Great Wolf Lodge

Can you tell they were excited to be there??

Gabby playing MagiQuest.

Sam and me in the wave pool (me in striped bathing suit, Sam in blue life jacket, just right of center)

The kids and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to a Strong Bonds Retreat at the Great Wolf Lodge this week. We got there on Wednesday and left on Friday and had a blast! We had time to play in the waterpark every day, along with working on MagiQuest (an interactive game for the kids), ice cream and Starbucks. I went to seminars aimed at strengthening our marriage while the kids were cared for in another room by some awesome folks from Portland. These were the first Strong Bonds seminars offered up to spouses of deployed soldiers while they are gone.

We met some great ladies and kids and found a boy from Gabby's kindergarten class in Kansas that just arrived. It was wonderful to be able to take the kids down there without having to be all-out waterpark the whole time. I wouldn't have taken them by myself without this. Now we know what we are doing when Robert comes home and we can take him.

I will say that probably the best treat of all was eating six meals without my kids. They were fed in childcare and we got to eat just with the adults - what a luxury! A huge thank you to the chaplains and their staff and rear detachment that made this possible for all of us!

Father's Day Pics

Yes, in August. I take the kids to get their pictures made before Father's Day. This year I took them in May so I would be able to send them in time for Father's Day. I didn't want to post them until Robert got them and then we have been so busy, I hadn't gone back and done it. The pictures on the right of the blog are also from the same day.

The Training Wheels have a new home

Gabby's training wheels have now taken up residence in the palace in Baghdad. Gabby was happy to put them in the box and Daddy was happy to get them.

Mount St. Helens

The model that shows what happened.

Making the seismograph move.

At Johnston Ridge Observatory

Mount St. Helens

Tuesday we drove down to see Mount St. Helens. I have been in the area twice but it has always been cloudy and I have never been able to see the mountain. We drove all the way up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, which is the highest, closest point that is easy to drive to. You are about five miles from the mountain across from the side that blew off. It was amazing to see how everything was changed after the eruption. And beautiful in a way. The drive up and back were very pretty as well.

Gabby was much more interested in how it all works than I ever thought. She and Gram watched the movie and she said she understood it a little more. But she wants to know why and how the lava is in the ground. Anyone have any good answers? We bought a book and are going to read up on how volcanoes work.

National Watermelon Day

August 3rd was National Watermelon Day. We got a watermelon and took it to the park with our picnic supper to celebrate.

A Day in Seattle

Fish throwing at Pike Place

Cheetos on the harbor cruise

Seattle from the water

Riding the horses

Gram and Gabby up on the Space Needle

We spent today in Seattle. We started out at Pike Place Market. Gram wanted to see the flying fish. Then we walked over to the piers and took a harbor cruise. After the boat ride we ate lunch at The Crab Pot. Gabby the eagle eye spotted the carousel so the kids took a ride. From there shopped a little and then took the Monorail up to Seattle Center. We rode up to the top of the Space Needle and looked around. When we came down the kids rode the Dumbo type ride and then we rode the monorail back. Sam slept the first time we rode the monorail. Second time, he didn't want to get off. We made our way back to the care and came home after a fun day in Seattle.

Beaver Games

Gabby and Sam thought the beaver was hilarious playing with them. Of course I never captured the belly laughs coming from Sam half the time. He didn't do it when the video was rolling. But they were up-close and personal with the beaver.