Katie and Luke befriending a camel
The elephant show
The train ride
Katie cooling off
Abby surrounded by hungry baby goats!
Abby befriending a horse
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Grant's Farm
Not far from our house, there is an awesome place called Grant's Farm. Once a summer resort owned by Ulysses S. Grant, it's a beautiful animal preserve that is now owned by Anheuser-Busch (the Budweiser family), so it's free to the public! They even hand out free beer to those who want it. :) We had a great time there, and Abby keeps asking when we can go back and feed the baby goats.
Katie and Luke befriending a camel
The elephant show
The train ride
Katie cooling off
Abby surrounded by hungry baby goats!
Abby befriending a horse
Katie and Luke befriending a camel
The elephant show
The train ride
Katie cooling off
Abby surrounded by hungry baby goats!
Abby befriending a horse
Our Pad!
There are lots of pictures from our summer adventures that I'm hoping to post, but I keep getting requests for shots of our house. So . . . here we go!!
Conveniently left out is the basement, which is still full of boxes . . . not too exciting.
We really like this house so far and are starting to feel "at home" here. There are lots of little projects we have going on, but Luke has amazed me with his skills at figuring out how to fix things. It's actually in very good shape, for being 67 years-old!
I've really enjoyed planting the garden, which
already had some pretty perennials in it.
.
"Baby Brother's" room, all set up and ready for him
(except that we need to paint the lovely mauve walls
)
Going upstairs now, to Abby and Katie's territory . . .
Abby's room 
Abby's special closet where all her Calico Critters live
Katie's room
Abby and Katie love the sandbox! (It was created when the former owners took out the pool, since we didn't want it.)
Here is one of the cute bunny rabbits that hop and play in all the backyards
around us. And here is Katie doing one of her favorite new activities, bunny-watching!
Thanks for sticking with such a long post!
B-day pictures
Well, I had a great birthday on Friday, including dinner at the Olive Garden (yum!), where we only somewhat made a spectacle of ourselves. Then we enjoyed a decadently rich chocolate cake that Abby and I had made. It was fun to hear from several folks (thanks, everyone!) by phone and e-mail.
As his gift, Luke gave me the green light to pick out a piano!! So yesterday we went to see this one from Craigslist and decided to buy it. (Now we just have to fenagle a way to get it across town to our house . . . ) I'm so excited! In 7 years of marriage, we've never had our own piano. No more having to sneak over to the church building on Wednesday nights during youth activities to practice--I can do it at home! 
As his gift, Luke gave me the green light to pick out a piano!! So yesterday we went to see this one from Craigslist and decided to buy it. (Now we just have to fenagle a way to get it across town to our house . . . ) I'm so excited! In 7 years of marriage, we've never had our own piano. No more having to sneak over to the church building on Wednesday nights during youth activities to practice--I can do it at home! 
Friday, July 11, 2008
Last Few Adventures in Spokane
I have a lot of catching up to do, so I thought I'd start with some pictures of our last few adventures in Spokane: 
A visit from Luke's Uncle Paul and Grandpa Al, who live in the Seattle area. (Notice how huge the Spokane River is behind us. Raging!) It was great to see them.
Their visit coincided with their birthdays!
Katie with Great-Grandpa at Manito Park.
A super-fun overnight get-away to Leavenworth (about 3 1/2 hours from Spokane) with my friend Heidi (who lives in the Seattle area). We've been friends since 6th grade, and it was great to catch up together . . . and to be footloose and fancy-free for a day!
Heidi put together this cute collage of some sights in Leavenworth (which is nestled in the mountains and designed to look like a Bavarian village--very fun!).
A visit with our good friends, the Francis family. We sure miss them! We did a lot of babysitting trades and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A gorgeous sunset, as seen from one of Luke's bike rides along the Palouse Highway.
Abby's closing preschool program . . .
. . . and graduation picnic!
Luke with his fellow transitional-year interns at a graduation dinner.
Me with Audrey Ursic and Carly Dunn, fellow "resident wives." We had some fun playgroups while our husbands were working. I miss these friends already!
A visit to the beautiful Spokane Temple.
My mom, Lori, came up for a few days to help us move. She was a true hero! When she wasn't entertaining Abby and Katie, she was invariably down on her hands and knees with a scrub bucket . . . or helping me maintain my sanity through chocolate and laughter, our favorite combination. Thanks, Grannie!
Abby and Luke admiring the beautiful flowers at the temple.
We had a fabulous year in Spokane and are so glad we chose to go there for Luke's intern year! We'll miss the beautiful parks and scenery, and especially the wonderful people we met. The adventure continues now in St. Louis, and I'll post more soon!
Thanks for checking in!
A visit from Luke's Uncle Paul and Grandpa Al, who live in the Seattle area. (Notice how huge the Spokane River is behind us. Raging!) It was great to see them.
Their visit coincided with their birthdays!
Katie with Great-Grandpa at Manito Park.
A super-fun overnight get-away to Leavenworth (about 3 1/2 hours from Spokane) with my friend Heidi (who lives in the Seattle area). We've been friends since 6th grade, and it was great to catch up together . . . and to be footloose and fancy-free for a day!
Heidi put together this cute collage of some sights in Leavenworth (which is nestled in the mountains and designed to look like a Bavarian village--very fun!).
A visit with our good friends, the Francis family. We sure miss them! We did a lot of babysitting trades and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A gorgeous sunset, as seen from one of Luke's bike rides along the Palouse Highway.
Abby's closing preschool program . . .
. . . and graduation picnic!
Luke with his fellow transitional-year interns at a graduation dinner.
Me with Audrey Ursic and Carly Dunn, fellow "resident wives." We had some fun playgroups while our husbands were working. I miss these friends already!
A visit to the beautiful Spokane Temple.
My mom, Lori, came up for a few days to help us move. She was a true hero! When she wasn't entertaining Abby and Katie, she was invariably down on her hands and knees with a scrub bucket . . . or helping me maintain my sanity through chocolate and laughter, our favorite combination. Thanks, Grannie!
Abby and Luke admiring the beautiful flowers at the temple.
We had a fabulous year in Spokane and are so glad we chose to go there for Luke's intern year! We'll miss the beautiful parks and scenery, and especially the wonderful people we met. The adventure continues now in St. Louis, and I'll post more soon!
Thanks for checking in!
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