Pirates Cove

We just got back from a fun filled family week to Pirates Cove where we celebrated Sophia's 14th birthday, our 3rd year anniversary, and Pb&J went swimming in a pool for the first time.

More than anything we had a blast being able to spend quality time with everyone especially our niece and nephews.  You can only explain Pirates Cove in  so many words so Derek using his GoPro cam (best birthday present I think I've ever got him) followed the kids around as they ran amuck and made this video out of the footage.

First time to the beach

Derek went out of town for a couple weeks for work so me and the little man decided to have a vaca of our own! We went up to Washington so that PB&J could see the ocean for the first time... not sure if he ever really saw it because he seems to be sleeping in almost all the beach shots!

                    An added bonus while being there is that cousin River was there to hang out with!        

Plus with all of his beach antics we were entertained for hours.

Now this was also Deja's first time on the beach and as you can see the sand gave her added traction to chase down River

Below all the boys are gathering wood to make our beach bonfire

Here is the finished product ready to be lit!

This is the end product ...

Here are some nature highlights of Washington! Most of these were taken from a trotting horse so they may not be perfectly cropped

Crazy Grandpa and River riding on the beach

An eagle that I tried to get while pointing and shooting on a galloping horse so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that I got it on the screen!

                                      Uh...yeah my dog trying to catch the eagle

                                                  

A favorite activity is bear watching in Washington. This trip we saw 2-Yippee! 

and as you can see all the adventures exhausted a little man

Bar B Ranch 2011

This year at the Bar B it was an axe swinging, tree huggin, log rolling good time! The 4th of July is seriously our favorite holiday thanks to Sandie and her amazing creativity, generosity, and good looks :) She seriously makes magic and unbelievable memories for all of us to enjoy and we can' t thank you enough! We love you muchos!!!

This year it was Lumber jack themed and while I didn't capture all the events (there is too many) I will post what I got.

I will kick it off with Fair day!

Talent night brought some seriously funny things. It was Broadway themed and I about died laughing at some of the routines.

happy boy at the Ranch

Porter's first 4th of July

For the lumberjack games they had the coolest event, a tree climbing contest! It was harder than it looked! Some people scampered up that thing so fast I was lulled into a false sense of ease. I am going to do some serious tree climbing to train up for next year, and it will probably help that I won't have just had a baby next go around.

Of course Derek's highlight event is the demolition derby which he happily won and even better for me he was not injured. Poor Jed on the other hand took a good hit!

The car smashed in on the right is Jed's car! It looks like it was wrapped around a pole! Youch!

I'll end with some videos on the new GoPro camera. It is Derek making the tree climb look ridiculously easy and cousin Matt making the Boom Run look just as easy