Camping and a Classic Fourth

We left on Thursday afternoon for yet another camping trip. I wasn't feeling super excited beforehand, it sounded like a lot of work to get ready....but I am so glad that we went. It was wonderful. We went to Mt. Rainier National Park, stayed at Cougar Rock Campground *although Max was sorely disappointed to not see any cougars*, spent Friday morning at the visitor's center *where Max got a crazy fever and we spent an hour being worried and trying to figure out why and what we could do about it* and playing in the snow. The rest of the time was just us being a family and spending time together. Every camping trip has s'mores, Ty playing the guitar and harmonica around the campfire *this time with cheers from fellow campers in the site next to ours*, mosquito bites despite spraying OFF *mostly for me*, and dirty, dirty faces. New this trip was a hammock, which was enjoyed by all. Not a lot of pictures this time 'round. Ahhhh...I love camping. Such a great way to vacation as a family. No distractions, just us.

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Nisqually River with Mt. Rainier in the background...what the gorgeous!My peeps by the icy cold glacier run-off river

Max and I were walking down to the river and I was about 20 steps ahead of him. He likes to take his time, so I would occasionally turn around and encourage him along. One time I turned around and he was pretty far back *I had to use the zoom to get this picture*, just chillin' on a rock. "Hey, bud, what are you doing?" "I'm just takin' a rest, Mom. I'm just resting my legs." He sat there for another minute and then hopped up, apparently refreshed.

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Narada Falls
*Note the rainbow in the bottom left corner of the picture. Beautiful!*-------------------------------------------------------------------
What's more American than baseball?

We got home from camping around 1:00 in the afternoon. We grilled hamburgers for dinner. For the night of the fourth we attended a local baseball game. I love that we live in a small town. It's not a very big stadium and they had all sorts of things to keep kids interested. At the end of the game Max got to go out and run the bases *somewhat pictured to the right and then the camera battery died*. His shorts are a little big around the waist and so it was a kick to watch him run - 3 or 4 steps and then a grab at the back of his shorts to pull them up whilst running as fast as his little legs can carry him. He stopped about 3rd base. We were told later that it was, again, for a rest. I guess he knows how to pace himself. :) Afterward they turned off the stadium lights and we enjoyed a great fireworks display. Perfect fourth. Perfect weekend. Love my little fam!

Livin' and Lovin' Life

Nothing super exciting to report, just pictures of the cute people I get to hang out with everyday.

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I wish you could see the super thick layer of yogurt caked on this little girl's *thankfully huge* bib. I don't know how much actually made it into her mouth. I think the spoon landed on the floor at some point, but I hadn't noticed. It therefore became a task for the fingers to get the yogurt to her mouth. Much less effective, but no less enjoyable.

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We have been SO enjoying our strawberry harvest this summer! Every couple of days Ty and Max pick a bowl full of perfectly ripe strawberries for us to inhale. You heard me - inhale. They don't last very long. We have shared a little with some neighbors, but mostly we keep them to ourselves. There are few things in life as tasty as a perfectly ripe strawberry from your own garden. Yum.

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If you're looking for a stylish hat to wear this summer, you need look no further than your sister's closet. Turns out, little sister's swimsuits make for some great head wear...----------------------------------------------------------------

I finally did something with Kelly's hair! I have been a little afraid for a few reasons: 1.) she runs even when I try to put a clip in her hair; I never imagined I could get her to sit still for much else 2.) I have no idea what I'm doing. But I tried pigtails and I'm in love. I get to see more of her cute face and she doesn't have hair going every which way all day long. Here are the results:

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In other news that doesn't have an accompanying picture....

