skiing!

Instead of a lot of toys for Christmas this year, the kids each got one thing from Santa and then we did a ski weekend as a family present (I don't even want to think about how last year, after opening all her presents Annie, put them all in a box and shoved it in her closet. Sigh.). We headed up to Snoqualmie Pass on Christmas day and spent 4 days reading, sledding, watching movies (on laser disc!), eating, skiing, and to top it all off, pushing the car back up the snowy hill.

Annie and Jonah had 2 days of ski school and they both had a great time. We were a little concerned about Annie because she a) doesn't like sports at all and b) doesn't like to be cold. Our fears turned out to be unfounded as she wound up on the chair lift on her first day and had a ball. Jonah loved riding the "Magic Carpet" and working on his turns. He was excited to find out today that he moved up to the next level so he'll get to go on the chair lift next time. Zeke loved having Joel and I all to himself and discovered the joys of sledding. He even mastered the "more" sign while sledding - after he would get to the bottom of the hill he would giggle and then do the sign frantically until we pulled him back up. They are already begging to go back up...


Looking super cute in their matching Helly Hansens.


Not too happy about the snow suit...


But much happier going down the sledding hill by himself.


Ready to walk up to ski school.


Annie coming down the hill.




Riding the Magic Carpet.


Working on his turns.

a very happy christmas

The elves left jammies out on the porch on Christmas Eve. Jonah was excited.


Annie learned the truth about Santa this year and was very excited to stay up and help set out the presents.


Zeke was very excited about the Teddy Grahams in his stocking...


and Annie's Fur Real Kitty.


New suitcases packed with ski clothes.


Annie and the Fur Real Kitty.


Christmas dinner at the cabin we rented up at Summit Central.

pancake breakfast

I think this is one of our favorite island traditions. (It is definitely my fave since it involves pancakes.) The fire department has a pancake breakfast with fire truck rides every fall. It's so great. We always try to go early to avoid the crowds, but it's crowded anyway which is always OK because you see everyone you know. The fire truck ride is the highlight for the kids - they get to ride on top and they take you out on the streets and use the siren. What could be better?


Annie and Jonah with Annie's best friend, Corinne, who had a sleepover with us last night.


Waiting in line for the fire truck ride with our friends Aiden, Caleb and Corinne.


Zeke and Joel on the fire truck. Zeke was a little unsure about his first ride...


But, he did enjoy climbing on the trucks.


The kiddos. One of them looks a bit bored with the whole thing.

back to school

Jonah was so ready for his 2nd year of preschool. He actually started school a week later than Annie and we had a few hard mornings as he sobbed and sobbed because he wasn't going to school yet. He also felt a bit left out when his sister got her long list of required school supplies so we got him a new Star Wars backpack (or "packpack" as he calls it) for school this year. He loves going to school and is such an independent little guy. He marches right in with his class without even looking back, loves his friends, and wishes he could go every day instead of just 3 days a week. He's already talking about kindergarten.


Off to 2nd grade! Annie, once again, landed in a great class with a terrific teacher and a lot of her friends. She still loves to ride the bus and is excited to start Brownies this year. This is her first year with homework and she likes doing it, though she is quite the perfectionist which means it can take quite some time to complete. She loves to read, enjoys math and is all about art. She even lost a tooth the first week of school - swallowed it during lunch!

things said, annie edition

Elizabeth: "What was your story about today in VBS?"
Annie: "Ummm....about 3 women who started a church."
Elizabeth: "Oh. Did you have a Bible story, too?"
Annie: "No, not out of the Bible. This really happened."

Annie: "Mom, you are lucky!"
Elizabeth: "Why's that?"
Annie: "Because you have an iPhone and there's an app for just about everything!"

seattle staycation

We had VBS at our church in Seattle a few weeks ago and James and Cristie were generous enough to let us stay with them for the week so we didn't have to ferry back and forth. We had a fabulous time...the kids were in heaven with the trampoline, tree house, water guns and of course, Tim, Micah and Brendan. The week went by way to fast. We're all wondering when we'll get to visit again.


Zeke ate watermelon (and everything else in sight) virtually non-stop.


Tree house + trampoline = hours of fun.


Trying to beat the heat.


Zeke turned 9-months and got his standard cake from Joel.


