Mill Creek Festival 2017

For the past few summers, we have gone to the Mill Creek Festival. This year we went on July 9th. For some odd reason it's something my kids look forward to every summer. From the parent perspective, we see the festival as a lot of business booths and only a little bit of kid fun. So not sure if it's the shuttle we get to ride from the high school to the festival or the free hairstyling Cammy gets each time from the Elle Marie Hair Salon booth...but the kids love it!

Last year Cammy really wanted to do this one activity where you get blown up in a big ball and rolled out onto a big pool. We didn't think she would enjoy it so we said no. But this year since she was with some friends we decided to let her try it. She lasted all of ten or less mins before she got frustrated not being able to stand up or started getting too hot in there. Crazy to think the workers said that you can be in there for up to 2 hrs before they will make you get out. At least she can now say she has done it.

Ready to roll

Cammy is on the left trying to move around

Another highlight of the festival for the kids is the Reptile Man. This year the girls were braver and got up close and personal with the tortoise and python. It is always a fun little show that we all enjoy.

Petting the tortoise

Hailey got brave to pet it

Cammy was the only one to pet the python

The girls with their friends watching the tortoise try to escape

A Sad Goodbye

About a month ago our close friends, Nick and Lindsey Yancey, sprung the news on us that he got laid off from Boeing and only had a couple weeks of work left with the company. The worst part of the news was shockingly not that...it was that he found a new job and it was in ARIZONA!

This was some hard news to swallow, as these are our friends of nearly 15 years that go way back to the college days. They have basically followed in our footsteps moving from CA (with a little 2 year side trip in Wichita, KS) up to WA. Nick was going on his 10th year at Boeing. We have watched our kids grow up together and grow to be best friends, just like us parents. And now they just had their second baby and were going to move away. We thought we were going to have all summer together before they had to move, but things with his new job went faster than expected and they had to move fast.

So on July 8th, we not only were celebrating their daughter, Penelope, turning 3, but we were also having to say the hardest goodbye that I ever imagined. The next day they were going to be getting on an airplane and moving to Arizona for the unforeseen future.

I've never really had to say goodbye to a best friend quite like this. They were like family to us. We did most holidays together, they were always there to do something when it was a last minute plan, our kids did most activities together, we celebrated all of the birthdays together...you get it, we did just about everything together. Still to this day I have a hard time thinking that this is long term, they aren't coming back. There's not a family in the world that will replace this family in our lives. We just all had a special bond. We miss them dearly, but look forward to a time when we can meet somewhere half way in the near future.

One last snuggle with baby Bennett

The crew...my how we have grown with all of these kids!

The moms and the kids

The kiddos...with the 2 newest additions and their mommies

She's my girl

These two go way back to Cal Poly days where I met Lindsey

These girls love their "Nono"

"True friends are never apart. Maybe in distance, but never in heart."

Proud to be an American!

We spent our Fourth of July like we usually do each year...going to the local parade in the first part of the day and then celebrating with a BBQ dinner and sparklers in the evening.

We had amazing weather this year compared to last year's cold and drizzly weather. Perfect for some parade watching with my parents and our friends the Yanceys. The kids enjoyed all the unique groups that were represented in the parade. But I think what they all look forward to the most is the shuttle ride from the parking lot to the parade on one of the city buses! I swear we tell them they are going to ride a shuttle right beforehand and their eyes light up like it's Christmas day!!

The girls with their bestie, Penelope, waiting for the parade to begin

The All American Lumsden 5

American girls!

Pre-parade selfie

Cammy wanted to photobomb every picture

Love these people!

Lindsey taking Jason up on some baby help

Waving their flags during the parade

Hailey and Penelope are like two peas in a pod!

Shuttle bus ride after the parade

Brielle enjoying the shuttle with Grams

In the late afternoon we loaded up the kids and the dogs (this is not exactly the day they want to be left alone with all the fireworks noise) and headed over to my parents' condo in Lake Stevens for a BBQ dinner and some mini fireworks fun. Lindsey and her two kiddos joined us also since her husband was traveling to Arizona and she was on her own.

