200th post! 3/17 2006 to 2/28/2009

Mountain School (aka Fat Camp)- Okay, okay, who would not want to accompany their daughter and her fifth grade class into the north cascades to a beautiful place such as this? ME, ME, ME. I'm thinking a break from work, from home from all things stressful. So on Monday Isabelle and I headed off along with her interpreter Tam and my friend Sarah (and the 25 other kids and a few other chaperone's). It was great, an adventure a fun car ride up. (The rest of the class and chaperons took the school bus, at least I had the good sense to take my own car) We arrived at 12:30 met by an eager team of park rangers. The park rangers helped lug the kids with all their luggage up hill to camp and quickly covered our luggage from the rain.  Oh coarse we're thinking where's my room, when is free time? Then reality hit: They announced we will be outside until dinner... WHAT?????? Outside until dinner? Are you crazy? It's 38 degrees at best. And so it went outside, outside outside. Freezing, freezing, freezing. Rain, snow, sleet, repeat.  If you know Isabelle you would know she is the least outdoorsy person you can find. She is at this point... well to be honest, pissed.  At first I had a good attitude, this will be fun. So we headed headed out into the wilderness with our trusty ranger Rick. What did we find... SNOW a lot of it. Suck, I had not packed our snow gear.  I saw nothing come home that said pack for a ski vacation. 

But have heart we heard how amazing the food is here. That will be something to look forward to, a yummy warm dinner. So picture this... A class of kids, wet and cold and hungry. The last time they ate was back at the visitors center at 11:30, the sack lunch their mom packed. Okay we've hiked all day, 6:00, time to eat!!! After removing all our shoes (at a wilderness camp????) we lined up the kids for din din. Salad and a baked potato. What, seriously the kids were looking around for the main course!  And so it continued humus, pita chips, carrot sticks dried apples and dates, eggs and ONE pancake.  After the announcement on the second day to "get your layers, we'll be outside for eight hours"  being the wusses that we are we packed our bags as quick as we could and practically ran for the car. Tam, myself and Bellie smiling the whole way down the mountain!!!!  Isabelle has never been so happy to see Dairy Queen when we pulled into Sedro. So the moral of the story is: Mountain School might be fun in May or September but not in a snow / rain storm in March. And Mountain school might be fun if every minute was not spent filling out a note book and analyzing nature. And if you want to drop a few lbs. hang out there for a while you would waif down to nothing in no time.  Ethan and Jack... your going with dad! 

Rain on top of snow... Brrrrr

Skits, breakfast and (lunch on the trail) dinner and a brief visit to the microscope lab were the few minutes we spent inside. That part was actually cool.

It is a beautiful facility... maybe in summer?

My little trooper

This is the look I got most of the time... "Your not serious?"

Tam was a trooper too! She even hiked around on a hurt knee, thanks for coming with us Tam!!!! 

 

It's Official

After SIX long months of being 'laid off', the 'vacation' is over. Joe is officially a licenced real estate agent for Century 21. We are excited about this opportunity however there is no salary, no health insurance. So if you would be so kind, if you or anyone you know is in the market to acquire a new home or sell an old one... He is your man! Joe moved to Bellingham for me and the kids leaving his successful real estate business behind. It will be such a blessing when he can get established in our county and beyond. So thank you in advance, we appreciate your referrals, your prayers, and your friendship as we navigate out of this difficult time. 

Our Little Tradition

Home cooked corn beef and cabbage you say, green eggs and ham? Nope, Shamrock Shakes from McDonalds. We started doing this years ago so image our sadness when the first two tries they said "We're out!" That did not deter us, tradition IS tradition. Good thing my hubby put a little phone book in my car on the forth call... "Yeah we got it"  Thanks goodness, you don't mess with tradition! 

Jack PATRICK, he thinks this is all about him...

Goofy little leprechauns, Bellie girl would rather have fries... and stay in the car. 

Jackism

"My doctor said I might have Indonesia."

Dreaming of Sunshine, Warm Sunshine

H

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Sun
Is is just me or does it feel like this has been a particularly long, long winter? I just found these cute pictures while organizing. It seems some slip through the cracks and never make it to the blog.  It was August and I had just cut her hair. I think she was feeling extra cute. I long of those warm afternoons so we can once again sit out on the deck and soak up the sun! 

We have landed...

At the place we will refer to from now on as the "love nest".  I will call our house a nest because in my mind a nest reminds me of someplace cozy and small.  And cozy it is and small for sure. I got some good advise from Christine, "if you feel your world is small, just look outside!" and that is what I will do. And when one moves to the lake... well....

 One (rather two ones) must take out the canoe despite the frigid nip in the air. 

And the love part: True love must be painting nearly two entire houses for me in less than one year. Joe lovingly painted close to this whole house making it feel so much more like home. We spent all of Sunday just getting everything off the floors and onto the walls. Who knew all my rusty buckets, minnow cans and reeds I have had for years would find there true destiny at this little Lake House.  

And today snow, lots of it. I could not even make it home from work at noon. I have to agree with Ethan. "It feels like Narnia, like it's been winter for 1000 years!" 
So if you ever find yourself in our neighborhood, please stop by. I would love to see you.