Big boys

I wanted some nice updated pictures of the boys to send my dad for Father's Day and for around our house and I love how they turned out! I can't believe how much of big boys they are!!

Sad Day for Strawberries

Growing up we went strawberry picking every year to make freezer jam. We would go to Harvolds in Carnation and then over to Remlingers for ice cream after. It was fun and we'd go with my grandma, aunts and cousins along with my mom and brothers.

I went picking in Georgia the past 2 years and now since we moved back to Washington I was excited to go with family back to Carnation.

Jake wasn't quite sure of picking

It was a sad day for strawberries. We are good, fast pickers and would usually get 2 full boxes but this is all we got this year!! It was like 2 lbs haha It's just been so hot, with very little rain that the berries didn't grow well. Nevertheless we picked and had fun. It was my grandma, mom, Vince, Jake and I. We picked, got ice cream, talked, laughed and went back to Issaquah and saw my grandma's old house, which was so fun.

This was SO COOL! So I was walking past the paying stand and I saw this sign someone wrote. It happened to be my brother and cousin who wrote this 10 years ago!! haha It was so fun to see it I had to take a picture

Then I found one my mom wrote! So cute :)

Mr Pancake

Jake's nickname is Pancake, Jake Pancake or Mr Pancake.

Haha, Ryan said it one time and Vince clung to it and has called him that ever sense.

Now that he's almost 9 months old and he's eating more and more solids I actually gave him a pancake and he loved it!!

I had to document Mr Pancake's first pancake :)

Don't let the face deceive you, he loved it :)

Vince loves the camera and requested that his picture be taken too :)

Rainier to Ruston

Rainier to Ruston

50 miles

10 hours

86 degrees with the sun beating on you!

Megan, Tara, Holly and I competed in the Rainier to Ruston 50 mile relay and it was AWESOME!! I love running and doing big races and competitions. I've done 2 half marathons in Rexburg and would love to do a marathon one day, we'll see :)

This one was so fun because we each ran about 13 miles but it would alternate and you were on a team. So I ran the 4th, 8th and last leg which were from 3.5 to over 5 miles each.

Holly started us off at 7:00 AM and it was cold! By the time I finished the 4th leg around 11, it was hot and only got hotter as the day went on. The beginning was cool because it was through the forest, some parts really off road, getting muddy and all sorts but the more towards to finish the less shade and more city. Making it hotter and hotter!! Seriously, I would dump water on my head before I ran, carry a water bottle to drink and dump on myself to prevent heat exhaustion. haha

The last leg was cool because it had a lot of shade and I ran along the Puget Sound and into the park at 4:53 PM!

It was a crazy, hot, fun experience!

Excited to start the race!!

Mount Rainier at the starting line

Bigfoot!!

Holly finishing the first leg

My grandpa and grandma came to cheer us on at the end of my first run in South Prairie. This is everyone waiting for me to finish the 4th leg.

After my run in South Prairie

Haha, I meant to take pictures along the whole way, but the legs would get shorter and shorter and you would have to hurry and drive to the next leg, then start getting ready to run. So it didnt happen. But Ryan was at the finish and got some pictures of me coming in

Little Mt Si

A few weekends ago we climbed Little Mt Si. It was a blast! We love hiking and didn't get to do much in Georgia because

A. There's no mountains unless we wanted to drive 4 hours

2. Most of the year it's over 90 degrees by 10 AM and

D. It just never happened because of the above 2 reasons :)

BUT..... now that we live in Washington we can!! We got an awesome hiking backpack for kids and borrowed one from a friend so we could each carry a boy and it worked out perfect!

The hike was perfect, the weather and the boys did awesome. Seriously, it was so beautiful to be out hiking and enjoying nature and God's beautiful creations!

Haha ok, I really shouldn't be complaining because we have a picture of all 4 of us, but I asked this guy to take a picture for us hoping for the view and we got an upside down (I obviously flipped it over for the blog) zoomed in picture of our faces and can't even tell where we are! He was like, "Do you want Mt Si in it?" and we're like ya. And he gave us this! haha 

It's so tiring being carried in a backpack up a mountain :)

After we stopped for icecream. Jake was eyeing Vince's :)

After we got home we realized that the hiking backpacks had attachable backpacks that was the perfect size for Vince.

Side story: When we go to church, I literally bring half the house. Church is 3 hours with sacrament and our other meetings, during lunch and naptime. So mama's got to be prepared ;)

My friend has her son bring his own backpack with his own supplies so she doesnt have to carry all his things and we decided to do that same with Vince.

Voila, the hiking backpack was perfect and so dang cute!

Seeing this I had a mini panic attack of seeing Vince going to kindergarten in 3 years! 3 years!!!!

How to Properly Mix Adams Peanut Butter

To say I love peanut butter is an understatement. 

I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER!

Seriously I eat it everyday! My favorite is Adams because there's no hydrogenated crap and its all natural. I absolutely love the crunchy kind and I love that you don't have to put it in the fridge.

The only downfall is the initial mixing. If you've ever had Adams, you know what a pain in the buns it is to stir it up because the oil and the peanut butter are separated. You try to stir it and the oil spills out, you have to have forearms like my husband and if you don't mix it good enough, its all dry at the bottom. No good.

So I usually make Ryan do it (he's so kind :). Well, the other day he came up with the genius idea to use power tools to stir it and it WORKED!! haha He attached a beater to his drill and it was like butter!

So the new and improved method to stir Adams peanut butter. 

I think we need to patten this ;)

Brothers

I LOVE MY BOYS

The older they get the more fun we are having in this house. It's so fun to see them starting to interact and actually PLAY together. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of non sharing that we are working on, but the moments where Vince shares and plays with his brother are the best!

The other day Vince and Jake were under the kitchen table laughing at each other and Vince wanted Jake to come out, so I said if he crawled out, Jake would probably follow him. Vince led and Jake followed right behind! It was the cutest!

I spotted this gem the other day and had to snap a picture!! Reading in the laundry basket :)

I can't believe how BIG Jake is getting!

Ok, this isn't about brothers but I had to throw this picture in. The other morning, Vince and I came out to the front door and saw 2 deer eating our blackberry bushes!! I was shocked to see them but it was pretty cool!

So we are renting a house on the Cedar River which is awesome. It's double awesome because Ryan made a little path and play area down at the shore so Vince can throw rocks and we can wade in the water.

Side not: Vince absolutely LOVES throwing rocks in the water, so this is triple awesome for him ;)

Vince and Jake in the car shopping cart. Jake has graduated from being in his car seat in the shopping cart to now being able to sit up! Such a big boy!

My mom bought this castle at Ikea and it's an absolute favorite when we go to grandmas

Hugs :)