Some Sport Videos

Just a couple of sporty videos to share from the last month or so.

Check out Julia's "nastics"...she is the one in the white t-shirt that bounces down the trampoline runway.

Check out Oli snowboarding...he is in black pants and a blue jacket.

Love all Around

Valentine's Day was a week long celebration for us...school parties, friends party, a family party.  And I loved every bit of it.  There is a lot of love going around our house at all times and it is fun to celebrate it. 

Julia had her friend, Dane over and they have been friends since they were just a couple months old.  I couldn't help making their playdate into a date. 

Their valentine's lunch date.

First (assisted) steps!

Tyler is growing up so fast!  8 months already and is crawling quickly now, pulling up and Julia helped him take his first steps.  What a stud.

Julia topless? Yeah, becoming more normal than not.  Brett says it is ok until she is a teenager.

Brunch in Olympia

We were lucky enough to spend Julia's actual birthday in Olympia at the Russell's.  They served a great brunch despite us all showing up early.  But that doesn't make a bit of difference when you are with great friends.  

Peyton Russell showing Julia how to paint in a very organized way.

Peyton's hats got better as the morning went on...the next one was underwear on his head.

There were many fires to be put out and Fireman Peyton was on it!  Julia quickly followed. 

Allison is absolutely adorably. 

All us girls and the kids.  We've been friends for a long time now. Could it really be nearly 15 years?

Julia LOVED her birthday gift.  Paint, paint and more paint.

Happy Birthday Katie!  Glad that we were there to help you celebrate.



Monster Spray

Julia had a playmate named Grandpa for the last couple of weeks.  He enjoyed acting like a monster which sometimes was just what Julia wanted and other times that set up a good ol' 3 year old tantrum. 

I created Monster Spray awhile back when monsters were a problem at night.  This special air gets rid of monsters...highly recommend this product.  Also works on Grandpa's.

Oh, I see all these photos are out of order but don't have the extra minute to fix it...oh well, you will get the point.

Grandpa doesn't look like much of a monster here. 

"I'm gonna get you Monster!"

Nana was a great sport with so much paint and toddlers around.  And somehow she kept herself clean, the floor clean and the kids reasonably clean.  Experience, I guess!

Go Away, Monsters!

"I scared a Gumpa"

How to Make Sushi

Marisa McFarland planned and beautifully executed a surprise party for Nick's 35th birthday.  The party was a Sushi Making Class.  It was a really really fun afternoon spent with great friends. 

Happy Birthday, Nick!

Marisa - the most cheerful person you will ever meet!

Yes, rubber gloves and a perfectly rolled California Roll.  The was my final and best roll made!

Boat Party

Even though this happened one month ago, it is worth reminiscing about. 

We are new to the world of sailing and with that comes the realization that part of sailing is the mishaps along the way.  The stories that are collected, shared and treasured.  Those stories seem to contain more mishaps than not.  These stories created a very fun evening we hosted at our house a month ago.

The idea started here...it was our first weekend on Windependent and there were lots of things going wrong.  After each 'mishap' I was texting Maro and she texted back something along the lines of, "Yup, you are sailing. And the McDonald's and us have to share ALL of our stories with you as part of the introduction to sailing."  So, we invited them and our other sailing friends over to enlighten us on all that can go wrong. 

We made a game of it...there was voting, there was laughter, there were new friends made, there were gag gifts made....it was memorable.

Anne Post, a dear new friend of ours...lives right behind us.

Charlie Walsh and Bob McDonald...probably telling each other the same stories they have told for years to each other.

Pat and Maro started the story telling off with one of their classics.  A story of two women and their two daughters trying to get through the Ballard Locks.

Dave Despard, a neighbor friend and someone that has become a business mentor to Brett.  He is a funny funny man even when you aren't asking him to share his hilarious boating stories. 

Vicky getting ready to cast her vote for the story about how the hired captain took cover because the seas got too intense.

Arnold, my client for the past 5 years had stories to share about his sailing experience all over the world. Arnold and Brett took their sailing lessons together.  We're sad that he is moving back to the Netherlands.

Ed receiving Brett's gift to him of the line that caused their rescue on a night they went out on Windependent.  When you have the boat in reverse (well, anything in reverse) it is wise to look behind you.  Glad that I am learning that lesson through Ed.

Anne and John Post actually performed their stories to the tune of Gilligan's Island.  This earned them a gag gift...the Walsh's old rusty sailing nuts and boats. 

 We thank our friends for coming and enlightening us on the sailing fun that can be had (and that you live to survivie it and laugh about it).