Happy Birthday frame for Bec

I always like to make something for my sister in law for her birthday. She is such a great friend of mine and one of the only ones on my husbands side that understands and, I think, likes my scrapbooking addiction.
For the second year in a row we have set up weekly playdates for our kids to hangout and find different parks or things to do over the summer. It's so fun, and for me, important for the cousins to hang out and really enjoy and have memories of them doing things together. I myself never had my cousins around, if some of them walked by me on the street I may not even recognize them..sad I know.
So anyways, I made this fun 8x8 frame for my sister in law to put in a picture of the kids at our next get together.

Happy birthday Bec!

Emma is part of history

Emma was part breaking the world record for the biggest gathering of redheads in one spot. Mom and Chad notified me a few months ago of a lady who was a photographer from Sammamish who needed 250 people to break the world record. So she contacted the Guiness Book and was going to try and break the record.

On July 17, 2010 on a high school football field in Sammamish they did just that. 901 people showed up, all proud to be redheads. Emma's best friends Mom took her onto the field for the picture. We also met my best friend in elementary school (and who I beleive started my love of red headss) Cindy (Chaplik) McCammant, there as well.

There were all kinds, shades and ages at the gathering. We saw many children- from the brightest of red haired little boys to cute little girls w/ pig tails of copper. There was one lady probably in her late 80's there in her best teal polester suit. It made me think of Auntie Alice and Grandma Magarin. How proud they both would be of Emma for embracing her red hair and being a part of this event.

I can't lie, I was a bit jealous of all of them, hair glistening in the sun. Even if I paid for it my hair would never be as beautiful and crowd pleasing as Emma's and her fellow red heads.

4th of July

Every year or neighborhood has a kids parade. Complete with Fire Dept and PD escort. This year we decorated Maggie's stroller and Emma walked her dog, Lilly, with her BFF Lydia. Emma seemed to have more fun w/ a friend to enjoy it with. They both walked at the very front and tried to get as close to the Fire Truck without actually touching it (fun I guess for a 9 year old) John walked Doba for half the route until Doba showed signs of needed a potty break and they RAN home. Mom and I pushed Maggie, and by this time carried Lilly, for the rest of the parade. Not to exciting but so fun every year. Maggie, I think, could have cared less.

Afterwards we hung out at the Manorwood clubhouse for some hot dogs and potluck goodies. The girls found some sidewalk chalk and decorated the sidewalk around the doorway.

At night we did some fireworks with the neighbors, as we usally do. All was good until about the wind kicked in and knocked over one of the fountains that John lit. It was a direct hit into the the crowd of us on the curb. It shot right between Maggie and I (I felt the heat of it as it zoomed past my face) it then hit one of my neighbors in the neck and exploded infront of him (and right behind Maggie). And then caught a blanket on fire. John hurdled over us and grabbed the blanket, by this time it also had a few glasses of wine on it from the other neighbors. It was scary but everyone seemed to be ok. My neighbor had a good burn on his neck but nothing he needed to go get looked at. We all sat back down, a little giddy about what just happened...and BINGO, happened again. This time we all scattered and no one got hit. That was it for me and the girls and we went home. Exciting as it was, we called it a night!

Lilly Duke Robertson

We would like to introduce Miss Lilly Duke Robertson. She is a 10 week old Schnauzer that Emma got on Sunday June 27. So far she is a very well behaved, fast learning puppy. She seems to have gotten over her fear of Doba but likes to chase the cats. We will see how long the cats play that game.

I have to get to doing this again..again.

I know I have said this before, but NOW I mean it!! So much has gone on and I wish I had the time and memory to come right it down on a weekly basis. Maybe I will now that its summer and my time isn't spent sleeping all the time.

In the past 5 months we have had a lot of changes. I had a birthday and turned 37 years old. It seems weird to say it, but I certainly don't feel it.

In April our beloved French Mastiff Duke passed away. It was sudden and he did it on his own terms. We love him still and think about him often. He was the BEST dog and I am not sure any dog will ever compare to him. April also brought us our first camping trip of the season. We enjoyed Belfair State Park with our camping friends Jill and Sean Patrick and family. No clams this year as the beaches on the penisula have closed for the summer to reharvest. Can't be upseat about that I suppose.

May brought us our family from Nebraska as my brother Bryan and his wife Tobie and kids all drove out to stay with the family for a week. We had a great time and made a lot of fun memories. I also ran in my first 50k relay from Mt Rainer to Ruston way. Bryan, Chad, Heather (chad's girlf), Jill, Vicki (from work) and my friend Kristin Tague were my teammates. We finished in 8:44 mins. Shew it was tough. The following week I ran in the Sound to Narrows 5k, hills suck- enough said.

June brought us a birthday girl as my baby Maggie Jane turned 3 years old. We celebrated with family and friends at Grandma and Grandpa Robertsons with a swimming party. We were lucky enough to have Bryan/Tobie and family in from Nebraska still for the party. We also welcomed a new little puppy to our family. After months of research and planning Emma got HER first dog. Lilly is a 10 week old Schnauzer puppy that we are all enjoying. Maybe not the cats but everyone else. Doba seems to be adjusting to her new SMALLER playmate after a first day near crushing! We also experienced an end of an era. My retired from Roman Meal after 31 years, it will be so nice to heve her home and being able to spend time with everyone. I am sure Dad will be happy to get out of the house more ofter.

So that brings us July...we will see what it has in store for us