Mischievous Ellie Claire

My youngest daughter again showed her mischievous side. Ever since she could make a facial expression she has been more sneaky than her sister but this was seen in full hysterical light yesterday while we are all having lunch here at the house. Wednesdays are my days to spend with the girls, go to doctors' appointments, and the like. Each of the girls had a doctor's appointment today and they went relatively well. It was confirmed that they are both growing like weeds and really show no sign of stopping. :)

We got home after the appointments and stopping to pick up pictures at Costco and I got to making lunch for us. I madea delicious Cabbage salad - YUM! Anyway, as I was trying to convince the girls to finish their lunch and quit playing while they were eating, I had to step away for a minute to use the bathroom. When I came back into the kitchen Ellie had one of the dinning room table chairs in the kitchen and was using it to stand up to the counter and pretend she was making stuff. Cute, but I asked her to please take the chair back to the table and finish eating her lunch. She quickly listened and began dragging the chair back to the table. Once she rounded the island/bar the chair started to make a sound along the floor. Once she got it pulled all the way to the door (having passed the table) she pushed it forward all the way to the bar again and pulled it backwards to get it to make the noise again. While doing this she was laughing to herself ever so quietly. Again, once she got to the door, she pushed the chair forward to the island and then pulled it back again. I asked her if she was doing that on purpose (even though I already knew the answer) and she just laughed. Then as she was on another trip with the chair away from the island towards the door, the chair made a different noise that she thought was even funnier and she started laughing hysterically. So now, she would pull it towards the door for one sound and push it towards the island for another sound, all the while giggeling loudly. By this point her sister had joined in on the laughing and admitedly I could barely contain my laughter as the whole situation was quite hilarious.

I finally had to go and take the chair from her to get her to stop pushing and pulling the chair across the wood floor and get her to sit up to the table and finish her lunch.

Marymere Falls - Lake Crescent

So we got up, had breakfast, packed up our lunch and extra clothes and then headed west to connect up with the 1.5 mile hike to see the beautiful and majestic Marymere Falls. I was very excited to get out with my husband and girls and spend a day in the outdoors.

We pulled up at the Ranger Station around lunch time so decided to have a picnic before heading up the trail. Ellie was very excited to get going and could barely stay seated to eat her lunch. She kept telling Robb and I that she wanted to go see the water pool. Too cute.

After finishing our lunch and packing up our water to take with us, grabbing our camera and making sure the girls had their hats, we headed off to the trailhead. Ellie insisted on carrying the bag with the three bottles of water but after about 100 feet asked if someone else could carry it. She said she would carry it more later. :)

The girls were unsure about the underpass, saying that it seemed a little scary, but after getting through that they proceeded up the path and through the woods. Olyvia was so enamored by the beauty of everything that she kept wanting to stop and look at every little thing; A tree here, a bush there, the mountain through the trees, the sun beaming through the branches, and constantly looking for wild animals. She was sure that she was going to see a racoon, moose, bear or deer and was quite disapointed when we finished the walk and she hadn't seen anything except a shrew.

As we started up the steeper stair portion of the trail Ellie asked to be carried but we quite firmly told her she could do it and that we weren't going to carry here. There was NO WAY that I was setting that precedent. But she didn't ask again all the way up the switchback stair portion of the trail. Once we reached the top and could see the falls, Olyvia's mouth dropped open in awe and Ellie looked and asked "Is that the water pool mommy?". Yes my dear, that is the water pool.

We look a ton of pictures and then Olyvia asked if we could keep going up to the second platform for more pictures so we did. We then proceeded all the way down the mountain. The girls made it all the way down the steep portion only stopping a couple times when they thought there was something so beautiful that I needed to take a picture of it, and then got to the flattend portion of the trail. Ellie asked a couple more times to be carried, but we stayed firm and she finished the entire trail without being carried. She did awesome. They both did.

As we were walking back Olyvia insisted on taking me in the ranger station where she could show me the stuffed bat that was in there. Then on our way to the car she told me how the hike was just so beautiful and it was so wonderful to see all the beautiful things. It is so important to teach our children how to respect the earth, cherish it, revel in the beauty of it and share it with those you love. As we were coming down the trail Olyvia told me "God made us a wonderful earth to enjoy." I must agree.

Mothers

I got home this evening to my usuall wonderful welcome. As I walked in the door with my hands full (what exactly was in them I can't even remember: my purse, lunch bag, day planner and more) Ellie Claire came running across the kitchen to the front door screeching a wonderful sound and jumped into my arms, climbing up my body. Olyvia wasn't far behind with her wonderful screeches as well.

