Trip to Yakima

On our way to Yakima, we met my mom at the top of the pass to pick up the kids (since they had been at the cabin w/ my parents and sister). They enjoyed playing in the snow for a bit. It was like Christmas in July... not often you can have a snow ball fight in July, when it's over 85 degrees outside :)
The kids and Kyle at Mt. Rainier
We got to Yakima on Saturday and Grandpa Larry had some surprises waiting for the kids... squirt guns, a slip and slide, and a soccer ball for each of them w/ a net.
Grandpa Larry helping Carter fill the water gun
Ava ready to fire
Great Grandma Esther came over for dinner Saturday night to visit with us.
hot tubbing
Mr. Serious
The 3D Buzz Lightyear slip-n-slide. You wear these special goggles and buzz comes flying at you as you slide down the slip-n-slide. Pretty cool!
Sunday morning Gina and I went to the Farmers Market and a couple of Fruit stands... and Grandpa Larry took the kids on a ride on his golf cart. Carter particularly enjoyed this!
Enjoying their ride around the yard
Kyle and me
Grandpa Larry and Cristian having another water fight, but it was so hot, it actually felt wonderful to be soaking wet :)
Playing in the sprinklers
See... HOT... and this thermometer is in the shade all day.
Cooling off with some watermelon (after just waking up from his nap)
Ava too
Cristian and his watermelon grin :)
Grandma Gina with the 3 kids
Getting ready to go out to dinner. Grandma and Grandpa with the kids. (if you click on this picture, you can see how light Ava's hair has gotten in the sun)

Dinner with friends

Last Friday, my parents took my oldest two to the cabin with them, so we had an evening with just Carter, and a really good friend of mine from high school, Brady, and his wife Lindsey, and their son Devin. We enjoyed a yummy Salmon and Halibut dinner and a very delicious dessert made by Lindsey. It was great to catch up with them and we definitely plan on getting together more often. Here is their son, Devin, who is just a couple months younger then Carter. (eating dirt, LOL)
Carter loved having a friend his age to play with
The boys
Brady and Devin. (wish I had brought out my camera earlier and taken more pictures!!)

Day at the Zoo

My mom, sister, the kids and I enjoyed a fun day at the zoo last week. It was super crowded, probably because of the fog cover that made it a bit cooler that morning. I thought it felt nice out! The kids were definitely most excited about feeding the budgies!
Cristian had 2 birds land on his seed stick
Ava excited a bird landed on her stick
This guy let her pet him
Cute little expressions on all their faces :)
Cristian holding a budge

Outside the aquarium checking out the sea life that lives in our ocean
These 3 polar bears were swimming and playing right by the glass window.
That's right folks... C is now tall enough to go on California Screamin' (48 inches) at Disneyland. This is the ONE and ONLY ride he has never been on at the 2 parks... and oh boy does he think that warrants another trip to CA!! :)
Checking out the reindeer
Carter playing on the spider web
and in the sand box
and the tunnel
All three going up the slide together
And coming down
Wheeee, what fun!
Playing in the little splash zone
Carter and Auntie petting the goats
Nannie helping Carter feed a goat
Cristian feeding one
So funny how Ava is holding her mouth open :)
Me and my 3 kiddos
Auntie and Ava
Cristian on the merry go round
Nannie and Carter (who picked the GREEN sea horse, of course... his favorite color)
Peacock
The 3 of them checking out the peacock