new toys for the grandkids

Doug being Doug, has been building again.

 His newest creation is a walkway over a very wet soggy area in our yard.Then it got expanded to include a big sand box with a new climbing wall.

Wonder if Brady will be one of those athletes who always has their tongue hanging out!

OK- Isabell did grab a hold.

Though no one seems to have figured how to use the holds, they just all climb up the rails. It has big steps on the other side.

 You can stand on the top and be the king of the world as Alesha and Peyton are demonstrating.( though we all wonder if maybe it needs rails for safety??)  One thing Peyton and Brady loved to do, was climb to the top and jump to you. Never mind if you were looking at them. One time Peyton came flying off the top towards me. I turned around just in time to see him hit my chest and fly to the ground hitting his
head on the bottom step. Poor little guy ! He had quite the cry!

  There is a steering wheel and you can play underneath.

Then he built these really cool lights. I just love them!!!

Parker seems pretty happy about the new walk ways!

Isabell and Madison climbing to the top!

After a bit of sand and climbing they headed to the trampoline for some fun.

Also, last week I TRIED to do a photo shoot of the grandkids .It was not very successful. Brady did OK for a few shots, Madison  and Parker were not here so they don't count.

I did however  get a few fun moment photos.

best I could get of Isabell and Ellie( 2 3/4 yrs and 7 months)

After one shot Isabell was done. Peyton decided to fill in!

After changing clothes Isabell did come back for one more shot.

And I loved it when Isabell and Peyton hoped into the big trunk. Isabell got a Popsicle,(not sure why Peyton did not get one),But he asked her so cute if she would share her Popsicle with him.( for Peyton this also shows a huge growth in his development).

                                                                  She said yes!

Dance & Drill

A couple of weeks ago I spent the weekend in Yakima with Melia at one of my favorite WIAA events.

Not my favorite to shoot,( I really need better upper body strength for this event. We sit on the main floor in beach chairs. 5 hrs straight- no getting up for any reason. Melia can testify to how much Advil I had to take as my arms started to really burn after the first few hrs.), but my favorite to watch.

  If you have never been and you love dancing and music you should give this a try sometime.

    They have your more basic dance stuff that resembles cheer. They are Pom and Military. I was really surprised the first time I saw Military.

    Sometimes the pom dancers branch out a bit with fun customes and music.

 Then there is Kick. They are fun. But, by day two it's harder to impress me.

There is Dance- think a cross between ballet and modern. They are generally slow emotional things. Good but, not my bag of tea.

There is tons of Hip Hop! It is really big.  They are generally pretty fun to watch. Lots of cool costumes and moves. Some of the music is good some .....so so.

One of the schools did a military thing. about a guy going to war and dying. it was done really well. Lots of people crying in stands. Some of the dancers had gotten into it so much emotionally that they were crying as they left the floor.

And my very favorite is prop. Some prop is flag stuff which is OK. But some are like a song from a musical. Lots of props and lots going on all over.  it's just really fun to watch.

This year they did not have as many of them as they had in the past and quality was not as good over all. I think they are expensive to produce and require a very talented leader.
 One of the one's that won the 4A was not my favorite,but was extremely well done.

They end the night with a "lights out" parade of dancers. The energy in the place is incredible. Most everyone including fans and parents comes prepared with light-up items.
After the lights come back on it's award time, then everyone heads home.

 I hope I've given you a small taste of this fun event and some of you, especially with daughters might really enjoy this. Till I started shooting it I did not know it existed.

madison 3rd B-day

Madison turned 3 on March 29th. We celebrated at "Charlie's Safari" in Olympia and back at her home.

The toddler area is full of big blow-up things you can climb, slide and jump on. It was lots of fun.

Then we headed back to Madison's for some presents and cake.

Peyton tried to help Madison with her Presents.

She had a Disney Princess ice cream cake from baskin robbins.

                                          Peyton and her dad help her blow out the candles

                                   After her guests left she pulled out her new cake decorating playdoh to have alittle bit more birthday fun before bedtime!!!!!