Catching up

It's been a busy few months. We bought and moved into a new place about half a mile from our old house. We needed a little more room to grow, more storage, and a little more quiet. We got all 3 things - and more. Heres a link to the photos on my Facebook of the new house. We all love it here and are already completely moved in. The house was built in 1969. It's a 1 owner home. The family used a local builder and we even got the original blueprints. We are enjoying the neighborhood. We have really nice neighbors and there are tons of kids in the neighborhood ranging in ages from 4 months to 14 years. A perfect babysitter down the street just completed her babysitters course!! We are looking forward to growing old and raising our family here.

We had a great summer. Luka is getting smarter and smarter by the minute. She amazes me daily with her depth of knowledge, her sass, and her silliness. She is a great person. Shes running circles around the new house, asking to go potty (though she has yet to go tinkle more than once), she has about 50-75 words... maybe more, she just had her first dentist visit, was a turtle for Halloween, has a new cousin, and likes to try on mama's bra! Our life is spinning happily- hence the lack of posts! Here's just a few pics of the end of summer and early fall.

Hanging with Si at C&P.... summer's almost gone!

Tryin on mama's boots!

Hitting up the beach on her first roadtrip vacation. We Traveled to the tri-cities for the hydros, and then drove to the Oregon Coast. She loved it!

No drinking the bathwater Lu!!

No.. I'm not.

So happy to be clean! And so dang cute!

Hiking outside of Leavenworth. We are above a river and she could not tear her eyes away from the raging water.

Camping for the 4th of July!

Swimming with Uncle Joshey and Jojo and Papa.

Party time with Gracie-Mae. Girlie overnights are super fun!
Family Portraits, and 1 year photos.

More camping... feeding mama.

Hanging out at Seafiar with her bud Jojo. In a blow up Miller Hydro no less.

Oregon Coast

Silly girl on the beach.

My little turtle, with Grandma on Halloween.

Si and Lu at Whale tale park.

Trying on Mrs. Potato Head's glasses.

Listening in on the hydroplane drivers with Papa.

Swinging on the porch at the KOA camping. (it was the last camp site available ANYWHERE!)


New Cousin - baby Kaden Michael. Born 10/14/09.

Tata, Papa, sisi & lu. Who BTW will NEVER be able to have candy again. Swear!


Check out that tail!

OK OK I Could post 8,000 photos, but the last one is super cute! Lu at the dentist for the first time. She did such a good job. Didn't freak out at all!

Some things don't change

Seafair 2008

Seafair 2009

It's too much.

Birthday Girl!

So she's officially ONE year old now!

It's so crazy to us. She's a totally independent, smart, and funny girl.  I am so amazed every day. She has about 14 or 15 words already. The Dr. is impressed with her verbal skills. She said she is speaking at the level of a 15 or 18 month old!! Here's just some of the words: Hi, Mama, Papa, Tata (French for Aunty), Si Si, JoJo, Tuh Tuh (Tatey) Toot toot (our cat), chhh (cheese), Ba! (ball), Boon (balloon), shhho (shoe), cie (Gracie)  AND what's this?

The Dr. was really impressed when she said "what's this" during the visit. Her eyes got big! I was one proud mama. She then proceeded to send in the nurse with 2 giant needles to stab Lu's little chubby leg with her immunizations. She really cried hard this time. So hard she was hyperventilating. I finally thought that if I nursed her she would calm down, as I unzipped my hoodie, I zipped her leg up in my zipper!!!! I felt TERRIBLE! I did not think her crying could get any harder.... it did. 

Crazy birthday girl. This is about as "cake faced" as she got. 

Tatey thinking about how that ball and tee look better than his yummy banana cake right now. "BA!" I love his green cake beard.

"Uncle Dan! You get that camera out of my face- RIGHT NOW!"

If you haven't been witness to Silas's preaching, check it out. It's the best.

Good cake face. 

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to. 

Look at that Audience! You can't see about half of them!

the caaaaaake. 

(drool)

She finally figured out how to blow into the noise maker! She was obviously very proud of her self, as was her grandma... and whom ever is clapping in the foreground.

