Eric and I headed to Ellensburg today. We go every year about this time as Julie and I have a tradition of going to the scrapbook convention in Bellevue every year. We stopped at Eric’s parents first. Neither Bob nor Julie were home so we just left Baylee there while we went to Greg and Hollie’s to see them and the kids. The last time we saw them all was Father’s day weekend in June when they’d just bought the house and showed it to us.

We timed it just right as Beth was just awake and it wasn’t long until Miles had woken up. Those two kids are SO cute and I can’t believe how big they’re getting. Eric and I were stilling in the living room chatting with Greg when Miles came down the stairs turned and headed towards us. Hollie said something like, “Look it’s auntie and uncle” and Miles smiled from ear to ear and came running toward us. Of course it was big hugs all the way around. We sat there and chatted with Greg and played with the kids while Hollie was messing around in the kitchen. Beth is so super cute with her big brown eyes. Beth is so young and we haven’t spent the time with her like we have Miles because Greg and Hollie moved a little less than a year ago so I’m really not sure if she even knows who we are yet. It was a lot of fun though to play with the kids and catch up with Greg and Hollie.

It wasn’t long and Miles asked if we wanted to go upstairs and play video games. Originally he’d ask me if I wanted to play but I asked if Eric could play with him because Eric likes video games and with my tendinitis the repeated thumb usage isn’t good for me. We all headed upstairs to the landing where the kids have this great little play space to play video games and trains. It’s such a fun little place. Miles played a couple of games for a bit while Beth, Greg, Eric and I watched. Then, Eric and Miles were playing. Beth had a blast cruising around upstairs checking things out, jumping on the bed and playing with Miles clothes. Greg was multi-tasking by watching his laptop and hanging out with us while Hollie was downstairs. I had a lot of fun keeping Beth happy while the boys played video games. She’s VERY ticklish so of course I tickled her like crazy. One of the most precious moments was when Greg was on the floor with Beth and tickled her. He had Beth in his arms with her back to him while he hugged her with one hand and tickled her with the other. The best part was their facial expressions. I wished at that moment I had the camera because you could see the love Greg has for Beth and the love she has for her daddy. It was a very precious moment! It is those moments with the kids that mean so much. I want to have a close relationship with both Miles and Beth.

After we’d spent a few hours at Greg and Hollie’s we headed back to Bob and Julie’s to spend a little time, have a cocktail and chill before we all met at the local pasta restaurant for dinner with Greg, Hollie and the kids. I had a great night. I mean, it was so nice to sit with Bob and Julie at home, have a little to drink and catch up on things going on with all of us. It makes me appreciate the “slow times” where you really get the opportunity to talk with each other. Later on we headed to dinner and met up with Greg, Hollie and the kids. It was a great dinner; the kids were so good, better than I think I was at that age. It was nice to sit as a family and have dinner together and catch up. I really love moments like that, gathering together, spending time, chatting about all sorts of things and just appreciating each other. What a great night.

It’s 1:10p, Wednesday and I’m sitting here at work trying hard to deny the fact that I really am here at work and I need to do something and the iPod and “surfing” isn’t doing it, so what should I do? Well, I realized that I have yet to post about this last weekend and Father’s day. So here goes…..

So Friday Eric and I got to Ellensburg for the weekend. Jim, Eric’s grandpa, was there too and the plan for the weekend was that “the guys” would be golfing sometime on Saturday while Julie, my mother and I hang out and did, “woman things”. OK, so we get there on Friday and of course it was but a millisecond that Eric sat down with his grandpa and watched golf or some other sport. I had wanted to go around and take pictures of places I remembered from my childhood. Julie and I decided we’d drive around and do that since neither of us wanted to be subjected to sports. So we jumped in the car and headed out. Here’s the pictures:

1) This was my childhood home, just off Tamarack street and down the street from the park. Man, I loved that house and living there. I have many a story about that place and the adventures there, but I’ll save it for my “Book of Me” scrapbooking I’m determined to work on.

Ellensburg House,

2) The “Castle House”, this was the coolest ever place when I was a kid. My parents used to drive by that place every day on the way to the sitters or school and I’d dream about the place and wonder…. What if..

