P*A*R*T*Y in Greenbank

If it isn't raining this is one of the best places on earth for the kiddos, they all can run around and we as parents don't have to worry. There is plenty of space to have fun and run around. Only one worry is the scooter. Never sure how fast the person riding will be coming around the corners!

This is one of the best photos from the evening. Emma FINALLY likes most of us, it only took 20 months. I wish I had a video of her, Riley and Kelly when they played together it was really sweet.

Have a great Tuesday!

Emily has been hard at work for PNW History Class

In order to graduate in Washington State you have to enroll in and pass Pacific Northwest History. Emily had to make WA state on a piece of plywood out of salt dough. This is the beginning, scroll down to see how it turned out. She scored a perfect 50/50. I think each 5 points were an hour of work, but she has a much better understanding of our state now.

They had a test later in the semester and had to label 50 different places, mountains, freeways, etc on the map, again she scored a perfect 50. It must be nice to have a young brain! :)
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Off to work I go, heard that the State is in the building... should be really stressful, can hardly wait. It's days like this that I need to but a lottery ticket because you can't win if you don't play!

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Tomorrow NIGHT Lexy will be a HIGH SCHOOL Graduate... that seems so crazy to me!

Work and more work....

After 11 month of an UGLY sheet hanging in our bedroom Kirk and I finally ordered blinds. I paid extra so that they could come down from the top so that we could have light without everyone in the back yard seeing us in our undies! When Kirk installed them Kelly was SURE that he was stupid and did them upside down, until he showed her they go both ways! Blinds.com is the best, we will be back!

After 8 months of rain the sun is finally out.... so on Saturday morning (after sleeping in NO SWIM practice) the girls couldn't resist to dye tie everything that they could find... 10 shirts 1 sweatshirt, and then Kirk told them they had to stop. Here are a few that were left hanging on the deck on Sunday. Some in a bag just waiting to have all the ink soaked in.

End of a Season...

Kirk and I are finishing up our 2nd year as the directors of Trek, (Junior High AWANA group) last night was the last time the 8th graders will be under our leadership, it's time to allow them to move up to HIGH SCHOOL! That just freaks me out.... Emily is going to be in HIGH SCHOOL in the fall.One fantastic thing I about spending many hours together studying GOD'S Word, is that you really get to know each other, not just the superficial. We have spent over 150 hours with these 8th graders in the last two years. As you can see from the photo up top, they are comfortable enough to share a snack together. Who needs plates just grab a fork! (please don't tell your parents we let you do this! Lauren, Emily, Kris, Emily Noelle, Kendall, and Kristen. (Not photographed Steven.)

Hope you are having a great Monday, I spent 48 minutes in the dentist chair today, finally got my crown, only had to pay $900 for a $2750 procedure (I also had to have a root canal last month), I am thankful for insurance! My mouth is a little sore, but I don't have any more throbbing pain!

Swimming....

This was a very fun meet, in fact this is the girls' favorite meet, it is fast, there are lots of relays, and very little pressure. Emily has won her age division 3 years running including this year.

Kelly has always made the top five, unfortunately this year she earned second place by 00:00.02, two-one hundredths of a second! To think how many of those I have wasted in a life time!

Emily with a smirk and Kelly with a smile, why is it so hard for them to BOTH smile?

Swim Awards April 9 2011

These are the 4 swimmers who earned team towels, Kelly earned one for being a great cheerleader, she got the Spirit Award. Last year Neil gave out 15 towels for the Seniors/Junior team. Coach Neil, Ethan, Lauren. Kelly and Ciara.

These are all the swimmers who earned team records for the 2010-2011 season! Take a look both Kelly and Emily are there! Well done

Lucas, Jerrin, Ciara, Ethan, Kelly, Laura, Emily, Taliah, and Josh. 9 out of 156 team members earned team records, 2 0f 9 were Huffers! Very exciting, Emily has set her eyes on a few more for the long coarse meter swims this summer.

Girls at bedtime in Mexico

These are from Kelly's camera this is what sisters do after it's lights out, and we thought they were sleepy! Yet there are about 30 of these kinds of photos, from just one night. These two girls make our lives so rich, we are so thankful for them!

Who would want to SWIM a mile?????

