doing the dishes, laundry, and cooking. How on earth will I survive without them?

I guess it wasn't all fun and games around here. For instance, my mom DID break her arm from the fall she took last weekend. She likes to refer to the cast as her "souvenir".
We liked to walk down to the lake and in the forest with Grandpa. He's also a superior fishing buddy to the boys. He helped Nick land two "eatin' size" trout on one of their fishing excursions.

When my parents come to town, I get to see more of my Aunt Linda as an added bonus!
Here we are chatting away in the back yard... Do you see the tree monkey behind us?

I hope my parents enjoyed their stay as much as I did. I still wished they lived nearby, but I'll take what I can get.

Come back again next year...We love you guys!!

Fun weekend with Fun People

It's been a pretty fun weekend around here. It started off with a Mariner's game on Friday night. With the M's being in last place, we didn't have a lot of hope for a winning game, but lo and behold...miracles do happen!!

My parents have been visiting from Arizona for the month of August, so we took Grandpa and my uncle Al to the game. It's been several years since Nick and Nolan had been to a game, so they were pretty excited by the whole event!

Our view of the Seattle skyline, it was a perfect Summer evening.

Nick and Nolan

Nolan, Grandpa Dale, and Uncle Al

The fam

The fun doesn't stop yet....

Next, we got to meet our new furry niece, Sally.

She is an adorable Labradoodle that is only 7 weeks old and barely weighs a thing! So cute.

She's the newest addition to Shannon's home and the whole family is in love with her.

The fun continues at the family lakeside BBQ....

My Aunt Linda invited us all over for a BBQ on the shores of Lake Sammamish. All the young cousins swam and played while the "much older" cousins visited and wished we had as much energy as the younger cousin variety!

Connor pretending to be a lake monster about to munch Alex... Alex squealed and ran away from the crazy swamp thing.

Here's Nolan jumping off the piling.

Here's the young energetic group!

(Nolan, Andrew, Audrey, Elisa, Alex, and Nick)

Alex with his dad, Doug.

Adam and Vivian watching from the sidelines.

Here's chef Al slaving over hot coals.

This is my Aunt Linda with her oldest grandchild, Audrey. I love this photo.





Unfortunately, right after my parents arrived to the BBQ, my mom fell down on the sidewalk and injured herself. She bonked her nose pretty bad and has abrasions on her arms and legs. Luckily she didn't break anything and for that we are thankful!!

We missed having them at the shindig, afterall... it was a BBQ in their honor!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I love Summer and I'm getting bummed that it's end is near.

Family + Fun + Summer = Happy Kelly

Nothin' beats a good day at the beach!

Except for maybe four fun-filled days at the beach!

We lucked out with the weather and spent each day basking under sun in lovely 80 degree warmth.

We love our Summer vacations in Cannon Beach.

It's a family tradition I hope to never miss.

We've been there so many times now, that it feels like a home away from home.

Nolan just "leaning" on Haystack Rock.

Nick flying a kite in the warm Oregon sun.

A little smash ball anyone?

We love walking to town to peruse the shops and fill our bellies.

My men

Nick on a "funcycle", luckily it lived up to it's name!

Here's my crew in action... I love how the surf sounds and the sun shines.

We'll be back again next year to body surf, skim board, fly kites, play in the sand, and create some new beach memories!

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas...

...And that is only because I forgot to bring my camera! I could have kicked myself!

Maybe Connor "accidentally" removed my camera from my suitcase because he did not want me
to capture his fortieth birthday on film. Yes... my sweet and handsome hubby turned 40 last Saturday!

So to celebrate this mammoth occasion we jetted off to Sin City for a little R&R amongst the palm trees and blazing sun.

It was nice just being together as the two of us for a change, we hadn't taken a weekend away in such a long time. Neither of us can remember the last time so we were definately overdue.
Our room at the MGM was pretty amazing, like nothing we've stayed in before. Modern decor, bathroom mirror television, swanky chairs and lighting fixtures. We were not in Kansas anymore.

The highlights of our weekend would have to be...

Unwinding next to the lazy river pool under the swaying palm fronds and bamboo leaves that sheltered us from the 104 degree sunshine. It was perfection, whenever we were too hot we would just hop into the river pool and float downstream until we arrived back at our lounge chairs! LOVED IT!

Sharing a scrumptious dinner together at this beautifully decorated restraunt. We sat on a little couch next to the fireplace. The food was unbelievable and the company present was unbeatable--I love you Connor!

Watching Connor play blackjack. He did very well until the dealer had to take a break. The substitute dealer just didn't give us the Birthday winning mojo that the previous one had given. Luckily, Connor had learned much wisdom in his 40 years and left the table before his money had disappeared. He later had the urge to play all his remaining chips at an empty blackjack table. Phew... he won double his money and that's when the dealer said "Take your money and run." So that is what we did. :)

Now mind you, not all our time in Vegas was a highlight... Here a few of the less than stellar moments...

