Meadow's Graduation

On Thursday Meadow graduated from preschool! Miss Mandy said Meadow was one of her most creative students who loves to draw and imitate animals. Meadow was so excited about awards night, and she loved being up on the stage! She has really enjoyed preschool, and knows all the letters and most of their sounds. I'm hoping to teach her to read this summer. I think she's ready for it!

Seattle

Last weekend Matthew and I took Brennen and Ashlen on a trip to Seattle. Downtown Ketchikan to downtown Seattle

Ashlen did very well on her first flight! She fussed at first, then fell asleep for the rest of it.


Auntie Christy met us at the airport

The weather was sunny and warm, but Matthew mostly enjoyed the uninterrupted time to read. Here he is at the beach on Whitby Island.

The Road Trip

Our trip involved a little shopping of course, then we joined Christy on a road trip to Port Townsend where she had to visit a patient for work. It was a three hour drive, but the scenery was pretty and the kids did quite well! On the way back we took a ferry to Whitby Island, where we stopped at a lovely sandy beach. Ashlen got to dip her toes in the ocean for the first time. She didn't mind at all! Maybe she'll join me in the Arctic ocean someday! Brennen loved playing in the sand!
Next we took another ferry from Clinton to Mukilteo. Brennen enjoyed looking out the window at the water. The wind was too cold to be outside.

This was at the end of a long day on the way back to Auntie Christy's house. Brennen was a tired but happy boy covered in spilled juice and sand which was stuck to the juice, then in a nice dousing of chocolate milk! He didn't mind a bit! He just happily sang and drummed with straws all the way home! We've found all it takes to keep him entertained is anything that resembles drum sticks!

Ashlen was a little less thrilled! She serenaded us with screaming throughout the trip!

Pics from San Marcos

My parents just returned from a visit to Mexico, so I decided to post some of their pictures.
Here's David with some friends. He will be 10 in September! My, how time flies!

Emily
Lane

Here is the church. Looks nice!

And the Children's Home all finished! They even have their first kid, although he will be temporary. None of this was here when we last visited 2 years ago!

And Katie and William of course! Not the best picture, but it was the only one with them together.

Matthew at work

Can you find Matthew in this picture?
This plane has the latest special paint scheme, "Spirit of Alaska Statehood". They had a paint the plane contest for school kids, and the winner who designed this one was a 16 year old from Sitka. Unfortunately Meadow was too young to enter. (And I was too old!)

New Pets

We have a few new family members! Meadow takes good care of them. She plays them a lullaby from this music box each night before bed! We each chose a fish. Logan's is the grey one named Thunder And Lightning, Ashlen's is the white and yellow guppy named Lemon, Brennen and & each chose Neons named Flash and Flashy, Meadow's was the orange swordtail named Swimmy, and Matthew's is a Gourami down in the right corner named Daddy. Unfortunately Swimmy and one of the neons have since passed away. We plan to get new ones sometime. I like having fish again!