Our new phone

Shaun and I got new phones because our other ones kept turning off with the slightest bumps. Quite annoying. Our new phone has Android and I was able to download a blogger app. Lets see if it works.

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The Man in the Grey Suit

Posted by Shaun.

I just had a 4 day weekend and took advantage of it by going to the beach with some friends.  Because of some heavy rains last week, the normal road that we take to a beach we like was closed from flooding.  Determined to go to the beach that day, we took a different route and were still able to go to our beach.  Fortunately we were the only ones at the beautiful beach the entire day.  After eating lunch and playing with the kids for a while, my friend and I loaded up all of our spearfishing gear into my raft and went out about a mile to go to where the parrot fish hang out.  I was at the front of the raft as we were paddling out and saw a huge tiger shark slowly swim by about two feet away from me and about two feet deep.  It was definitely longer than I am tall and as wide as a car tire.  I knew there are hammerheads and tiger sharks in that area but didn't think that I would see any.  We were where we wanted to be so I threw the anchor over the edge of the raft, put on my gear, and decided to try to spearfish by just sticking my head in the water instead of jumping in.  Both of us were real nervous being in an inflatable raft with a shark hunting nearby.  Wasn't long before I decided to just jump in and take my chances.  I love spearfishing too much to let this shark have all the fun.  I caught a couple of fish and realized that I couldn't even see my buddy anymore.  He stayed in the raft because he is sane.  The sun was setting and the bright reflection on the water made it so I couldn't see a thing.  I swam a couple hundred feet in the wrong direction before I finally saw him.  I figured by then the blood from the fish would have attracted the sharks, so as I was swimming toward the raft, I tried not to be distracted by the fish that were taunting me to shoot them.  I finally got to the raft and jumped in to find a very sea sick friend.  He leaned over the side of the raft and fed the fish real quick before we started paddling back to shore.  Our wives of course thought that we were crazy/stupid/irresponsible/etc. when we told them of our adventure.  At work on Monday, word of our run in with the shark got out and people kept coming up to me saying, "I heard that you met a man in a grey suit".

Awww, I feel so loved!

(Ian found a banana clip, those things that you use to seal up your chip bags, and wrapped it around my neck)

Ian: Mom, I'm going to lock you up forever, 'cause I love you.

Mom: oh no! So I can never get out?

Ian: (kisses me on the nose) k, when I do that that means you can get out, 'cause I love you.

He is just so precious!  Moments like these where its all I can do to keep from hugging him too hard because I'm so grateful that he is mine forever.

Christmas Break: Part 3

Christmas Day

Christmas day was spent at my mom's house in Sumner.  The kids, thank goodness, slept in their usual time and was only woken up by me peeking in on them to see if they were awake yet.  It was a wonderful relaxing Christmas with just our family and my mom.  After all the unwrapping was over we had delicious homemade Belgian waffles, bacon and eggs.  The rest of the day was just hanging around the house, enjoying each other's company and watching the kids play with their new toys.

Only one unfortunate event, and that was I forgot to take pictures of my mom and I when I gave her the bracelet and scarf that I made for her.  So sad about that.

This year (helped a lot by my mom) was the best Christmas so far that we were able to give the kids.  The three of us, my Mom, Shaun and I all picked out something to personally give the kids and then they had a few gifts that Santa gave them.  I gave them the Hello Kitty and Snake seen here in the picture. 

Shaun, for the second time, lost his ring in the ocean and didn't replace it for a long time.  He was too busy.  So I took the initiative and picked out 3 rings for him, all at $9 or less(they are stainless steel).  That way he can pick one, and if he loses it in the ocean pull out the spare.  I know you're thinking "why doesn't he just take the ring off before he goes swimming?".  I have no idea.

Shaun's gift to me was the Pictionary Man game.  I LOVE board games.  It's going to be a new tradition where every year Shaun will get me a new board game for Christmas.  Love it!

Shaun's gift to Ian was a Mighty Beanz Spiderman Capsules with some more Mighty Beanz to put in it.

Izzy got some sandals and a few other cute things from Shaun.

Santa knew how much Ian would love these.

Santa found these at a garage sale for just $6!  How awesome is that!

Every time I ask Izzy what she wants to be when she grows up "I want to be a Scientist and a Mom at the same time".  Santa thought this would help get her started.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas Break: Part 2

The Nutcracker

Isabel is old enough now that she can sit through movies and concerts.  So of course I had to ask my Mom if we could take her to the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker.  So glad we did because it was just priceless seeing the look of awe and wonder on her face as the ballet progressed.  There is something wonderful about sharing something that you love with your children, and seeing how much they enjoy it as well.

Thank you Mom for this unforgettable moment that I was able to share with my daughter.

Isabel sat next to her cousin Emma during the production.  They are inseparable when they get together.  Like two little peas in a pod.  So glad they have each other.  During the whole ballet they would whisper to each other about this or that, and giggle whenever the male dancers would come out in their tight tights.

Isaac, Sadie, Isabel, and Emma right before the show.

Sarah Steveson, my sister with her daughter Emma.

In between Acts my Mom was able to reserve a table so we could grab a bite to eat.  Emma and Isabel were being so cute by telling each other that while they eat they had to stick out their pinkie like a proper lady.

I told Isabel that she could pick out one thing from the store to help remind her of this moment, and she picked these butterfly wings.  I also got her a ballet dancer ornament, and a children's book of the Nutcracker.

My wonderful mother and her grandchildren.

Thank you, Mom!

Christmas Break: Part 1

We spent a month up in Washington for Christmas visiting all our family.  It was absolutely wonderful to see everyone again.  Miss you all so much the minute I got back on the plane.

I took a lot of pictures and figured I'd break it up into 5 parts.  Here is the first one about our trip to Shaun's brother Eric's office at Bungie.  For those who don't know, Bungie is the video game company that made (gasp) Halo!  I know, I know.  I can't believe either that I have a brother-in-law who was actually part of the process in making Halo, the awesomest game ever (according to Shaun).

Big huge poster on the outside of the office.

Shaun wasn't the only one who was in heaven at all the Halo paraphernalia.  Ian was ecstatic!  He already was clinching a Halo Man doll that Eric let him borrow before we even came.  Look at that grin!

This was from the Halo short movie clip that they made about the game.

Totally in love.

Shaun and the one and only....Eric!

Always loved a man in uniform.

Such a cutie.