Lake Day continues!

The Hardebecks always plan such great games, this one can get a little crazy (pinata) with 20+ kids, but they always have a blast!

Abbie and Austin



Look at them go!

Playing the Minute to Win it cookie game... doesn't she look so focused.

All the kids playing the game!

Sister helping with a little push.

I love this picture! What a doll!

James and Abbie on the dock, ready to jump off!

Little swimmer!

Audrie loves the water!

Lake Day- Dad and me fishing!

One of our most favorite days in the summer is getting to go to Nate and Robin's for Lake Day. My kids and myself, look forward to Lake Day every year! It is time with friends and a whole day of fun!!! It starts off in the morning with Daddy and me fishing. The kids were excited! The mom's get excited too, because we went for coffee and to the farmer's market. Jim doesn't take as many pictures as I would, but here is a few he captured!

The Younts!

Audrie is along for the ride!

Abbie got one of the first fish!

Happy Birthday Princess Abbie!

For Abbie's birthday this year, I took her and her two "BFF"'s to a place in Puyallup called a Simple Wish. It was a wonderful cute little house that they did the girls nails, hair, dressed them up, took pictures, and gave them "tea" (apple juice) and cupcakes and scones. It was adorable and the girls had a blast. It was fun to watch them get all fancy.

Marissa, Abbie, and Emma, BFF's since birth!

Abbie blowing out her candle!

Marissa and Abbie


Emma and Abbie

My special princess

Getting ready!

Getting nails and toes done!

The table it set and ready!

Anixous and waiting to go in!

What cuties!

Portland Fun!

In Beaverton, there is a spray park, I knew James and Abbie would love it because we had been there once before when I was pregnant with Audrie. I thought Audrie would love it as well....well not so much, she was not a fan....James and Abbie had a great time!

She is my water girl on most occasions, but today, not so much...In this picture I was telling her to get in the water and get wet, she is touching her swimsuit and saying "wet," but it was from my hands touching her because I had gotten them wet to show her it was fun.... what a silly girl!

July 4th - it was been a long time

Birthday Girl!! 7 years old.

Super James ready for the parade

Girls in the "float" ready for the parade!

Lost our camera disk for a while back and had to buy a new one...I am sad because we probably lost a lot of great pictures. But we got a new one in time for the fourth and I thought I should update the blog, since it has been a long time! We went to Portland to see my folks for fourth of July because we had a goodbye party for my brother who is moving to Chicago at the beginning of August. It was Abbie's first birthday away from home. Grandma and Grandpa had a great parade in their neighborhood (my old neighborhood). They planned a terrific float.....I am sad that I didn't get a picture of the sign, but it said Happy Birthday A - Abby -3 Abbie 7 and America 235! My parents have a little neighbor named Abby that shares Abbie's b-day (and America, of course.) Abby and Abbie rode all through the parade together and everyone wished them a happy birthday. What fun, to have so many people wish you a happy birthday. We had a great fourth....although I think my husband was a little sad that he didn't get to do fireworks that "went up." but it was a great time with family. My brother's party was wonderful. It was nice to spend time with his girlfriend's family.

Potty Training at its best!

So Audrie has been potty trained so several months now, which has been amazing! She has been our easiest by far to train. Daddy took these picutres of her the other day that are just too funny not to share. Obviously, she has seen someone else doing this in our family.... not me!

I love this picture because it is like she is saying, "Please, Dad, really, you're taking my picture, can't you see I am going to the bathroom."

"Seriously, Dad, I am not amused, can't you see I am busy."

My cute kids!

Through all the work and busyness of life, we sometimes get those rare moments to stop, slow down, and enjoy sweet moments with our kids. Jim and I took the kids to a local park one afternoon and I was lucky enough to have remembered the camera. I got a few great shots of my (growing up way to fast) kids!

Abbie Grace (full of adventure and endless smiles)

James Benjamin (inquisitive, smart, and full of character)


Audrie Faith (spit-fire, full of curiousity and endless energy)

We love our kids so much!

Easter Egg Hunt

We went to Bonney Lake to do their large scale Easter Egg hunt. It was a blast. Audrie hugged me when we were done and said "fun!" It was so cute!

Me and my girls

I tried to get a few pictures of us on Valentine's day.... Audrie likes the cheesy smile right now!

I love being a mom, and it is fun to have two wonderful girls who grow and stretch me each day. They are my sparkle!

Happy Valentine's Day

From the Roddy Rascals to you!

Christmas Eve pajamas

I really had visions of family matching pjs, but my nine year old doesn't quite fit kids sizes anymore, let alone match his sisters and Jim doesn't want to be seen in pjs, so I had to settle for matching girls. They were so amped after Christmas Eve service, they didn't quite cooperate with pictures... but here is the best one.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we joined the Roddys at Paul and Jayne's house for dinner and gift card exchange. It was nice to get together with family. I share the next two pictures with you to show you how difficult it is to get pictures of my three kids....

First picture... pretty good.

Second picture.... she is already done!

Just Abbie and James!

Gingerbread Houses

Lucky for the kids, I had plenty of supplies from my students gingerbread house making experience to bring home extras for them to build their own. (again an advantage for the kids that I am a teacher) They were very excited to do them. I just enjoyed watching Audrie try not to eat the frosting...... as you can see, she wasn't too successful.

Getting started

Audrie eating frosting again.

James is all set up!

Abbie getting started.

James' finished house.

James and his house.

Abbie's finished house

Abbie and her house.

Audrie and her.... house that she dumped candy on the plate.
She got tired of trying to make the frosting stick, it tasted better on the fingers then on the house.

Jim's finished house, he would kill me if he knew this was on here but since he doesn't look at our blog, he will never know....
He is a big kid at heart and of course I brought home enough for him to do one too. He tried to convince James and Abbie that he was once a championship gingerbread builder and had trophies at his parent's house to prove it, but after a Christmas Eve trip to see grandma, this lie was revealed and James' hopes of following in his father's footsteps were squashed.

Jim's very well constructed house, but not award-winning.