Drew decked out in his game gear
Garrett and Drew in their gear
The name just fitsSunday, August 23, 2009
Football has begun
The boys started football mini-camps in July and official practices started the first week of August. Yesterday, both of their teams participated in an invitational. Each team played two 30 minute "games" - 15 minutes on offense and 15 minutes on defense. The regular season doesn't start until September 12th. A couple of pictures from yesterday are below.
Drew decked out in his game gear
Garrett and Drew in their gear
The name just fits
Drew decked out in his game gearGarrett and Drew in their gearThe name just fits
Sunday, July 27, 2008
San Diego Family Vacation
After getting back from LCCE we had one day to prepare before flying to San Diego early in the morning on Tuesday, July 22nd. We had a great time seeing lots of great sites and visiting with family from North Carolina and Oregon. Kelly's cousin's family from North Carolina also visited San Diego the same time we were there and stayed in the same hotel. Kelly's sister was in town visiting a good friend and went to Sea World with us, as well as volunteering to baby sit 5 kids while we went out to dinner.
We landed in San Diego around 10am and after picking up our rental car, drove to Old Town. We visited Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and walked around Old Town. The kids enjoyed visiting the San Diego Sheriff's Museum. They had many interesting displays including a motorcycle that the kids could sit on and turn on the siren. I found my first geocache in the state of California. After leaving Old Town, we headed to Qualcomm Stadium so Garrett could visit the team store of his favorite football team - the San Diego Chargers. He was overwhelmed with joy walking into the store. We went to the Gaslamp Quarter for dinner at a sushi restaurant with our NC cousins.
The second day we headed north to Carlsbad to visit Legoland California. It was amazing to see all the things they created out of Legos. The miniature replicas of US and world sites were very impressive. The kids had fun going on rides and looking at everything. Drew even got to perform onstage during a show. We got to the park about an hour after they opened and didn't leave until just before they closed for the day. There is definitely a lot to see. On the way back to the hotel, we got our In and Out Burger fix since we don't visit Southern California very often.
On the third day, we visited Sea World. Kelly's sister, Tracey, met us at the park. We watched three shows - Killer whales, dolphins (got soaked), and pets. We fed dolphins (except Garrett didn't want to touch the fish) and touched bat rays. Just before leaving for the day, we went on the Journey to Atlantis ride. Drew and I sat in the front and got absolutely soaked. Garrett thought he was going to throw up and did not enjoy the experience at all. That night, Tracey watched all the kids while the other adults went out to eat. We went to the Gaslamp District again, but went to a very good Italian restaurant this time. The Gaslamp District was a little busier then the other night because Comic-Con had started the day before at the nearby convention center. There were lots of interesting people walking around San Diego during Comic-Con.
On Friday, we went shopping at Seaport Village on the water near downtown San Diego. After lunch we went to the USS Midway aircraft carrier just around the corner from Seaport Village. We took an audio tour of the entire ship. I gained even more respect for sailors that serve on carriers. There are many planes and helicopters on display in the flight hangar and the flight deck. We caught the last tour of the day of the island, seeing where the captain, navigator, and flight bosses sit and view the ship. The real tour guides and helpers were veterans, many of them served on the Midway. The kids were very worn out when we finished touring the ship. They got a little nap on the way back to the hotel and then played in the pool with their cousins.
Our last day in San Diego, we did some exploring along the coast. Our flight didn't leave until 6pm, so we had most of the day to explore. We drove north of Mission Bay west to Mission Boulevard and La Jolla Boulevard to Torrey Pines Road. We stopped at Torrey Pines Golf Course, home of the 2008 US Open, and visited the pro shop. After leaving the golf course, we headed north to Torrey Pines State Reserve and hiked along a loop trail that took us through some Torrey Pines and out on top of cliffs above the ocean. Leaving the Reserve, we headed south to the Torrey Pines Glider Port and watched paragliders land and take off from the top of a cliff south of the golf course. Our hunger took us back to La Jolla for lunch at the La Jolla Brew House where I enjoyed a couple of locally brewed beers with lunch. After lunch, we walked around La Jolla before heading south back towards Mission Bay before returning the rental car and heading to the airport.
