Family Pictures

  Our last real family picture we took was when Harper was about eight months old.  We've been long overdue for family pictures.  We also wanted to update cousin pictures with Tyler and Ayva.  Sadly we were not able to get Ayva in our pictures, but we did get some cute ones with the girls and Tyler.  The photographer also took some family pictures.

Our last real family picture.

I forget about our attempted family picture that a photographer friend took when trying out a new lens.

This picture just cracks me up.  I love it.

Tyler's hands are up because he was just told not to give his cousins bunny ears.

I think this is my favorite one of Tyler, Avery, and Harper.

The return of business Harper.

Even Daryl and I got to have our picture taken.

Easy Bake Oven

  Back in March DeAnna brought up an Easy Bake Oven that someone was giving away for the girls. Four months later I finally got a light bulb for it, so Avery and Harper could get cooking.  Boy is the Easy Bake Oven underwhelming.  Basically you are cooking stuff with a light bulb, and the little mixes make up the smallest of portions.  Avery and Harper loved it though and had a great time.  They used up all their little recipe packets last week, and now we will pass the Easy Bake Oven onto some other lucky family.

Harper and Avery making up pretzels and cookies.

Avery eating her ridiculously small frosted sugar cookies.  

This is what Harper's pretzel bites looked like.

A close up of Avery's cookies.

Enjoying their pretzels with cheese dip.

Here's Emery posing with Sisko.

Another Family Reunion

  Last weekend we went up to stay at a house just outside Rainier National Park with Aimee, Karl, and Tyler.  While we were there Daryl's dad, Daryl, and his wife, Karen, were able to come hang out with us one day.  They also brought Ashley, Thomas, and Ayva, so we were able to be with almost all of Daryl and Karl's siblings. We had a great time hanging out together.  Aimee and I took all the kids to hike the Grove of the Patriarchs on Friday before Daryl and Karl got there after work.  Then on Saturday morning we went to ride the gondolas at Crystal Mountain.  The gondolas offer some beautiful views of Mt. Rainier without any actual hiking.  Saturday Aimee and I left the kids behind to do a short hike to Silver Falls that was absolutely gorgeous.  It was nice to be able to do something with Aimee without the kids.  Also it was Daryl's birthday while we were up there, and we celebrated accordingly.

Daryl and his wife Karen with the grandkids.  Ayva is on Karen's lap, Emery, Harper looking a little squished, Luke and Avery on Daryl's lap, and Tyler with an epic face.

Luke is ready to drive already.  He can totally reach those pedals.

Emery enjoying Daryl's birthday cake.

Ayva and Aimee hanging out.

Tyler was over pictures when it was my turn to take this with him and Luke.

Luke, Avery, and Harper on the porch swing.

Tyler in the foreground.  In the background the suspension bridge that we had to cross to get to the Grove of the Patriarchs.  You had to wait in line to cross it with only a couple people on it at a time.

Emery, Harper, and Avery throwing rocks.

On the gondola going up.  Karl, Harper, Tyler, and Aimee.  Karl and Harper were very nervous going up.  Harper was holding Karl and Tyler's hands.

Our side going up.  Daryl, Avery, Rachel, Luke, and Emery

Tyler bought this coyote skin hat with his own money and was quite proud.

A squirrel enjoying a banana peal at the top.

The view of Mt. Rainier from the top.

Just Luke hanging out with his hands in his pockets.

I guess Luke is just getting ready for his modeling career.

Here we are going down.  Daryl, Luke, Rachel, Harper, and Emery.  This time I had to hold Harper like this all the way down.

The other side going down.  Karl, Avery, Tyler, and Aimee.  Karl was in his happy place and couldn't look at the camera for the picture. It was pretty high up.  

We roasted some marshmallows.  Tyler, Daryl, Harper, Karl, Luke, Aimee, and Emery.

Silver Falls

Me with Silver Falls

Aimee and I looking good on our hike.

Last Week

  Last week was busy.  Aimee came over to help potty train Emery.  She's enrolled in preschool, but she has to be potty trained of course.  Emery can be quite strong willed, and my past two potty training experiences were pretty terrible.  I needed some help.   I feel really blessed to have a sister-in-law who would help me out with this.  Aimee and I were both expecting a knock-down, drag-down fight, but we were both pleasantly surprised when she was only here usual level of upset.  Also Daryl got his birthday present a little early.  Now he has a smoker and can make us delicious meat products. 

Here's Luke sitting on a potty with two of his blankets nearby.

Emery popping out of a box.

Now Sisko is in the box.

Luke and Emery enjoying some apple and peanut butter.

Daryl's glorious new smoker.

Our Weekend

   The weather was super nice on Friday, so we made good on our promise to have the girls camp out in our tent in the backyard.  I was fully prepared to sleep out there with them, but Avery wanted Daryl to be with them.  How could you say no to that?  Avery and Harper wanted to hear ghost stories, and they seemed to like it when I shook the tent to scare them too.  They said they had a great time, and now we don't have to do it again.

  Brad and DeAnna came up for the weekend too, so Saturday we hung out at the parental's units place with them and Adam, Angie, and Logan.  Luke and Logan still haven't really interacted much, but I did get them running around the backyard with me.  Saturday night Brad and DeAnna stayed with us.  Avery and Harper loved getting there hair braided and curled by DeAnna before we went to church Sunday morning.  It was a nice visit even if it was short.

Luke actually put the headband on, but I was too slow with my camera.

Here's the tent in all its glory.  

Here's Daryl telling Avery and Harper a scary ghost story. (Avery made me write "scary.")

Here are the girls' hair that DeAnna did.  Emery got pigtails that she calls Minnie Mouse ears.

Here's Logan being adorable on Saturday.