Point Defiance Photo Session

I forget sometimes how blessed we are to have such a gorgeous park and zoo in our backyard. About a mile away is a place you could call our haven, Point Defiance Park and Zoo. We frequent there often for trips to see the animals, play on the playgrounds, walk/run, play at the beach, and of course, take plenty of photos. The flower gardens are spectacular and make a perfect back drop for photos of my kiddos.  I won't tell you how many I did take and how many hilarious flops there were compared to the good ones. Here are a few of the best.

Grace was surprisingly gentle with Samuel and cooperativewith the camera.
At least for a 15 minute period!

As much as I pay attention to detail in photos like these, I somehow missed
Sam's hair which needed a comb through.He looks like he's sporting an
 excellent "comb-over."

Ad lib :)

Darling, I know! What this photo doesn't capture is the split second after the
photo was taken that Grace pushes Samuel from behind and Mommy narrowly
catches Samuel before he face plants into the asphalt.  Sadly, I might always
remember that when I look at this photo. They are darn adorable though.

Grace has been obsessed lately with some peeling
skin on her toe. Can't just leave it alone. Forget
all the gorgeous dahlias around.They just don't
make her smile like they do Mommy :)

Grace tickling Sam's feet. He gets a kick out of it, like most things Grace does. 

Grace and her "happy face"

August is the best time of year around here and the dahlia
garden showcases why.

 This post wouldn't be complete if I didn't include a couple photos of Grace from last year in the gardens. I was reviewing these photos and thinking how much she's grown and changed when I realized the onesie she has on in this photo is the exact one she is wearing today. Of course it's not so baggy anymore but she still fits in it a year later. What a peanut!

Happy Birthday Sarah

Around here we really like birthdays, especially Sarah.  Sarah has also really taken to passing on this love of birthdays to Grace.  Grace loves cake, cupcakes, and candles.  Any time one of the children in her daycare has a birthday, we hear about it.  At least once a week Grace will try to convince us it's her birthday so that she can have some cake.  I think it's moments like the one pictured above that really imprint the indelible memories which have the power to be trans-generational.  Thanks to Jessie for capturing this moment so well.

Oh yeah, Sarah and I also had a whole day together with no kids where we rode bikes at an old artillery base (Fort Flagler) up north and then went and tasted a bunch of awesome beer.  We love having adventures together.  It's my goal to pass that love along trans-generational. 

Fort Flagler

Sound Brewing in Pulsbo, WA

Do the Puyallup!

Being city folk and all, we aren't exposed to domesticated farm animals on a daily basis.  The best opportunity for us to experience what Washington farmers have to offer is at the annual Puyallup Fair (think skunk - PEW-all-up).  In case you didn't know, "The Fair", as we locals refer to it, is a big deal.  It lasts for 2 weeks, has a rodeo, livestock shows in every class you can think of, big name bands playing every night, carney games galore, fried food of all sorts, more hot tub salesmen that you can shake a stick at, and everything else you expect from an event who's slogan this year is, "Get Your Happy On."

Sarah and I had been to The Fair a couple times as a date before we had Grace or Sam, and have missed the last two since Grace has been born.  This was Grace's first trip and now she won't shut up about having been there.  I hear about the "enormous horses" almost constantly; I just hope she doesn't ask for one for christmas.

Of course, no fair would be complete without a petting zoo.  In contrast to the "enormous horses" these baby goats are just Grace's size - and just as cute.

One of the hallmarks of The Fair is the Krusty Pup.  It's simply a corn dog, but made right in front of you.  That's right, they skewer the dog, dip it in batter, fry the whole thing, and THEN they serve it to you for 400% profit.  For all the bad talk about price, the Krusty Pups are quite delicious.  It must be that making them from scratch makes them so much better than the ones I ate at the high school cafeteria.  

Along with the truckloads of overpriced food, there are truckloads of overpriced rides too.  I couldn't help but get photos of Grace standing next to the "YOU MUST BE THIS TALL TO RIDE THIS RIDE" sign.  I know it's cliche, but I think there's a past post about how much I try to not avoid that...

Sadly, as it turns out, even though The Fair has an entire section of rides just for kids, Grace is only tall enough to ride two of the rides: the carousel, and the train.  Good thing for us, she loves both of those.  As for the other rides, Grace kept going up to the hight requirement sign and saying, "I gotta gwow some!"  Yes, yes you do Grace.  We'll ride the airplane, spinning bear, and race car rides next year.  

Carousel that's not as cool as the one at the zoo... and cost 3 times as much.

Train ride that's not as cool as the one we rode in Denver... and costs twice as much.

Grace didn't care they cost more, she loved them just as much.

Grace and Dylan

I felt compelled to share these adorable photos of Grace and Dylan I captured at the zoo on Labor Day. Dylan is the son of one of my good friends from college and is 6 months younger than Grace. The two of them get along pretty well, as you can see...or at least as well as two toddlers can. Of course their mommies may coerce them to hold hands just for the sake of being cute :)

September Already!?

Summer is fading fast, although we've had some of our best weather these past few weeks and have sure enjoyed it.
Just wanted to share a couple of photos I captured on my phone this past week. Grace loves doing what mommy is doing and has taken a liking to my breast pump. She has watched me several times and knows how to work the machine. She insists on doing it herself and getting her "own milk." Its a bit funny.
Samuel is now sitting up on his own and loves everything about it. He's pretty content at sitting in front of new toys and exploring shapes, sounds, and textures. He's also starting to do raspberries and we now talk back and forth doing raspberries to each other. It's adorable, and he's usually covered in spit afterwards.