The Olympic Penninsula

(click on collages to see the pics better)

Jaron has been insisting for some time now that we go visit the land where his favorite vampiric teen literature took place.

As silly as I thought it was I decided I wanted to go find a vampire too.
Ok Ok, I'm joking. Jaron hasn't read the Twilight books, nor do I think he ever will.
That being said, It is quite amazing to me that it took a book about vampires to bring people from all over the world to Forks, Washington, when its beautiful mountains, its lush green rain forests, its wide array of animal life, its wild and at time ferocious coast, and its friendly and hospitable people should have been attracting the crowds long ago.

Here is the short summary of our trip:

First there was. . .
this huge cedar tree that we had so much fun climbing in, on, and around.

Next there was. . .
Ruby Beach where we explored the coast line and had fun throwing rocks into a nearby river that was flowing into the ocean.And then there was. . .
the little cabin that we stayed in located on a beautiful, little farm, with baby calves, new born chicks, lamas, cows, chickens, dogs, and bald eagles galore!
And then, My favorite part was. . .
our walk down the beautiful Rialto Beach, with all its colorful sea stars, slimy sea anemones, pinchy crabs, and cool masses of rock that jut out of the shoreline.

Before we walked down to the beach we kept seeing signs that said to watch out for logs that wash up on the shore, and that they can kill. At first we were laughing and making fun of it. . .
then we saw this "log" that had washed up on the shore.
My Next Favorite Part Was. . .
the sunset on Rialto that night:
And then there was. . .
hiking in the Hoh Rain Forest of Olympic National Park, the rainiest place in North America:

And finally, there was surfing (a video on that later),
Oh yea and I almost forgot, for all my young women who are die hard Bella fans. . .
Come to Forks.

Monsters

Today Olivia was helping me in the kitchen. We were popping some popcorn to make caramel popcorn for a little get together I'm going to tonight. I got her a chair, wrapped an apron around her, and had her help me pour the popcorn into the popcorn popper. After it was done popping I turned my attention away from Olivia and focused on the caramel making at the stove. After a few minutes I turned back around to notice a coy smile on Liv's face and I also happened to notice that some of the popcorn was mysteriously gone. Liv looked at me and said simply "A monster ate it".

To tell you the truth, I think I believe her.

Ever since she was introduced to Jane Robot (press "m"), Liv has had a fascination with monsters. Occasionally for the dramatic affect, she will run behind my legs and hide exclaiming "Monsters!". Or whenever we hear a creak in the house upstairs, she will stop whatever she is doing, look at me, and once again exclaim "Monsters".

Its a cute phase.

Playing By a River in the Rain Forest This Weekend

Jaron claims that I'm the portrait photographer and he is the landscape photographer. I usually tend to agree, but with this great shot he took of Liv I think he's definitely great at both.
Coming soon: more pictures and a very long blog of our adventures in the land of the vampires and werewolves. . .

Here fishy fishy fishy. . .

A precious moment.

Coming home from a temple trip tonight, I walked in the door to find Liv running towards me with open arms.
Soon after she greets me she kisses dad goodbye as he goes off to basketball.
Upstairs feeding Warner now. Liv is skipping around and around my bed.
She talks.
And talks.
She smiles.
She dances.
She finds her phone in Daddy's night stand.
"Two four Kensie, two four. Ok? Bye Love you. Click".
Looks at me and says "Dat Kensie."
Next jammies.
Then brush teeth.
Then Stories.
Then scripture.
Then songs.
"Prophet Song, and temple song, baby boats, and God".
"Just one song tonight Liv. Ok, maybe two".
She arranges her baby flamingo, her big flamingo, doll, baby, other doll, and two "blankies" nicely tucked and she is ready for songs.
Baby flamingo gets tossed over board just so she can jump out of bed and rescue her.
Then Prayers:
"Dear father,
Warner. Mom. Dad. Temple. Amen".

This is the average night for us. Nothing out of the ordinary, except for tonight I took an extra moment to look into those beautiful, pure little eyes that some how miraculously, with the help of God Jaron and I created.
The face keeps growing, changing its expressions, its words, its feelings, its texture, its length and width,
but those eyes, those eyes that first peeked out at me smothered in the goo from child birth, the eyes that excitedly said hello to a bright new world, the eyes that stare at me every day and send their love straight from one heart to another,
those eyes
they never change.
And that makes me feel happy.

Sometimes my Blog is really just an online scrapbook. . .

Some more pictures while in Utah.



Aren't they a cute couple?

The Last Two Weeks

One Friend Moved (Our dearest Amanda :( )
One Trip to Utah

Two Weddings (Jarica and Brett, Amber and Danny)
Two Baby Blessings (Baby Abigail and Baby Warner)

Two Families (The Browns and The Paxmans)

One Birth (Baby Noelle)
and finally

One House Sold (My Parents)

All that in the last ten days can you believe it, no wonder Jaron and I napped all day long yesterday and still slept ten hours last night!

So, first groceries, then laundry, then cleaning, then mutual, then a more detailed update with more pictures.

P.S.

Here is a funny little picture that I just have to post. . .

I know says Liv, lets play a game. Its called see how many things I can put ontop of Warner.