We would have loved to stay longer, but I don't think the boys could have handled it. They were very tired and ready to come home. The boys had so much fun; they both talk about what they want to do when we go back to San Diego. Kelly and I had a great time as well, from seeing the sites to spending time with cousins, it was a great trip.
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Listening to: The Killers - Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf
via FoxyTunes
We landed in San Diego around 10am and after picking up our rental car, drove to Old Town. We visited Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and walked around Old Town. The kids enjoyed visiting the San Diego Sheriff's Museum. They had many interesting displays including a motorcycle that the kids could sit on and turn on the siren. I found my first geocache in the state of California. After leaving Old Town, we headed to Qualcomm Stadium so Garrett could visit the team store of his favorite football team - the San Diego Chargers. He was overwhelmed with joy walking into the store. We went to the Gaslamp Quarter for dinner at a sushi restaurant with our NC cousins.
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| San Diego - Day 1 |
The second day we headed north to Carlsbad to visit Legoland California. It was amazing to see all the things they created out of Legos. The miniature replicas of US and world sites were very impressive. The kids had fun going on rides and looking at everything. Drew even got to perform onstage during a show. We got to the park about an hour after they opened and didn't leave until just before they closed for the day. There is definitely a lot to see. On the way back to the hotel, we got our In and Out Burger fix since we don't visit Southern California very often.
 |
| San Diego - Day 2 |
On the third day, we visited Sea World. Kelly's sister, Tracey, met us at the park. We watched three shows - Killer whales, dolphins (got soaked), and pets. We fed dolphins (except Garrett didn't want to touch the fish) and touched bat rays. Just before leaving for the day, we went on the Journey to Atlantis ride. Drew and I sat in the front and got absolutely soaked. Garrett thought he was going to throw up and did not enjoy the experience at all. That night, Tracey watched all the kids while the other adults went out to eat. We went to the Gaslamp District again, but went to a very good Italian restaurant this time. The Gaslamp District was a little busier then the other night because Comic-Con had started the day before at the nearby convention center. There were lots of interesting people walking around San Diego during Comic-Con.
 |
| San Diego - Day 3 |
On Friday, we went shopping at Seaport Village on the water near downtown San Diego. After lunch we went to the USS Midway aircraft carrier just around the corner from Seaport Village. We took an audio tour of the entire ship. I gained even more respect for sailors that serve on carriers. There are many planes and helicopters on display in the flight hangar and the flight deck. We caught the last tour of the day of the island, seeing where the captain, navigator, and flight bosses sit and view the ship. The real tour guides and helpers were veterans, many of them served on the Midway. The kids were very worn out when we finished touring the ship. They got a little nap on the way back to the hotel and then played in the pool with their cousins.
 |
| San Diego - Day 4 |
Our last day in San Diego, we did some exploring along the coast. Our flight didn't leave until 6pm, so we had most of the day to explore. We drove north of Mission Bay west to Mission Boulevard and La Jolla Boulevard to Torrey Pines Road. We stopped at Torrey Pines Golf Course, home of the 2008 US Open, and visited the pro shop. After leaving the golf course, we headed north to Torrey Pines State Reserve and hiked along a loop trail that took us through some Torrey Pines and out on top of cliffs above the ocean. Leaving the Reserve, we headed south to the Torrey Pines Glider Port and watched paragliders land and take off from the top of a cliff south of the golf course. Our hunger took us back to La Jolla for lunch at the La Jolla Brew House where I enjoyed a couple of locally brewed beers with lunch. After lunch, we walked around La Jolla before heading south back towards Mission Bay before returning the rental car and heading to the airport.
 |
| San Diego - Day 5 |
We would have loved to stay longer, but I don't think the boys could have handled it. They were very tired and ready to come home. The boys had so much fun; they both talk about what they want to do when we go back to San Diego. Kelly and I had a great time as well, from seeing the sites to spending time with cousins, it was a great trip.
