AJ turns 5!

October 1, 2008 AJ turns FIVE!

and we celebrated at the Happiest Place on Earth...yes Disneyland! What a great place to turn 5! Started out with breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen...where AJ and O were completely freaked out of any character figure and proceeded to eat cupcakes and cookies for breakfast. Here are all the cousins ready for a day of FUN!

Pictured are Kelsi, Luke with arms around Owen, Grady and AJ. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ!

Here are some pics from our celebration at home...

My first TRIATHLON!

Ok so when January 2008 rolled in and my holiday hangover was gone, I told Guy that I wanted to set some goals for the year. My biggest one was a challenge to myself...a triathlon...yep thats right, one of those events where you swim, bike run baby! For years in the back of my mind I had always told myself...one day I will compete in a triathlon. Now after birthing 3 babies all over the country, I was ready to take charge of my body again, get healthy and this had to be the best way to do it right? And while Guy declined the invite to do it with me, my brother-in-law Jason (Guy's brother) gladly accepted the challenge. Along with one of my best childhood friends Nicole. So we committed to the Kirkland Triathlon on September 21, 2008. I found a great training program on http://www.sweat365.com/ and was locked in. This was the ultimate test for my mind, body and spirit. The training program was a combination (obviously-duh!) of swimming, biking and running, but it was all on paper...I did not have a trainer...I had to be my own personal trainer and drag my butt to the gym so I could swim laps each week and then that was supplemented with running outside or on the treadmill and biking at cycle class or outside. Come that rainy, cloudy, dreary day in September...I was ready...for the most part. My personal goal was to finish in 1 hour and 30 min. Did I mention the swim part was held in Lake Washington (downtown Kirkland) and most of the participants were wearing wetsuits. Yeah ok so it was a little chili out, but the adrenalin rush was so strong I did not care...I was ready! Standing there in the lake...Nicole and I were front and center...ready to take this thing on. Ok well let me tell you...as soon as the gun fired off for the swim to start I dove in and just started to swim hard and fast and about 30 seconds into it I truly felt like I could not breath. I started looking around and all I could see was orange swim caps bobbing up and down and all I could hear was the sound of gurgling water and heavy, heavy breathing...like the kind at the END of a race when you have been working hard to finish...c'mon people this is the very beginning...and I am seriously struggling for another 30 seconds thinking...oh my gosh...I have trained hard for 12 weeks to be ready for this and I am not even to the first buoy...how in the heck am I going to make it? I start to panic and roll on my back and look to my right where there is a life guard (thank goodness there are several of them) and he is on some surfboard thingy yelling "c'mon ladies...you can do this...remember to breath...keep going...you can do it!"...ok BREATH...is that my freakin' problem...I am not breathing...so I continue to do the backstroke to the first buoy and am feeling better...just practicing my breathing the entire time...it must be the shock of the cold water mixed with my crazy adrenalin rush that is making me this way so I continue to talk to myself and finally am calmed down to a point where I can roll back onto my stomach, get a steady stroke going and make it to the darn finish (of the swim that is)! Oh I was so glad to see shallow water and rocks and couldn't get out of there fast enough! Guess thats what I get for training in a heated pool...whooooooops! Anyway, the bike part was my favorite...12 miles through the suburbs of Kirkland and then a quick 3 mile run....Guy, Joey, Jake, Luke, AJ and Owen, along with my parents were there taking pictures and cheering us on. I finished in 1 hour and 40 minutes...not bad for my first one. Can't wait to do another! Here is the link that Joey put together with all of her pictures...thanks Joe!

http://cosabellafoto.com/slideshows/triathlon/

Luke's B-day PARTY!

For Luke's acutal birthday party we gathered some of his closest classmates and celebrated at Big Al's Bowling Alley. Fun times.

From left: Ajion, Josh, Luke, Nguyen, Gabe and Blake

Double Whammie!

Luke posing-First day of FIRST grade!

Luke with his chocolate cake-his request.


AJ loves a party!

Cheeeeeeeeese! Owen loves messes.

