Endless Summer

Whidbey Island: This overlook and the bridge itself were terrifyingly high, I was glad to be taking the picture.

Where to begin? Summer was long and filled with good things. Since this is for posterity I guess I should start with the things they'll want to know about when they are older. Yes, we did go camping and their mom actually slept outside in a tent four nights in a row. Also, they can't say "When we were younger we never got to do anything," because we visited family, did the Circus, the Zoo, the fair, Whidbey island, a water park and a camping trip in just a month! In addition to multiple home improvement projects including building a deck in record time to put Joe's new grill on.

This is the party where Joe actually received aforementioned grill along with raspberry cheesecake and a TON of dollar store candy; odd how each child picked out the kind they liked best to "give" to dad. Good thing dad likes to share.

The weather and our decroded old mini-van were our family's best friends this summer. Actually having a dad made quite a difference as well. Like the tremulously recovering stock exchange the "Mom's a crazed nightmare" index was way down and the, "let's party all day for no reason" index was gaining. For instance, I actually bought a Costco sized box of dye and sugar filled otter pops.Here Here! We all echo Gunner's sentiments when it comes to delicious frozen treats.
They are a party in your mouth and I could only imagine what they were up to when the freezer door closed and things got sub-arctic with the frozen meats at midnight. But I digress.

Early on, we went out to Whidbey Island for one of Joe's favorite co-worker's Wedding. Yes, we were the only people there with small kids but they were nice to us anyway. The area was beautiful and the kids loved these driftwood houses and huge drift wood teeter-totters.We spent all our time before the wedding foraging for shells on the beach so we arrived with sandy undies and nice black feet.

We kicked off our mid-summer festivities with a trip to Eugene. Scottie and Gunner respectively, have each spent a week down south with family this summer. To them it is the ultimate Eden, cousins, mischief and indulgence are key in all visits to Eugene. For Gunner it seems his grandparents always treat him to an all-you-can-eat buffet or two (every 9 year old's desert dream fulfilled) and For Scottie; riding lessons, both horse and the beloved tractor or riding lawn mower. Grandpa Smith has definitely put more miles on those tractors zooming kids up and down the driveway than actually mowing or clearing land. At any rate, we picked up Scottie after her week of revelings and got to crash the Jackson's new house. It was terrific and re-inspired us to find a decent house. After entering and then breaking things at the Jackson's it was off to Lake Chelan for a 4 day camping trip.

The last family camping trip we went on involved rain, vomit and marital strife. ( just kidding . . . not really). This one was MUCH better. Sunshine, a lake and limited parental supervision were the keys that made the trip sweet.
When I say limited parental supervision I actually mean none. In these pics the dads are showing the boys how to jump off the eight foot pylon and then encouraging them to try. And though there was some vomit, it wasn't in our tent so we thanked our lucky stars. Six families from church went together and shared three camp-sites.
A few of the kids from our group are missing in this shot but you get the idea, We got a lot of stunned stares wherever we went considering the usual adult to child ratio was around 1 to 8.
Definitely the babes of the beach. These little girls got along so well and had so much fun together they were fun just to watch.

When we weren't swimming in the perfect lake water we were eating delicious food. All the cooks tried to humor Joe's insatiable appetite. I'm pleased to say he never went hungry, pack it away for later chipmunk cheeks!

Some of us even got to water-ski and Gunner learned that if you wake up early enough you can start a fire even if your mother has forbidden it. Filth was a major factor since the one shower I took with the little girls staring mesmerized as their soapy wet and nude mom frantically tried to wash them all with a trial size bottle of shampoo from the Ho Jo before the water quit, having sacrificed my last token to the fickle shower gods, ended with swear words. We didn't bother much with soap after that. This picture is a classic of the grown men's favorite activity on the beach. they would find things to fill with sand, toss them and then race to get them from the bottom of the lake. They all liked this so much that the last day, as the moms were packed up and waiting to leave, the men disappeared to measure the depth of the lake with a rock and some rope. Joe doing his best Michael Phelps victory shout after winning a dive contest. Ahhh Michael you may have fallen but you are not forgotten. . . . And sometimes it all got to be too much for Betsy who regularly sacked out in her swimming suit with a beach towel on the sand.

It was a terrific trip we can't wait to do again next year. For fun Joe had basically broken his ankle the day before we left but like the true stoic he is he put on a good face and set up and took down camp. The ankle, purple and looking like mine after giving birth definitely grossed out the locals at the water park but also gave them a new and exciting question to ask. Instead of the usual, "How tall are you?" there was the very poignant and thought-provoking, "Dude what happened to your ankle?" the water park was a nice break from the camp site and so tiny that Scottie and Gunner were basically on their own and they loved that. Gunner with his bros. He claimed to have ridden each slide four times. Tess opted out of the water slide fun preferring to snack and hang out in the Jacuzzi or kiddie pool. Betsy on the other hand rode one slide with Joe at least 15 times. Here she is demonstrating how to hold her breath and plug her nose at the same time.Race was a factor as you can see I think Joe and I got the pants beaten off us by our friends every time.
But apparently after all the racing was said and done, there were no hard feelings.