Kelly really wanted to swim the mile, since she has never swam it before at a meet. Sure at practice she has swam 4000 meters!!!!! But she was determined to get this event under her list of accomplishments. She swam great she ended up #15 out of 38 swimmers for 10 and up category. Her time was 20:28.39, that is really great for her first mile.

Ugh, only lap number 43, Emily still has over twenty left. She ended up number 5 of 36, and improved on her time by about 3 seconds, not really great but she has been sick and is a little out of shape since she didn't swim any long distances while we were in Mexico.

This is why I think that the girls really like swim... hanging out with friends and being silly. Both of our girls are very social with many friends and swim meets have a lot of down time to just "hang and chill." Of course they do have to keep track of the time or they will miss their event!

Bruce, Kelly and Molly, they got in trouble from the life guard right after I took this photo, the three of them can really be silly. :)

Have a great Tuesday! ***Happy Birthday to Katy!!!***

I hope to post some more Mexico photos in the up coming days but I am still trying to get my house back to a normal feeling and semi clean state!

Matthew West and Josh Wilson!

Last night we took the girls and their friends (Lauren and Molly) to Issaquah to see Matthew West and Josh Wilson, and what a great time it was!!!! The Schroeder's also had tickets.

I just love how Emily is a creeper, she really wanted to be in this photo!! She had recently been burned in group photos and been far away, no way it was going to happen tonight!

Josh, Molly, Kelly, Ella, Matthew West

Kelly LOVED Josh Wilson, she just thought he was the B-E-S-T!!! So as soon as Matthew West stopped signing she ran out of the concert to get in line for a photo and to have him sign his newest album and her $20(!?!?!?!) t-shirt! It is actually funny, Matthew West until last night was her favorite Male Singer (Adam Lambert, WAS number two!!) SHE is the reason I made the final decision to even get tickets! Any ways Adam is now maybe 3rd place, with Matthew West at a very CLOSE second! So sorry Matt!

Puerto Vallarta 2011

So we went into PV last night to eat at Cafe Olla and then to walk on the Malcon and be grengos. We took alot of photos and had a nice time. I was sad however. PV is not like it used to be, it is so popular and busy.... too much noise and people. I thought I was just getting old but the BOTH of the girls said the same thing. Bucerias to me... is how I personally remember PV, except there are at least 10 night clubs in PV and ZERO here in Bucerias.

really this is what all swimmers wear here...

winter: check
jacket: check
shorts: check
boots: check
gun: check
silly girl: check!

Photos from Christmas Day!

For the last 3 Christmas' we have purchased new suits for the girls, these are the latest suits for each of them, of course I made them take a photo.

So I am in charge of PHOTOS Kirk is in charge of video.... gotta love that he videos himself, and he isn't even a teenager!

Can you believe it there is one of me... usually I take all the photos! ROCK ON!!!

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas, we were all home, opened gifts, did nothing then had dinner with the Schroeders for Emily Noelle's 14 bday! What a great day!

The day after Christmas...

Kirk went to work (insert sad and grumpy face here), I am adding up and paying the bills and the girls are doing there thing, Emily is on the Wii playing Just Dance 2, while Kelly is waiting for her turn she has her nose in a book! The living room is still a mess, we will get to it soon!

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Super Swimmer... Emily

Emily earned 4th place in state in the 100 backstroke, she was also given her medal by current record holder in the 100 and 200 backstroke Aaron Peirsol.

Aaron Peirsol and Emily between prelims and finals break.

Gramma Rocks!

Mom took all of her granddaughters for two days and a night to Seattle, what a great time they had. They went to the movies at 11:30pm, climbed the REI rock wall, ate breakfast at Pike Place Market, had snow fall on them inside, admired the Gingerbread houses, and got their photo taken with Santa, that is just to name a few of the things that they told me about. Mom said it was such a busy day that both of them fell asleep in the car on the way home!

Ooops, these got lost in the camera better late than never!

Emily was a cupcake for candy day. She and Kelly each collected EIGHT POUNDS of candy!
I am thinking this is the last year she needs to go out and trick or treat but she is hoping for a few more years!!!!!

Kelly being frugal like her parents purchased this costume last year the day after candy day and was so happy because it was only $4! All in all it was a great night.

Really this is for science class....

These girls have been working on a skit for 4 hours they have been sooo loud no Sunday afternoon nap for Kirk! *******Megan, Emily Lyn, Emily Noelle