Fair time!

Cowlitz County Fair Aug 2010

Every year we make our annual trip over the bridge to the fairgrounds for an elephant ear, carmel apple, corn dog and fresh squeezed lemmonade at the Cowlitz County Fair. This year Daniel had to work so we went along with my dear friend Lindsay and her son Grayson.

After about an hour and a half of wandering in and out of the livestock barns, we decided to visit the free face painting booth. Lillian, not one to have anything where she can't see it herself, wanted a lady bug pinted on her hand. She sat very still as the young lady told her the story of Jesus and what the colors on the lady bug represented.

Grayson, who is also two, wanted a caterpiller painted on his arm.

Lillian paid very close attention to the lady as she slowly swirled her paint brush on the paint.

Logan, being the easy go with the flow guy he is, sat in the stroller watching and waiting for sister to get her pretties.

When she was all finished she wrapped a small bracelet around her arm. I almost think she was more excited about the bracelet than she was the lady bug! :)

Grayson on the other hand loved his caterpiller!

It was a great day at the fair!

Dinning Table

Behold the beauty of my dinning table... NOT!!!! I have had this table for almost three years now and never really have been happy with it. I bought it at Pier 1 right after we moved into our current home. It did not come with chairs, strike one, and it is too big for our dinning area, strike two. Thus began my quest!



I had two chairs from a previous table, the white ones you see in the picture below, but they don't match so I always said someday when we can afford to I'll buy new ones! The two leather ones I picked up at Ross right after I bought the table for $19.99 each, steal of a deal if you ask me, but they only had two! Grr!!! I have bought numerous table cloths, place mats, and napkins over the years hoping to dress up the table. None of which I have liked so some I have kept and some I have taken back. A few weeks ago I was on Craigslist and found a new dinning table I thought would be perfect in our little space. Well to make a long story short I was wrong, it was way too small so now I have a dinning table under a tarp I can't take back... Yes, I have issues, I am aware of that. LOL! Anyways back to my story. The other day on one of my many trips to Target to buy diapers I wandered thru the Home and Bath section on my way to check out and low and behold I see a TABLE CLOTH!!! Not just any table cloth but one I had to have for my table!!! So, like I have many times before, I buy the table cloth. As soon as I get home I open it up and put it on the table. TOO SMALL!!!! Big surprise huh!



Back to Target I go, table cloth in hand and I exchange it for a bigger one. Logan had his 9 month check-up so I went to Ross to return some curtains, that's another story, and picked up a little something for $5 I thought would look good in the middle of the table to hold something. Once finally home from the Doctor I began dressing my table and ta da.... my new dinning table!!!

I am finally happy with my table!!!! My once cluttered and messy catch all of a table is now beautiful! You know how when you get a new car and you just want to drive everywhere? Well I just want to sit at my table and marvel at it's beauty! You can stop laughing now. I will show you a little more of why I love my table so much now.

Here is the center piece of the table. The flowers I got at Micheals last Spring and have been on the table since then (one of my other attempts to dress up the table!). The basket is the little something for $5 I bought at Ross the other day to put something in and the something in it is two sets of napkins from Target I had bought and kept just in case. The napkin rings I have had since I first met Daniel and never used til now, they were a pier 1 purchase.

Here is a closer look at the table cloth, isn't it pretty!!!

The mirror above the table we have had since we lived in NC and it used to sit on out fire place mantle. It has looked so bare on the wall by itself so I picked up these wall sconces at Ross to pair with it. I need to get some bigger candles but you get the idea.

The white chairs I bought cushions for at Ross for $4.99. They make the chairs comfy for guests but I do still plan to someday pick up two new ones.

Here is picture of the leather chairs from Ross for $19.99 I bought right after I got the table.

Here is a side view of the table, don't you love it!!!!
Okay the table is set so feel free to come to my house for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Company is always welcome!

I have a spot reserved just for you!!!!

Logan 9 months old!!!

What a happy little camper he is! Always happy and pretty much goes with the flow. He always gets out his 'cheese' whenever I turn on the camera. Sometimes it is hard to get him to stop smiling for the camera cause he is waiting for a flash! LOL! His crawling is moving a little more forward these days versus the backwards it was going last week. His new thing is a sit and roll thing, pretty amusing to watch. Maybe if I can figure out how to post a video on here I can share!

Lillian pretty much leaves him alone but when he starts doing push-ups in the livingroom she thinks it is time to crawl around him so I usually put her at the table to color so he can have his floor time.

