Last summer post-Visits with friends/family

We sure made the rounds again this year! Reggie had a few playdates with his pals Kellen and Abby. We did the Boeing tour this summer and learned lots about the history of Boeing and how airplanes are made today. I can’t wait to fly overseas in one of their new planes. They sound so cool...changing the inside of the plane to look like night/day to get you acclimated to the time zone you are traveling to and having pods to sleep in (although I'd never be able to afford this). CRAZY! Reggie’s favorite part was feeling the airplane and going in the cockpit.

We also had a couple visits with grandma Pam. She came to the lake for the day and played with the kids and we tasted some nice focacia bread my mom whipped up :o). Reggie wants me to make it, but it is a little too involved for me. We also headed to Issaquah for a visit at her house. The kids love to check on the chickens and run in her yard. We celebrated Ainsley’s birthday a little early with cupcakes and presents!

I got to visit a few of my friends this year too! Jill, my college friend, and I have been trying to get together for a couple years! It was a great visit and fun to see Peyton (who is now almost 3!) and the girls. Peyton was 24 weeks old when she was born and is a bit of a miracle and it is amazing to see her now, perfectly healthy and just beautiful. Jill and Ryan are such a fun couple and it is too bad we can't see them more often. Hopefully, Ryan can join me next time. He was able to join me when we visited Jane and Mark. We headed there after working on our house in Kirkland and had a nice time seeing the girls and having a drink. Lilly was a bit disappointed we didn’t bring anyone for her to play with! There’s always next year :o). I also got to see my friend Trina, who was back visiting family in Bellingham. They moved to China a year ago and God brought us together by a fluke, but He has really used each of us to minister to each other. It was really great to hear face to face all the wonderful things they are doing in China for God’s glory :o).

We had a nice BBQ with Ryan's family for his birthday. Holly has 3 dogs, so Ainsley was glued to us and I’m not sure if she even spoke a word the entire time! She saved it up and chatted all the way home! Grandma Gloria brought her little dog and Ainsley has been talking about her ever since :o). It was also fun to watch Jamie on Komo 4 T.V. She was in a Powderpuff football game to raise funds for kids and she threw a touchdown pass! Unfortunately, we missed Kim/Shane, Danny/Jeanne and the cousins, so we’ll have to catch up with them at Christmas.

We had a surprise visit with Grandpa Geno and he looked great! Ainsley had an allergic reaction to a bug bite, so I took her in and decided to stop by and see Grandpa. Somehow, he knows more about what goes on in the family than anyone! I got all caught up and had a few candies too :o). Ainsley was very patient, so she got a few candies too. She has asked a few times to go back to visit Grandpa Geno and try some more chocolate candies:o).

We finished the summer with Ainsley’s birthday party! We saw many of the friends and family that were at the 4^th; Jim/Ruth, Lacey and kids, Jenisa, Aunt Jana, Aunt Sue/Uncle Rich, Cathy, Michael, Kellen, Laura and the crew and the Rhinehardt’s of course :o). We had a fun time and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the loft, where all of our childhood toys are, as well as some new ones. It looked like a tornado ripped through. Big thank you to Laura and Lacey for helping navigate that clean-up effort!. It was our first rainy party for Ainsley…luckily mom and dad’s new kitchen and dining room accommodated the large crown very nicely. We had a nice BBQ and an awesome cake. Thank you Aunt Sue for making such a lovely Barbie cake for Ainsley…..it was amazing!

Welcome baby Rowan!!! We got to meet baby Rowan on our drive back to California. We stopped in Vancouver for lunch and had a great time seeing, Kirsten, Ben, Uncle Al and Elizabeth.

The summer seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye! I’m glad we got to see as many friends and family as we did :o). A big thank you to mom and dad, who put up with us all summer!