Okanogan National Forest

       As long as I can remember, my family and I have taken camping trips every summer. They always included hiking, picnics at the beach, walking through the small towns nearby, and roasting lots of marshmallows! Now, as a parent, I finally have first hand experience at how long it takes to plan for a camping trip, especially with two little ones in tow. Yes, we might of had to listen to Shepherd screaming and crying for the last hour in the car, scare off a rattlesnake that Jeremy was tempted to kill (and eat), play with my dear boy from 2:30am to 8am because he wasn't tired, and fight off the urge to vomit when Jeremy cut his finger from carving wood. But I wouldn't change our first family trip for anything!
             Other than the first night of no sleep with Shep, the kids adjusted into their normal sleeping routines and were in heaven just playing in the dirt and going on multiple hikes around the campground. I asked Ruby what her favorite part was and she said "drinking the hot cocoa." With how well this trip went, I can say that Jeremy and I are very relieved and excited that we can now do what we hoped for and that is travel around camping as a family! We definitely will go on many more trips before the summer ends!

This was a Father-daughter talk about the dangers around our campsite (rattlesnakes) and what the safety rules were.

Last week

Our family took a little adventure last Monday to Vashon Island. We first stopped off to get some much needed coffee at Victrola and also enjoyed some delicious French Toast Donuts, yum!!! Once we got to the island I grabbed a map and Jeremy began to pick a few beaches to visit. We ended up only going to two because we got rained out, (thanks Pacific Northwest!) but it was well worth the trip. If you ever get a chance to visit Vashon island make sure to eat at The Hardware Store restaurant. Ruby was able to get one of  her favorite meals, bacon and eggs with seasoned red potatoes.

We are so blessed!

Home again. We arrived safely back in Yakima yesterday. I am not going to lie, I was secretly hoping that the pass was going to be dumped on by snow so we could spend more time with Jeremy, but no such luck. God had other plans I suppose. As we got closer to home, Ruby was talking all about her pretty books that she is going to read, her many dresses that she is going to wear, and the long list of food she is going to cook in her kitchen. I can tell she missed being home. Right when we walked in the door she rushed right back to her room to do just those things, while I unpacked our entire luggage and got lunch made. It makes me so thankful to have a house to come to where she feels comfortable, but I also ache because it is not where Jeremy is. This long distance living is taking its toll on me. This whole experience has further engrained in me that my home is where Jeremy and my kids are, not a material home that will one day be gone. So if that is all four of us crashing in a guest bedroom at my sister-in laws house than great!  As long as we are together it feels like home, it feels safe, it is where we belong.

                Thanksgiving was quite the event this year for me! I have never made a thing for this holiday before, and this year I dappled in just about every dish that was devoured on the table. Thanks to my sister- in law who usually makes all the food for the day, I got to contribute and help her through-out Thanksgiving. It was such a fun time to share with her and see our relationship grow as we are scrambling around trying to get everything chopped, blended, basted, mashed, and baked! One thing I did make myself was bacon cheddar deviled eggs for an appetizer and with dessert Tom and Jerry’s to drink for the adults! Delicious! I cannot express how meaningful this holiday was for me this year. Being thankful for my husband and family has a whole new meaning to me this year; from my mother-in law continuing to be there for me while Jeremy is away, to my sister-in law and her husband opening up their home for our family. Without them I am not sure I would be able to be as strong as I am right now, two and a half hours away from my love.

 

2-week vacation

Sorry that this next post is not the second half of my DIY advent calendar...but I still haven't had a chance to sew it. I know all you mommy's out there understand that one. I promise it will be done before December 1st, I hope! Yesterday I got the pleasure to follow my husband, with the kids in tow, to Seattle! We are going to stay at my sister-in laws house for two weeks so we can be together as a family for the holiday...and for our 4 year anniversary. Yep, 4 years on November 17th! From our first date walking around greenlake, to traveling back and forth from Yakima to Seattle, I have loved every bit of it and am thankful that we get to continue on creating a life together.

          I have been working on a few handmade gifts for him too and can't wait to show them to you! It usually is a bit harder for me to think of handmade things for him, but I was swarmed with ideas this year and I think I am going save some for Christmas presents.