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Lukas and Amanda’s wedding

by Amy ~ September 19, 2011

Lukas and Amanda’s wedding

It’s hard to believe that the little boy I used to babysit got married. I watched Lukas and Morris over the summers growing up and I’ll be honest, they drove me nuts. They were constantly fighting, always into something and in general pretty ornery little boys. (I think they prepared me well for my own ornery little boy!) I’m so proud of them and love them very much. Lukas and Amanda’s wedding was beautiful and a lot of fun. It was fun to spend time with my siblings and have a date night with my hubby! Thanks Rita for watching the kiddos!

View photos of Lukas and Amanda’s wedding .

PA Visit 2011

by Amy ~ September 19, 2011

Visit to PA 2011
We headed to PA to visit and for my nephew’s wedding. We left very early in the morning in Seattle and arrived very late in Philadelphia. After a long day of flying we had a 3 hour drive ahead of us. The kids were really tired and grumpy for most of the trip so by the time we arrived home we were exhausted. PA was much warmer than we are used to but had a great time playing in the yard, watching trucks drive past, and visiting with family.

While the trip home was awesome, the return trip home was miserable. It all started with toilet paper stuck to me after a bathroom visit. The flight attendant was rude, the kids were tired and grumpy and refused to take a nap. Every time the kids fell asleep they were woken up, which made them even more grumpy. While Zara was flipping out I turned sideways in my seat and my pants got caught on something and tore the entire side out. By the time we reached home we were again exhausted.

View photos of our PA Visit .

Month 16

by Amy ~ September 19, 2011

MONTH 16

My friend Pia, who was an exchange student at my high school came to the US with her children for a visit. This was the first time we had seen each other in 25 years. It was great to see her and reminisce about skateboarding down the middle of the road growing up!

We bought backpacks to carry the kids on hikes. They’re a little heavy but it is great to be able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather! Our first hike was in the park nearby our house. The path leads you down a very steep hill to a beach. The kids loved playing in the stones and water. The hike back up hill was a long one but we had an amazing time and are very happy with the backpacks!

View photos of Month 16 .

Month 15 – Maggie joins the family!

by Amy ~ September 19, 2011

JUNE 2011 – Maggie joins the family
After returning from Europe we decided to add a new addition to the family. We searched and searched for a kitty and found that most shelters would not allow us to adopt with small children, and they also wanted a small fortune (for a stray who would be euthanized if not adopted). It was really an eye-opening experience. It’s quite depressing going to the pound and seeing how many people give up their pets. The majority of cats in the shelter were more than 9 years old. That’s just not something I could do! Z’s lucky it was not up to me or we would have ended up with a bunch of strays! I really wanted a black kitty and Z wanted a grey or orange one. We ended up falling in love with a Siamese mixed kitty who was super cuddly, very timid, and didn’t freak out when Gabe and Zara started screaming. Turns out she was just fixed the day before. Little Maggie was less than 2 lbs and was pretty scared when she first arrived home. After discovering Maggie’s foster parent’s notes in our adoption packet, we learned that Maggie startled at loud noises, followed you around like a shadow, and loves to sit on your lap. We also learned that Siamese cats can be quite vocal. Gabe and Zara were a little rough at first but they think Maggie is great. Maggie is awesome with the kids, often just rolling over to let them touch her.

View photos of Gabe, Zara and our new kitty, Maggie.

Month 13

by Amy ~ September 19, 2011

MONTH 13
We had quite a busy month and it started out pretty bad! A terrible virus knocked us out for a few weeks. First Willow got sick, then Zara, then Gabe, and finally I got it. Z was the lone hold-out and was lucky not to get it.

My friend Duggan from childhood came to check out Seattle with the hopes of finding a job and moving here. We’ve been friends since pre-school and it was great to catch up with him. Hopefully he’ll find a job in Seattle and we’ll see more of him!

On top of trying to get over the flu and trying to pack for Europe, the kiddos started walking (just in time for our flight to Europe!) and Willow, our wonderful Nanny left us to stay at home. I’m so thankful that Willow was with us when I returned back to work after maternity leave. She really made the transition so much easier for me! Our new nanny Ciara started just before we left for vacation. Ciara had previously nannied for a family with twins who we met in childbirth class so it worked out great. She’s a bundle of energy and the kids took to her immediately! Again, we feel at ease knowing the kids are with someone who takes good care of them.

View Gabe and Zara’s month 13 photos.