You only get one FIRST birthday cake! You better make it a good one. Thanks to Mimi of Splendid Cupcake. (I designed her logo... she makes da' bomb cupcakes -- and cake.)

Jeez, does it get any cuter, really?

Uncle Zach and Tatey and Colin came over on my actual birthday and taught me how to hit off a tee and how to field balls. 
Grandma and grandpa down at Alki for my birthday dinner. 

George from C&P Coffee gave me a banana for my birthday. It was so yummy I could not wait until mama opened it.

 
My BIG girl. I am amazed in her. 

All three in a row. What a fun day.

Leah & Erin- I'm so glad our kids can share an experience like this. I am looking forward to so many more shared fun experiences. Maybe a wedding? No pressure, kids. really.

Lots of memories being made here!

Our lives have been topsy turvey the last month or so. With my Dad's passing, Luka's 1st birthday, lots of friends getting married, West Seattle Street fair, camping trips and the like... we've been busy and full of emotions. 

I said I was going to be better about posting but it's been hard. Here are numerous photos of the last month! ha! Birthday photos to come.... here's just a random sampling of the events.

Future Hydroplane Driver?

I finally got to meet my Great Grandma Betty Joppa!!! She's funny.

Hiking outside of Leavenworth. She's watching the fast river below us.

Driving around in the campground trying to find a good campsite.

After the kids are asleep, the ladies break out a bottle of wine and sit around the fire. What a blast!

Hello! I love camping!

Practicing my poses in the front yard, for the future Miss Hi-Yu competition.

Spreading Dad's ashes from the Bainbridge ferry.

Snuggling in our tent.

First Family camping trip. We had a great time, but the bugs at the first campground were ridiculous! We moved to the KOA in Leavenworth for the second night.  

In the pits with Papa at. The Miss Wahoo was being tested, so we went down to Lake Washington with Papa for his lunch break. 

Selling my jewels at the West Seattle Street fair. It was a blast, and I did really well!

First giant fat lip! :(

Family Fourth of July camping trip. 

Thanks for keeping up with us. 

Sunglasses

Here's our funny girl! She's been acting like Stevie Wonder everytime she puts on our sunglasses. Moving her body and head form side to side. It's hysterical. I found these sunglasses at Target, and I thought I was going to pee my pants, she was being such an entertainer in them. People were coming around the corner to see what all the ruckus was. 

See my teefs! 4 on top now!

Check out that dimple!

Hi-eeey!

Are you cracking up yet?

Luka goes Camping

Luka sleeping in the carrier during our hike down the river.

Luka pretty much had a captive audience the entire time we were up at Red Bridge with the Kostelecky Clan. My good friend Wayne and his family camp up at Red bridge every year during Memorial day weekend. We decided this would be a good oppurtunity for us to get our feet wet camping with Luka. We LOVE camping, and have been dying to take her with us. She is just about mobile and we thought it would be a good idea to learn what we need before taking a longer trip over Fathers day - when--- well she might just be mobile!!! We're talking walking people! The trip was great. We literally did not bring any thing but a case of beer, a package of cookies,  some chips and dip, and our tent.... oh yea, and a load of Luka things. ;) 

The Kostelecky crew took care of our every other need. And the camp site was so nice and giant. Lauren, Drew and Nicholas really had a good time helping us with her. Hats off to Lauren who was pretty much our baby sitter the entire time. We were able to sit and chat by the fire and know Lu was in good hands. Luka loved her and the boys. 

Eating Lunch with her boys.

Rocks

How cute are Drew and Nicholas. CUTE! There's the red bridge in the background.

Luka's cowboy, Wayne.

Hiking with papa and The Kosteleckys.

Trying to kiss Drew through the tent.

Her captive audience.

Lauren and the doggie taking Lu to the river... c'mon are those are capable hands, or what? Even the dog was waiting to protect her!

Yea Drew! Play in my tent with me!

Thanks guys for having us and treating us so kindly. We'll be back next year if you'll have us!