2009 was the year. . .

. . . that I gave up blogging? Almost.

I haven't felt much like blogging these last couple months. I was almost resigned to let it go. But today I started thinking of all the great things that I want to remember about this beautiful spring & it inspired me to post about a few of them before they just melt away as a blur of springs past.


We celebrated Grandma's 89th Birthday in January. I learned to do Grandma's hair which is kind of fun. I wish I could do my hair every 10 days.


Josh turned 10! Here he is blowing out candles on his own banana split.

I started the year off by making hundreds of calls for the John Lewis for Mayor campaign. (This is Annie's father in law-- Doug's parents.) I am still very impassioned about it but I'm happy to report that he came out with 41% in the primary to the next guys 20%. I think we are going to make it! May 19th is the run off election. Here are the Lewis' at a cottage evening at our house that was attended by 50 people!

Eliza finally made the cut offs & was allowed to join the other husky fans at her 1st Washington game of basketball.

Joshua grew some lovely little wildflowers in my kitchen windowsill. I loved watching these seeds sprout & finally bloom. Don't you think they look very nice & cheery here with my retro curtains?

Eliza made this cute sign & posted it on her bedroom door. Nice reminder for us all.

Isaac turned 3 & I made a TX sheet cake. (I pretty much ate most of it myself, & if you look closely you can see that I had already started on one corner of it before we even got the candles on.) He got one present I think, but it was really all he wanted. A new battery powered spiderman quad. Actually, he'd rather have the $300 John Deer tractor model, but we settled for this $50 version with a year warranty.

Giving a ride to Lindsay, his best friend, on the new wheels.

Joyous times when Curt's parents came to visit us for a couple weeks! We had lots of nice meals at our new patio table & even some Mexican Train! Carol got a nasty cold that we tried to cure with fresh squeezed OJ & chicken soup. They took the whole family bowling one day & they really blew us all away now that they are serious bowlers.

Ward really enjoyed the AZ sunshine after lots of rain & flooding in North Bend this year.

Ward came with me to the zoo and we met Eliza's class field trip there. We pet the sting rays & grandpa treated the kids to a camel ride! What fun!

Last week was spring break & the weather was so nice we decided to camp right here in Emily & Brent's new back yard! Lovely! We had tin foil dinners (cooked in the oven) & then had a bonfire & made s'mores. (I think I have actually grown to like those more over the years-- isn't that funny?) By the way that's IBC Rootbeer in my hand-- I know what you are thinking.

The next day Curtis made his famous breakfast burritos & then we went hiking up in Gold Canyon on the Hieroglyphics trail. The flowers were beautiful, the view spectacular, & the water refreshing at the top.

Eliza turned 7 on Sunday. I made a strawberry jello cake with whipped cream & strawberries. She wanted hers with purple frosting instead. Whatever. I look at myself in this picture & just think of mom.

Eliza got a new doll for her birthday. Isabel has one too. She named her name Annie. Ahhhhh. She is about the size of a newborn & can wear newborn clothes and diapers. We went shopping for a few new outfits for her. She also is using some of the baby clothes that she wore when she was newborn. Eliza likes to change her clothes every morning & seven times a day. She feeds her at the table in her doll highchair. She sleeps with her in the cradle next to her bed. She carries her everywhere. I think it's filling a need. Maybe for both of us.