It's been a good 2012 in our household. Here are some photos from the last half of it, starting with playing in the snow on Mt. Baker today:

The snow was too deep even to sled, so we just played

 Tae got stuck in the snow and "needed a lift" from Grandpa or mom

 Picking out our Christmas tree at sister-in-law Michelle's aunt and uncle's house in Mt. Vernon

Tae singing in his school Christmas program

Tae as a Bethlehem townsperson in the Sunday School Christmas play at church

Thanksgiving with cousins Owen and Rachel in Oregon

Tae with his pumpkin

Tae as a pumpkin

Mt. Baker in the snow again, this time a tad warmer in September

Singing "Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie" in the car on the way to Mt. Baker with Grandpa Rod and Grandma Sharie (yes, he does know the chorus, and is very careful that we "don't die" by telling Grandpa to stay far from the edge of the road!)

Turning 4 on August 31st

 Ten Mile Falls at Holden Village

Fun on the Holden zip line

At the King Tut exhibit in Seattle

The Everett Children's Museum

Fun on the monkey bars

Happy 2013, everyone!

Tae's first half of summer

It's been a busy summer so far. Grandpa Rod and Grandma Sharie came to visit, Tae and mom took a quick trip to California for a wedding, Tae spent a week with his Uncle Pete and cousins Alisha and Tayla in Bellevue, we spent a weekend in Seattle, and got out today for some beautiful hiking on Mt. Baker.

Since he's out of school for the summer, Tae is spending Tuesdays with Uncle Mark, Wednesdays with friends Darby, Kate, and Liam, and Thursdays and Fridays with friends Becky and Alec. Fun times with great people!

Here are some photos and videos of our summer adventures:


Tae put on quite a show for Grandpa Rod's birthday and led the party! And he got to stay up waaaaaayyyy past his bedtime, too.

Trying on clothes for Joan and Ron's wedding

On the carousel at the Oakland Zoo

Sailing on Lake Washington with Uncle Pete and his cousins

Tae even got to steer!

We spent a day at the Space Needle

Contemplating the view from up top...

Every time we see it, Tae calls the Space Needle "The Control Tower." Bet you didn't know that all of Seattle was controlled by the Space Needle....

Playing near the fountain near the Space Needle...this is just before he got completely soaked!

We went hiking this afternoon on Mt. Baker to "practice" for our trip to Holden Village later this month. This river (the Nooksack) runs through Ferndale, but it's not quite as raging as it is on Mt. Baker!

Happy Summer!

Spring Adventures 2

More fun spring adventures in Tae's life and ours...

When Grandma and Grandpa I. visited recently we took them to see the Skagit Valley tulips. Amazingly beautiful.

Tae pointing out his favorite tulip...

 Getting a haircut from Grandmary Jane

Fun running in the empty lot next door

A special "Mother's Tea" at preschool



Singing "I'm a little teapot" at the Mother's Tea. Hilarious!

 

A Mother's Day picnic at Lake Padden with Uncle Mark and Aunt Michelle (the photographer) on a beautiful spring evening.

A sweet little boy eating some sweet yummy watermelon.

And fun wading in the lake. We are so blessed to be Tae's mom and dad!

Happy Spring!

Tae has been loving spending more time outside, going to bed when it's still light out, and traveling to see both sets of grandparents recently in Oregon and Colorado. Spring has arrived! Here are some of our spring escapades:

Visit to the Vancouver Aquarium to see the beluga whales

Trip to the Colorado Sand Dunes

 

The world's biggest sand box - with grandpa and grandma Schofield

And 2 days later, building the world's tiniest snowman in a Colorado spring snow fall!

Fun with Uncle Mark and Aunt Michelle at our neighborhood pond

Friends Liam and Kate, with whom Tae is spending Wednesdays now that daddy has a new job with the WA State Department of Agriculture!

And hunting for Easter eggs at home...

Blessings to you this spring!

Snow Days

We've experienced lots of snow in Western Washington the last several days...and Tae LOVES it! Here are some of our snowy adventures:

Tae's first snowman before the real snow came

Tae and daddy in a snow cave on Mt. Baker

Sledding with Grandpa Rod at Mt. Baker



Playing in the snow in the backyard with grandma

Speaking of Grandma Sharie and Grandpa Rod, they've been awesome company for Tae the past month while they've been visiting (thanks, grandma and grandpa!). Here they are with Mt. Shuksan in the background.

And of course, we've had lots of inside play time since it's brrrrrrr cold outside (14 degrees right now).

And a final pretty view. We normally see the San Juan Islands from our house, but on clear, cold days we see the Olympic mountains behind them, too. Beautiful stuff.