Annie v. Micah

catching up

We have 3 weeks worth of pictures and a couple of trips to blog about...Seattle, Portland, Beverly Beach, Cannon Beach, Annie's birthday...IslandFive has been busy. Today will be spent making the 3-tier it's-not-a-wedding-cake-it's-a-birthday-cake cake for Annie's party tomorrow. More on that later. For now, here are some pictures from her birthday.

We planned on spending 2 nights in Portland for her birthday and maybe going to the zoo or science center. But, after a surprising case of the flu for Annie & Jonah the day before her birthday, we wound up driving down on the morning of her birthday instead. That didn't leave us too much time to do things but she didn't seem to mind.


We're still having a hard time believing she is actually 7 and will be starting 2nd grade in just a few weeks!


The much anticapted Chrissa doll. Thanks to Grammy & Grampy who chipped in to help us get her!


The one thing she wanted to do was mini-golf. Unfortunately, it was 97 degrees with no shade while we were golfing, so after 3 holes she wanted to go home! Luckily, the fun center had plenty of food and video games in an air conditioned oasis which made everyone happy.


We think they are pretty cute.


She was so excited to do the super trampoline...she's been talking about it ever since she went on one at Whistler 3 years ago!


Jonah was a little unsure about it. He was also completely red and dripping sweat when he was done!

island seven

We are excited to introduce the newest members of our family: Phillis and Apple. Their adoption into our family was quite a spur of the moment thing; Jonah and I went to the pet store to "just look around" and walked out with the "guinea pig special." The kids love having little critters to take care of and the little critters seem to be a little less terrified of the kids every day (namely, Zekezilla, who stands at their cage screaming at them). Their favorite thing to do is play in the grass (well covered, for fear of eagles or owls swooping down) and eat dandelion leaves. The best part is that they don't smell that bad!


Phillis (with Annie) and Apple.


Jonah adores his pets.


Playing outside.


Phillis, munching on a leaf.


Zekezilla.
...
now spinning: new slang by the shins

happy birthday uncle jason

We're sending out birthday greetings to my brother who is 33 today. The kids wanted to make a video, so here you go, Brother. We tried to teach Zeke the words but he was too busy trying to get his nectarine and plum pieces into his mouth.


Love you, Jason!

Correction: So, he's actually 34. Oops. It's not that I forgot how old he is - I just forgot how old I am. I usually remember by subtracting a year from my age. I realized as I was talking to him tonight that I was off a year. Well, at least I didn't say that he was 28.

mother's day

Slept in 'til 8:00. (With 3 kids who routinely wake up at 6:00, that was quite the treat!)
Breakfast in bed. (French toast, bacon, soy latte!)
Presents that the kids made.
Back to sleep until 10:30.
Picnic.
Nap.
Bacon & blue cheese stuffed steak w/mashed potatoes and spinach.
All 3 kids in bed by 7:00.
Amazing Race finale.

Pretty much the best Mother's Day ever!


Annie was so excited about her card and frame she made at school. She came home on Friday with dire warnings for me not to look under her bed.


Jonah was very insistent that he couldn't make my card until this morning because I might find it.


He was in charge of the jelly on the PB&J sandwiches and took his job very seriously.


Squishy, kissy cheeks!


Love those kiddos! Jonah was ready for the playground.

carnival

Annie had her school carnival on Friday evening which we managed to survive once again. Hundreds of kids with sugar coursing through their veins, running around in an enclosed space is not my idea of fun. Or Joel's. Joel managed to escape most of the mayhem by volunteering for the game in Annie's classroom for part of the night. Annie and Jonah loved it, of course, and walked away with all kinds of prizes. Annie had her first dose of raffle reality after not winning the American Girl doll. It took a bit to recover from that one. At least she had a new bubble gum machine and other assorted cheap plastic toys to console herself with.


Nice night for a walk to school.


Jonah and Dandelion on the slide.


Kung fu water ballon yo-yo.

baptism day

Today is the 6th anniversary of Annie's baptism. I surprised her by taking her out of school early and we took the ferry over to the city for lunch with Joel - which was another surprise to her when he walked in. She was thrilled about the trip and it was obvious that she loved having us all to herself.


Being silly on the ferry ride over. We played "Would You Rather?" the whole way. She came up with some good ones.


She was excited that she got to order a fancy lemonade in a fancy grownup glass.


Being silly with daddy.


The highlight of the lunch was when the waitress offered her a second bowl of mac & cheese after she polished off her first one.

Her baptism verses were Ephesians 3:14-20 and it's still our prayer for her:

"My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."