** doctoring **

Over the years, this "doctoring" has become a thing.  

It started with Derek (I think I blogged this before) and has grown to include everyone. 

I don't understand how Jerry can do it.  The other night I laid down too and they tried to "doctor" me.  I flinched and laughed it wasn't relaxing at ALL.  Jerry just lays there and rests/relaxes/sleeps!!

I guess "doctoring" is a Daddy thing!!

* Dinner *

Mid Summer, the T. family adults did a dinner out .... for no real reason other than to celebrate eachother.    

With a candid group shot!!

I'm sure you know that recently Jerry's mom was diagnosed with cancer ... if you want to follow the progress with Mom here it the link to her blog. 

Pictorial update

Here is few pictures to sum up the last few weeks ... maybe more will follow ....

One Saturday it was beautiful weather so we sent the kids outside ... James wanted to read so here is what I found.

 I often have small games /puzzles/toys sitting on the bar ... Derek was playing cars with the Rush Hour game instead of playing the actual game. Whatever keeps them happy!!

 Jolene helping prepare dinner ... pizza I think! YUM!!

 Karina was proud to set the table ... of course when I took out the camera she poses infront of me wherever I go ...

 Our dishwasher packed it in and Jerry picked me up a new one ... woot woot! Shaun was pretty interested when he saw what dad all had to do.

(Un)Fortunately because I am always behind the camera there is rarely a picture of me to share :o)

<= CUBA =>

In early December, we made a trip to warmer weather with my parents ... Cuba here we come!!

It was a beautiful relaxing holiday. Cuba is Cuba so I don't know if we'd go back .... there is so much more of the world to see .....

Here is a very brief overview ... I still need to swap pictures with my mom!!

Relaxing at the pool

Dinners out ... Japanese was the best and the most entertaining!!

An informative but long tour in Havana

Beach time :o)

Every night we played cards in the lobby and were had a variety of entertainers but mostly this sax player!

- - Jerry's hobbies - -

Hobby Number 1 ~ Remote controled car

This he bought with the 2 boys ... they all sunk money into it and they drive it together. The other week they took it to a Hobby show and raced it on a dirt track that was built there. Luckily it has a "kid" setting so the boys will have a harder time smashing it! It already has needed some replacement pieces .... oh well it is something they can do together ... that is worth it in my eyes. Hobby Number 2 ~ Remote controled airplane

While they were at said Hobby show they couldn't resist purchasing a deal .... an airplane ... which was in pieces like a model ... so Jerry spent an evening assembling the plane and now he is puttering away at getting the controls working and the motor running .... we have a feeling this hobby will only go up once and then down ... BOOM!

I'll keep you updated .....

:: Long Lost Friends ::

Much to her parents chagrin :o), Eric, Brenda and family came over Sunday after church and for supper.

Normally when they visit we get a night in but often it is over supper in a quiet restaurant sans kids .... but hey we took what we could get and it turned out MARVELOUS!! It is amazing how it feels so natural and like no time has past.

Yet another thing to be thankful for ... Great Friends even when they live sooooo far away!!!

** Our U*S*A Trip **

This summer we headed off to the USA from August 15-23 .... whilst there are MANY things we could have done etc we really didn't DO a whole lot.

We spent lots of time at beautiful beaches, relaxed at campsites with coffee and hot chocolate, biked and drove in the truck. We spent one night in what we dubbed as "exit 52", then 2 nights in one site at Fort Stevens, and two more nights in another site there. Then we headed north to Olympia and spent 2 nights there. And our last night just outside of Seattle as we were headed to Woodland Zoo on our way home. We even had Jerry's parents meet us for 2 nights. It was a LOVELY family holiday and I can't wait to do it again!!

I have over 200 pictures so .... here is a small glimps of our time away ... sometimes I really wish I had one of those fancy smancy cameras!!! (I think they are in order!!)
First stop after waiting in the borderline for over 2 hours .... yum lunchtime!
"Exit 52" ... site unseen beautiful .... a little while later we realized train track on one side and I5 on the other ..... oh well they had plenty of amenties to enjoy for a good part of the next day!
Lots of room to bike!!
Our first beach experience ... the kids LOVED it!!!
Running down the beach ... it sure was an experience ... the sand is beautifully soft ... wonderful!
YUP I was there too!!
Ahhhh, beautiful sunset!
MY ABSOLUTE FAV of the whole trip!!!
Fort Stevens Campsite #1 ... I didn't get one of site #2
Shaun playing with trucks at the site ... you can see his mouth shaped to make truck sounds :o)
One of the MANY playgrounds
Sand castles .... James and Derek explored the beach in the middle of the pic. Unfortunately they couldn't get back unaided soI had to go in up around my waist level .... sigh!!!
Buried Dad in the sand ... we had a couple ladies chuckling a little way down the beach!!
Haystack Rock .... we didn't get a real good one cause the camera was acting up because of sand in it ... we didn't end up coming back as the beach near us was just as nice and this was a good 30-45 min drive!
These beaches are AMAZING!!! Look at the patterns in the sand ... wow! Sandcastle time .... among others!
Shaun's nap time :o)
One of the wildlife we witnessed ....
Beachtime with Grandparents T.
Jerry flying a kite :o)
Grandma helping dig .... the hole was as deep as James by the time we left.
Astoria bridges .... pictures just don't cut it!!
Our most private site ... in Tumwater. Karina is coloring ....
One of the 3 pools we dipped our feet in!
KOA ~ Just outside Seattle ... having hot chocolate! Lots of room hey?
Playing Chess ... she beat me!!
Woodland Zoo
Giraffes ...
James' fav ... the Komodo Dragon

:: T. Family Camping ::

July 18-28, 2011 we headed up to Cultus for our yearly T. family campout ... fun times were had by all. We didn't get the nicest weather but it could have been worse!! At lease we got to spend lots of time around the fire since we didn't have a campfire ban this year!!

Here is our site!

Lots of time to have fun with a variety of things like ....

wood sculptures ...

drinking hot chocolate ....

biking ....

posing for pictures ...

hanging with friends for an afternoon ....

One evening we went for a walk with just our family down to the boat launch ... this is a terrible pic of me but the only one I got!!!

The kiddies looking in the water at the boat launch ...

Across the way from our site was a tree
I thought made for a perfect 5 kid photo op!