Hey,batter batter!!

Last night was Sean's first night pitching...

A little holiday bike ride

Brothers

It's interesting to watch the brother relationship change yet somehow stay  the same. They seem to cycle through having fun together, fighting , having fun, getting irritated with the other...sometimes all in one day. But regardless of how awful the day has been, they always go back to being friends.  They still share a room and listening to them chatting at night can be a revealing insight on the closeness they share. They don't always show their affection in obvious ways but it's reassuring to know they truly are friends.

Favorite places

This is our fifth (or sixth?) time visiting the Hood Canal. There are no malls, no franchise restaurants, no crowds...just the the simple things that make a great vacation:  fresh air, beautiful views, a beach to play on (and dig in), gorgeous sunsets, great food, kayaking, trails to explore and as a bonus, lots of friends to play with. We were here for Jim's annual work retreat so it includes all the partners and their families. Fortunately for us, there's a great group of boys (and great parents too) all about the same ages. It's a non-stop play date all weekend long.

Good busy

The weekend was good...finally we have sun and warmth which means everyone is outside. We have been eating dinner outside as much as possible, the boys have had lacrosse and baseball games, we had the boat out for the first time on Sunday, the neighborhood kids are all out riding bikes...lots of good stuff. The boys surprised me with a cooking class on Mother's Day. It was a 3 hours hands on class for kids and parents taught at a local cooking school. Very fun! I wish I had taken photos of the many yummy things we made, but most of the class was spent chopping, mixing, and enjoying the food so there wasn't much time for pictures. Saturday night was the team banquet for the boys swim team and we enjoyed a fun night visitng with friends and appreciating the accomplishments of all the swimmers. All in all, it was a weekend with the right balance of business and downtime. We don't always hit upon that balance. Sometimes we are over scheduled ( and grumpy) , sometimes people are bored and the weather  limits our choices. But sometimes just by chance, it comes together and the weekend truly feels like a weekend.

Sunshine and fun

A balmy April day...

...actually not exactly balmy. But it felt warm enough that some people wore bathing suits and got in the water. The adults preferred activities near, but not IN the water. This was last Saturday. It's looking like this weekend may be a bit closer to balmy. But I'm still not planning on getting in the water unless I'm wearing a wet suit!!

Saturday lacrosse

This is Jackson's first season of lacrosse and he has really enjoyed it so far. He's getting better each week. It's a fun game to watch even though I don't completely understand all the rules and regulations. Sean's baseball game was at the exact same time as lacrosse so no bball photos this week.

Quick weekend report

Thursday night was the science fair at the boys school. They each worked with a friend and came up with interesting projects that they were able to demonstrate and explain independently (mostly). Friday morning was the school jogathon. It rained-well, actually misted-the entire time. Therefore, I only took about 3 pictures and they weren't good ones. The kids had a great time...the adult volunteers were soaked and in search of warm places to seek refuge as soon as the event was over. However, Saturday morning, the weather gods finally took pity on the poor Northwesterners who were starved for sun and warmth. Sunshine arrived just in time for baseball opening day and a lacrosse game. Sean played catcher and got a hit every time he was up to bat. Jackson scored a goal and did some great passing.
We ended Saturday with date night: the boys with a babysitter, happily playing their new Wii game and mom and dad out at a great, new-ish French restaurant (called St. Jack) drinking yummy cocktails and eating some really good food.
Sunday-again, sunny! 80 degrees! We took a downtown bike ride that involved crossing two bridges and also timed it just right to see the drawbridge go up to let a large ship pass through.

Double digits

How can this boy be 10??!!! We are so proud of our sweet, smart, curious, creative, snow-loving boy. He was an easy, sweet baby and is still smiling and brightening our lives every day. Happy 10th Birthday, Jackson!!

Signs of Spring

Flowers are starting to bloom, temperatures are warmer, we're eating Easter candy....all reliable signs our winter is finally coming to an end.

Hawaii Now and Then

Same spot...four years later!

The goodness of Hawaii