So this year the first day of school also happened to fall on Luke's 7th birthday! Luke began first grade at Salmon Creek Elementary with Mrs. Baylous as his teacher. He loves school, could not wait for it to start. Had to have the one strap backpack and sport his favorite Adidas sweatshirt with his new dark jeans. Later that evening we celebrated with cake, ice cream and presents. I think his favorite present might have been the alarm clock we gave him...you can see the excitement on his face in the picture above. He is all about a routine and knowing where he has to be at what time. He sets the alarm every night to wake the next morning at 6:50 a.m. He dresses himself, wakes up me, then proceeds downstairs where he makes his own waffle. I roll down about 7am to make his lunch and send him off with our neighbors-Cody, Kayla and Hailey to catch the bus. Happy Birthday Luke!

Chelan fun...

Yep, back to Chelan, WA for one last hurrah before school starts! Photos: AJ and Luke, Owen and Daddy, the whole family, me and the boys at Banjo Creek Farm, Owen's first boat ride, AJ and Papa swimming, view of the lake from one of the golf course holes, Kirsten, Nicole and I golfing at Lake Chelan Golf Course-ladies day out! We had a great vacation-swimming, golfing, relaxing by the pool, boat ride on the Dwinell's boat and meeting up with Hadley's, Bosworth's and Cullen's down at Wapato Point.

Sun River, Oregon!

Sun River is an amazing vacation spot in inland Oregon...just outside of Bend. We had so much fun with the Leitz Family biking, swimming, eating and playing in this great town! Guy and I have been friends with Steve and Steph since our college days...I guess that means we go back about 15+ years! In the pics...our fam, Owen at the pool, me and the boys on a bike ride, and the Leitz family...from left...Ellie, Parker, Steph, Jake, Steve and Megan.

Cousin Visit!

Ok so this is my cousin Kristie-only one year younger than me and lives in Canada with her hubby Rob and their two adorable boys Kyle and Carter! It had been years (10+) since Kristie and I have actually had a visit and caught up on life. We grew up together as little girls hanging out at Grammy and Pa's on Lake Washington and here we are all grown up with our boys! In this pic is Owen, Kyle, Luke, AJ and Carter.

A Visit from the City Slickers of San Francisco!

Meet Oliver and Vanna and their two handsome young men...Callum (4) and baby Finn (9 months). Every year they make a road trip up to the Pacific NW to visit family and friends on Whidbey Island. They managed to squeeze us in on their journey home and we are so grateful that they could spend some time at our house! These guys are the best house guests...they go with the flow, never complain...and they bring presents! Thanks for a wonderful visit guys and Luke is still asking "When can we go to Oliver and Vanna's condo?" and Shelley is wondering when can I go to the Jean Bar in San Fran??? One of these days we will get down there...promise!

The top pick is AJ, Callum, Luke and Owen-all settled in for a movie!

Luke rides the two wheeler...

Ok, so Luke is a very smart, determined, fun loving kid who won't do anything until he knows he has mastered it...like riding a bike. On this particular August day we were given a bike from our

generous neighbors...The Freitag's. Heather called and said they were leaving on vacation, they all had got new bikes and they would love to give Luke Josh's old bike. Josh and Luke are best little buddies, but Josh has been riding his bike for months while Luke chased him around the cul-de-sac on his scooter. So I graciously accepted the bike on one condition...that by the time they got back from their vacation, Luke would be able to ride. So the next day I showed Luke the bike (I was not allowed to make a big deal about it-he does not like the attention), so he said he was ready, hopped on and just started riding...as if he had been doing it for months. No falling down, no training wheels, no help, no advice....just alot of "don't get so excited mom". So proud of this little man! Way to go Luke!

Someone had WAY TOO MUCH FUN with Mommy's lipstick...

This pic deserved a post all on its own. Owen, so kind and gentle...always walking around with his head tilted to one side saying "hi" with a huge grin on his face. Happy to see anyone that comes his way and always willing to give hugs and kisses. On this particular evening little O had just had a nice bath and somehow wandered off for a moment, got into my purse, pulled out the lipstick called 'soul sista' and decided to paint his body, arms and fingers with my brand new favorite lip color! Never once did the color get on the carpet or walls, just covering his little fingers and all the cracks! So back in the tub he went...and what a scrub down he got!

Trip to Pullman and Colton, Washington...

