Halloween 2013

We had about a full week of Halloween activities this year.  We did costumed Halloween fun run for people and dogs, visited the pumpkin patch at Remlinger farms with Tiger Lily's class at We Are the World daycare.  They also hosted a fun party. Who knew there were so many 3 foot tall superheros in Seattle?  Later in the week we met up with Tiger Lily's friend Rosie at the Zoo Halloween event which included visitors in costume and pumpkins for the animals!  We went with our friend down the street to a Halloween party hosted by the businesses and condos at the Hiawatha lofts. Thanks guys!
(click the photo below to see all 15 pictures)

Leavenworth Oktoberfest Marathon

Time for our fall trip to Leavenworth! The city has thoughtfully scheduled the first weekend of their Oktoberfest celebration and annual marathon to coincide with Merrick's birthday, so we just had to visit.  Merrick's parents came up to cheer him on in the marathon and have some fun with Tiger Lily and Beth.

We stayed at a charming cabin about 10 miles outside of Leavenworth up the Chumstick Highway where we were visited by wild turkeys one morning!

We also visited Smallwood Harvest Farm, which is a combination fruit stand/petting zoo and just about every kind of little kid diversion you could imagine. Click the picture below to see all the pictures from the weekend (41).

Aunt Louisa, Uncle Mike, Meema and Granddad visit Seattle

Aunt Louisa, Uncle Mike, Meema and Granddad came to Seattle in September to attend a close friend's wedding.  We got to spend about a week together, share a very moving wedding ceremony and go crazy on the dance floor together! Congratulations Steve and Clare! Unfortunately, we didn't have our photo act together and didn't get any pictures at the wedding, or of Meema and Granddad this trip, but we did get some good ones of Uncle Mike and Aunt Louisa (7 pictures)

End of August Trip to Eugene

Tiger Lily's daycare closed for teacher training the last week of July, so we took the opportunity to visit family in Eugene.  We had fun visiting Granny and Papa, Ginny and Hannah and their dogs, Lacey and Tilly! Granny and Papa have all sorts of good things growing in their yard, including a plum tree!

2013 4th of July in Eugene

We had a great time again in Eugene for the 4th of July weekend.  Aunt Judy, Travis and his fiance Morgan, and Janey joined our merry group for the Butte to Butte this year for even more fun! Hooray for Granny Janny who decided to do it again this year at the last minute and finished strong! And another spectacular family BBQ at the Burgess house.  Thanks so much Mike and Shannon, Marc and Pat! Click the picture below to see 61 photos from the trip.

Tiger Lily and Granny Janny on the Pizza Parlour Merry Go Round

Newfoundland Trip with Grandpa!

Grandpa George took the whole family on an amazing trip to Newfoundland this summer.  We traveled the Avalon peninsula and saw an unbelievable number of wonder things - whales, seabird colonies, an iron mine, light houses, light houses, forts and more light houses! The weather was beautiful and the company grand.  The people of Newfoundland were kind and generous.  If you ever get a chance, you should definitely go!  Thank you so much Grandpa George for the wonderful experience! Click the picture below to see 51 pictures of the trip.

Below is a video compilation of cool things we did on the trip:

Camping at Wenatchee Confluence State Park

We shared a wonderful weekend at Wenatchee Confluence State Park with the Toft family. We had a great big grassy area behind our campsite, a nearby playground and swimming beach! The weather was beautiful and we all had fun. Lessons were learned, such as nobody gets as much sleep as they need when sharing the tent with a toddler. Our friends left Sunday but we decided to stay another night.  We took a wonderful ramble on the Forest Service roads between Peshastin and Cashmere and found all manner of beautiful wildflowers in bloom, including Tiger Lilies!  Click the first picture to see all 73 pictures at once:

Lunch at Swauk Creek Campground

Playing in play tents

At the swim beach on the Columbia river

Sharing home-grown strawberries

Bedtime stories

Tiger Lily with her namesake flower