Landry has joined the fifth grade band at his school!
As everyone knows, it’s a big challenge to learn a new instrument while learning a new school! (Picture taken on the 3rd day of band)
Having an interested big sister helps (Picture taken 2 weeks later)
Learning the first five notes [[video]]
(Video taken during his 4th week of practice)
The grown ups visited Federated Forest State Park without the children
Gorgeously mossy
Teeming with fungi
Enormous bird footprints!
We agreed that the White River is our favorite
Four beach walks in four days! Central Meadow (not pictured), Titlow, Owen Beach and Ruston
First day of 5th and 8th grades!
Smile = excited, Fists = nervous, Who wouldn’t relate?
Hazel’s call time is actually quite a bit earlier than Landry’s but he agreed to come outside for pictures and sillies 🙂
Off she went! Junior high schooler!
Next it was this guy’s turn
New school. Time for a new routine for getting there…
Involving the bus! Here it comes!
Here is a smattering of pictures from this summer that were not otherwise published
We attended a Mariners game
Landry swam with a pal
And braved a morning of dental work
Exuberance in the car
Same sans slug
Boardwalk stroll at Nisqually
Chatting in the sun while we wait for Hazel to finish up a day at sailing camp
We attended a friend’s musical
Biking and kicking
Playing video games with Oliver!
Eighth grade locker practice
Early fall soccer smiles
Hiking…
Landry spotted a gorgeous barred owl!!!!
Strawberry lemonade popsicle alongside big ideas
Another session in the dental chair. Props to Lando for his grit!
One week in mid-August included a day trip to Rainier followed by a sailing regatta. Not your typical R&R 🙂
The air smelled smoky but the views were still spectacular
There was a young marmot crawling along the rocks at the edge of this stream
Parents up front, kids off to the side
Regattas are busy!
All of the lugging in addition to the sailing
These two came out to Bainbridge too
And did a lot more than just watch sailing
Hazel’s triumphant return to the docks after a terrific set of races
Hazel and I joined a big group of extended family in Denver (thanks to David for this pic)
And thanks to Vida for this one
Rainbow Road
Hazel and Vida in the shade of a tree in Boulder
In front of the Denver Art Museum
An exhibit within — Good times through and through
We headed to the zoo while Katie and Hazel were out of town
Landry tried the slide – did it get smaller?
Both polar bears were out enjoying the pool
Saying hello to the hoomans
We chased giant bubbles at the Foss Waterway Seaport while we waited for a Port of Tacoma tour
By boat!
Hazel participated in a high wind sailing clinic in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon!
First step: Unload the trailer and prepare the boats
Next: Rig the sails
Go for a sail! Get tossed all around in the wind! Capsize once or twice or thrice
Meet with a coach, learn some tips, talk about strategy, and have a snack
Try again
Learn more
Go back out
Like this
Again, again, again
On and on and on
Four days later? So much learning!
So many smiles!
In a reeeeeeaaally beautiful spot…
We set out on Monday for beautiful Mount Rainier
Oh how we love these views!
Lookin’ like a cool dude all the while
You wouldn’t believe how many pictures I took of my family’s backs
Thankfully somebody took some pictures of our faces!
Photo credit to Hazey for this pic and the one above
Near Frozen Lake we saw not one but TWO marmots at close range!
Looking right at us!
Alpine wonderland
Frozen Lake… true to its name, even in July, and look at that gorgeous color blue in the ice!
There was still a tiny bit of snow on the trail
Farewell beautiful mountain