Spring Break in Seattle

 When I first floated the idea of hosting my nephews for their spring break, I thought it probably wouldn't align with mine.  Then I when Brad told me the date and it was mid-March...during middle school wrestling, I thought NO WAY.  But then--I realized just how much I missed those boys and wanted to host them.  So--I recruited help.  Brad volunteered to fly them out.  My parents volunteered to come and help so I wouldn't have to take the full week off.   And we had so much fun.

We had amazing weather the first two days.  We went right from the airport to Ivar's on the water in downtown Seattle.  We fed the seagulls plenty of fries.  (Davy kept throwing the fries if the gulls got too close.) 

See the beak? 

The next day we dropped off Brad to go back and work for the week and picked up my parents.  We went to the Museum of Flight (they have an Orlando Children's Museum Pass, and the reciprocal options are amazing!)

With President Nixon statue before going on the Air Force 1 model he rode on! 

Then we went to a wrestling match.  They boys had the best time.  And by boys, I also mean the Einstein team.  There were some points when the matches they were having with Devin and Davy behind the bench were causing more cheering than the one on the main mat. 

We may have converted these boys to the sport? 

Wednesday and Thursday my parents took the boys so I could work.  Wednesday was the Space Needle and Pacific Science Center.  Thursday was the Everett Children's Museum and the Funko store.  Then the boys came to my classroom to hear the rough drafts of my students' children's storybooks.  They were great reviewers!  

Also converting them to the DAWG family (Go Huskies!) 

More museum of flight...These are my mom's pics

On Friday the weather was bad, but like good Seattlites, we didn't let it bother us--we crossed to Kingston on a ferry. 

After eating a full King Size Twix on the ferry, and some trampoline jumping.  This guy barfed and slept.  I usually wore his mom out when she came to visit.  So I guess I'm carrying on the tradition.  

These are more from the Tuesday Match. 

And the ferry had a snack bar.  Good for Davy, less good for Devin (see above and the full size twix debacle.) 

Saturday we got into the Easter spirit.  The bunny hopped by and left some fun eggs. 

We also went into school so I could catch up.  The boys played with some of our librarian's "Free Choice" supplies, and in the gym. 

Sunday we enjoyed primary and then dyed eggs! 

 It was so hard to say goodbye to these guys.  So glad I'll get to see them this summer.  Sure wish we lived closer! I love having the chance to be their auntie! 

Sarah's Choir Concert

 Yesterday Seattle Children's Chorus had their spring concert.  It was so good.  It's always my favorite because they bring all the choirs together.  I do love hearing the younger choirs.  Especially because they sang some of the songs my kids sang when they were in the younger choirs.  Very nostalgic.  

Sarah looked lovely.  

Libby sang as an alum. 

This is the only picture I got because I was selling merch after and she went home with Derek. But we sat on the correct side to be able to see her this time! 

Another Good Week of Wrestling!

 We had 2 Einstein matches this week.  Ben won both his matches.  The team lost their first match, but dominated in their 2nd match (also the 2nd team was really small, so we also had lots of forfeit points--but the final score was crazy.)

My Tiger Tracksuit game is very strong with some assistance from Adrienne getting us loans from other Einstein teachers.  It's been really fun to work with these middle schoolers.  Also this week we did camp training for our 5th grade camp counselors.  Libby is going to join us this year.  I'm so happy that she's in such a better place then when I went to camp last year. 

Ben wins with a cradle! 

We've got Jeremy Tatrum back on the photos.  He does such a good job! 

Hide & Seek

 Okay, so I've mentioned that I'm not a fun mom.  But I've been unwinding a bit.  Just a bit.  After my relaxing mid-winter break I had the idea that we should play family Hide and Seek a couple of weeks ago.  And it was so fun.

We've done it twice now.  Big hit. The first week Libby had us all put our phones on the counter to play.  A kid.  Voluntarily putting a phone down for family time.  Now that's a win. 

Libby won 3 times in a row the first week with a crazy spot (top of the front closet.)

Last week we couldn't find dad.  He forced us into the garage and wanted a picture of us there before he'd come out so we wouldn't find his spot.  The kids were threatening to put him "straight into a home."  haha. 

Anyway, big kids are fun too.  And sometimes so are moms.  (But warning, don't hide where Buddy can find you.  He'll spoil your spot!) 

Man Camp becomes Coed

 Derek and his coworkers used to do a "Man Camp," near Mt. Rainier.  They'd get a cabin, hot tub, eat steak and bacon and hang out.  (Many of them would also drink and smoke cigars.)  Anyway....as they got married and got older, and moved to different jobs in the department, they stopped Man Camping.  But this year they revived the tradition AND invited wives!  It was late enough in the year that high school season was over.  It was at the end of my conference week, so I only had to get a 1/2 day sub!  

It was a nice relaxing weekend.  So fun to catch up.  So good for these guys to be able to vent about the tough things about their jobs.  And they made some delicious food.  Have you had chicken fried bacon?  Well you should.  I got to put my feet in snow (in boots) without having school cancelled.  It was great! 

Derek and I had lots of time to chat on the way down and back.  We also hit up IKEA to get new bedding for our grown up bed that is arriving this week.  (Yea, it's evidence that we are super old that we CAN'T WAIT for our new mattress.)  We got to reflect on how blessed we are to have such a great life together--and we can even work together as coaches and it's been great.

A couple from our ward stayed with the kids and they all had a good time.  I'm so thankful for life.  

Such a cool waterfall! 

The Man Camp Crew

Ben's Wrestling!

 This is finally the season Ben has been training for!  Ben's practiced wrestling a lot.  Like for years.  And finally, it's time for him to actually get out on the mat and wrestle for his dad.  (We haven't done any folk style tournaments at all because they are all on Sundays.)  Last year he did a few freestyle tournaments, but that is just different. 

Ben's first match at Einstein was a challenge match at practice, since there were several other kids in his weight class.  He lost to a really strong but inexperienced 8th grader.  He was devastated.  So he had to wrestle up a weight class for the first week of matches.  He won his first match against Kellogg.  Then he lost his match against Brier Terrace.  He was bummed.  But he wrestled hard.

Then he won his challenge match on Friday, so he'll get to retake the 98 lb. weight class and the 8th grader he beat out will be the one wrestling up.  I have almost no pictures, since I'm helping to coach/keep score, etc.

But I'm super proud of Ben.  We got Red Robin to celebrate his first win. :)

All dressed up for match day! 

I haven't been to RR for a long time.  They don't have the jalapeno chip things anymore.  But the banzai burger, still delish!