Friday, July 23, 2010

Summer Fun

When Mama finally finished recording her new CD and we moved all our stuff into our new house, then summer for the Russells could finally begin. We started off our playtime in the sunshine by making a trip to Grand Coulee, Washington, to visit some dear friends who lived there. On the way home, we swung through the Cascade Mountains for a visit to my family's cabin in Plain. The kids LOVED the playground and swimming pool.

And here are the kids in our new house, playing Little People in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Our house boasts nice hardwood floors, plenty of light, and fun spaces for playing.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Samuel is Two!

Samuel turned two just a few weeks ago on July 22nd. It’s hard for me to believe he’s already been a part of our family for more than two years now. He continues to delight us with his wonderful sense of humor, his warm smiles, and his enthusiasm for just about everything.

His favorite thing in the world right now is a tractor, so we made that the theme of his party. Aaron designed his signature cake (free hand, of course) for the party, and Sam was surrounded by family and friends as he welcomed in his third year of life.

The time goes quickly by, and sometimes I mourn the loss of my son’s infancy that seems to be entirely gone, but I’m also so grateful to know the little person he is becoming, and I give thanks every day for the bright sunshine that he brings to our lives.

Happy birthday, Sam!

Picking Strawberries

On Monday, July 21st, Mom, Maya and I took a little trip up to Biringer Farms in Arlington to pick some strawberries. It reminded me of the dozens of times we picked berries together when I was a child. Maya went for the first time, and boy, was she delighted.


The berries we got were gorgeous--big, red, and full of flavor. We came home and made six batches of jam, then froze the rest for eating later. Yummy.

One of the biggest blessings being back in the Northwest is having the chance to return to some of these wonderful childhood traditions with my own kids. I have a feeling that picking berries is something we'll do again and again as the years go on.