The fact that this city sucks you dry of all your money was a bit of a downer. Nothing is cheap in Vegas, NOTHING. For example, we sat down for a drink at this mexican cafe and I ordered a margarita. Nothing was extraordinary about this drink other than the look I got on my face after getting the bill. $16 for a margarita?? That is just plain crazy.

Many people visiting Vegas scare me. I'm convinced the majority of them are made of plastic, flawless faces, hair, and bodies surrounded us at every turn. Kind of creepy.

While we were at the pool one afternoon, Connor and I played a game. It was who can spot the most tattoos or breast implants as the people float by us in the river pool. :) We lost count. In fact, Connor at one point said "If there are more than three ladies with implants in one place is that called a siliconvention?" I think I had tears streaming down my face.

I obviously didn't mention my slot machine playing skills were a highlight. Nope, I do not have the wisdom that Connor possesses. Maybe as the years roll by and I get to be his age I will be lucky enough to know when to say when. Although, I did have loads of fun plugging quarters into the machines and watching with hopeful eyes as the bars spun around.


Even with these minor annoyances, our time spent in Las Vegas was a lot of fun. You only turn the big 4 0 once, so make it memorable is my motto. I love ya Con and hope your next forty years will be as happy and healthy as your first forty!

extraORDAINary weekend!

You've heard me say it before... I do love our time at Banks Lake.

But this past weekend is one that I, for one, will NEVER forget as long as I live.

And now I'll tell you why...

Our friends, Bill and Marianne, invited us to their lovely vacation home in Eastern Washington. Only this time, they made a point of saying that is would mean a lot to them if we could make sure we could be there this particular weekend.

Ok. Sounds great. So what's going on?

They wouldn't tell anyone what was going on, they just let it be known they would like everyone there.

So, the speculation begins. Maybe a wedding announcement? (They've been together for 16 years) Perhaps a party to celebrate Shannon and Connor's birthdays? Maybe they've won the lotto and want to let us know we've all been given a share? Hmmmmm..... So the story goes.....




It all started out like any other weekend at the lake. The house was filled to the brim with lots of people, laughter, good food, and yummy drinks.



(Love this view from their back patio)
















Here's our friend, Don. We don't get to see this guy nearly enough so when we do, we are thoroughly grateful!



(Relaxation is a big part of lake weekend fun!)

Here's Marianne's daughter, Jenne... She's clearly under the impression that all child labor laws don't apply to her. Hence the five year old, Jay, is giving her a massage...

More relaxation under the mid-day sunshine...

Marianne's other daughter, Stephanie, is on the left side of this picture and that is Marianne lounging with her arms above her head. Gotta love Summer

Boating is another bonus of being at this amazing lake. We spend a good portion of each day cruising on the lake...












This is Connor using Nolan's ankles as a steering wheel. Hold on Nolan!!! At one point they both ended up in the drink.












As you can see the patio is a popular hang out. Here is Shannon and Claude hamming it up for the camera. Look at those lovebirds!















Awwwww...True bliss.











Then as the day turned into the evening, everyone in the house was told to go onto the patio...

Before we knew it, Marianne and Bill came walking out onto the deck. Bill was sporting a boutonniere on his button up shirt and Marianne was lovely from head to toe holding a bouquet!

Hmmmm....Looks to me as if a wedding might be brewing.

Then out of the corner of my eye I see Connor emerge behind them...He was also looking quite dapper in his nice pants and shirt. WHAT IS GOING ON???

Next thing we know Connor starts talking about how Bill and Marianne had told him a couple months ago that they were thinking about tying the knot and would like to know if he could be a special part of their big day.

He was flattered and assumed the next question out of their mouth's would be if he'd be their best man at the wedding. Except that is not what they said. They said they wanted to get married at the lake house and there aren't any judges within 100 mile radius of that locale. They had done some research and found a church that will ordain normal citizens to be able to conduct marriage ceremonies... They wanted Connor to become an ordained minister and to conduct their marriage ceremony!!

Can you believe that?!

Long story short... He did a lot of research himself to make sure everything was on the up and up. He didn't want to have to do anything he felt went against his own beliefs, and wanted to make sure this wedding would be legally recognized by the state of Washington....

So, lo and behold here we are gathered on their patio in the delightful sun rays of an August evening watching two of our closest friends tie the knot as Connor leads the ceremony! It was so wonderful!



Marianne's children and Connor were the only people that knew what was going to happen this weekend! So that meant that the patio was full of surprised guests...even Bill's mother didn't know! She was beyond surprised.












Bill's mom stood up for Bill and Marianne's son, Toby, stood up for her. It was a sweet and heartfelt ceremony. Very simple, private, and touching. I loved every minute of it.

Connor did great! He said he was so nervous and had been all week long. He said it was killing him not being able to tell me what was going to happen.






Here's a little snippet of video I took of some of their vows. Her kid's prepared a cute skit towards the end that I thought was really fun! take a look!!



The rest of the evening was comprised of dancing, eating, cake smashing, toasting, and a late evening boat ride in their "just married" decorated boat!

Congratulations Bill and Marianne! We're so happy for you both and hope you continue your journey of love and happiness far into the future.We love you guys.