What a week!

Last weekend was the Allen Family reunion. Luke and I drove to Island Park on Thursday and Friday we were busy getting things ready and Luke made his "boat" for the Milk Bottle Regatta.
Saturday morning we had breakfast together and then headed out to the lake for the Regatta. It was cold and windy, but the die hards in the family donned their suits and jumped in! It was a lot of fun.

Luke designed a kind of body board that he propelled by his feet. You can see Katie on the Bell's entry to the right and to the left is Jared paddling his pop bottle creation. Paul made a boat out of pill bottles. You can see him paddling along in the 2nd picture below.
The pictures below are of Esther's birthday celebration. Since we missed her birthday in June, we told her that we would have a party when they came up here to visit us. They were originally supposed to come shortly after her birthday, but life happened and they didn't make it until this past week, but we still had to have a party!

Em, the kids and I went to Red Robin for lunch and then to the movies to see G-Force. When we walked into Red Robin, the kids were so excited! There were balloons everywhere of course and when we sat down, Esther asked if she could get a dessert with a cherry on top. Of course we told them that we were celebrating Esther's birthday and when we were about done eating, they brought her some balloons and a dessert with a cherry! I didn't think to grab my phone until they were about done singing, but it was so cute to see crazy Esther stand there all bashfully.

This picture is shortly after they brought the dessert. I think that she just gave Eve the cherry. The pictures below are of the cake that I made for her. We came home from the movies and the girls immediately donned their swim suits and headed to the back yard and the pool. When Grandpa got home from work, we brought out the cake and dug in.

Can you tell it is a sunflower? Emily made the bee from an extra cupcake. Isn't he cute???
I tried to get a picture of her blowing, but she was too fast for me. By the time the shutter would click, she was standing up.
Isaac decided to help her out a bit. He was anxious to try the yummy bee!Em and the kids only stayed this week. Isaac and Eve needed to get home to start school. It was great to have them here. I was really tired all week while my body tried to recover from the drive to the reunion and everything. (I am back to my daily naps. It's kind of pathetic, but I need them. ) The house is quiet with them gone and we miss them already.

Happy 4th and Bringing Home Treasures

Scott and I had a great 4th this year. We decided to head down to Idaho to visit Mom and Dad Ekstrom. We found them in excellent spirits, even though Mom is toodling around in a wheel chair and Dad is still building up his strength after his bout with pneumonia. We started the day with Dad's world famous, Awful Waffles! Thanks, Dad!! Then we headed into Inkom for the annual parade. We parked our chairs at Michelle's house and enjoyed good company and a great small town parade!

During the day, Scott loaded up some of his "treasures" that Mom and Dad have been keeping safe for him all of these years. I am not really sure what all he brought, but I know the collection includes, an engine, a couple of transmission, misc other car thingys and a motorcycle.

We headed into Pocatello for the fireworks in the evening and we met Aunt Pat and Uncle Jay in a parking lot where they had staked out a good viewing spot and enjoyed a good catching up session! We were later joined by Michelle, Kyle and Preston and his lady friend. It was a wee bit chilly, but the fireworks were awesome and we really enjoyed it.

Sunday morning we piled into the truck. Luckily, Scott had saved enough room for Fitz in the truck so he didn't have to ride in the cab with us. Unfortunately, it was at the back of the truck and Fitz complained rather loudly about not being able to stand with his nose on the window keeping an eye on us. Fun times!

Spending holidays with family is one of the things that we really missed while we lived in Alaska. It is so awesome to hit the road and be with family within a few hours. We are truly blessed!

