Alyssa turns 5!!!

Happy Birthday to our sweet Alyssa!  Here she is celebrating at home on the eve before her birthday.  Her birthday fell on a Monday this year, so we decided Sunday night would be better for having our family party.  Her "friends" party was on the Thursday of her birthday week.

A beautiful purse!

An adorable Roxy vest that she loves!

My sister's adorable purse....I think today is my birthday, too!

What is next???

These cool boots are made for walkin'!! and mud stompin' in style.

My...umm, I mean, my sister's cool new boots!

August was almost more excited to celebrate Alyssa's birthday than anyone!  He helped pick out and wrap her gifts, and he couldn't wait to give him to her.  In this picture he is showing her what he got her.

A pillow PET!  She sleeps with this every night.

Reagan checks out her new pillow pet.  Alyssa wants it back! You can't see it here, but Reagan runs away with it right after this picture is snapped.

Alyssa requested chocolate cake and hoped for a pillow pet-a lady bug one....she got both! Alyssa has been everything I could have ever hoped for in a daughter and more-so sweet and kind, loving and generous, patient and creative.  She is a great girl and I'm so happy she is in our family:-)

The Puyallup Fair 2010

The draft horses were being led to the water bucket one at a time.  They had to keep a hose on in the bucket to keep it full enough-that's how much they drink!

The kids were intimidated by these guys, but August thought they were pretty cool, too!

Couldn't you see August as something like this for Halloween?  But no, he is going to be a "flaming ninja" in his own words.  Flaming because of the flames on his costume we bought over the weekend.

Reagan waits patiently for August and Alyssa to ride this coaster.  I didn't think she was big enough....

....boy was I wrong.  She LOVED this ride.  She screamed and threw a fit when it was time to get off!  I don't know if I've ever seen her smile as big as she did on this ride.  It was priceless!!!

"I'm a big girl now!"

This was one of Matthew's ride choices.  It went WAY up there.  No one else wanted to ride it, and tickets were too expensive for Mike and I to accompany him, so he went all by his lonesome.  He loved the ride, though!

In line to ride the carousel.

The carousel was the only ride Alyssa HAD to ride on, her ride of choice. 

Waiting patiently in line.

Going round and round doesn't always work for me these days, so Mike offered to go with the girls.  I think he liked it:-)

The paintball station-a tradition for the boys when we visit the fair.

That ride I mentioned earlier that Matthew went on...way up there.

The "scary" pirate ride August and Alyssa braved ALONE.  They did great, and enjoyed the ride!

Here they are just off of the Pirate ride.  Just smiles, no tears!!

We weren't sure if it would happen, but we made it to the fair this year!  We have gone to this fair every year since we moved here, making it a tradition of sorts.  Our first visit to the fair was weeks after our move here, when Alyssa was not yet two years old, and Reagan wasn't even a thought.  My how time flies!
Each year at the fair consists of fun junk food, visits to the beautiful draft horses, ponies, and other 4-H animals, followed by rides, paintball-ing, and some more junk food.

Hello, Deer

The deer were in the backyard today-the three of them walked right along the edge of my patio then jumped into the neighbors yard and ate their trees.  I had the slider open to take some pics., but the fog and that it was still dim out made it tough to get anything good.  You can see how close we were standing though, and they really could care less.  When I watched the bear the other night he was right below the rock wall you see behind the deer-now, that's a little too close for me when it comes to bears! In the past, the bears have come along the same trail that you see the deer on right now-right along the edge of my patio.  Yikes!

August's Soccer

August is well into his second soccer season, and is a natural at many sports, including this one.  This year, Mike is coach, which is a great experience for us all.  August seems to enjoy having Dad as coach, and Mike is doing a great job encouraging the kids and rotating them fairly out on the field.  We are the black team this year-The Cheetahs.  The team picked the name.  These pictures are from lastnights game, which we actually lost-the were very good.  We are a good team as well, but most importantly, everyone seems to be having fun on the field.

Blueberry Picking in August

This post is coming in late, but what can I say, I've been busy and my blog has been frustrating me!  I'm optimistic that it seems to be doing better now, though.

We love blueberry picking, and look forward to doing it every year.  With this years pickings, I was able to make blueberry muffins (Matthew's request), and a blueberry pie.  Of course, there were plenty to eat and freeze as well.  The kids discovered that they really like blueberry pie:-)

Ready to go.

Some blueberries for you, Reagan!

Mt. Si

Sticks are fun!

Reagan enjoyed picking the berries, but ate them out of her bucket just as fast!  Mike and Matthew treat it as a mission, collecting as many berries as they can for me, which is much appreciated, as I'm usually dawdling along with the girls in tow.  August usually divides his time somewhere in-between power-picking and running through the rows of bushes.  This is such a great activity that everyone enjoys!  I love the relaxing atmosphere and picking below our beautiful majestic mountain.  I could stare at it all day:-)