• Max has started to just go in and go potty all on his own! As in, while he's playing he just leaves his toys, goes into the bathroom, does all of the business on his own and comes out to resume play, pants and underwear up. No major announcement ahead of time like I was used to *"Mom, I need to go potty!" "Okay, go in and go, Max!"*, just a boy doin' his business independent of me. I love it! He does come out and yell, "Surprise!" every single time. I love that too.
• Ty is workin' it for the Husband of the Year award. Last night was one of those nights where I just couldn't pull myself out of a funky mood. I was irritable. So after dinner Ty pushed me out the door and I was gone for a few hours. Nice. I came home and the kids were all ready for bed. Max told me they had a surprise for me but he couldn't tell me what it was, he just wanted me to come upstairs. As we were walking upstairs Max was saying, "Just come in...and relax...just relax...the bathroom's beautiful, Mom!" I was lead into my bathroom where a bath was drawn, candles were lit, relaxing music was playing, a small bowl of strawberries, some reading material and a homemade card from my little family were on the side of the tub. I kissed my kids and, of course, my incredible husband and then slipped into that magical, 'beautiful' bathroom while Ty put the kids to bed. I know it's early to predict a winner since it's only July, but I'm already putting my money on Tyler Foster for Husband of the Year!
  

Lessons from a mother bird

Tonight we played on the front lawn as a family. Ty was being his usual great dad self with the kids, playing hard and making them laugh. I was enjoying the show and my heart was filled to the brim with love. Kelly would occasionally come and give me a kiss and then go off to play again...Max would sit on my lap and then get up to jump on Dad again. Everyone was happy and showing the best side of their personalities. It was one of those really great nights.

I didn't take this picture, it's off of the internet...I can't get close enough for a photo op

I was also enjoying another show. A mother bird and her babes have taken up residence in the eaves of our home. I think it's wonderful. It must have been dinner time. I guess I thought before that the mother bird would go out and get a worm or two, bring it back to her babes, they would eat and enjoy some time together. Not so. This mama was bookin' it! She would swiftly fly up to the nest and within 1-2 seconds she would drop off the goods and fly off again, only to come back seconds later with some more for the hungry babes. The chatter would get much louder among these baby birds when Mom came back to the nest with food. This went on for a really long time. Like, 45 minutes or more...and that's just what I was there to see, she was still going when we left on our walk. Back and forth, back and forth. I could relate to the need she felt to quickly get her job done and the urgency to meet her babes' needs. I thought, though, of how nice it might be for her to slow down a little, enjoy some leisurely flight time. But, alas, there were tummies to fill. I thought of how it is nice to be needed and to be THE mom - the only one with just the right hug, kiss, thing to say for a few little people.Then I thought about how it may be crazy and rushed and busy for this short time - she may be a little worn out at the end of the day - but way sooner than later those birds are going to leave the nest and she'll long to be rushing about, filling the bellies and meeting the needs of her beautiful babes. I thought of how much I need to treasure this time. (I do, after all, work with the youth *teenagers* at church. :) )

I thought mostly as I sat there watching both of these amazing shows that I am super blessed. I feel extremely grateful for a husband who is my absolute perfect match and 100% partner in parenthood. I love my two little people with a love that fills my whole chest and gets stuck in my throat because there aren't adequate words to express it. I love nature and a Heavenly Father who created so much beauty for us. I love that this mama bird deemed our home worthy to make a home for her family, where she coul bring her babes into the world and nurture them until they're ready to leave the nest. I hope for her sake that doesn't happen too soon.

Boy's Day

On Saturday I was talking to Max about making a card for Father's Day and what we wanted to get for Dad, etc. Max made this observation:

"You already had Mother's Day (pause while he processes the facts - Mom had a day, Dad had a day...) When is it Boy's Day?"

I convinced him that his birthday was like boy's day and he was satisfied. But, really, I got to thinking...isn't every day boy/girl day? I make them every meal, I clean up after them; they get to play all day long, eat snacks when they're hungry and take a nap. Sounds like my kind of celebration...and that's just what happens on Mother/Father's Day around here. So the real question is why don't we have more Mother/Father's Days throughout the year?!

Funny to the Max

With super cool, super fast Uncle Drew in Eugene, OR

Maxisms:

Last week we were talking to my mom on the videophone and she apologized because she had a scratchy voice. Max looked at her for a second like he was assessing the situtation and then said, matter-of-factly, "You need a new mouth."

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Max loves the movie Wall-E - it's the favorite. There is a part in there where the captain is trying to return to earth but is being thwarted by the "Auto Pilot" (you'd have to see the movie to get it). Anyway, the captain has a line - "I don't want to survive, I want to LIVE!" Well, a few weeks ago Max got hurt a bit and was being overly dramatic about his injury. Ty told him, "You're okay, Bud. It's not the end of the world. I'm sure you're going to survive." Through the tears, Max exclaims, "I don't want to survive, I want to LIVE!"

