Tie Shirt

I found this tee online and thought it would be perfect for our friend Ari P. who likes ties and is very business minded. When his mommy complained (me too) about the $44 price tag I decided to try and make one. Ari is also very train minded and so we (Joey and I) developed two designs with choo choo motifs. We used a big sharpie so we'll see how they hold up. Waddya think? We take special orders - or make your own!

Train Tracks on the tie, train tools in the pocket and a monogram to boot! Train Boss!
This one has a glove in one pocket and a wrench in the other. This is for a train worker.

Sedliks Eating

One of the real highlights of the summer for me was having 11 Sedliks to our house for dinner on our 4th Anniversary. They were all there the day that we got married too so we made our favorites for dinner: flank steak, ceasar salad, noodle salad and feta cheese pie!I LOVE MY SEDLIKS SO MUCH and wish they all leaved closer than L.A. but alas. We are very lucky to be able to spend any time together and this visit we saw them for three great events. Anniversary Dinner, Camano Island and Korean BBQ in Bellevue! YAY! We ate extremely well on each occaision!
Sylvie on the mucky Beach















Leo's pickle











Cup Check!













Cousins













Anniversary Dinner

Soap Lake

After the fair we played on the Samis ranch for a few days enjoying the beautiful scenes, swimming in the pond, eating al fresco and making smores. Zoe and Sylvie also took crayons and decorated the inside of the car windows - phew!

Grant County Fair

The first thing that we were drawn to upon entering the Grant County fair was "Jest in Time" where we sat and watched the super corny clowns doing tricks which took way to long to develop because 90% of their time was spent trying to encourage applause and excitement from the crowd. Anyway, Sylvie volunteered to be on stage! Everyone clapped for her and she LOVED it. She helped the clown with the boxes and - a star was born. This was one of those stories that I will remind her of when she is 25 not knowing what do to with her life "When you were 3, you got up on the stage with no fear..."




















Then The girls went on rides and had a great time.








Then I took Sylvie on the Ferris Wheel and we could see the entire fairgrounds and a beautiful sunset!



















Leo and Van - too Little for the rides - try again next year!

Sterling Gardens

The kids and I went to Whidby Island for the day to visit Steve and Sara's new farm. I love Whidby, everywhere you drive you see beautiful scenery, the population seems like just the right mix of small town friendly mixed with bourgois gourmet, and there are some great experiences for children. It was a physically tough day for me because Leo is crawling and standing and can't just be plopped on a blanket anymore. We were all tired on the way home but that didn't stop us from getting out of the car to visit the windy deck on the 15 minute ferry ride home.

Sterling Gardens (my favorite name in the running for their farm) is a gorgeous piece of property with two homes, a huge garden brimming with produce and the beginnings of an animal shelter which will house goats and a donkey. We can't wait to see Sterling Gardens sparkle!

Steve and Sylvie at Maxwelton Beach

Mommy and Leo
Oceanus on the Sound

Sylvie's 3rd Birthday Party

We said that it was a dress up party because having a princess party seemed a little common but in actuality - it was a princess party. Sylvie must have gotten 6 tiaras for her birthday but the kicker was the Cinderella ball gown complete with a hoop skirt and "glass" slippers. She even wore the earrings which freaked me out. She started humming "So this is love, hm hm hm hm"

For me it was all about the cake which was one of those germs of an idea that turned into the discovery of a whole new creative outlet for me. Cake decorating is a blast, dare I say. I was jumping up and down upon the application of the three on the skirt. Sylvie's eyes lit up and it was SO worth the 4 cakes that it took to create this. I started humming "I can paint with all the colors of the wind"

A few of my favorite moments:

Zoe and Sylvie dancing after everyone left to "I know you I walked with you once upon a dream"

Ethan (Sylvie's cousin) announcing "look, I opened this present for Sylvie!"

The candles blowing out in the wind three times before Sylvie was able to blow them out.
Kris and Gracie's fairy princess outfits.

All the princesses putting their fingers in the cake.

Evan (another cousin) asking "Where is the bag of trinkets?" (there wasn't one)

Everyone loves sausages, hot dogs and tim's cascade chips

Sylvie's huge grin as she went to bed knowing that she is a princess and now she is three.

She is humming "A whole new world"

3 going on 13

I think she is actually screaming "ITS MY BIRTHDAY!"

Haney the cute

Noni, Grandma and Papou (Grandpa was in Bulgaria but he was consulted on the Zum Zum menu

4 cakes and 4 kinds of frosting!

A messy up-do for the pre-funk

Pirch Visit

We love our friends who live on the Gold Coast in Connecticut the Nutmeg State. They graced us with their presence for a few hours one glorious day in July.

Oy Vey enough with the photo taking...

Dahling photo of Father and daughter

Fast Friends

Just like many photos of Molly and Linda!

Sammy in the Hzzouse

37 year olds

I am gonna call it older and wiser but this might be the last year that I admit to my age. I used to love birthdays - now, not so much.