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.

salt creek '09

We just returned from our 2nd Annual Salt Creek Camping Extravaganza. 4 adults + 8 kids = all kinds of fun...

Fabulous weather.
Dylan riding on 2 wheels.
Malvaviscos gigantes.
Deep fried bacon for breakfast.
"Where's Halle?"
Candy, chips, soda. Repeat.
Jackson riding on 2 wheels.
Rock beach.
Playground.
Bikes, bikes, bikes.
Sidewalk chalk.
Exploding espresso pot.
Amazing friends.

We came home with like 5,000 pictures (well, not really, but still...there were a lot) so I'm feeling pretty good about myself for narrowing them down to 24 pictures for your viewing enjoyment!


Our awesome white trash campsite.


"Where's Halle?" Down at the neighobor's site again.


Sous chef helping with the blueberry pancakes.


Right before he decided to dive over the top of the cooler and do his first face plant of the weekend.


Tide pool.


Soren.


Jonah.


Dylan.


Annie.


Dinner.


Making the kids do the dinner dishes.


The most gigantic marshmallows ever.


Zeke wants the gigantic marshmallow. (Joel, the undisputed Chubby Bunny champ, will definitely not be stuffing 16 of these in his mouth.)


Luka and gigantic marshmallow.


Annie and Dylan roasting gigantic marshmallows.


Annie and gigantic marshmallow s'more.


Annie, Dylan, Jackson, Jonah.


The sidewalk chalk provided hours of entertainment.


I accidentally deep fried the bacon. Boy, was that stuff good!


Kids.


Hail, hail, the gang's all here.


Zeke.


I couldn't ask for better friends. (Awww...)


Can't wait for next year.
...
now spinning: chasing cars by snow patrol

girls trip

Two weekends ago I was able to escape to Portland with some girlfriends for 3 days. Eating, shopping, more eating, more shopping, Star Trek, mani-pedi's, sleeping in....well, not sleeping in. (Michelle and Andrea sure did, but Courtney and I have been trained by our children to wake up at 5:45. Good thing she and I shared a room.) It was the best weekend I have had in a long time and I'm still trying to settle back into the reality of kids, cleaning, cooking, etc. I can't wait until next year. Wait - do we have to wait that long to do it again?


Michelle, Courtney, Andrea, me.




The sign that someone (who I will not name) took literally before she noticed the pizza place behind it. "$4 for a slice of cheese? That's cheap?" I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard.