Summer 2023

Summer 2023 happened. Long ago. It’s closer to summer 2024 at this point. I’m so behind updating this sucker that this will be a (mostly) pictures-only post. Although I didn’t take that many pictures over summer. Let’s see what I have.

June 2023

Duvall Days parade. Saige (and Maive) danced at a studio in Duvall last year, and the studio participated in the parade. We opted to not have Maive walk in the parade because that would have required one of us to go with her. She’ll never know. Until she’s old enough to read this, if she ever does. Brian must have taken pictures of Baby hammering because I don’t remember that in the slightest.

Karann and I hiked Poo Poo Point in early June. It then became my summer goal to try an hike it weekly, with the goal of getting up without ever having to stop for a breather. That sucker is steep. And, like most of my summer goals, it fell flat. I think I went maybe four more times before summer ended?!

Mountain biking came to an end. Blaise joined the local team last year as a sixth grader, the grade you need to be to join. It’s 6th-12th grade. The last race was a relay up in Bellingham. Brian took Blaise and two of the girls the day before and stayed in a hotel.Last I stayed behind with Laine and Baby, who both had commitments back at home. What those commitments were, I have no recollection.

Last days of school(s)!

Gymnastics! Laine’s old team at a summer get together. Laine switched gyms last May. And Maive was invited to join the preteam. I mean, at three (now four), I’m sure it’s really about who takes them up on the offer to spend more money and time at the gym each week. But Maive loves ‘nastics! And knowing what we’re getting ourselves into, it’s all good. Even if she decides gymnastics isn’t for her in the long run, she’s building a strong body and her coordination is top notch from the training.

Summer days!

Poo Poo Point with Blaise.

Poo Poo Point with Laine.

The annual trip to Silverwood with a stop to Glacier after. And two hikes, the Gnome Trail and Bullitt Fireplace.

My solo summer outings. Not totally solo, just without any of my people. Mel and I hit the trail often and on hot days, he’s thankful we pass by a river at some point. I say a river because we have two we pass. I could never live somewhere without a prominent water source close by.

Out adorable backyard squirrels! These critters are my thing. It started back during Covid when Brian decided to get bird feeders. One squirrel started stealing the nuts we put out for the Stellar Jays. I quickly took to her (him?). We call her Missy, and she has learned to trust me. I can get within inches of her. Elliot, the other guy (girl?) is her sidekick, and he is vocal. They all have their own personalities. We also have Curtis and Harry, and the three Heathers. It’s gotten to the point where they sit in one spot and stare into our backdoor until I bring them nuts. I also have befriended two chipmunks, but they only come around in spring and summer. Carl and Carol. And I’m pretty sure we’re on Harry number five but whatever. We also have a bunny, Brownie, who comes around often. Again, I think we’re on Brownie number seven at this point. Bunnies are way cuter than they are smart. I protect my critters from the hawks who come around. One hawk dive bombed my head when we were having a stare down.

July 2023

Fourth of July. Blah. This is so not a holiday I care about. Brian is all about it though. And since Carnation’s thing is the Fourth of July, he takes the kiddos to all the activities. This time, Laine volunteered at the pancake breakfast. Our neighbor helps run the event and we offered Laine’s help. She stood out front with a large pancake, waving to people. Blaise was at his first ever sleep-away camp this week; he missed out on all the Fourth things.

Bob and Tara came up in July since we weren’t going down to California over summer. Courtney’s wedding was in September and we’d be down then, for a short visit. We hit up Remlinger Farms while they visited. It’s a nice little (expensive) place to have so close.

July outings: Weeks Falls hike, Garfield Ledges hike (twice), and a two-nigher cabin trip to Deception Pass State Park.

Cemeteries are technically parks, right?! Baby and I hit up the one in Redmond one morning while we were killing time; Maive was at gymnastics. We walked over to Target and then stopped at the cemetery on our way back to gymnastics. Baby was dead set on finding a grave with her birth year, 2015. We finally found a 2015 grave and upon looking further at the date, the lady died on October 7, 2015. Which is Baby’s birthday! How fitting?! Not only that, the last name! Sure, it’s missing an L but what luck finding this grave! Maybe not luck for Edith May, but Baby was beyond excited with the find. She was not excited to find a grave for a baby; this made her sad. And we found Jesus with a hoard of rubber duck worshipers. I think that’s Jesus?! Hard to tell since all the American religions whitewash religious figures. Jesus should be from the Middle East but that doesn’t fit the American Christian narrative. But I do love how we live in an area where religion isn’t taken seriously, rubber duck worshipers are approved.

Summer camps and stuff. Blaise and Laine went to sleep-away camps for the first time. They had a blast! And they’re signed up again for this coming summer. Saige took a Matilda summer camp, where they performed on the last day of camp. Laine went to a UW gymnastics camp which was amazing. Maive made $150 bucks as a test subject for a child behavior study in Seattle.

Parental outings. I hiked and hit the trails close to home. Brian went to Hawaii for a wedding.

Aunt Courtney and Aunt Mary came to visit. They were roadtripping to a music festival at the Gorge. They stayed two nights and we hit up the Tolt River and Snoqualmie River confluence. The water was shallow enough they were able to walk pretty far out on the rock islands!

Random July pictures. We watched Moose, a buddy for Mel. Baby being silly. Blaise getting his football gear (ugh). And a game Saige made, complete with instructions to snuggle with her, haha.

August 2023

Barbie movie! I took Laine and her buddy to get our nails done and then to see the Barbie movie. Not a bad way to spend the day!

We did a seven-mile stretch of the PCT to Mirror Lake, as a family. I keep trying to get more family hikes on the books but kids and their activities! Hoping this goal will be better met for summer 2024. And several pictures from my trail outings. Coyotes in a field, one of the lady cows I chat with—and they just stare at me like I’m crazy—and a poorly drawn penis. Come on, parents. If your kids are going to chalk draw a penis, at least teach them how to make a proper one, haha. I’d be ashamed if my kids drew whatever kind of penis that is on the trail?!

Farrel-McWhirter park! Our long time favorite. I took Baby and Maive while the other kiddos were summer camping.

Laine turned 12!

A Roblox programming summer camp for Saige, Gatorade jugs ready for fall sports that we’ve never did before last fall, Blaise starting football, and swimmers at the YMCA.