Priest Lake

Just a few more pics to add from our Priest Lake visit. We had such a great time and Jacqui doesn't stop talking about the boat and the huckleberries, and the karaoke! What a blast, can't wait to see you guys there next year!

Karaoke at Elkins 'Sweet Home Alabama'

A trip to Priest Lake is not complete until you have had a famous Huckleberry Daquiri

Helping Uncle Jim drive the boat... How exciting!

Picking huckleberries at the back of their property line. They were all over the place!

Smores in the woods, does life get any better?

Roasting marshmellows on the fire...

First ride on the boat with Christa and Uncle Jim. Jacqui was so excited and loved dangling her feet in the water in the middle of the lake!

Priest Lake Pictures

Kayla and Jacqui were able to come to Priest Lake for a few days to see dad's new cabin. We were all so glad that they were able to join us! Jacqui seemed to most enjoy singing karaoke with mom at Elkins, driving the boat, swimming whenever she got the chance, picking huckleberries, and then eating her huckleberry pancakes. Kayla and I had a fun roadtrip a few days later from Spokane to Seattle. Kayla Mike and I went to a concert on Sunday and had a blast. Mike and I were happy that Kayla could help us celebrate our first anniversary. Here are some pictures from our time together!

Alaskan Cruise July 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Jacqui-isms

Levi and I took Jacqui to see Ice Age 3 this week and she was pretty impressed with it and was talking about all the animals and is getting into dinosaurs. We also saw Transformers which she enjoyed and ate almost a whole tub of popcorn by herself. When we were leaving the theatre she was explaining to me that "Mom my tummy is so full, I ate all that popcorn like a dinosaur. I need to crack my fingers so my tummy is not so full". I am not sure where she linked cracking fingers to making her stomach feel better, but it stuck and she has been talking about cracking her fingers almost every time she eats so her tummy is not so full (strange connection I am sure!)

I took some of Jacqui's baby toys into the yard to clean them off so we could donate them to charity. We each had a sponge and were scrubbing them down when Jacqui said, "Wow mom, look at that spot I totally OBLITERATED it!" Not quite sure where she picked up that $5 word, but it sounds awfully funny coming from a 5 year old~!

Jacqui and I went to the Pet Shop today to look at the animals while we were waiting at another store. We were looking at the reptiles and Jacqui saw an iguana and said "Mom! You have to check this guy out, he is HU-NORMOUS!"

While wandering around later she found the birds and I was explaining that the birds were cockatiels, she looked at me and said "Mom, those are not cockatiels, they are mo-hawk birds, you know they call them that cuz they all have mo-hawks?"

Earlier this week she was at the sitters and managed to cut her own hair while they were playing cut-out with the scissors. I was furious with her and dragged her home telling her that I was not impressed and she knew better. She had a lot of attitude that day and decided she didn't want to come home with me and she let me know it, "cuz you are making a angry face at me and I don't like it!" She was also not impressed with getting her hair cut, but hopefully she won't do that again (last time she did that she was 2). Needless to say, I cut her hair to try and blend in the damage (luckily with her curly hair that is easy to do!) so now she has bangs and lots of layers, I will put some pics up soon.

The Tooth Fairy Arrives!

As you all know, Jacqui lost her tooth yesterday. She was waiting all day to see the Tooth Fairy. We decided to go to the park as a form of redirection, and had a nice little picnic with Hank. Jacqui played in the water park and on the jungle gym for hours. Today, we finally got home and she was asleep in the car. I carried her into the house and laid her in her bed and she was completely out. She wiggled around in her bed and moved her arm up under her pillow and immediately was wide awake. She felt all the coins under there and jumped out of bed and started screaming bloody murder! She was yelling "Mom, Mom, Come and look, you have to see this!!!" She was so excited she took all the money (a handful of pennies, nickels, and dimes) and proudly showed it off and then put them one by one into her piggy bank, grinning ear to ear the entire time. After she had ceremoniously put all the coins into the bank, she came to me and said "Mom, I am such a lucky girl, this is the best day of my life!" Well, there you have it, from the mouth of a 5 year old, the best day of her life. She is so excited to have the tooth fairy visit and take her tooth and wanted everyone to know 'what a lucky girl' she is.

