For the last couple of days, Erin has been pouring chocolate into molds and baking chocolate ginger bread.  When I arrived home from work, her and the kids had just finished building a haunted house made entirely of edible treats.  Is it really almost the holiday season already? 

Click on the picture to view the original size

Since the time Nathan found out that the Space Needle had a restaurant in it, he’s wanted to eat there.  So we figured that his 9th birthday was as good of an excuse as any to let us (the adults) splurge under the guise of celebrating our oldest child’s 9th birthday.  So with that, we called a sitter for the Ian and Cole and took Nathan, with special guest ‘Cookie Gramma’ and rode the elevator up to the top of the space needle for dinner.  Nathan was enamored with the view and the fact that the restaurant rotated.  Not so excited about having to wait longer than it takes to get a burger at Red Robin, for his food.  Here are a few shots from our adventure last night.

Erin, Nathan and me before dinner

The view on the way up to the top of the needle

Nathan and ‘Cookie Gramma’ on the elevator

Nathan enjoying the view before dinner

Gotta have a birthday milkshake!

Nathan’s ‘lunar orbiter’ dessert

Nine years old today.

We were blessed with another amazing weekend.  Nathan had his weekly soccer match Saturday afternoon and we decided to then drive over to the salmon hatchery in Issaquah.  Next week is the official Salmon days in Issaquah, so we thought we’d get a jump on the crowds and then grab a bite at the brewery next door. 

Watching the salmon jump

Nathan and Ian learned about salmon’s developmental stages

I broke out the macro lens today to grab a few shots of a spider that wove a web just outside of our bedroom window.  Hard to believe that this spider is only about the size of a pencil eraser.  For the full effect, click on the pictures to see the full size image

Ian had his first soccer game at Pine Lake Park on Friday followed by Nathan’s game at 8:15 this morning.  Both he and Nathan have been lucky enough to find that they are generally on the same team as last year so there are many familiar faces.  It amazes me how much Ian has improved in just the last year in terms of coordination.  They are both having a blast so far.  Nathan is really excited about honing his skills as goal keeper.  Erin took him to a goal keeping clinic last week while I was in California.  Here are just a few shots from last night and Nathan’s game this morning. 

Ian practicing his passing skills

Ian going for the ball during their game

Not quite a full moon last night as we were leaving the game

Nathan going after the ball

On the side lines

Cole helping mom film Nathan’s game

Goal keeper

Throwing the ball to a team mate

 Nathan thinking about where he wants to throw the ball

I downloaded a bunch of shots Erin took yesterday at the park where Nathan practices soccer and loved them so much that I decided I had to post a bunch of them to the blog.  I just couldn’t choose a few!  Don’t these capture Cole’s little spirit so well?  BTW, sorry there aren’t more of Ian but I’m told that he wasn’t in the best of moods yesterday

I’ve also uploaded each of these pictures to Flickr in case you want to download the originals to print.  If you have time, leave Erin a comment below and let her know how good of a photographer she is!

Serious Cole

Got apples?

These apples? 

Cole resting on a rock

I’m told that this is Ian throwing his apples up into the air, probably to try and splat them on the pavement below

This year, Nathan and Ian are both attending the same school!  Ian’s starting 1st grade and Nathan’s entering 3rd grade.  Today was day two and so far so good in terms of them both liking their teachers and the other kids in their class.  Tomorrow, we’re pulling the kids out of school just before the end of the day to travel to Camp Orkila with several other families.  The funny thing is that when Erin told Nathan that we would be picking him up around 2PM tomorrow, he was concerned because he’s really excited to learn cursive writing and he doesn’t want to miss anything

Ian and Nathan just before they walked to their first day of school

Erin outdid herself once again by putting together a party to celebrate Ian’s 7 years.  Battle lines were drawn in the backyard and once teams were chosen, the kids went through probably close to 400 water balloons while also dousing each other with super soaker squirt guns.  I think it’s safe to say that the kids were in heaven.  Click on any of the pictures below to see a slideshow with a bunch more!

Ian in combat mode

Nathan strategically lobbing a water balloon to the other side

Cole getting in on the action

Ian wanted cupcakes this year instead of a cake.

Looks like it takes a birthday to get me to finally update the blog.  We’ve been enjoying the summer although between the unseasonably cool and wet weather combined with the kids going back to school next week, I think it’s safe to say that it is officially over. 

Picture of the birthday boy

Ian showing Nathan one of his newly opened presents. 

It’s never too early to look forward to the next Olympic games.  Thanks Aunt Amanda!!

One of my mom’s work colleagues and his wife have a beautiful home overlooking the sound on Alki beach.  They invited us over to witness one of the lowest tides of the year that happened to occur just after noon on the 4th of July.  Even better, they are less than a couple of hundred yards down the beach from the ferry terminal/pier where tons of sea life is exposed when the tide goes out. 

Here are a bunch of shots I took during the afternoon and more if you click here or on the pictures below. 

the starfish were everywhere!

6+ starfish on this one piling alone!

Nathan and Ian exploring the sea floor

Cole checking his net for captives

Cool looking starfish

These mussels were attached to a ladder that is completely submerged when the tide is in

Cole shifting to look for sea glass on the beach

I love it when Erin’s freckles come out in the Summertime