Thank you Johnny Rock star for bringing the rope for the beloved rope swing. And Rick for nearly losing your life in the top of that tree. The only time it wasn't being used was from 1Am- 6Am. It was a total camp favorite
During the camping bacchanalia (look that up and tell me my Major was worthless Joe. . . Or don't it'll probably be the title for Dan Brown's next thrilling novel) We learned that our beloved Kent teachers had decided to strike. I instantly began to bite my nails. At first this was horrifying to me but when it actually came down to it we packed a lot of fun into the two extra weeks we got as family. More fun than the strikey teachers did standing in the blazing sun with picket signs hoping for a wave or honk. (I would have honked but I save my horn for possible trips by Vern Fonk's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItWpoUMbqJE )

Anyways, I decide to keep us all busy by going to the Zoo (the Walrus never disappoint) and wandering around downtown Kent. One day, on our way past the duck pond and while filling our faces with Cow Chip Cookies I heard a friend shout, as she sped by, "Are you going to see the Elephants?" What?! Our tiny family began questing our way through the streets of Kent in search of Pachyderms and then lo and behold, 10, count em 10 Dumbos walked right down the street followed by seven prancing ponies. It was terrific! We had unwittingly caught the beginnings of the Ringling Bros. Circus on their way to Kent. We of course bought tickets and LOVED it. We were all mesmerized the entire time.

We also went to the Puyallup fair, where Scottie performed with her Gymnastics team on my birthday. She was so cute and loved the performance. At one point a friend asked if Scottie could do a certain trick. I said no and then Scottie proceeded to do it. She has come a long way.


If fair food is delicious than I think the price is equally repugnant. So we mostly shared small bits here and there. The kids loved all the rides and the 3D show, 'Inside Weird Al's Brain." Against my wishes we decided to sit through Calamity'y Joe's Poodle Coach show at the fair. Turned out that when they asked the audience for volunteers Scottie and her little friend Maya actually got picked! Scottie is in the purple shirt crouching for the tiny dog to jump over. Scottie said later that that was one of the best moments of her life.

We loved all the animals. I winced a little but did my lamauze breathing when the kids entered the petting zoo. The gigantic, Clydesdales and Percherons were an e-coli free high light as well. After the fair the B-day juices were still flowing so Joe and I let the kids stay up to open presents with me at 10:45pm. We stuck candles into what was left of a peach cobbler and I was stunned as Joe managed to provide thoughtful gifts I never remember him and the kids going to buy. So sneaky . . . .

My birthday was terrific and lasted almost an entire week which included seeing G.I. Joe with my own personal Joe, finally getting a cell phone, the fair and a ladies night out! Shopping and eating with friends. To finish it all off Joe slept out on the trampoline with Gunner on the last really warm and sunny day of the summer. So bring on the Swine flu, we'll be dreaming of Summer 2010!

Bigger Circus than Normal Life

I wouldn't say it was the greatest show on earth but it was pretty stinkin' good.

It moved so fast and they had so many things going at once that it would make a vegetable ADHD. Of course Betsy was wanting me to entertain her half way through.

The tigers were pretty awesome. Every tiger acted like it was on the verge of killing the trainer.

They looked like they were only performing in hopes their performance would keep the trainer in the cage longer so they could kill him when he turned his back.

Finally this one had enough and they danced around sparing.

This tiger really was trying to swipe at the trainer. Any time he tuned his back it would take a swipe.

Here is another swipe.
Of course it's not really a Circus unless there is a dude jumping through a flaming ring.

And of course a multitude of flippy flips.

And when not flippy flipping they are re-directing our attention back to the flippy flippers.

It is amazing to see elephants standing on their hind legs on a stool, with front legs on another elephant, that is checking out the trainer.

This elephant finally had enough and just stole the trainer and the left the building.

This horse had had enough of those sequin pants and was trying to crane kick him.

This little Spaniard is wily; the horse called for reinforcements. Git him boys..

Grandma Ellsworth

Where has the summer gone?!!? I am just going to write about the last week. My grandmother died after 91 years on earth. We had been hoping based on her awesome health and spunk that she would live to 100. She had even set that as a goal after she lived past her previous goal of 80. (she has a goal to die at 80). My favorite story was when she went into the hospital the last time the doctor asked her to make a fist and she shook her fist at him. She lived such a good long life and raised 10 kids with out her husband that it was hard to be anything but happy for her to be back with her husband. Of course we will miss her, but we want the best for her.

I flew to Phoenix and then drove with my dad to Safford. We drove strait to my cousin Jay Curtis and Dustin Curtis’ nursery to talk and swim in his pool. We spent the night at Dustins’ house and we each had our own rooms because his whole family slept in one room. Accommodations where very good. The next day was the funeral and I got to be the photographer which is a lot of pressure because you hate to not get the shots on an occasion like that. After the funeral we went back to the nursery for Carne Asada. My dad and my cousins helped make salsa and marinate meat which always takes longer than expected. We were all hungry and tore into that succulent meat and copious amounts of salsa until our faces glistened with cow meat and salsa juice.

These are the 10 children and 1 "adopted" child she raised.

Again we swam until the wee hours of the morning. I didn’t have my daughters there so I adopted a few and they gave me manicures and haircuts and for payback I read their palms. It didn’t take long until every kid wanted a palm reading I gave life span and church callings and intelligence and future discipline. Parents weren’t too thrilled but hey, what are you going to do?