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Another thing he said through tears the other day...I was comforting him on my lap and he was just beside himself. I don't remember what had happened. But through tears in a super sad voice he asked, "What did Jesus say to God?" I tried several things that I thought maybe we'd told him or he'd heard, but I couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer. He wanted to call Dad. I forgot to ask Ty about it. I'll have to do that tonight.

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Last thing. Max has become very friendly in public, which wasn't always the case. Now he wants to talk to everyone. We went a few weeks ago to Drew's race in Eugene, OR. He runs (or, rather, ran...he's now graduated) for the BYU Track Team. While we were hanging in the bleachers Max made a few friends. One lady was standing with her little girl who looked to be about 2. I watched the interaction but couldn't hear what was being said.

This is what I saw: Max tilted his head to the side as he does when he's asking a question. He then rested his head on one hand (he was leaning on some part of the bleachers) and extended the other hand out, as though offering an explanation. The ladies shoulders went forward as though she was laughing. A few minutes later she walked over and asked if I'd heard what Max had said.

This is how the conversation went: The lady told Max that her daughter wasn't feeling very well. Max asked why (tilted head)? She said she didn't know, she just wasn't feeling very well. Then Max, resting his head in his hands, and very sincerely extending his hand along with a possible explanation, said, "Maybe she has the swine flu." Imagine being told that by a 3-year-old. Our reaction was exactly like the nice lady's. A laugh of disbelief. Ours went on even longer than the nice lady's though. Still makes me laugh to think about it.

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Now for a really fabulous case of bed-head:

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I sure like my kids!

MBA!

My very handsome, very sexy, very funny, very supportive, extra amazing husband also has a whole lotta smarts! That's why he scored a 730 on the GMAT (entrance exam for business school) back in April. That's also why he got an acceptance letter in the mail yesterday from the University of Washington Milgard School of Business to start their MBA program in the fall (it's a two-year program designed for the working professional...so it's at night a few days a week). And his smarts landed him a $6,000.00 academic scholarship from the Milgard family which is a MAJOR bonus for us! Ty's company covers a good chunk of the tuition and then this will help with a good portion of our costs. He'll get to go to a special dinner at the end of the year with the Milgard family as well. What a man! Did I mention he's smart? For his Bachelor's degree he double majored in Mechanical Engineering and Russian. The man already has one Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. I missed out on all of that schooling...I swooped in just as he was finishing his thesis and was leaving school. So it's time I paid my dues!

Last night we celebrated in style (after going to Sariah's graduation - yeah for Sariah!) by getting some ice cream and eating it on the porch at home. We are SOOO proud of this amazing man and we love him lots!

The Fosters Go Camping

We went on a two-night camping trip to a really cool state park - Scenic Beach - just about 20 minutes from our house this weekend. It's right on the Hood Canal and, in true Washington fashion, was beautiful. I think that we've been ruined forever as far as campsites go. If we ever move, we may just have to come back here to camp. Last year when we went on our 9-day camping trek we started in Washington and then went down to California. The campsites were alright, but they got a little less beautiful each place we stopped.




Max and, thankfully, Kelly's favorite activity to pass the time when we got there Thursday night.

Just a few random favorites

This was Kelly's favorite thing to do...thus, the filthy shirt, hands and face she sported most of the weekend.

I sure think these little people are good-lookin'

We took the 5-minute walk to the beach with the intention of throwing rocks in the water and looking for crabs. When we got there people were swimming and we thought they were crazy. After a few minutes we decided wading would be fun. Pretty soon our son who we have to push to be adventurous is in up to his neck without ANY prompting from us. It was awesome.
This is Max roasting his marshmallow. :) We'd roasted several marshmallows on sticks but he remained a fan of the unroasted and ate many. We were all just chatting around the fire when I looked down to see Max's version of marshmallow roasting. It gave us all a good laugh.




Good friends of ours, the Beiers, came for dinner and s'mores on Friday night. They brought a few hammocks and their cat. Max was in heaven! It was so fun to have them join us.

Some tent photos

I thought they looked cute - Kelly especially - chillin' in these chairs, looking so big.

The pancake flipper does it again...not as high this time, but still impressive.