Once Upon a Time

We spent the weekend with the Penrods in this darling beach town called Seabrook. We rented a house that slept all 13 of us (it is directly in front of Curt in the picture) and spent all weekend riding bikes and playing on the beach.

Evie 2, Lucy 2, Anna 4, James 1 and Ian 3 (missing Reese 7 and Grant 6)


Some of the community.

the beach.

The kids spent most of the day doing this.


And this.





The kids on their way to roast hot dogs and banana boats on the beach Saturday night. They were so excited.


Joe, Josh and Curt.

Grant and Eve.

Jamesy fell asleep in my lap after eating his hot dog.


The house was amazing (called Once Upon a Time) - three stories, the top floor was for the kids and had four of these single beds built in to the walls. Here is Ian in the one he slept in.

It might have been the perfect mix of sunshine, ocean, friends, bike riding and giggling.

The new back yard

Includes a new play set - that takes up half our yard but is totally worth it.
My favorite part is the picnic table.

They have put in hours and hours on this thing already (still missing a roof though).

And my garden is so yummy. Tons of lettuce, arugula, and sugar snap peas and strawberries (not pictured)...

18 months

Height - 32"
Weight - 22.6 lb

Growls a lot. Wants to wear his new shoes all the time. Will do ANYTHING Ian does.

The end of preschool

Ian's preschool had their graduation this week. It was cute to watch their little program of what they learned this year. It was also cute to see Ian in a graduation cap.





Ian and his teachers miss Sarah and Miss Lora on the last day of class.

Morning chat

Ian: Mom, you have a hole in your pants.
Me: I know.
Ian: When I got a hole in my shirt I sent it back to Jesus.
Me: hmmn
Ian: You know how I got a hole in my shirt? It was from a bullet. Yeah it was from my gun. I shot the car too - that is why this light is here.

It is summer

Today we met Amy and the kids at Point Defiance Zoo. As you can see from the picture - my kids found the sprinklers.





The other Leonards had to leave at 4 for choir practice so the boys and I saw most of the animals by ourselves. We stayed until 6:30 - we sometimes were the only people in the exhibits and Ian was still asking to stay when we left. I think it was my favorite, most relaxing trip to the zoo.
(James was pantsless after the sprinkler episode)

Not safe. And he won't let me take the band-aid off his ear.

James first fudgesicle (I think maybe).

Back on Capitol Hill

I love weddings as an excuse to travel. I'm so glad that we got to go to this one.
Lindsay hearts Mike


Not only was the wedding fabulous, but it was also in DC, so we got to see lots of old friends - including some of my very best girls. Kimberly,Lindsay, Laura (added bonus) and me.

I have a sneaking suspicion that it was Lindsay that requested the traditional Korean ceremony.



Congrats linds - you are the best!


While we were there we stayed with Whitney and Justin in their amazingly beautiful, renovated row house. It actually kind of made me mad at them for not moving to our neighborhood when we lived there. They are the absolute best kinds of hosts - I can't wait to visit them again.

NY Prologue

The kids and I just got home from a two week trip to NY (minus 4 glorious days in DC with Curt and without kids).
Since being home, Ian's sentiments are, "Mom, why are we not in New York?" We miss it already - especially since all my siblings and their kids were there and it is so fun when we are all together. I'm grateful that my family are also my best friends.

NY 1 - Ian

I'm not sure how we got away without getting a picture of Ian and Nicki - since she is pretty much his favorite person in the world. Not only is she the mom of Devon and Connor, she also let him sleep over 4 times (he asked to just about every night) AND she gave him serious love while he was there. On the night we had to say goodbye he was sobbing and saying "it is just so hard mom, when Nicki isn't here."
He also thinks the lake is the best place (as do most of the rest of us). He swam just about everyday regardless of the water temperature - which had to have been in the 50s.




Nicki brought a toybox filled with stuff up to the lake for the kids to play with.

Including a huge bag of costumes (which I somehow forgot to pack...)


Helping grandpa build a fort (a real one).

This was kind of a theme - finding Ian asleep in random places. There was way too much to do for him not be exhausted the whole trip.

Showing off his favorite talent to aunt ashley.

He can be convinced to eat just about anything you say will make him big and strong like Devon.