Jacqui Lost her Second Tooth

Jacqui lost her first tooth on Valentine's Day this year, and today she lost her second. We noticed yesterday that it was 'really wiggly' after eating a cheese burger, but she didn't want to pull it out "that would be gross mom, it would have blood in my mouth and that is disgusting... besides I think it would hurt!" So we were patient. She woke up this morning and was brushing her teeth and it fell out! Since she swallowed her last tooth, she didn't get the tooth fairy experience, but she is excited for the tooth fairy this time. She washed her tooth off "so it will be super clean for the tooth fairy and I get lots of money". It has been under her pillow since this morning, she is hoping maybe the tooth fairy will come before she goes to sleep tonight... She wanted to take a picture of her with her "teeny tiny little tooth" to show you all and so you can be "so surprised, they will love it mom!"

Time with the Cross'!

Let me just start by saying I have a wonderful job and that I am very fortunate that they have funding for education and allow me many educational adventures... That said, I spent this last week in Vancouver for the Washington Mental Health Conference. 3 days of everything Mental Health, it was very interesting, educational, and insightful. The added bonus for this conference was that I was able to take Jacqui and my Dad with me... and Tyson and Joy were very gracious and invited us to stay in their house with them and watch Jacqui while I was in class. Needless to say it was a busy and eventful week!

Jacqui made fast friends with Buddy and Squirty, the resident watchdogs! She helped them to sing a lullaby with Joy at night and we all howled away... We also got sucked into 'So you think you can dance?' and will be watching that probably the rest of the season... Jacqui really enjoyed playing games with Tyson, Joy, and the dogs and loved all the extra attention. While I was at class during the days Susie was watching Jacqui also, and Jacqui has decided that they are fast friends. Jacqui also made good 'buddies' with Steve and has designated him her new chaser buddy, running after him, or away from him and giggling and screaming any chance she got!

After my classes, we were able to get in a different activity each day. We spend one afternoon at OMSI with Grandad. Jacqui loved seeing the various insects and the kids develop and explore area. Grandad loved the CSI exhibit and solved the crime for the crime lab after much research and deliberation. We also watched the Wild Ocean on OMNIMAX which was pretty neat for Jacqui seeing all the fish in the Ocean of the Southwest African Coast.

Later that night, I found out Star Trek (the new one) was still at the IMAX and Tyson, Joy, Grandad, Jacqui and I were able to go see that. I was SO excited and loved it on the super big screen... I bought a new phaser when I got home that is pretty neat! Jacqui has learned to say 'Live long and Osper' (she hasn't figured out how to say 'Prosper'). She has been saying this to everyone lately and it cracks me up. She is also working on her Vulcan greeting that goes with it (getting your fingers together is hard work for a 5 year old!) but usually just manages what looks like a hello greeting.

Saturday we had breakfast with the Tyson, Joy, Steve, and Susie and then were off to the Portland Zoo in the drizzling rain. We rode the little train to Washington Park. It was a beautiful ride through the forest and greenery. The zoo was celebrating the 50th Birthday of their steam locomotive, so it was neat to be a part of that. It also turned out to be a blessing that the weather was wet as the zoo was not very busy and we were able to see all the exhibits and animals without much difficulty or crowds.

Jacqui, Grandad, and I went through the chimpanzee exhibit. We learned all sorts of things, like how to swing from a vine, how to walk like a chimpanzee, and Jacqui's favorite how to climb and swing from her arms. She really enjoyed this exhibit and was bummed to only get to go through once.

The petting zoo was fun, but Jacqui was a little wary of the 'live animals'.

She needed a little encouragement to touch and pet the goats, especially after one tried to nibble on my jeans! Once she got it down though, she was tickled to pet the goats and talk to them and tell them stories about our day and everything she had seen. She also made up her own little goat song that she would prance around in the pen and sing. She is such an easy and self contained kid!


We walked through the Pacific Northwest exhibit and lost Jacqui. She had decided to run ahead and find something 'exciting' as she was tired of all the animals. Her major request at that point was an elephant ear (another one) or some ice cream. Nothing like a long wet day at the zoo to work up an appetite!

As the zoo was getting ready to close we made it to one last exhibit that turned out to be a great hit. There was an aviary of Lorakeetes (I have no idea how to spell that) to walk through. They are very bright birds that look like parrots. One of the other visitors was nice enough to give us their left over nectar and the birds loved it! They fly to you and perch where ever they feel like it and lick the nectar out of the cups as you hold them. Jacqui absolutely loved it! Grandad got the first bird to take to his nectar and then shared with all the kids in the tent.

We had a great week and really enjoyed seeing the Cross' down in Vancouver. Jacqui is very connected with the puppies now and is hoping to go and visit again soon. We had a great time and really enjoyed Vancouver and Portland, even though the weather was similar to a monsoon at times, it was great to spend time with family and have a little vacation! Thank you guys for keeping us and showing us around. We hope you come and visit us soon so we can return the favor!