Sometimes he tries to sit on the wall. It doesn't usually end well but it is rather funny to watch.

This afternoon is his 9 month check up. He will be weighed and measured. No shots thank goodness but they will poke his foot for the iron check. He was a good bleeder when they checked at 3 days old so I am sure he wont have any problems!

Camping

After a long week of Daniel pulling long hours at work and me home with the kids, we decided to pack up and go camping. With the kids in the car and an empty cooler we had one stop to make before we headed down the freeway. While Daniel was in Safeway I took a few pictures of the happy bunch!Logan didn't really know what was going on. At 8 months old as long as he has a dry bottom and a full belly, he is happy. Well, that and a finger in his mouth!

Lillian was super excited to go. She had been telling me all day, "Me Daddy go vroom vroom." She was missing Daddy and the idea of spending some quality time with him was right up her alley!

Achilles was just happy to go bye bye!

After our short drive down the freeway we landed at our destination, Kalama Campground. Close, cheap, and they had openings! We checked in, then picked our spot. Daniel and Lillian put up the tent while Logan supervised!

The ground was a little hard so Daniel pounded in the stakes with his little helper's assistance of course. With the tent set up and the Jeep unpacked, it was time for swimming. Achilles of course was the first one to go in the water.

Lillian had fun throwing rocks in the water. We had the river to oursleves which was nice.

Here is a snapshot of me with the kids staying warm and dry on the river bank.

Daniel did a few laps with the dog in the river. So, of course, once Daddy was in the water, Lillian had to get in!

Not planning to swim, I didn't pack her suit, so she went comando.

It was cold but after a few minutes you got used to it. That is what Daniel told me anyways.

I stayed on the side with Logan.

Swimming was followed by what else, HOTDOGS! Lillian watched patiently as Daniel roasted her hotdog. I don't think I have ever seen her eat her hotdog so fast! Oh wait, that's because Achilles was hungry and stole her hotdog! It's okay, Daddy made her another one! LOL!

I also don't think I have ever seen her so dirty! Thank goodness for baby wipes!

Since we were so close to home, Grandma stopped by to say hello. Lillian was excited to see Grandma!

Before Grandma left, we had her take a picture of the two of us. It is a rare occasion you see the two of us together in a picture but we are working on me getting in front of the camera instead of always being behind it!

It was a cool crisp night so Logan was all bundled up with his stocking cap and down vest. Isn't he cute!

We had a great time camping. Next time we go I think we will bring our swimsuits and some bug repellant! I was fine but Daniel got a few bites on him...

Moulton Falls

Today we took a nice drive down to Battle Ground, Wa to go hiking at Moulton Falls. Moulton falls is on the east fork of the Lewis River.

This is a picture of a walking bridge that goes over the river. We took time to stop on the bridge and admire the view.

It was a nice day for a hike.

Here is a picture of us on the bridge, Logan is holding the camera!

Here I am pushing the kids.

And here is my view most of the hike.

Someday, maybe when the kids are a little older we will be able to go up the trails to the campground! I think the sign says it is 8.5miles up.

Here is the little blurb about the Bells Mountain Trails.

After the hike we stopped by the restrooms and while Lillian and I were inside Daniel and Logan were playing with the dog...

All in all it was a nice trip. Next time we decided we would either come without the kids or make a day of it and pack the kids in packs so we could try out some of the side trails.

Lillian's new look

Before

Making the first cut

After

On July 5th we took Lillian to get her first haircut! Grandma Shari, Aunt Teen (Christine), Logan, Lillian and I all piled in the Jeep and made the short drive over to see Jane. Shari had an apt to get her hair trimmed and we decided while we were up we would go ahead and take Lillian to get hers done as well. Jane cuts almost all of Daniel's side of the family's hair so we knew she was in good hands. Jane put a padded board across the arms of the chair and up she went. Lillian did pretty good while she was getting her hair done and of course her favorite part was the sucker at the end! I am so glad we took her to see Jane! Combing her hair after bathtime is now SO much easier and in my opinon she looks pretty darn cute with her new do!

As many of you know we are currently in the process of potty training. At first Lillian wanted nothing to do with the matter. I have been very frustrated with her unwillingness to try but on July 6th out of nowhere she took it upon herself to go sit on the potty and go pee pee! Praise GOD!!!! Everyone kept telling me one day it will just all click and she will put it all together and she did. I am so happy to see my little girl growing up but kind of sad at the same time. First we take her to get her first hair cut and now she is going pee pee in the potty. Before I know it she will be starting pre-school! My how time flies!