8 is great.

Our 8 year anniversary is on Tuesday.

Fun, right?

We've been together since we were 15.

We've experienced most of life together.

At this point we've had more years together than apart.

We've had our bumpy patches.

But I wouldn't trade him for anything.

And not just because he surprised me Friday after work

with a night without kids in Seattle.

Not just a night but a day and a night and a morning

to ourselves!

It was heaven.

We walked, we talked, we enjoyed the quiet.

We laughed, we ate, we caught up with friends.

We ate Molly Moon's, we tried to sleep in and

we ended our vacation with our fav breakfast at 5 Spot.

Did I say it was heaven?

I appreciate you.

I appreciate your hard work.

I appreciate your love for our dudes.

I appreciate our love of all food that we shouldn't eat.

I appreciate your patience with my crazy tendencies.

I appreciate your love of all things fun.

I appreciate your enthusiasm for all things that make me happy.

I appreciate your compliments.

I appreciate that you always say you married up

when I think it's the other way around.

I appreciate our past.

I appreciate our future.

I appreciate you.

Here's to 80 more!

xoxo.

an afternoon with the ponies.

Chris and Fred swear that when Nostradus Will was little

whoever he picked at the races won.

I think that maybe once he "picked" a winner

by slobbering on the right horse in the program.

Today was not his day.

or Chris'.

or Fred's.

Erin won a bit.

And Charlie slobbered in the right spot once.

Just to keep the tradition alive.

I was the biggest winner because I didn't bet a thing.

I just enjoyed my fried food and ice cream

to the tune of Charlie's temper tantrums in the background.

Do we trust him?

Char was just happy they had ketchup.

Favorite quote of the day.

Chris: "Will, which horse do you like out there?"

Will: "I'm not quite sure, yet."

C: "Well, look at their jerseys

and when your favorite walks by

tell me which number it is."

W: "I like that one, Dad, number B!!!"

C: "I think that's number 8 buddy."

camping 2011

We hadn't camped with kids until last week

when we set out for 5 nights in the wild.

We ate fruitloops for breakfast,

stayed cozy around the campfire,

hung out with our favorite dad,

played with our fav cronies

for hours and hours and hours,

enjoyed our amazing surroundings,

went on boat rides

with Liz, who is way nicer and more enthusiastic

about boats than I will ever be.

She and Chris were almost swallowed by quicksand

getting Charlie out of that boat.

We washed dishes in the sound,

got rescued by Brodie after taking off into the woods,

(the dog seriously might have saved his life!!

not my best parenting moment.)

practiced our funniest faces,

jumped in hay piles,

puffy painted t-shirts (80's style),

threw a million rocks into the water,

went on little adventures,

lounged with our pals,

went fishing for the first time,

collected crabs,

caught jellyfish,

ate great food,

made s'mores,

played in the tent,

got really really dirty,

went swimming

and had a total blast.

I would go back tomorrow.

The kids had the time of their lives

and I loved having a carefree week

with my dudes and some really fun friends

both old and new.

Can't wait to do it again!

seriously?

I tell people that Charlie is an easier kid than Will was.

But it might just be that this face

is pretty hard to take seriously...

another good day

The weather this summer may stink

but the new digs at Wright Park definitely do not.

We could stay there for days.

And do.

Will runs around like a crazy person.

Char runs after him and copies everything he does.

They ask for some juice.

They run around some more

and go up and down the slide 200 times.

Then ask for a snack.

They then strip down and hit the splash pad.

And come shivering back to me 20 minutes later.

And want another snack.

Then they swing for as long as i can stand pushing.

Then we feed the ducks.

And have lunch.

Or meet friends.

Or just spend time loving summer.

these are the days they'll remember.

"I have friends in overalls

whose friendship I would not swap

for the favor of the kings of the world."

Thomas A. Edison