4th of July family photo on the lake

We're just like one big crazy family!

Jason hanging with the girls that were scared of the fireworks noise

Brielle loves baby Bennett!

Corn on the cob...a new favorite for this one!

Right before we left we let the kids do some sparklers and Jason was brave enough to set off a few "unknown" fireworks that we bought. When I say "unknown" it's because we didn't really know what they were going to do. So after one wild little spinning and flying crackler almost took out me and Brielle we then moved up to the second floor balcony and watched from a safe distance while Jason put himself in the "line of fire." After the kids were good and scared and had some fun we headed home. The drive home through the farm country was nothing short of boring. We got to watch fireworks getting set off in every direction...it was so pretty! And I think we left the lakefront property just in time before the real craziness of fireworks for hours on end began.

Cammy didn't hesitate when we brought out the sparklers

Grams hanging with the scared girls

Hailey decided to get brave and give the sparklers a try

She actually liked them!

Happy Birthday America!!

A Day at the Horse Races- Bucket List #2

The second "Summer Bucket List" activity was going to Emerald Downs to watch horse racing. The last time we went was 2012 when Cammy was only 11 months old. The other girls weren't even born. So this was really a first for all the girls that they would remember.

I looked up when there were "Family Days", which brings out more kid friendly things to do while the races are going on. Bounce house slide, rock climbing and pony rides...all free! So we went on Sunday, July 2nd with my parents. It was a beautiful day and perfect weather! We settled for car naps and stayed the entire afternoon.

Brielle was obsessed with the horses and couldn't stop saying "neigh" every time she saw a horse. Cammy seemed to be into picking horses to win and Hailey enjoyed watching the horses parade out before the races. It was a perfect summer activity that everyone seemed to enjoy!!

Check out Mt. Rainier between my dad and Jason!

Helping Grams figure out what horse to bet on

Watching the horses with Brielle

Took a lot of convincing, but Hailey rode a pony!

Cammy picked out her favorite pony to ride

Family photo while watching the horses come out before a race

The race horses coming out

Last race group picture!

Summer Soccer

We didn't sign the older girls up for any camps this summer and wanted to get them involved in something a little different. So we visited an Open House for Lil' Kickers (a more games and skills based soccer program and less competitive) one Saturday morning. The girls seemed to enjoy the class they participated in, so we signed them both up for Saturdays throughout the remainder of the summer.

Their first class was on July 1st. Hailey is in the Cottontails class for 2.5-3.5 year olds who aren't quite ready to go on the field without their parent. Cammy is in Big Feet for 5-6 year olds who haven't played soccer before.

Hailey likes to do soccer with Jason and they are the only ones in her class. She is very shy and takes about half the class to finally warm up and branch off away from Jason.  Her coach Tim is the perfect instructor for her and lets her go at her pace. She does enjoy it though and is proving to have some hidden soccer skills.

Cammy seems to really enjoy her soccer class and takes on her mom's competitiveness when it comes to playing games and running around. This girl is a quick little runner and an awesome direction follower!

We are hopeful that at least one of the two will want to continue on with soccer after summer is over and maybe join a more competitive soccer league with real games and all. These Lumsden girls are tough to get to do something that isn't considered "girlie."

The Beginning of the "Summer Bucket List"

After school got out for the summer, I encouraged Cammy to make up a "Summer Bucket List" so I would know what kinds of things she wanted to do on her summer break. With my help we created this...

Cammy's Summer Bucket List

To kick off the summer break, we wasted no time and checked off our first box by visiting a splash pad and park on Saturday, June 25th. We went to Hazel Miller Spray Park in the Edmonds City Park. This was a place that I took Hailey and Brielle once before while Cammy was at school and she really wanted to go since she missed out. We invited a few of our friends to join us and enjoyed a warm day at the park/splash pad.

These girls are the bestest of friends and my world!

Splash Pad...CHECK!

Snacks with buddy Zach

Hailey having some water fun

Typical Brielle

1 activity down...16 more to go! 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!!