Staircase 2016

We hiked Staircase on August 29th, 2016, in the Olympic National Park, again this year!   It is a great short hike!  Perfect for our kiddos.  Blessed to join three other families this year.

Trailhead!
Trailhead!
Mom take a silly picture
Mom take a silly picture
The coolest rock
The coolest rock
Huge trees
Huge trees
Jadon loved exploring on the rocks!
Jadon loved exploring on the rocks!
Climber
My Climber
The Bridge
The Bridge: half way point
Mom Log!
Mom Log!
Our crazy group
Our crazy group
We just hiked this!
We just hiked this!

I cherish these times I have my with kids to make great memories.  A great way to wind down an awesome summer.  I pray for many more opportunities to have fun adventures with my kids!

Summer nights

As our summer nights are coming to an end, I want to cherish and remember these nights I have with my children.  After a day worshiping together as a family,  getting rid of some weeds, and playing on the lake with a knee board, skis and kayaks.

We had the best ending.  We watched the sunset together.   Eating apple crisp made from the neighbors apples.  While reading Runaway Ralph.  Oh, summer don’t go!  These days are so few and precious in my heart!

Eating Apple Crisp
Eating Apple Crisp
"Mom point your toes" -Rahab
“Mom point your toes” -Rahab

Just another fun saying from Rahab!

“Mom, I have the hook-ups.”  She means she has the hiccups.  It reminds me of the days she would look to the sky and say “auto”  when she saw an airplane!

Camp Week

This week we sent Esther off to camp for 4 days and 3 nights.  She had a great week!  She plans on writing a blog about her adventure so stay posted! 🙂

Esther at the Rock
Esther at the Rock
Counselor Lava & Esther
Counselor Lava & Esther

Jadon is off doing day camp for the week, too.

I had no idea he had been waiting for years to take this picture with his Mom!  He was sad and bummed with we dropped Esther off for the past two years because he wasn’t included in the picture.   His first time at camp picture! Yay!

Jadon at the rock!
Jadon at the rock!

He is enjoying shooting something new at a target each day.  He has done a sling shot & a bow and arrow so far.  He is really excited to shot a BB gun, hopefully he gets to do that this week.

Update:  Jadon did get to shoot a BB gun!  He loved it!  He also shot a paint gun and made a sling shot!

Showing off his sling shot
Showing off his sling shot
Processing his shot
Practicing his shot
Watch out!
Watch out!
His camp leader Manners
His camp leader Manners

Rahab had some one on one time with me, Mom!  We had a playdate at the park and with donuts!  I had a great time with these blondes!

Park date!
Park date!
Blue eyed, blonde girls!
Blue eyed, blonde girls!

Rahab and I had some girl time painting our nails and watching a movie.  Love spending time with her!

Matching nails!
Matching nails!

She also got to spend some one on one time with Grandma Ferol!  She chose Candy Land and won both times!

Candy Land date with Grandma
Candy Land date with Grandma

-Chris

Our Crabbing Adventure

The kids and I had the opportunity to go crabbing on the Puget Sound on July 28th, 2016.  It was an amazing experience.  We had an amazing fisherman teaching us the tricks of the trade!

At the pier
At the pier
E Dock
E Dock

Mr. Smith showed us how to get the crab pots ready.  He used cat food, tuna, salmon, & chicken.  Hoping the bait will attract lots of crabs!

Getting ready to launch
Getting ready to launch
Getting their buoys labeled!
Getting their buoys labeled!
Setting the crab pots
Setting the crab pots

We enjoyed our time on the boat!

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DSC_7407

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We also laid some ring traps.  Jadon loved throwing the buoys out.  They all had an opportunity to pull in the pots.

Throwing the buoy for the ring trap
Throwing the buoy for the ring trap
She is so strong!
She is so strong!
Pulling in the trap
Pulling in the trap

Crabs were caught!  Yay!  We learned how to tell if there were female or male.  Which species of crab we caught, Dungeness or Red Rock.   How to measure the crabs to find out if they were keepers our not.

Female or Male?
Female or Male?
Crab!
Crab!
1 Dungeness & 3 Red Rock Crabs
1 Dungeness & 3 Red Rock Crabs

Of course there was outdoor classroom opportunities.  We also learned about ocean scum, jellyfish, and seaweed.

Ocean scum
Ocean scum
Jellyfish
Jellyfish
Seaweed
Seaweed

It was amazing day on the puget sound!  Other than not reaching our limit on crabs it was a perfect day!

Crabbing!
Crabbing!
With the captain of our ship - Creative
On the boat, Creative, with our captain

To add the icing on the cake, Mr. & Mrs. Smith invited us over to eat our catch of the day!  What a blessing!

Dinner!
Dinner!
End to a great day
End to a great day

Very thankful to the Smith family for inviting us to join the crabbing adventure!  We learned a ton and had a fabulous time!  Thank you!

-Chris