Sandpoint!

We make a point to go to Sandpoint at least once during the summer.  Last summer we made the trip when Hazel was just a week and a half old!  We made our annual venture this past Saturday.  Joey (Howard's 2nd cousin) was with us for the day while his mom moved into a new apartment.  We decided Sandpoint would be a fun way for the boys to spend the day and if Hazel got tired or fussy, Brian and I could take turns pushing her around town in the stroller.  We found a great shady spot right near the water and set up our stuff.  We packed a lunch and let the boys play.  They played for over 4 hours in the water!  They found lots of fun stuff from logs to the shells of very small shrimp.  It was hot and sunny, a perfect day to be at the lake.  Hazel thought it was just ok.  She ate some sand (her signature "thing" to do at the beach) and enjoyed strolls around town.  After the beach, we all went to Jalapenos, our favorite Mexican restaurant in Sandpoint.  A fun day, for sure and everyone slept incredibly well that night.

Fancy new camera

When I was in high school, I was the head school photographer for 2 years.  I "ran" the dark room at school, with 3 other photographers working with me.  We took, developed and printed photos for the school newspaper and year book.  I loved every second of it.  The dark room was my 2nd home and I loved learning all about pictures and processing.

After high school, I went to college and still held onto the thought of getting back into photography someday.  Well, that day has finally come!!!!  We just bought a very nice, very expensive new camera.  After talking to a lot of people who are into photography, we bought a Nikon D3100.  I have 2 lenses for it and have been practicing taking pictures as much as people and time will allow.  I am falling back in love with it all over again!  I have the pipedream of someday getting into business for myself with children, wedding and senior pictures.  In the meantime, I'll be taking as many snapshots as I can to practice. 

I'm also starting to play with editing software a little, to enhance photos (you'll see a sample of it with Hazel's photo below).  I have a long way to go, but I love having this hobby for just me.

Here are a few shots from this weekend.

Raw image of Hazel:

 Enhanced photo of Hazel:

 Howard wearing a goofy grin, I had the wrong lens on to make this one enhanced much:

Our new favorite hang out

Let's just get this out of the way - We Love Liberty Lake County Park!  I drove out there 2 springs ago, before the park opened to check it out.  I couldn't get into the park, but I drove up to see where it was.  Then a friend called a couple of weeks ago and invited us to go swimming with them there.  I had completely forgot about the park.  And boy... have we been missing out!

We have been going to the park a few days each week, swimming, playing in the sand, and enjoying friends and wildlife.  It's a very affordable way for us to spend a fun day away from TV, video games and the every day life at home (it's $2 per person per day over the age of 6 to get into the park).  Here's a few memories from the park so far this summer.

Howard and Joey getting water for their sand creations!

 Lunch!

 Even Hazel loves the water.

 With Howard's cousin, Nick, the boys have fun digging.

 Howard and Jacob "boating".

Fun stuff

It's been a while since I posted just random fun kid stuff, so I thought I'd post a few pictures and snippets from our past few weeks.

Perhaps the best quote of the month was from Howard.  He asked me about being on TV and what someone would have to do be on TV.  I went through an editted but lengthy explanation about acting, trying out and then moving to a city where they film.  He listened intently, then said, "I just want to be on TV playing soccer."   SO CUTE!  He and Brian watch European games and I think his desire comes from watching the pros play.  :)

Last week my cousin's little boy, Joey spent the week with us.  His day care was closed for the week and my cousin's back up sitter cancelled last minute.  So Joey, who is 3 and a half, came over and we had so much fun with him.  He and Howard played great together.  Howard taught him how to use the Tag reading pen, they rode bikes and scooter and we spent a ton of time at the Liberty Lake County Park, swimming and playing.  We also had a play date with Howard's buddy Jackson.  Joey is 1 cool kid!  Hazel enjoyed the lake right along with the boys.  She would have stayed in the water all day if I would have let her.

Howard has been a busy swimmer!  We have him enrolled in swim lessons through the City this session and next.  We switch off between the city and the YMCA lessons.  Both are pretty consistent and he loves the variety of outdoor vs. indoor swimming.  He LOVES going off the diving board.  He now does what he calls a "running cannon ball" off the diving board, it's pretty sweet.  Hazel and I chill poolside during his 30 minute lessons.

It's been a month of birthdays!  Brian celebrated his birthday 4 days after Hazel.  Howard can't wait to bake and decorate Brian's cake every year.  This year we found some fun decorations and celebrated his birthday after he went cycling with one of his work buddies.  He worked off the cake before he even ate it.

Silverwood

My mom and 13-year-old nephew came over for a visit this past weekend.  It was so nice to see them both.  Nick (my nephew) is living with my parents for the summer and Howard just adores him.  Nick breathes, and Howard thinks it's funny and cool.  ;)  On Sunday last weekend my mom and I took the boys to Silverwood.  The lines were long and the weather was great.  We were so thankful that Brian kept Hazel at home.  She would have had a LONG day without much time to get out and play.  We spent most of our day at the amusement park and an hour or so at the swim area.  The best part of the whole trip came when on our way home, Nick was making funny faces and noises in the back with Howard and Howard said, through laughter, "Nick, stop my cheeks are hurting from laughing so much".

Howard's favorite ride was the bumper boats.  Once he figured out how to steer them, he was in hog heaven.  He went to the part of the ride where people standing on the sides can pay a quarter to shoot water at the bumper boaters.  Several strangers enjoyed spraying him and he enjoyed spraying them back.  :)  Nick loved the log ride. Mom and I enjoyed watching the boys have fun.

Hazel is 1!

What? What?  Hazel is 1 already?  Yes, that is the thought going through my head Saturday, August 6th when Hazel graced our family with her presence.  My baby girl turned 1!  This is Hazel when she was just hatched.

And now, my big 1 year old girl has reached so many milestone:
* She has 7 1/2 teeth (that one on the bottom keeps popping up and down).
* She's standing on her own, taking 2-3 steps at a time and still most comfortable crawling.
* She has BEAUTIFUL hair, lots of it and big natural curls.
* She has her mama's blue, blue eyes.
* Her big brother still adores her as much today as he did 1 year ago.
* She LOVES to have books read to her.
* One of her favorite things to do first thing in the morning is to sit with Howard in the rocking chair.
* She says a few things, like "whatstha" (what's that), "da da", "ma ma" and "hi".
* She knows how to wave hello and good bye.
* Her favorite game is peek-a-boo.

We had a small, intimate birthday celebration for her with mom, dad and Howard.  She had her first taste of cake and hated it.  She did love the feel of it between her fingers.  She was not into eating any of it.  We sang Happy Birthday to her and had cheese pizza (one of her favorites) for dinner.  She was beyond mad after she smeared cake in her eyes.  We cleaned her up and threw the cake away as soon as she smushed it in her eyes.  She had several very nice gifts and her favorite was a baby doll that Grammy Carol got for her.  The doll goes to bed every night with her.  We have since found a 2nd one to have as a back up.  Here's pictures of Hazel on her special day.