Castle House,

3) Mt. Stewart Elementary School
I went to kindergarten and first grade at that school. My best friend was Barbara Mann. He dad was a cop in town, if I remember. It was there that I had my first crush, Jeff Rainey, wonder what ever happened to him.

Mt. Stewart,

4) Mrs. Shore’s house. Mrs. Shore was my babysitter. She lived just about a block from school. I had a blast there. I have such fond memories.

Mrs. Shore’s,

5) CWU indoor pool, the first one. It was here that I learned how to swim. Mrs. Purser was my teacher and man was she mean. I mean she’d throw us kids in the water and tell us to “swim”. Oh the stories. The best though was when she’d make us go off the high dive then jump in (she was LARGE) after us. When you hit the water you really swimming for your life!

CWU Pool,

Saturday the guys went golfing in Mattawa. Julie and I met my mom there and took off for Othello and “hanging out”. It was a nice day, especially the authentic Mexican food in “little Mexico”.

Sunday was the best day. Greg, Hollie and the kids came over for brunch and we all hung out for a while. Here are some great pictures of the day. It was so nice to spend some times with the whole family. After brunch we got to go to see Greg and Hollie’s new house. It’s super cool and bigger, which is a great plus for them. I can’t wait to see it when they’re all in and it feels like them. What an exciting time for them.

Miles,

I just realized I didn’t post the Halloween pictures of the boys..Miles and
Ethan…

Here’s Miles, Beth and Hollie.

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Here’s Ross, Ethan, Joanna and Dottie

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Tonight we signed the closing on the refinance for the house. Woo Hoo… What a deal, nice to know that’s over. It was nice too because we just had to come in with $10.05 to finish the deal.

After signing my life away Eric and I headed up to his brother’s which is a simple block and a half away, not for long though as next year they plan to move to Ellensburg. We went to visit since it had been forever since we’d done so and. to get my Tupperware bowl that they used on Halloween night, it had been filled with candy. We stayed about a hour and had a blast. It was a great visit. We talked about all sorts of things and then not much of things. Miles had a blast with Eric telling him to “fall down” so Mile could tackle him. It was so cute. Eric really got a work out. I got to play with Beth, and she didn’t cry. I was worried she’d cry when I picked her up, only because we don’t see the much and when she was young was when the Dr.s told me I couldn’t lift more than 10 lbs which meant no babies so we didn’t get that kind of bonding. Beth was a gem. She’s got the chubbiest of cheeks and when she smiles it’s ear to ear. Miles is changing too. Every time I see him I’m reminded that he’s not a little baby anymore but growing to be a little person. he’s really got a personality and just so darn cute.

It’s going to be a shame for us when they move… but great for all the grandparents.

Thanks Greg and Hollie for a great night.

Tonight we had Miles for a few hours. I love that kid. He’s such a wonderful little boy with a ton of energy. All three of us had a great time. Miles loves to walk up behind the couch and lean over to say “Hey? yo” and then Eric grabs him and tickles him. We played that game for over a half an hour. Here’s a great picture.

We brought a bunch of the plastic cars I had our in the garage for “little people” that come for visits. We brought them in the living room and Miles and I played cars for a while. He loves cars. He plays this cute game with his cars. Eric and I each have to have a car, as does Miles. We line up our cars at one end of the carpet or coffee table and he counts ” 1?.2?.3? GO” and then we all try to get to the finish line. Of course Miles always wins. He gets so excited when he wins. We can play this game forever.

After playing cars for a while we decided to make cookies. Miles is quite the helper when it comes to cooking. I’ve measure things for the cookies and have him drop them in the bowl. Just about every time we’d put something new in the bowl he’d taste everything that went in the bowl. Once they cookies were mixed we’d put them in the oven. I think Miles would have been very happy just to eat the cookie dough. I had to finally stash it so he didn’t eat any more.

All in all the night was wonderful. We had such a great time with Miles. It made us realize just how much we miss Miles and just how important it is that we spend quality time with him.