Pre-Party before Parting :) :(

Since some of our very best friends are missing Cole's 8 y.o. birthday festivities by just a week, we decided we needed to include 'em in an early celebration...hmmm...tough choice between Bahamas vs Puyallup, but we're certainly gonna miss Kanekoas! In meantime, made the most of Monday we had left-
Took 'em up to Lego Store in Bell Square to pick up party stuff-2.5 hours later, they were sufficiently overdosed on legos and i felt like mother of the year for lettin' 'em just play! Usually their stores are sandwiched in between my errands, so this was a party in and of itself!!
Stocking up on figures for the goodie bags n' special one apiece to call their very own! Luke loved being able to build to his heart's content without his bros making him leave 'em & their creations alone!
Not only did they have every set under the sun, but also games and computer action for 'em to try out...
Cole's is all set to par-ty!
Next we had to have dessert first and they were cool literally with cheap sundae from McD's! Gotta love the dollar menu!Luke was pretty stoked when the bigger boys left him with rest o' ice cream so they could play!

Then it was back to the fun park we found last month to show 'em the beach/playground combo that was perfect esp when still 75 degrees around 6:30P?!



We could've stayed all night, but alas! They hadn't eaten their gourmet chicken nuggets for dinner that were waiting in my freezer (don't worry, supplemented with carrot sticks/apple slices:)
ps I admire every single one of you who cruise around daily with 5 kids 'cuz that's no easy task albeit with these good boys!

Finding Joy in Bremerton

Have passed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton a few times en route to visit friends in Silverdale, but haven't stopped there since USS Missouri was docked and therefore my boys were nonexistent. So-oo this past Sat, I decided Parkers needed to start playdate with Palmers on the USS Turner Joy.
Seemed mini compared to the aircraft carriers we passed in the harbor, but still fun to check off my list of things to do in this great state...
First attraction onboard was this mounted gun platform--


















All the boys in Captain's Quarters, then Dane orders full speed ahead!














Luke deciding if the bunks in the berthing chamber (sounded funny by the tour guide to envision in the Navy:) are more comfy than the carseat he ended up using for nap that afternoon--Meanwhile Cole takes a closer look from Captain's vantage point!















Observing the sick room and the Captain's office/bunk--Sorry the official nautical/military terms have sailed from my brain!

















The Olympic Mtns n' other peninsula outings are calling me as I feel like I've barely scratched the surface o' WA?! Of course, the boys thought it was pretty cool but literally wanted to be that way themselves n' couldn't wait to get to Palmers' pool on such a sunny day! Water guns with buddies not pictured but made for happy sons for the refreshing rest of the afternoon. They were overjoyed when relaxation cont with a movie to end the night and rare opportunity for mom to even watch with 'em!

Sandsational Saturday

It's an annual opportunity that we didn't want to miss again even if the weather was prob nicer @ the cabin...So Cait came along for the ride when I grabbed the boys and headed to Long Beach to check these out:

CLEAN-UP ON AISLE 4

HORATIO HIPPO by grp called "Sand in My Pants" *got that part right too--see below!

If nautical nonsense is something you wish...SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!WHAT'S YOUR NEXT MOVE?

COUCH POTATOES

GREAT WALL

HOW TO TAME YOUR DRAGON

HAKU-THE SHEPARD DRAGON?!
(popular theme @ this event but too fantasy for me to be down with character!)

SHEEPIN' AROUND (not sure if that was appropriate title family class entry...hmmm)

FLIP-FLOP HEAVEN (actually several pairs, but just pictured a couple:)

CAN I GET FRIES WITH THAT?

WOTTER BED

TIPSY TURTLES

WHALE VS PENGUINS

GIDEON'S GALLEON (that's octopus tentacle goin' overboard)

LLAMAS ON VACATION

SANDBAR

EVOLVE

COUPLE SCULPTURES RE: DOGS...Exact titles have slipped my mind prob 'cuz not this woMan's best friend but Luke was a fan:)

SNOOPY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS

Took advantage of free hot dogs to go with rest o' our picnic; plenty o' the 4-legged variety on the beach too! I, for one, was not aware that horses had flip-flops:)but encountered those as well!
Of course then we were inspired to get up close n' personal with the sand ourselves...Our molds n' tools didn't compare with some of the hard-core builders, but hey!Crazy how fast the tide comes in though-we had a couple close calls when it came to moving our stuff! Amazing to see difference it made in the sloughs on either side o' the road in both directions too!
Cole is never one to skip jumpin' in the waves even if a bit chillier on WA coast:) Huey preferred to jump on Aunt Cait, ruin his brothers' creations n' throw the sand but whatever! I've decided it's inevitable no matter how long your stay on the beach, sand will adorn every part of your body n' clothing after you've called it a day!
That plus the goldfish en route made sure that our car was due for vacuum before I went to bed...didn't get a shower/baths, but couldn't wait to clean that up although tried to relax n' enjoy while there!:)
Weather was cooler than inland, but only by about 10-20 degrees instead of the 40 deg. change in May '09 when I was last @ that spot with YW! So I trekked back to car for swim shorts...Dane's impatience made me so glad I did?!
Also encountered this beachcomber?! Random!
Difficult decision to narrow down promised dinner opt but settled on one o' Pacific Ave hot spots for burger, fish/clams n' chips & pizza respectively before heading back home. Fudge/taffy samples are always musts in towns like those too not to mention trying on these cool hats:)