Unfortunately, I neglected to take pictures during the parade. I was too busy dodging the crazy amount of candy that was thrown out of every vehicle. Michelle finally went inside to get us a bag to put it in! This picture is of Mom chatting with Preston and Michelle taking Scott on a tour of her yard. Most of the parade participants headed back to the staging area in front of Michelle's house so I was able to get a picture or two. Here is the motorcycle group. They were on all kinds of bikes and scooters.
This is the morning we left. Sorry not a very good picture. Too much light, I think. Mom is getting pretty good at getting around in that wheel chair!!
I knitted Dad a hat for Father's Day. I don't think he likes it too much; or maybe it is just too hot for a wool cap in July. Anyway, he did wear it on the top of his head which I just HAD to get a picture of!
"Bombs bursting in air......"
This is not the motorcycle Scott brought home with us. David rebuilt this one. Doesn't it look good? He is so adorable showing it off!
I had to take a picture of my man on the motorcycle!!Now, THIS is the motorcycle we brought back with us. Scott's from high school. Sometime since then it took on a strange transformation. I call it the motorcycle skeleton. All of the pieces were in boxes. Scott thought it would be a fun project for he and Luke to do together.
Here is the first step in the restoration process. Take the rest of the bike apart...
Check out the engine and rebuild. Scott determined that at some point someone ran it into a creek or a lake and got the engine full of water and then didn't drain it out. More parts. Gas tank and seat.
It will be fun to see a motorcycle emerge from the chaos of parts that are in the garage! The only thing missing is Luke to share in the fun!!

Baby, what a baby outfit!

My niece is having a baby shower on Saturday and since I have been sitting around home for the last couple of weeks, I decided that it would be fun to sew something for the baby. My first thought was a quilt or flannel receiving blankets and burp towels, but for some reason that didn't grab me. Then I decided to make a little onesie dress and these cute little fabric shoes that I found a pattern for. (I was inspired to find the shoe pattern from seeing some cute fabric shoes on a friend's blog.)

Check out the results!

Here is the dress. You can't really see the appliqued flower I put on the top, but it is really cute.
Aren't these just the cutest shoes?

No outfit is complete without a brain squeezer!

Here's the entire ensemble. What do you think?

Eli and more Eli

Aaron, Lindsay and Eli came down to spend the weekend with us. It was so much fun! Eli was so excited to come down as the guys were all heading to Bing Canyon for the Father and Son's campout. Eli was over the moon about sleeping in a tent. I was asleep when they arrived and was awakened by Eli telling me all about how they were going camping and he was going to sleep in a tent! He insisted that I get up and show him the tent. We had to go look at all of Grandpa's tents and figure out which one might be the one!

With the boys gone, Lindsay and I headed to the fabric store with visions of ruffles and bows and all things frilly! With the coming addition of baby Mila to our family, we need to be prepared with lots of bows and brain squeezers!!

Saturday morning, Lindsay and I went in search of the Holy Grail of yard sales. You know the one with the little girl clothes in mint condition reasonably priced!! Eureka! We actually found it and we both spent our wads! Mila is going to be styling!!

Saturday afternoon, Eli helped Luke mow the lawn and then we headed to Walla Walla for a wedding.

Eli was so excited to ride there in Grandpa's "monster truck" and didn't even mind being strapped in his car seat!

Today after church, Eli and I were blowing bubbles and he was entertaining everyone with his running and tumbling prowess!

His 'mile a minute' talking style and the thoughtful way he looks at any given situation coupled with his limitless energy was like a blast from the past! In my minds eye I could see his tow headed father at that age tirelessly investigating everything around him and giving me a full report while romping around with his brother. Oh, those were the days!

We loved every minute of the weekend with Aaron and his family! We feel so blessed to live close enough to see them often!!

What?

So, we got home from Church and I decide to check my e-mail really quick. I saw that there was an e-mail from Luke's Sunday School teacher. It was this picture. I called Luke in for an explaination and apparently, he wanted Bro. Larsen to take this picture of him and send it to me to see what I would do. Luke is so goofy sometimes!

Sunday Walk

It took me an entire week, but I am finally posting about the wonderful walk Scott, Fitz and I took last Sunday evening.

It was a beautiful evening. The air was cool but not chilling, and clear; so clear that we could see all the way down the hill in brilliant detail. The sky was bright at first as it was nearing the lowering of the sun, the fluffy clouds hovering as they awaited the coming dusk.

We walked together on the sidewalk. Fitzwiliam straining at the leash as is his custom. Scott tugging his head aside as he dug in his nails, trying to exert his dominance and take control of our route.

