Welcome Grandparents!

My mom and stepfather arrived in town a few weeks ago. We have made a couple of visits to the Olympic Peninsula to enjoy their company and hospitality.

We like to go to the park:

:

Go out on the boat to get crab from the crabpots:

Hang out on the deck in the sun:

Hang out inside their nice big house

Happy Summer

We are starting to enjoy the lovely summer weather. We had a very busy 4th of July weekend -- a visit with the grandparents, a visit to the vacation home of friends outside of Cle Elum, then a trip to Bainbridge Island to see the parade and take part in the festivities there.

As usual, I didn't bring my camera to any of these events. Luckily I have a phone that can occasionally take mediocre pictures. We went to Bainbridge with our neighbors who are Jack's favorite people in the world. They both got their faces painted but Jack declined.

Jack riding a pony. He really wanted to do this so I paid 6$!! to participate in what seems like a very sad activity that for some reason children love. When it was Jack's turn, he insisted he did not want to go but I told him it was too late because I had already paid. He went, reluctantly.

He loved the park and played with kids of all ages. Here they are on the tire swing.

In June, we took an all-school trip to Carkeek park to celebrate the end of the year. Jack loved the trains that ran right next to the park.

Our lovely, but sadly, temporary, nanny Sarah took Jack and Sonia to the zoo to see the dinosaurs during the weeks when June turned to February.

All is going much, much better since I withdrew from school. I feel great. I am happy to be with the kids, and feel very clear that it's what I want to do right now. School will have to wait.