You Go Little Girl 2013

In September Morgan and I both participated in the You Go Girl race in Tacoma.  My race was a 10k which is about 6.4 miles.  But the big deal of the day was Morgan ran her first race.  She participated in the 1k - You Go Little Girl.  Her race didn't start until later in the morning but she was so excited for the day she came early to see me start my race.  I'm glad she did!

This race had the craziest of starts.  The weather looked a little dreary as we drove north but we've ran in the ran before, so no biggy, right?  As they announced 5 minutes until starting we could hear thunder in the distance.  I quickly decided to wear my hat for this race and as I was putting it on another big rumble hit - OH MY!  Morgan had a look of fear on her face and luckily mamma and Miss Darcie were there to swoop her up for comfort.  With only minutes before the start there's no time to back out, we MUST run.  I gave Morgan a big kiss and an "I Love You" and off we went.  Running in the rain and laughing.

I finished my run, and now it was time to cheer on Morgan.  The rain had passed and left only gray skies - phew!!  Morgan's anxiety was building and the race couldn't start soon enough for this little gal.

Time for a hair check.  A little spit never hurt anyone, right?  We don't want any loose strands.

Now, we know where the posing comes from!

Lookin' good ladies!

We are all patiently waiting for the race to start.

It's time to line up!!!

See Brooke on Grandpa Doug's shoulders?  

And they're off - YOU GO GIRL!!!

Here she comes to cross the finish line.

And she did it.  She finished her first official race.

This was a very proud moment for me.  When I started the journey last year to be healthier I was worried about neglecting my daughters.  Taking time for myself meant taking time away from them.  What I didn't realize is that seeing me exercise and running would make them want to run too. Seeing me participate in races, made Morgan want to run a race too.  I was the girl that always came in last in P.E. and always thought "I'm not a runner."  Turns out I am a runner and Morgan wants to follow in my footsteps.  It makes my momma heart happy.   So PROUD of you Morgan!

3rd Grade? Are You Sure?

How is it possible my little kindergartner is now in 3rd grade? Seriously?  I remember my first day of 3rd grade and Mrs. Patten asking the class what we were looking forward to most that year. For me, it was cursive.  Morgan was also excited about learning cursive this year.  She was also hoping to get Mr. F. as her teacher.  Lucky us, she did!

Here's a couple of pictures from the open house.  Morgan's first year with a "real" desk - woo hoo!!!

The next morning Casey and I both stayed home from work to wish Morgan luck on her first day of school.  For Morgan's breakfast she chose a "one-eyed egg".  Thanks Grandpa Tom for the tip, she's hooked!

Brooke isn't a fan of eggs, but this morning she was willing to have some scrambled eggs.

With the bellies full, she is off to catch the bus.  Not before we could take a few "front door" pictures.  The poses this girl does, cracks me up. 

I love this one with Brooke photo bombing the picture.

Not only was it Morgan's first day of school.  September also means a transition at daycare.  Brooke gets to move across the hall to the Robot Room.

 

The first day of school was a success and everyone had a great day!

Camping 2013 - Lake Crescent, Washington

Early August we traveled north to the Olympic National Park.  This is an area that I've been wanted to go to for a really long time.  I have found that camping in a national park is a little trickier than the state parks.  I'm an RV w/ water and hook-up kind of gal.  Trying to find electrical hook-up in a national park is very challenging.  When family found the Log Cabin Resort on Lake Crescent I was very excited.

The Log Cabin Resort is right on Lake Crescent and about 45 minutes from Port Angeles. They offer a campground, cabins, chalets, and lodge rooms.  Needless to say, this resort is very nostalgic.  I can't really speak for the other accommodations since we were using the campground.  The campground was very cozy.  Lucky for us, since we were there mid-week they weren't very busy and we didn't have any campers on either side of us.  The best part of this campground was it's surroundings.  The lake was magnificent.  Crystal clear and turquoise blue in some parts.  You could go to the end of the dock and see the bottom of the lake (approx 60ft down).  

 

 

 

 

You couldn't help but be mesmerized by the surroundings, the mountains, the water, the....quiet.  It was so peaceful!

Just because it was quiet and peaceful, doesn't mean we can't have a little fun!

 The girls were content just splashing around in the water, so that's what we did.

 If you look close you will see a family of ducks that wanted to swim with Morgan.

While the girls were busy playing in the water with grandma and grandpa, Casey and I snuck over to the lodge and rented a paddle boat.  You should have seen the look of surprise on their faces!

Time to head back to the campsite and take a break from the sun.  What can you do when you are camping with two little girls? We do pedicures!

The main attraction for Lake Crescent is the Lake Crescent Lodge.  It was a short drive to the lodge and it was worth it.  It's a piece of Washington history and it's great to see they are keeping those important artifacts alive and exciting for new people to see.

The porch was so much fun and I had visions in my head of great portraits of Brooke, but instead she felt the need to do the forced smile pose for me.  Oh well, I was still soaking up the atmosphere.

Earlier in the summer we realized Morgan didn't know what a telephone booth was.  Seriously, how can she not know what a telephone booth is?  Anyways, we saw this booth in the lobby and needed to snap a picture.  This one's for you Morgan!

And another of Miss Brooke, being oh so patient with her mommy.

That view!  I'm in love with this lake.

Around the Lodge are a couple different accommodations.  Here's the Singer Tavern Cottages.

And here are the Roosevelt Cottages.  This is were President Roosevelt stayed when he was visiting the area to determine whether the Olympics should be a national park or not.

And...Brooke has officially lost her patience.

I promise Miss Brooke we are creating fun family memories and you will look back and be glad I took pictures.

Good bye Lake Crescent, we had a great family camping trip and I can't wait to go back and explore of your surroundings.