We headed up the hill to make the circut around the Temple, our breath quickening with the strain of the incline and the beauty of the night and the neighborhood.

I couldn't stop myself from digging my phone out of my pocket. (You have to take your phone with you on a walk, don't you know?!?) and clicking a few pictures of the wonders of the walk.
The pictures below are in order. They show our progression around the loop. I hope that you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed the magical evening stroll.

Flowers were everywhere. As early it is in Spring, these were already flowing out into the sidewalk.

I don't know why, but the beauty of these flowering boughs against the darkening sky tugged at my heartstrings.

This one is pretty dark, but as we crested the hill and made the turn, the sky was the most amazing mixture of colors and different textures of clouds.

This was our first view of the Temple. It is just down the hill from the last picture. I'm not quite sure why that last one is so dark.

The Temple sits regally looking out over the valley. Moroni holding his trump at ready!

We got to the bottom of the hill and made our 3rd turn and walked along the road in front of the Temple. Can you see Fitz's nose and his tongue hanging out? That's what he does when we walk. Aren't the flowering trees spectacular?

Next to the Temple sits our Church building. The grass is so green already and I just love the flowering trees here too!

Scott and Fitz are making the last turn back into the neighborhood. Behind them is the darkening sky of Kennewick.At the very end of this street is our house. Can you see Luke's Explorer parked on the street at the side?

We had a wonderful walk and felt fresh and rejuvenated! Thank you for joining us!!

Happy Birthday Fitz

Four years ago on Memorial Day, Scott brought home a little black ball of fur. He didn't ask. He had been working in Seward for a week or two and when he came home in the wee hours of the night. He laid the little furball on the bed next to me and I was awakened by a cold nose sniffing my face. Needless to say that I was surprised. We had not even talked about getting a dog.

Having a dog in Alaska is quite a commitment. It is so cold that the little thing would need to be able to come in to the house and would basically need to become a member of the family. I just wasn't sure that I was ready for that kind of commitment. I have never been a great dog lover and I knew that the lion share of the training and caring for the dog would fall on me. Scott would say it was "his" dog, but I would be the one taking on the job of training him. This was all running through my mind as the little thing snuggled into the crook of my neck and settled down for a nap.

I think that Scott was reading my mind as he stood there with a goofy look on his face. I could see how excited he was to have a dog. (He WAS adorable.) Scott let me name him. I think that he thought that if I named him, I would become attached to him. I named him, Fitzwilliam Darcy, after Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. (Little did I know how well the name suited him. We took him to the dog park last week and he towered over every other dog and his attitude was so superior to the other dogs that they were almost beneath his notice.)

Everyone loved Fitzy! I had no idea what to do with him as I had never house trained a dog. I took him to the vet and he gave me some amazing advise which I followed to the letter. It worked and before long he was trained. At first I had to carry him down and up the deck stairs as he was too small to navigate the stairs by himself, but before long he was big enough to do it.

We had many memorable moments with Fitz as he grew and learned. Puppy classes, dish towel battles, teething on deck posts and other moments come to mind. Scott and the kids taught him many fun tricks and the neighbor kids and Ward kids loved to come by and watch him perform. Scott will still put him through the paces for anyone who comes over and Fitz will do most anything for a treat.

Now, Fitzwilliam is 4 years old. He has grown so much; we think he is about 125 lbs. He is a good dog and is truly one of the family. With only Luke here, he has helped to fill the lonely hours here in Washington . He is my companion during the day and on walks around the neighborhood, but as soon as Scott drives in, I am forgotten.

I wanted to have a cake and a party for Fitz's birthday, but Luke thought it was kind of silly. Who would we ask anyway? (Scott wanted to have a party for my birthday last year and could not think of who to invite.) Instead of a party we took him for a walk along the Columbia river and Scott wore him out tossing sticks into the water for him to fetch. It is one of his favorite pastimes! I tried to take a video on my phone and after a few tries while I figured out how to do it, I finally got one. So enjoy this video of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy Ekstrom's birthday fun!!
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