Memorial Day Weekend outings

This weekend we have loved having some time to hang out and play.   Greg is actually in Europe for 11 days for Microsoft, so mama is holding down the fort.  So, for our three-day weekend, we are only the Fearless Four, rather than our usual Fab Five!

On Saturday am, I took the kids to the Kitsap Harbor Festival to see a car show and enjoy a little carnival.  We took the ferry there and back, which the kids loved.  Andrew loved the car show, of course, especially the part where he got to sit in the cars.  Oh, and the part where a nice man GAVE him a toy car. Wow, that made Drew’s day, of course!   On this little outing, we also walked along the shore during the very low tide, viewing lots of starfish and such.   The festival itself was a bit lame, if you ask me, but the kids had fun.

On Sunday, we went to the little town of Snoqualmie to ride the Snoqualmie Train.  Even though we have done this before, the kids didn’t remember it.  So, they loved it.  The weather was rainy and grey, so it was a calm ride through the wet countryside.  The ride ends with a fabulous view of the Snoqualmie valley and waterfall.   We had to visit the candy shop before the train ride, of course.   I was a softie and let the kids each get a handful of salt water taffy for the train ride!   After all of the train activities were done, we stopped to see the Falls, which were very beautiful with all of the recent snowmelt.   A great day!  Only three more days of school, and then we get to play all summer!

 

Kindergarten Orientation

This afternoon we walked up to Woodridge Elementary so that A&H could go to their Kindergarten Orientation.  I have to say that I am one relieved Mama….  Why’s that, you ask?  Well, because they loved it!  I have been apprehensive about switching from our preschool into a bigger all-day school routine.   Today was our first look inside the kindergarten classrooms and our first chance to meet the teachers. 

Wow!  We were so impressed!  The amount of resources in each of the rooms was crazy. They have books, activities, training material, math activities, computers, stuffed animals, games, puzzles, and a million teaching tools.  The kids thought it was great, and I couldn’t get over how large each room was.  Andrew kept whispering “I love kindergarten….”  It was very sweet.   They all had snacks, drew some pictures, and played with the toys.  We are so blessed to have a great public elementary school right up the street from us.   The twins are very ready for kindergarten, but this mama is going to be bawling her eyes out on their first big day!

Thank you for cheering us onward as we make the scary transition into BIG school!!

Hailey is reading!

Our little Hailey is trying hard to catch up with her Bro.... and now she is a reader!  She has really improved over the last six weeks.  Something just clicked!   Here are two videos showing her in action.

Seabrook weekend

This past weekend we went to the Washington coast and spend a lovely two days at the beach.  We rented a house in the charming community of Seabrook, which is a planned development full of parks, cute cottages, bike paths, and a little Main Street.  We have done this trip every year for the last four years; it is a place we love.   We went again this year with our friends, the Kingsburys.  They have two daughters who are the same age as our kids, so the five kids had a hoot of a time together. 
See pics below of the beach (which is very big!), the kite flying, the birthday celebration for my hubby, shuffleboard, biking, and more.