This and That from Summer

Summer feels like forever ago. Despite the many unnecessary restrictions to help prevent the spread of COVID, we still managed to have some fun.  Like all summers in WA, we try to spend as much time at the lakes and outside in the sunshine as we possibly can. Not just because we are soaking up the sun but because it’s not crazy hot outside so summer is actually enjoyable. After two trips to UT this summer, I realized I’d forgotten just how miserable the desert heat is. Summers in WA just can’t be beat!  So here are a bunch of random photos from this summer....

Here is Ethan using his Go-pro and phone to teach his church friends how to make a giant chocolate chip cookie via Zoom. So thankful for his dedicated church leaders who got creative with activities for months on end when we were restricted from gathering.

Landon and Parker had great fun at the off-limits skate park. The police draped chains across it to keep the kids away. Still haven’t figured out how kids on scooters can get COVID but oh well.

This summer I learned how to surf. I’m terrible but it sure is fun!

Swimming at sunset on Pine Lake

 

Ethan doing a back flip into Lake Washington. We have so much fun at the lakes until the lifeguards start their shift and then fun is limited by all their rules, like making the kids pass a 100-yard swim test to prove they can swim 30 feet out to a floating dock. Lifeguards and COVID have a lot in common. They both cancel fun!!

This screenshot is of our city’s drastic attempt at making sure COVID continued to ruin all fun. $500 fines for any people standing on beaches or docks. You can swim and you can fish. So my friends and I found a loophole. We sat on the beach with fishing poles while our kids swam. Apparently if I hold a fishing pole I’m immune from COVID. 

Eating breakfast in the hot tub.  I had no idea my cookie sheet/trays would float!  We do crazy things to break up the monotony around here.

I arranged weekly play dates at beaches that were open.  We got tired of wondering if the police would slap us with a $500 ticket so we just found other places to play.  Apparently this open beach is immune to COVID.  We had a great time!

We discovered the Redmond Bike Park and it was a ton of fun for all the boys.

This giant frog lives in our hose box thingy. 

My friend invited us to play at her lake house for the afternoon.  I visited with my friends, the boys swam, and Henry played on my phone the entire time.

Are you sick of lake pictures yet?  This is Chism Beach, my very favorite.  We played there for hours!

 

Henry was grumpy and refused to put on his swimsuit so he spent the beach day in his pajamas and when it was time to go him, I cleaned him up and put on his swimsuit.  Makes perfect sense, right?

My summer marketing baskets were a huge hit!  I had no idea they would turn out so cute but I surprised myself.  I also have a friend in AZ who makes my marketing tags for me.  Its the best arrangement!

Meydenbauer Beach is a second-favorite beach.  The beach is super rocky but the views of the mansions and yachts make up for it.

 

More Redmond Bike Park fun

Did I mention most of my friends have most if not all boys?  When we get together there are only one or two girls.  There are two girls in this picture (that you can't really see) and that's pretty much what it's like every time we all get together.  Weird, right?

We spent a good chunk of hard=-earned money on landscaping in our backyard.  It is beautiful!  I wish I had a before picture but imagine stairs made of rotting wood that were mostly covered with dirt that had slid down the hill.

Empty parking lots are fun to ride our bikes around.  Henry looks dead but he was just fine.

Before the city enforced a $500 fine for using the dock, they put up this barricade which barely slowed us down.  I have a really hard time with arbitrary rules, just ask the people who know me from the YMCA.

This is a trail that Randy made in our backyard and this is the bridge that Randy built as one of his COVID projeccts.  I can't remember if I posted about it before so here it is.  And Henry fell right off into the mud (which is a small stream when it's not summertime).  Of course I took this picture before helping Henry.  He wasn't hurt and it was hilarious.

Seriously, the Redmond Bike Park is amazing!

The paddle boards saw a lot of use this summer

Henry LOVES blackberries and our trail in the backyard makes it easy to get them.  Randy makes the best blackberry pie!  No pictures of that because it's devoured in two seconds.

We haven't been to Snoqualmie Falls in forever so I had to get a picture with Ethan wearing his mask.

Vasa Park is also a fun place and yes, I saw out to the dock and jumped off the diving board.

Henry loves to dance to music.  This was one of our more epic dance parties that led to dancing on the table without shirts on.

We found a fun park surrounded by beautiful mansions.  We pick up food from Habit Burger, then eat at this fun park, (where people stare at my wild pack of boys) then drive around and covet the wealthy.  

Thanks for reading the summer re-cap.  It was a good summer but also an angry one.  I never thought I'd have to get so creative trying find ways to play outside without breaking rules.  Turns out breaking rules is not a problem for me.