July Activities 2015 (Part 2)

I really wanted to go on a hike for my birthday, but Kevin works pretty much every day in July and August, so I convinced my brother and his kids to go with us. We decided on Staircase Hike near Lake Cushman as it is pretty kid-friendly.

When we stopped for lunch, Abby got out a birthday banner she'd made for me. How cute is that? :)

Abby took a picture of Lizzy and me!

The hike was lots of fun, but I did find out that my brother is not the same type of hiker as me! My kids and I like to take our time and explore and get pictures and enjoy it; my brother likes to push ahead and get the job done! Ha!

The next day (my actual birthday), Abby made and frosted a cake for me all by herself! It was so sweet! She decorated a lavender bush, since lavender is one of my favorite flowers. :)

This was a silly moment I caught with these two. Lizzy loves to copy Jake and he loves for her to copy him. :) They are hollering loudly ("aaaaaah!") while grabbing their feet together and then erupting into giggles and doing it all over again. :)

Every summer, the Olympia Symphony hosts a free concert on the Capitol grounds, but I usually forget about it! This year, I saw someone post on Facebook that they were there and I called my mom right away and said, "We missed it again!! .....Or do you think we can make it for at least the last half?" In a rare moment of spontaneity, I gathered up the kids, my mom quickly ran to McDonald's so we'd have some dinner to eat (it was just about dinner time!) and we raced down to the Capitol. We made it! And it was so worth it! We sat very far away since we were so late, but it gave the kids lots of space and was actually quite perfect for us.

Afterward, not wanting the beautiful time to end, we walked around the Capitol grounds enjoying the lovely summer evening.

These two silly ones again. :)

Kevin ended up sleeping on the floor in the boys' room a lot when Lizzy was first born (because his snoring would wake me and/or the baby up!), and Jake got quite used to it! Since Kevin wakes up way earlier than we do, he is often ready for a nap when Jake is and so he often lies down with Jake on the afternoons he is home. :)

Ben lost his first tooth!

And my Abby is always so good and careful at helping with her baby sister. She came up with the pillow idea in the laundry basket so Lizzy wouldn't hit her head. :) Sweet sisters!