Mt. Rainier

We will only be in the Northwest for another 9 months or so. One of the things we love most here is Mt. Rainier. We hadn't been yet this summer, so the other day we decided to take a break from our crazy summer and go. Getting up there really does feel like getting out of Dodge. See the comments below for little things I like about this slideshow, and otherwise, you should come see us before we leave. We might even take you to our beautiful Mt. Rainier.

Favorite thing #1: Happy kids. I don't know if it's this way in your family, but it seems that when you have lots of kids, it is a serious challenge to find an activity that they all enjoy, and even when you find one, it's often hard just for everyone to relax and chill out at the same moment in time. While four of them might be just fine while we're on an outing, there will be one who is mad or in trouble or hormonal (wait, that might be me) or teasing or being disobedient or perhaps just being terribly noisy. This day though, the stars aligned, and it worked out.

#2: My kids making a train. It's just cute.

#3: Tanner holding Annie's hand and Audrey piggybacking Ethan. Again, kids getting along, being helpful... Good heavens, what more could you want in a day?

#4: The look on Ethan's face while running with a snowball.

#5: The snowball fight in general. The kids love that there is often snow up there year-round.

#6: Annie Grace running away from the snowball fight. Look carefully in the background.

#7: The swift and sure snowball retribution that Tanner gets after pelting his dad.

#8: The beautiful photo of Ethan and also the ones of Gary and Audrey looking at the Nisqually glacier.

#9: Just throwing in here that I can't believe Audrey is almost as tall as Gary. When did this happen?

#10: Lauren's hair. I just like it. I wish I had it. You know.

#11: Tanner's "Don't be a meadow stomper" button. He put it on his hindparts and then called it a BUTT-ON all day long. And then if we were trying to ignore him and act like we didn't get it he'd say "You know, because it's ON my BUTT" Oh no, he's not a thirteen year old boy.

#12: The look on Gary's face when I'm kissing him.

#13: The fact that Gary is carrying my flowery backpack in most of these photos.

#14: I don't really have another one, but my husband is what I find to be humorishly superstitious, so just for you honey, I didn't end on thirteen. I've even tried to convince my better half that thirteen is a good number. My parents were married on the thirteenth, Friday the thirteenth even, but so far he's not buying it.