Family photo shoot 2011

Fine, you can disregard the post below. I got ambitious and decided to post the pictures from our family photo shoot this summer. It sounded more interesting than picking out Aubrey's hand writing assignments for this week.

I couldn't be happier with how our photos turned out. Aren't they awesome?! Our talented photographer was also our long time friend Eric Strate (best man in our wedding). He doesn't do anything half hearted and when he decided to pursue photography he didn't just buy a Canon Rebel and call himself a pro. He has great equipment, top notch photography skills, and a lot of good ideas for the photos themselves. He spent nearly two hours with our family, kept his patience with the Johanna meltdown, took tons of beautiful pictures, retouched them, and was worth every penny. His prices are very reasonable and he does beautiful work. Yep, this is his free plug from us and he is worth it!

Check out his other photos on his website, www.ericstratephotography.com. Get a hold of him. Have him take your pretty pictures. You won't regret it.

Dear blog

Dear Blog,

I really do want to post again someday.

Aubrey had an awesome 7th birthday.

We had gorgeous family photos taken.

Homeschooling is going really well.

There is an epic story to tell involving me, my four children, and flu shots. We barely survived. A nurse was physically harmed. Five people in this story cried. Greg brought me home a cherry pepsi and dove chocolates post flu shot horror.

Nathan and Dane are in gymnastics. Aubrey is taking piano and art. I am home schooling and baby-sitting two afternoons a week and trying to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Upward basketball starts in four weeks. Nathan is playing, Aubrey is cheering, Daddy is coaching.

Greg's own rec basketball team is starting up for the season.

WE NEVER SIT DOWN.

EVER.

Maybe blog pictures tomorrow??

Love, Sara

It's show time

First day of home schooling.

Went well.

YET...

Perfectly lovely elementary school two blocks from my house.

Am I crazy??

I don't think so, at least not yet.

Pictures to come, I didn't want to post them until I was done sewing us all matching denim jumpers and crocheted vests.

Death by knock knock joke

Baby poop everywhere? Lots of patience. Allowing the kids to play in dry rice and beans in the kitchen? Anytime. Wearing your superhero costumes everywhere? Sure thing.

But KNOCK KNOCK JOKES, oh how I hate thee.

These things have become a staple at every meal. At best they are silly, at worst they are disgusting, and have many shades in between. Trust me when I say, they are rarely funny. Mostly they are stupid and drive me crazy. Why do they annoy me so badly? That I don't know but here are a couple of typical ones that I endured during dinner tonight. (Oh, and they refuse to tell them to anyone other than me. How sweet.)

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Poopy tooty.
Poopy tooty who?
Poopy tooty blah blu blooty.

Knock knock.
Who's there?
(After much looking around, trying to think of something, sees our fruit bowl.) Oranges.
Oranges who?
I want to eat some oranges.

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Flip flops.
Flip flops who?
Flip flops go on your shlip shlops.

See, you're starting to go crazy too, huh?

A yuppy family and their tent trailer

This summer we became the proud owners of a second hand tent trailer. We took it on its maiden voyage the end of June to Greg's family's annual camp out and gave it two very enthusiastic thumbs up. Real beds to sleep on! Water from the faucet! (Or, there would have been, had we remembered the hook up hose.) Heat at night! Plus, there is nothing quiet as sexy as a mini van with a faded paint job hauling a tent trailer. We are going to take it out again one more time this summer. We figured that twice in the first summer was a good goal with our young family and that we'll just get more enjoyment in the years to come.

Enjoy the camping pictures. We had a wonderful time and there were several moments, as our three older kids played with cousins or zoomed past on their bikes, that Greg and I looked at each other and said, "Is this getting easier??" Of course, now that I have said this, Dane will take a flying leap off the bunk bed and break both his arms. But still, life does seem easier these days. And happy.

Danskin Triathlon 2011

Last January my dear friend Jenny, friend for life and mom of two, called me from Olympia and said, "I think you should do a sprint triathlon with me next summer."

At the time I had a six month old baby, not to mention my other three kids. I was horribly out of shape and had zero desire to do a triathlon. Except I did kind of want to. I told her I would think about it.

I asked Greg what he thought. He looked at me with great skepticism and said, "I"ll believe it when I see it." Don't pass judgement on the guy, I was thinking the same thing. Besides, I HATED TO SWIM. And when would I find the time to workout? So I didn't blame him for saying it but it did ignite a little fire in me.

Then I talked to my other dear friend Angela, also a mom of four with a six month old baby, and asked her if she'd do it. She said no. Then she said yes. Then she said she'd think about it.

My sister-in-law Julie, mom of my sweet nephew Jonny, was in from the very beginning. "Sure, I'll do it."

Eventually, each in our own way, we all committed to completing our first triathlon together in August.

My first work out was a Jillian Michael's video that left me nauseated it was so hard.

My first swim was for 12 minutes and I was exhausted.

I had to get up at 5:30 a.m. to do my workouts in the morning.

BUT THEN.....














We all did it. 1/2 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike, 5 k (3.2 miles) run. I did it in 1:35:25. We all met or exceeded our personal time goals. It was awesome and I can't wait to do another one. Good job girls, we rocked it!!

p.s. If you are just checking my blog out in a while, keep scrolling down, I posted twice in one day, Wonders never cease.

Betcha missed me

So, summer has came and is nearly gone already. We have eaten it up. My dreams of days of leisurely backyard play and popcicles haven't been as plentiful as I had hoped. Instead we have packed the time with camping trips, a week long Seaside vacation, swimming lessons, Greg and I both completing our first sprint triathlons, swimming lessons, a family photo shoot, BBQs with friends, birthdays, and enough backyard play to keep us all happy and sane. Many times this summer Nathan has told me, "THIS IS MY BEST DAY EVER!!!"

Prepare yourself for two months worth of photos. We are kinda cute.

Angela, Sara, Jenny, and Julie after completing our FIRST Danskin triathlon!

Wetsuit beauties

Greg and Justin with ALL THEIR kids after completing the Race the River triathlon

Silverwood with the Baerlocher fam . We would take up every single ride with just our families.

Dane and Gracie, two lovebirds blossoming in the Savannah

The whole Silverwood clan. Seven kids, four adults, and we actually had fun!

You think this is bad, wait until you see the faces Dane made in EVERY shot during family photos.

These are a bunch of shots from the 4th of July. We celebrated in Liberty Lake and had a great time as a family. The little kids were invited to dance during the music and Aubrey and Dane shook it until it wouldn't shake anymore!

There are still pictures from camping trips, Seaside, and maybe an entire post dedicated to the girl's triathlon, but I think this is a good start, no? You gotta give a girl a few days, and posts, to play catch up with.