Happy Birthday, Weedie!!

 For Leila's 6th birthday we spent the day, as a family, in the mountains! We decided that this will probably become a birthday tradition for Leila's big day! Such a wonderful way to spend time together and truly focus on our special girl! We hiked for most of the day and ended up logging about 3 miles...with a brand new 6-year-old we felt like that was a decent day's work. We started at Paradise on the Dead Horse Creek trail then on up to the Glacier Vista trail. 

On our drive to Paradise we stopped at a view point for a quick family photo. 

 We were greeted mid-hike by a family of deer...we got SO CLOSE to them! 

 Leila did quite a lot of posing with her new "finger age!"

 We stopped for lunch at the top. Leila didn't know, but we had packed a small little gift and she was surprised with a Lalaloopsy toy. 

 I also packed a candle and stuck it in her sandwich before she opened her food. We didn't light the candle, so here she is pretending to blow it out. Folks hiking past heard Chris and me singing her Happy Birthday and joined in. It was really special to hear complete strangers singing to her on top of the mountain!! 

Happy 6th birthday, Leila! Dad and I are constantly amazed at your kindness, gentleness and love of life. You have blessed our family beyond words and we are thankful to call you ours. What a joy you are, Weedie!! 

Leila's 6th Birthday Party

( The crew: Erin and Edith, Julia, Kenzie, Leif, Ryan, LEILA, Kajsa, Elliott, Bergen and Christian)

We celebrated Leila's 6th birthday three days early on August 17th with her friends. This year, instead of the park, we invited families to our house in hopes that the kids could run through the sprinkler if the weather was warm enough. It cooperated and the kids had a blast! Leila wanted a Monsters Inc and Monsters U theme. I think other than her 2nd party which was Little Einsteins, this theme was my favorite!! So bright and colorful and it appealed to both Leila's boy and girl friends. We had Mike's monster eye sugar cookies and Sulley cupcakes. My friend, Erin, volunteered to make the cupcakes. Boy were they delicious! The cake was dyed purple, teal and green so when you bit into the cupcake, you had a Monsters surprise. 

Erin's husband, Wes, volunteered to tie balloon animals...a newly acquired skill. The kids loved it...especially the swords. 

The friend party was 2-4 pm. We invited our families and the Neeleys because they are practically family to stay for a BBQ dinner. Leila and Edith were thrilled to run around the yard in various dress-up gowns that Leila had been given at her party. 

 We got an ice cream cake for the family dessert. Flavors? Vanilla cake. Vanilla ice cream. 
Plain. Jane. 

 Happy birthday, sweet girl!! 

Summer Evenings in the Northwest

 If you've never experienced a summer evening in the Northwest, I'm sorry. They are truly breathtaking...especially if you are near the water as the sun sets. One of our favorite things to do in the summer is to drive the Mustang to Brown's Point and enjoy the view while the sun goes down. A few weeks ago we were too late to head out to Brown's Point so we drove to the waterfront in Tacoma. Leila loves the wind in her hair and the tiny triangle windows of the Mustang. I love being with two of my favorites and the Mustang always brings back memories of high school dates with Christopher. 

Singing with crazy, wind-whipped hair:

Ruston Way

About a week later, we went to our favorite place. 

Pierce County Fair

Last summer my friend and her daughters entered a few items in the Pierce County Fair and since then I have really wanted to do the same. Thanks to Sarah, we were able to. I entered a dress I made for Leila and three photos. Leila entered a photo, a Lego creation, and a beaded necklace. Together we baked  "chip chops" for the parent/child cookie contest (we got a red ribbon for our cookies and were judged down one ribbon color because I forgot to include the recipe). Oops! Next year!! 

We went to see our entries and enjoy the fair the second weekend in August with Gramma and Papa too. Leila kept calling it the Grand Fair (it is really the Pierce County Fair, but I call it the Graham Fair since that is where it is held...she apparently kept hearing the GRAND Fair). 

We weren't there five minutes and we ran into some long time family friends of Chris's family. They had their granddaughter, Austyn, with them. Leila and Austyn chummed around the fire safety area together for a long time. 

 And rode some rides together too. 

Then we went to see how all our entries faired...

In the home economics building there was a station where kids could stuff and sew a fabric animal. Leila made a cat. 

This is Leila's photo...taken during our Disneyland trip in July. 

 Papa Mike noticed a booth where kids could pan for either gems or fossils. It was so much fun!! 

I had such a fun time entering items into the fair. It seems silly how excited I was, but there was something new and special about it. I can't wait for next year! Leila's Legos are now in the BIG Puyallup Fair (no, I won't call it the WA State Fair!!).