Memorial Day Weekend

My kiddies were very lucky to have a four day weekend (so was I!!). No sports. No activities. Just us having FUN and enjoying the sun that was out for us all weekend long. On Friday, we chilled at home until about noon and headed to Klahanie to pick up our friend, Cass from her after school care to hang with us for the evening.

After we picked up Cass we headed to our neighborhood park for some bike riding, swinging and sliding fun!! Madi ran straight for the slide on the big toy. I made her chose the smallest slide as a warm up. I wasn't ready for her to go on the big one yet.

She loved that slide but not as much as the bigger one.

Dev biked around the big toys on a path which was great because he could practice while I played with Madi.

On the littlest of big toys I let her go up by herself and she was so happy!! It drives her nuts when I follow her to ensure her safety so when I can, I let her go up on her own and meet me at the bottom. Here she was saying "hi" to me up above in the big toy.

My kids love this park because of the zip line swing that they can push each other on. Cass and Isa spent the most time here obviously.

Nana practicing with no training wheels. We took them off last spring and she has been so anxious for the sun to come out so she could ride her bike more.

Madi climbing on her own up on the little big toy.

Madi and Nana swinging together on the swings.

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Saturday, Daddy had to work so we chilled at home. I had laundry and whatever else to catch up on since the week had been so hectic. Chris and Cass invited Isa and Nana to spend the night on Saturday (big girl status for Nana to be so far away at a sleepover) when he picked up Cass at our house. So, the big girls left to hang out with Chris and Cass at Camano Island and we would hang there on Sunday all day. It's usually a once a year tradition we have to hang there with them along with our new yearly camping trip. It was so fun and relaxing to hang at their home on Camano Island. Thanks, Chris and Cass for a great time!

Their house on Camano Island the backyard is literally the beach. The kids had an amazing day playing on the beach all day long.

Nana stayed the night. She was proving herself to be a big girl on an overnight so far away from Mommy and Daddy.

Madi instantly fell in love with the sand. Which was not the case last year. She cried as I recall last summer every time she had to stand or sit near sand. But this year, she is diggin' it.

The kids (and Daddies) buried Cass in the sand.

We had to wake Dev up when we arrived to Camano Island and he was grumpy to say the least. It took him a little bit to warm up to the beach atmosphere and join in on the fun. He did though on his own time and the day was great from then on!

Isa making sushi in her room in their fort.

The fort. They gathered all kinds of treasure from the ocean to add to their fort/home on Camano Island.

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Cass and I took a walk on the beach because the tide was pretty far out. We quickly returned after stumbling upon a real crab. There were many lifeless crabs that Cass was poking with a stick but one live crab was buried underneath sand so she was poking around and a live crab stuck up its pincher and was peeved that some one was jabbing him. We quickly ran back to shore. That gave us both a scare because it was so unexpected.

The tide was coming in closer and Madi wanted to go for a walk. We gathered all the kids and walked out to the warm water (while it was warm it was so nice but it quickly got cold).

As the tide drew in, eagles were hunting right over us.

Those are the best pictures I got. They were fast gliders.





The girls jumping waves. Cass was still a bit freaked out by the live crab so every weird object that she came across with her feet she started running the other direction. This then became a game for all of the kids. "I feel a crab" and then "ahhhh!" while running away.




The further out we walked the more Madi started tuggin' on her clothes.



Until she had none. She was totally content and out of all the kids she was the one who was furthest out to play in the water. It was warm and felt great on the toes.


Water baby. We finally have a water baby. The other babies weren't so content in the water as this baby is. She was so happy playing and splashing in the water.

The dead crab that Cass and I found on our first adventure out.

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I read my book, the Daddies chatted and hung out, we played with the kids and then got some dinner started. The kids gobbled up all meals that day from being in the sun and playing so hard. After dinner, we ate s'mores and ice cream sandwiches. We gave the kids their 30 minute warning that it was almost time to go. Even at 7:30pm they were playing outside (and it was starting to get windy and cold).

The tide was pretty much right at their fort where they'd played all day so they decided that they would be warriors and protect their home. They grabbed their big drift wood sticks and walked up and down the shore.

The tide was inevitable but it was still cute to see them and the neighbor kids (which Chris says Cass doesn't really play with them but our team of kids seems to draw in other kids where ever we go) try to protect their fort.

Cass protecting the fort.

Nana giving me her warrior stance.



Isa protecting her freshly made sushi from washing away.


Dev taking advantage of Mommy saying it's okay to play with sticks. He was protecting nothing...maybe his free will.




Tiny took a late nap from 4:30-7pm. I finally had to wake her up so she wouldn't be up all night. She ate a late dinner and played for a little while longer before I washed them up and put PJs on for the ride home.

It's Monday. Daddy's at work. I have slivers or splinters to pick out of the kids' hands from the driftwood, yard work to do (bleh!) and laundry to do, Isa has a Native American test to study for and litter duty, Nana has reading to catch up on and Dev needs to rest from a day in the sun (and clean up his SW mess). Today, we're chillaxin'. We hope you all are too!!!

We are so grateful for the soldiers who sacrafice for us to have the freedom we do in the land we love. Thank you for your service.