Recipe for craziness = 3 kiddos, two adults, too many oreos, no dvd player, AJ complaining of a tummy ache because he gets car sick, Owen yelling "mamma" the entire time to make sure I am still there and Luke wondering "how much longer" every 30 minutes on a 6 hour car ride. CRAZY! Two hours into the car ride AJ had an entire piece of gum wrapped around his head...he still has gum in the hair today. Needless to say, we made it to Grandma and Grandpa's (or as AJ says-Grandpa and Grandpa's) house in Colton all in one piece to start off our 4th of July weekend! A fun weekend indeed...although Owen started off the trip by falling out of the trailer onto the driveway and has the biggest black eye on a 19 month old I have ever seen (notice in the pics). We then did the Johnson Parade (in Johnson) and hung out and John and Tricia's (in Pullman) as we ate and drank our way through the day. The kids spent the entire day in bathing suits and I spent mine watching them from the deck-yeah! Watched an awesome fireworks display at Sunnyside park where AJ said his eyes were bleeding as soon as the show started. Followed up with some golf and pool time, it was great to be together...thanks everyone for a great 4th!

Back to the Old Stompin' Grounds

Last week the boys and I drove up to Bellevue to pay a visit to my family. We could not have asked for better weather in this great land that we live...the Pacific NW...cool mornings, hot days and breezy evenings...simply perfect! Mom's cooking, Dad's grilling, some pool time, park time and golf time, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents....thanks everyone for a great week!

School's Out!

Today was officially the last day of school for Luke and his friends. Which means he is officially a 1st grader-wooooo hooooooo! We celebrated at Cold Stone with our neighbors and then back to the hood for some water balloon fights. A very fun way to end the day!

Gotta love the first pic....all the kids running off the bus just ready to start summer!

Lemonade on the patio...

Finally today at about 4pm we hit a nice 75 degrees. The backyard gets some afternoon sun, and there is nothing like the feel of the late afternoon heat to warm your bones. When the boys were done playing in the cul-de-sac with their friends they came in and said..."Can we have lemonade out back?" "Sure." I reply. As we are all sitting in our chairs under the umbrella Owen is enjoying his first popsicle, every last lick of it, and its a mess...all over his hands and arms, but he is in heaven. Luke takes off his shirt to soak up some rays and AJ follows his lead and then puts on his Lighting McQueen sunglasses. "Mom," AJ says "This is the best lemonade ever....ahhhh....it is so delicious....this is just like being in Hawaii." I laugh and smile and just throw my head back to rest and think yes, this is just like being in Hawaii-a moment of paradise with my boys where nobody is fighting, kicking, tackling or screaming...each and everyone of them just enjoying the moment and taking pleasure in this 10 minutes of peace. We are missing some palm trees, sand and the ocean, but if AJ thinks this is what Hawaii is like so be it...I love how their little minds work. This Hawaii was perfect, until the neighbor fired up his lawn mower, and all the lemonade was gone and the boys started to squirm and the fighting began about who would finish Owen's popsicle that was falling all over the ground. Back to reality...I told you only 10 minutes of peace!

Little O...

Well I couldn't post something about Luke and AJ and leave little O out! At 19 months, Owen is crazy as ever. He is into everything...and I mean everything. Climbs on the kitchen table, eats gum out of the trash, stalks the pantry any chance a big brother has left it open, gets into the bread drawer and walks around with a loaf of bread or a sack of mini bagels, obsessed with the toilet and anyone who is on it, ready to go at a moments notice and will even go and get his shoes when he notices everyone is getting ready to leave, bites, hits, screams when he does not get his way. At the same time he loves his family, his dogs, and his bed. Everything normal for his age....and for that we are truly grateful!

Kindergarten Graduation

Today, Luke graduated from kindergarten. I thought I would be teary eyed, like the first day of school when his little body marched onto that giant school bus with such excitement, but I was not...just happy. We are so proud of this little man...who by the way chose to wear this shirt and tie...he's all about the dress up! He is so ready for first grade...more recess, hot lunches, and good friends. I heard him chatting with his buddies saying things like "right on dude" and "yeah man...so cool"...it is hard to believe that he will be 7 this fall.

Boring Pre-School comes to an end...

Ok, so for those of you that know AJ well, you are aware he had some "issues" this year at pre-school. Not so much acting out at school, but just decided that school was "boring" and did not want to go...part of the year was a struggle...as I would drop him off, Ms. Julie (his teacher) would have to pry him out of the car kicking and screaming and I would just wave and drive away thinking...good luck! He was always fine once I left and as these last days came to an end he did great. We ended the school year at Marshall Park. The highlight had to have been the fresh cedar chips that got delivered while everyone was playing!