After getting all my stuff put down I was able to spend a few minutes just hugging and kissing while they told me about what they had been doing when I walked in the door. We progressed to their room where they had been playing Candy Land. When Ellie would draw a card, she would just find a square on the board that was that color and move the piece there. Sometimes she was moving forward and sometimes she was moving back. She didn't seem to care if she was winning as long as she got to put her little gingerbread figure on the right color square.

After putting the game all away we headed into the kitchen to make dinner (homemade pizza, swiss chard & salad). While we were getting out all the ingrediants, Olyvia asked me a most wonderful question. She asked me, "Why do kids always need mothers?" I couldn't help but think, 'what a wonderful question.' How wonderful it is that she, at such a young age, already sees the importance of the unending love that a mother can give. For some the mother that gives this love isn't necessarily the child's biological mother, but none the less is a woman that shows strength, love, dedication, and loyalty to their child. I pray that both my girls learn the importance of being a mother and that one day they can pass this importance on to their children, whoever they may be.

Turning 30.

In two weeks I am turning 30. I have been thinking about it a lot lately trying to determine if I feel different about this birthday than I have about others. I don't really. I have started to evaluate where my life is at and if I am happy with it. I think I am. I suppose if I really evaluated my life I would have a bunch of shoulda coulda wouldas, but what is the point? I have a wonderful husband who loves me. We have a place to live. We have two beautiful daughters. These are all amazing things. I am definitely not doing what I thought I would be doing. My career path took a hike years ago, but I think when I veered off to the left, so many more paths opened up for me.

Over the last years God has opened up a door to me getting me involved in youth ministry (some of the happiest and most difficult times of my life). During this time I have started to discover some of my gifts. I look forward to the continued ability to share these gifts with others and explore what they will mean for my family and me. The future possibilities of traveling and mission work are in my future. How, I am not sure yet, but I know they are there. I look forward to sharing this love of helping others with my girls so that they may grow up wanting to share the gifts they have been blessed with.

My photography outlet is growing as I have finally decided to make the change to digital. I have been saving up to buy my digital camera and am excited to get started using it. Over the years I have realized that I love to take pictures of nature and of life. I especially love to capture people experiencing their life. I look forward to seeing where this outlet will take me.

At 30 I am very blessed to have a group of girlfriends who I have known for more than half my life. We don't see each other all the time, but we are there for each other through whatever life throws our way; I couldn't have asked for better friends to be a part of my life.

What questions am I supposed to ask as I turn 30? Am I where I thought I would be? No, I am not. Does that upset me or depress me or in any way make me want to go back and start over? NO WAY! Am I excited for the future? Definitely. God has done amazing things in my life. He has given me an amazing family, fabulous friends and I so look forward to continuing to see all my relationships grow; I am excited to continue on this ladder of my life taking the time to enjoy each and every rung.

Thank you to my family, my friends, and even those who would call themselves my enemies. Each and every one of you play a roll in who I am as a woman and for that I am very greatful.

Olympics here we come!

Just this last week while my dad was in Alaska, I took the opportunity to take his ongoing prescheduled training appointments. I think I may have been on something at the time I reluctantly agreed to it, but I know that it was good for me and it also showed me the amount of exercise I am not getting that I should be getting.

Robb and I do not have the financial ability at this time to get a trainer, but what we do have is access to beautiful mountains, valleys and rivers. So, I purchased the book 'Day Hikes: Olympic Peninsula' and have put a bunch of hikes on our calendar. I decided that we love the outdoors and we want our children to love the outdoors as well so we need to get out in them more often. Our first hike is going to be this Sunday to Halfway House. I will make sure to keep you all posted on how it goes and how the girls do, posting pictures as well.

Ellie Claire turned 3.

Friday was Ellie Claire's birthday and I can hardly believe it. Our children are growing so fast, and getting so big. She didn't quite understand why her friends weren't coming over on Friday. I explained to her that Friday was her birthday, but her smile face party wasn't until Saturday which was the next day. She seemed content with the answer at the time, but asked again later in the day when her friends would be over and when she was getting her smile face cake. I am sure our previous conversation was like something from Look Who's Talking where she is saying "oh, ok." but really thinking 'This lady is nuts if she thinkgs I am ok with not having my friends over on my actual birthday...and what is this with having to wait until tomorrow for my smile face cake? I mean really.'

A few days ago on our way out to Hansville we say this rock of sorts that was painted into a very large smile face. Ever since then she has been very excited thinking that she was getting one of those for her birthday. Her present sat in the living room all wrapped up for a day or so and so every time she saw it she would ask if that was her smile face. I could see a little dissapointment in her face when she opened it and it was just a brand new pink suitcase with her name on it full of new clothes and books, and not a big rock painted with a smile face. What is a parent to do? Just when we think we have gotten them a great gift that they will love, they tell us they would rather have had a rock. I suppose next time I will know better.

Ellie's Birthday Party Pics