Great Urban Race

This year we participated in the Great Urban Race - something that I have wanted to do for many years. It is a race around a city where teams are required to solve 12 clues (some mental and some physical tasks). It's similar to the show Amazing Race, except you can only travel on foot or via public transportation. We ran the race in Seattle with our friends, Jami and Colin and due to our love for the show, Parks and Recreation, our team name was "The Snakehole Loungers". For our first race, we did pretty well - we came in 57th out of 250 teams and we finished in 2 hours and 50 minutes. Oh, did I mention that we were running the race on the hottest day of year? :) We are hoping we can keep the tradition going next year and run the race in a new city.

Keeping with the Parks and Rec theme, we were each a character from the show. I was Ann Perkins and Josh was Chris Traeger.

Jami was April Ludgate and Colin was the one and only Ron Swanson (which he pulled off brilliantly!)

A few pictures from some of our challenges...

Style a Hair Mannequin

In this challenge, we had to identify and find a jewelry store based only on a portion of their logo. Once in the store, we were given 2 phrases which we needed to incorporate into a wedding proposal to our teammate.

Take a picture with your team and two strangers performing YMCA.

Sleeping Bag

Today during Abi's quiet time she asked me if she could get down her sleeping bag. I told her no and told her to lay down on her bed and read some books. Well, I guess she decided to improvise because this is what I found when I checked on her a bit later - she was sound asleep! (I had to take a video instead of taking a picture so you could hear the classical music that she had playing on her iPod.) It was quite a bizarre scene to walk into...

As soon as I walked in the room I could see her breathing and hear her quietly snoring which was good because if not, I would have been quite freaked out!

Maxwell

I am sure most of you are familiar with Maxwell the pig from the Geico commercial. In case you are not:

Well, we have our own version of Maxwell....

Brady does this whenever we are in the car and driving down a hill. Unfortunately we live at the top of a hill so we all get the pleasure of hearing him squeal quite often! :)

Silly Boy

Derby Days 2011

It's the beginning of July which means it is time for Derby Days. This year we participated in the kids parade then took our seats to watch the big parade.

This year we decorated Abi's bike in red, white and blue and she dressed up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, complete with red sparkly shoes and Toto in her basket!

Brady rode with his friend, Chase in the wagon (Thanks for the ride Worsleys!)

Claire, Abi & Regen watching the parade

Waving to the cars and trucks as they pass by

We're Off to See the Fishies...

Our recent trip to the Seattle Aquarium...

It is a requirement that the kids take a picture in front of the shark measuring stick every time we head to the aquarium. Here are some pictures of Abi from March 2008 and our recent trip (July 2011).

4th of July!

We had a fun weekend celebrating Independence Day. The weather even cooperated (something rare for the 4th of July in Washington State) so we spent most of our days outside enjoying the sun. We started our weekend by heading to Remlinger Farms where we picked 16 pounds of strawberries. Josh promptly turned all of our strawberries into freezer jam and yummy strawberry ice cream!

We probably should have paid for an extra pound of strawberries as Brady just ate his way through the fields!

On the 4th, we started out by enjoying a good old fashion all-American parade. I forgot just how many trucks, motorcycles, cars and fire engines are in parades...Brady was in heaven!Then we stopped by the park for a picnic and some swing time before the fireworks show...

And to end our day, Abi and I headed to a fireworks show. In an attempt to prevent a repeat of our 4th of July in 2008 where, after waiting all day for the fireworks, we ended up running to the car once the fireworks started with a scared, terrified, crying little girl in tow; I talked to Abi throughout the day about what to expect during the firework show. Her only response to me was, "well, now I am 5 Mom so I want to go". And despite my concerns, she did wonderful, enjoyed the show and we had a good time!

Playing Mom's iPhone while waiting for the fireworks to start.