Deception Pass

Today we took advantage of some gorgeous weather and went south to check out Deception Pass, a huge bridge that connects to Whidbey Island, which is near the San Juans.  Sam and I got a little weak-kneed walking across it, since it was SO high!!  As gorgeous as it was, it wasn't a great picture day for us for some reason, but oh well, we'll share a few mediocre shots of a beautiful place!

Irish heads of State meet at the 2008 Peace Summit

Stephen Ratchford and Gerry Adams

This my brother Stephen, his daughter Saoirse, his son Breen, and Irish Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams.  A rare photo indeed. This was taken at the Easter Rising parade, named for commemorating the Irish revolutionary efforts for freedom in 1916.  Stephen is the bald fella gleaming with pride.

Grace's Beauty Salon

Yesterday Grace started a beauty salon/massage parlor in her room.  Luckily her brothers still think she's the coolest girl ever and will play anything she wants.  

Sam gets a makeover.

Being a 5 year old is very stressful and Liam tends to carry that stress in his back.  Deep tissue massage with lotion and a little vibrating back massager thingy tend to do the trick.

A disgruntled customer... or a male model pose?  You decide.

Sam takes beauty very seriously.

A list of Grace's services.  No pictures of me, but I enjoyed a hair styling and a very relaxing "guacamole facial mask." 

Spring Break Fun

Here are a few pictures of yesterday's trip to the Childrens Museum and the park.  

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

The kids are out of school this week for spring break, so Garreth took a few days off, too.  Yesterday we went down to Mt. Vernon, about 30 miles south, to the Tulip Festival, where they have acres of tulip and daffodil fields.  Not all the tulips were in full bloom yet, but it was still gorgeous.  (And the smell was unbelievable!)  I wish we would have taken some pictures by one of the daffodil fields, but by the time we walked around the tulips, the kids had just about had it.  (And Liam had taken a fall in the mud and was soaking wet!  We got a funny picture of that, but he doesn't want me to post it!)

By the mural inside the Tulip Town shops.

A few miles away, there's an old farm called Cow Town, where they have tons of farm animals that kids can see and pet.  Sam especially loved it there.  He'd approach each animal, get right in its face and say, "Hey, buddy!  How are you doing today?"

If you think this picture is gross, then maybe you don't want to know that the camera didn't quite capture this moment at the right time... I tried to get a shot of when the cow actually LICKED Garreth's face.  Yes, it was truly disgusting and I still haven't kissed him since.  The memory is just too clear in my mind.  (There's loving animals and then there's LOVING animals.  Nasty.)

Sunday Bike Ride at Lake Whatcom

And the winner of the best bike trail in the world goes to whatever the name of this trail is that we found down by Silver Beach on the north shore of Lake Whatcom. It felt like a scene from Jurassic Park. It was lashing raining so we bundled up and stuck the two wee ones in our new bike trailer. That's Sam's smelly noggin peering out the side panel (looks like some Russian WWII contraption). The rain just made the smell of the rainforest amazing. This place rocks...seriously. 

Columbia Coat's new Ad Campaign..."field tested...mother approved!"

If you look closely, there's an indigenous family of Sasquatch lurking in those trees behind.  

Sam, Happy....Declan, Not (possibly due to Sam being way too tall for this thing)

My first look at this picture made me think of the paralympics with Grace about to pass me on foot, but once you know that I'm pulling a trailer, it all makes sense.

Sam loves huckin rocks into water more than life itself, a lad after me own heart.

An Exciting Turn of Events!

Last night we went out on what we hope was our very last house hunt.  Our realtor found one that dropped into our price range yesterday afternoon, and low and behold, it turned out to be THE ONE!  I guess our patience finally paid off, because it has everything we've been looking for, plus it's only a short bike ride from the ocean!  Hooray!  We are putting in the offer today!!!!!  Here it is:

PS - Click on our link to Davy and Rachel's blog to see a hilarious post about Garreth!

For My Fellow Becksteads

About a week ago, I was reading this book to Sam. 

There is a part where Morris tries to buy some gumdrops and Sam asked me what a gumdrop was!  (Not sure if this makes me a good parent or a bad one!)  Anyway, after I told him what they were, I told him how Grandma Beckstead always made cookies with gumdrops in them and that they were really tasty.  "We'll have to make some sometime," I said and we returned to the story.  

I sort of forgot about it, but Sam didn't!  He has asked me everyday for the last week to go to the store to get gumdrops to make the cookies.  Finally today we did it.  And let me tell you, eating the finished product was like an instant childhood flashback - they were so tasty!  The kids loved them, too.  I should go take a picture of them or find a picture of Grandma to post with this, but I'm just too lazy tonight.  But I had some great memories and missed my grandma today!  (And after chopping up 1 1/2 cups of gumdrops, I have a whole new appreciation for Grandma's love for us, because let me tell you, it ain't easy!)  So cousins and sisters, if you don't have the recipe and want it, let me know!