Back to Soccer

 Megan's team is the Queen Bees this year so we had a lot of fun getting them dressed up for the Opening Day Parade. This year Joel and I got a little more involved. He is coaching Ethan's team, The Strykers, and I am team manager (which is a fancy name for team mom) on Megan's team. It has been a lot of fun for the whole family. Poor Austin is just bummed that he can't play until next year.

Back to School

 Ethan, my big 3rd grader, seems so grown up this year. Even walking around campus the first day I realized, he looks like one of the older kids at school now. He is such a smart kid and so well mannered I just love being his mom!

 Megan started Kindergarten this week and it could not have come fast enough. She has been ready since she got her shots at the doctor several months ago. She did great her first day and is already making new friends.

 Austin was so disappointed when he did not get to stay at "Megan's Kindergarten". He did get a new backpack and notebook and we have been having school at home, but it's not the same. He is going to be very ready for school in 2 years when it's his turn.

 We had a great summer together but it is time to get back into our routine. No, I didn't just send them off by themselves... we walk to school together every day. Besides, walking to the school 3 times a day makes it real easy to get 10,000 steps on my pedometer!

I got to go into Megan's classroom the first day because they have a meeting with the parents the first hour while this kids do outside activities. It is their "back to school night" since they don't participate in that event with the rest of the school. What a ham you are Megan!

We Made It!

 Although it broke my heart to leave my sick babies, I knew they were in good hands. This was my first time on an airplane since I was 11 years old, so it was a whole new experience for me. I was a little nervous, but plastered my face in the window for 2 hours watching the the tiny cars and trees below. By the way, I have now seen the top of Mt. Shasta, and no longer feel the need to climb it... that was easy!

 Joel and I did a lot of the fun tourist stuff like a cruise around the harbor. It was a cool, over-cast day (typical for Seattle) but we loved every second. The cruise was beautiful, and we learned a lot about Seattle and it's history.

 After our cruise we walked the pier and had dinner at a famous fish and chips joint right on the water. It was yummy!

 Here we are at the top of the Space Needle. You can't go to Seattle without visiting the Space Needle right? We went just before sunset so we could see out in the daylight and then watched the sun go down. It was neat to see the sky grow dark and the city light up.

We drove by the temple on the way out and it was beautiful.

Since this was a working trip for Joel, that I tagged along on, I had lots of time to shop. We showered the kids with gifts when we got home. Clothes, toys and cheesy Seattle souvenirs.

Getaway for 2... one week prior

When we took our kids to Disneyland for the first time they all woke up sick 2 days before we were to leave. We put off our trip a few days to recover. For the 4th of July two years ago we went to Sunriver, OR for a long weekend and Austin got the stomach flu on the drive up. Megan got sick the next day. For our 10th anniversary Joel and I wanted a little getaway in Cambria (where we spent our honeymoon) so we dropped Ethan and Megan off at Grandma's for the night. They both had terrible colds. It never fails, when we go on a trip, the kids get sick. This time was no exception.

Joel and I have been planning a trip to Seattle, WA for the past 2 months. It is all arranged, plane tickets, hotel, rental car. Grandmas coming on the train the day before we leave... all set, one week to wait.

Monday- Ethan wakes up with a sore throat headache.
Tuesday- There's no fever, nothing to worry about, he can shake it by Sunday.
Wednesday- Everything seems fine until he wakes up in the middle of the night in screaming pain. His head, throat, ear... can't sleep, can't settle down. When I try to check his throat, he pukes.We thought about urgent care, but it was 4 am and we figured it would be faster to make an appointment with the doctor in the morning.
Thursday-Joel leaves for Oregon. Take Ethan to doctor to rule out an infection... just a virus.
Friday-Take the dog to the groomers, find out he has fleas. Pay an arm and leg for grooming, flea bath, medicine, and carpet cleaner. Put the kids to bed and spent the rest of the night cleaning the carpets, blankets, pillows, rugs, car and anything else the dog may have touched. An hour later, Austin wakes up with a burning fever and throwing up. After a few hours of rocking, he settles and seems much better in the morning.
Saturday-one day before Grandma comes. Ethan and Austin seem to be on the road to recovery, and Megan is okay. Joel comes home from Oregon.
Sunday- Austin wakes up with pink eye, and Megan has a cough. Grandma rides in on the train about 3 pm, aware of the situation, but still willing to help! She's amazing.
Monday- get up and leave the house as fast as we can to catch our 8 am plane to Seattle, before Grandma has a chance to tell us Megan has pink eye now too.

We owe Grandma so much for taking this all on. It's enough work taking care of my kids when they're healthy, it's a whole new ball game when they don't feel well. By the way, no one in our family has ever had pink eye before this.