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Listening to: The Killers - Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf
via FoxyTunes
Monday, July 21, 2008
2008 Lake Chelan Camping Extravaganza
This year's LCCE had several firsts: first time we went this late in July, first time we only had three families, and first time we saw mice at LCSP (some closer than others, right Kelly?). We had great weather with high's in the 90's. Our new camp sites provided plenty of shade for relief from the blazing Eastern Washington sun. We had a great time as usual. Our time was spent playing at the beach, relaxing at camp, geocaching while getting firewood, and I even went out exploring a nearby Forest Service road. Not being real big on sitting and baking in the sun, I went on a drive up the lake and west across Shady Pass Road (narrow dirt/rock Forest Service Road connecting Lakeshore Drive and Entiat River Road). I stopped approximately 15 miles up the road at the site of a former forest fire lookout tower called Junior Point at an elevation of 6650 feet. Click on the picture below for more pictures from our camping trip.
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Listening to: Raconteurs - Old Enough
via FoxyTunes
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| 2008 Lake Chelan Camping Extravagan |
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Listening to: Raconteurs - Old Enough
via FoxyTunes
My Color is Crimson
My Color is Crimson
Gridiron Classic
Football season is almost here!! Garrett starts practice a week from today.
Gridiron Classic
Football season is almost here!! Garrett starts practice a week from today.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Alta Lake Camping Trip
Garrett and I had so much fun camping with Kaelen and his dad, Mike, at Alta Lake State Park last June, that we decided to make it a family trip this year. We left Friday afternoon and got to the campground about 6pm. The Simpson's had arrived about an hour earlier and found a spot for us. After getting unpacked and set up, we had a nice relaxing evening.
Saturday morning after breakfast, we went for a hike to the top of the ridge overlooking the campground just like we did last year. This year it was a little warmer. After the hike we went to the swimming beach to cool off and keep cool in the afternoon with the daytime temperature approaching 100 degrees. While at the beach, I recognized someone that was a grade behind me in middle and high school that I haven't seen in over 10 years. After spending the afternoon at the beach we had a nice dinner and relaxing evening.
Sunday morning we packed up after breakfast. The Simpson's were going to stop and watch a movie in Leavenworth and we decided to take a different way home. We took Hwy 153 to Hwy 20, the North Cascades Highway. It was a beautiful drive through an area we had never been before. We saw lots of great sites that makes us eager to return and explore more. It was another fun camping trip with friends. Click on the picture below to see more pictures.
Saturday morning after breakfast, we went for a hike to the top of the ridge overlooking the campground just like we did last year. This year it was a little warmer. After the hike we went to the swimming beach to cool off and keep cool in the afternoon with the daytime temperature approaching 100 degrees. While at the beach, I recognized someone that was a grade behind me in middle and high school that I haven't seen in over 10 years. After spending the afternoon at the beach we had a nice dinner and relaxing evening.
Sunday morning we packed up after breakfast. The Simpson's were going to stop and watch a movie in Leavenworth and we decided to take a different way home. We took Hwy 153 to Hwy 20, the North Cascades Highway. It was a beautiful drive through an area we had never been before. We saw lots of great sites that makes us eager to return and explore more. It was another fun camping trip with friends. Click on the picture below to see more pictures.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Skater Dude
Garrett finished a 5 day skate board "camp" at the YMCA in Mukilteo. He was in a beginner's camp, so he learned the basics. He attended camp for 3 hours a day. For as "poor" of a board as he has, he got pretty good by the end of the week. The Mukilteo YMCA has a very nice skate park and the camp counselors were great. Garrett had a blast and now skates with confidence.
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Listening to: Van Morrison - Dweller On The Threshold
via FoxyTunes
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Baseball Saturday
Our Saturday, May 17th was filled with baseball. Garrett played his Little League game in the morning. He got to pitch for the first time in a game. He pitched well, but needs to work on his speed. After his game, we told him we were going someplace and that it was a surprise. We went to Seattle and met Kelly's sister Tracey and her husband Jeff. The kids were happy to see their aunt and uncle. We walked to the Seattle waterfront, ate lunch, and looked at shops. When we got back to our cars, Tracey and Jeff gave Garrett his birthday present. He opened up a present which he loved, then he opened a birthday card and read that we were all going to the Mariner game that night. He could hardly contain his excitement. This weekend was Little League weekend at Safeco Field. Kelly, Garrett, Drew, and I waited in line and got to walk in a parade around the baseball field with other Little Leaguers and their families. The game was exciting and the Mariner's won. It was a very nice evening since the high temperature for the day was about 85 degrees. Below are some pictures from our day. At the bottom is a video of Garrett playing baseball.
The boys with the Mariner Moose
View from our seats
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