High School Musical!

Thanks to the awesome blog, Your Heart Out, I won tickets to see "High School Muscial on Tour". Woo hoo! It was so much fun! This was the conversation I had with Nate when I told him I won:

Me: "Nate, I just won tickets to High School Muscial!"

Nate: "Cool."

Me: "Aren't you excited?"

Nate: "Sure. Who are you going with while I watch Claire?"

Obviously he has no interests in the fine arts. So I took my friend Katie along and we had a great time! Her dad is even in HSM 3! He got to shake Zac Efron's hand and everything! How cool huh?

This was the opening scene. They did an amazing job with all the backdrops and props.

Katie and me during intermission.

Great play + Great friend = GREAT night

Bear Lake

We went up to Bear Lake last weekend for the annual family reunion on my mom's side. It was so fun, as usual. I wondered what Claire would think of the sand and water, but I didn't need to. Within minutes of being there, she looked like this...

She loved feeling the sand on her belly.

She held still for about three seconds so we could get this pic.

My cousins would say to her, "Claire, where's your nose? Where's your mouth?" and she would eat the sand and everyone would laugh. She thought she was hilarious.

I love this picture because it is SO Claire. Miss Independent, off doing her own thing, not looking back to see who's watching.

Nate and my brother Brandon playing frisbee.

Could I love this hot guy any more? I think not.

Then Claire's cousin Corgan came out to play.

My bro, Ryan, playing with Corgan.

Isn't he adorable?

"What's that on your face?"

Then Claire found this tube and that was it. No more playing in the sand. She just had to push this around everywhere.

A family photo right before we left. What a perfect day!

Swimming adventures

It seems like lately we've been swimming almost every day! That's what summer is all about I guess. (And yet another reason I'm glad I decided to quit my job...what's better than sitting by the pool everyday?) Claire and I just finished our third session of swim lessons and I'm kind of ready for a break. It'll be kind of nice not to have to go every Tues and Thurs...but I'm sure we'll miss it too.

Here are a few pics when we went swimming at my mom's neighbor's pool with Drew.

Love that belly.

Drew kept trying to kiss Claire and she did not like it. Finally, she caved.

Grandma and the kiddies.

The next day, we went swimming at my sis-in-law's house. They have a pool in their community that just opened up...so much fun! These are my nephews, Corgan and Drew, and Claire.

Then a few days later, I went swimming at my good friend, Katie's, parent's house. There were a bunch of my friends from high school there and it was a blast! Here are all the kiddos...

I've been watching Drew for a few days while his parents are out of town. So he came along and they were loving the pretzels.

Finally, that day Claire had the biggest meltdown in the history of Claire Meltdowns. She was obsessed with carrying this green chair everywhere with her. Well, someone tried to take it from her (me) and she freaked out and cried like this until we left. So, being the loving and caring mother I am, I had to document the tantrum.

Of course, within two minutes of being in the car, she was asleep.

Discovery Gateway

Have you been there? If you haven't, it is time for you to go. We went with some friends last week and had a blast! Claire loved playing with the water and balls.

Josiah was loving it too!

They went up and down this slide so many times. Hours of entertainment just from this slide.

We took a fun music class while we were there. Claire only stayed with the group for part of the time. The rest of the time she was obsessed with the magnet board.

In fact, we had so much fun that we took Nate back later that night!

Now I want to get a pass there! How great would that be during the winter when we can't go outside?

The Emerald City

I'm finally getting around to blogging about our 4th of July trip to Seattle! That's where Nate grew up and his parents still live there. We love it and almost moved there, (we both got job offers there after college) but just couldn't afford the cost of living. :( So we try to visit Nate's parents a few times a year. We had another great trip!

We arrived on the afternoon of the 4th and we straight over to a great park by Nate's parent's house.

This was the day Claire figured out how to walk up the stairs instead of crawl up them...hmmm....still not sure how I feel about this.

Nate showing off his awesome climbing skills.

Nate's brother, Chris, proving he's got muscles too.

Nate's dad is just so cute with Claire! The whole trip she would sign and say "bampa" over and over.

That night we had some family over for a BBQ. Claire decided she wanted to "bump, bump" (jump on the trampoline), and she was the center of attention as usual.

Having fun with Uncle Chris

We went over to some friend's house for fireworks over the lake, and I'm not sure how this happened, but I didn't take any pictures.

The next morning, Grandpa take Claire how to play the piano.

Then we drove over to Snoqualmie Falls. Of course, it started pouring the second we got out of the car. So we ran for cover and only got to spend about 20 minutes there.

Saturday night we played a rousing game of Turbo Cranium...let's just say it got a little late and Mehren and Sheri (Nate's sister and mom) got a little giggly.

After church the next day, we went to the Washington Park Arboretum to take a walk. It is a huge botanical garden and it's beautiful! Claire got to ride on Grandpa's shoulders.

But she did not want me to hold her.

Ahhh...I love these two.

Group shot, minus Chris.

Family photo, thanks to Nate's dad.

On Monday, we "bumped, bumped" in the morning...Claire's hair got a little static-y.

Went to the beach in the afternoon.

And had a picnic at another park for dinner.

Claire mastered the bridge.

Tuesday, our last day, we went to a city farm. Claire loved the horses and kept signing all the animals.

With Aunt Mehren

What a great trip! We did so many fun things and Claire loved spending time with "Bampa, Gama, Uncle Cis, and Aunt Mera." :)