Visit to Seattle

A bunch of my college roommates gathered in Seattle for the day, prompted by our friend Lanie's visit from Chicago. It was so fun to hang out again! We walked all around downtown, ate the best clam chowder ever, and enjoyed the most gorgeous Seattle waterfront. I made a hard play to crash our old house, UCU to see if current residents would let us peek around, but nobody else thought this was as fun-sounding as myself. Just because I consider junior high, highschool and college to be my most fun years EVER. Love all these amazing women!

Kari, Lindsay, Val, me, Lanie, Rashada

I'm pretty fancy resting on this bearskin lounge

While I was away, Kyle took the boys disc golfing!

Girls were at Nana & Poppy's for the night

Summer pool dayz

This kids have been LOVING all their pool time this summer. One of my Motherwise friends has had us down to her pool in Sherwood a couple of times, the kids have had two weeks of daily swimming lessons, and several other pool playdates mixed along the way. Let's just say Marcus has a pretty snazzy little tan line from his water-wing life jacket. Ha ha!

Classic: Marcus instigates

And Max returns the favor

First time in his own swim class!

Marcus is so big, he can't fit into the yellow toddler swim vest.
Ha ha! 98th percentile baby!

Olympic readiness

Summer birthday bash

We had our annual backyard summer birthday bash, celebrating our three summer birthdays. Maddie turned 9, Max turned 7, Marcus turned 4. Growing up! Three special cakes: a marshmallow rainbow cake, a football cake, and special high heel cupcakes for the fashionista.

The three amigos

Maddie: high heels

Max: football

Marcus: rainbow

Corrigan party of six!

Bubble party at the end with the remaining kids!

Happy 4th b-day Marcus

Our little love Marcus just turned 4! He is very vocal about wishing he was five instead, which I think must be a "youngest kid" thing because he always wishes he was older like the big kids. But I see the gap shrinking between the siblings, meaning the baby has disappeared and the big boy has emerged. He keeps up pretty well, and has no problem elbowing in to make his presence known. And he NO LONGER lisps his S's. Theriouthly. (I'm crying now). Ahhh, the babyhood of the last baby. It goes faster than all that have gone before.

We love him for his energetic, joyful, larger-than-life personality. He makes us laugh, makes us scream, makes us smile, makes us crazy, makes us happy. His brother is learning the art of fending him off like a ninja - Marcus is always looking to attack with the latest wrestling move. His sisters are learning the art of using "nice Mommy voice" to get him to listen, as opposed to going toe-to-toe. We are all learning to laugh more, express ourselves more, and embrace the world that is Marcus. He is our gift.

Happy birthday to my little love!

Birthday cereal: Fruit Loops

Hug from Marin after she presents him with a Beanie Boo

Fountain time!

Special show with new penguin

Four years old and on the top of the world

Dinner request: pizza and carrots

Doctor's visit... 98th percentile!

He plays hard, he crashes hard

Black Bear Diner

We just discovered this fun little place near us. and our friends (with a big family, of course) gave us the tip that on Tuesdays kids eat free. If you directly ask for it. It's like a secret policy, you can't find it on their website or really even get the servers to admit it unless you point blank say "please feed my children for free today".  The guy basically said "say the words, or I won't admit it"... Ha ha ha ha!!

Guess who refuses to smile ;)

Tic Tac Toe

Better than the back of the head! Baby steps...

Four cuties

School garden

The kids and I signed up for a week of Quatama garden maintenance this summer. We discovered a bunch more flowers were planted than previous years, which was a fun surprise! We were able to harvest tomatoes, strawberries and artichoke. And flowers. And another surprise: the nail sign Madeline made for the garden last year has finally been displayed! It looks fantastic. How special to have this sense of pride in our school and grounds. 

Maddie and her sign

Flowering artichoke