Happy Boatday Eli!!!!

Today is Eli's 2nd Birthday. We had the party last week so we celebrated in a little more relaxed style in Moses Lake...boating and tubing! Eli LOVED it!

Kelly and Mom

Eli relaxing with a mouth full of sandwich

Kelly and Eli

The tubers taking a swim break with Uncle Barry

Our chaffeur

Mommy and Eli

Today was the first time Caleb and Eli went tubing...what a blast!!!  They loved it!  We all did!

Daddy's Motorcycle Adventure

Kevin met up with Aaron in Chelan to head out with some friends on a motorcycle adventure...  Nana and Papa were there visiting the Fode's too.

 The Hobie Cat

Nana

Ahhh...life at the lake.  

Getting their bikes ready to go

Riding in flip flops...I think not!!!

Soccer camp

Caleb and Miles with their medals.

Caleb with his medal and his "squishy crab" toy that he picked out on day #4 of camp.

Showing his medal to Ezra.

That's Caleb with his coach Nick, to the left of the screen.

Caleb again on the "big" screen...holding the soccer ball.

Checking out their medals.  Cool!

Mission trip to Bridgeport
Kevin and another man from Living Water began preparations for a local mission trip to help a church in Bridgeport Wa (Eastern Washington). This summer was a scouting trip where they planned to help the church hog down a field and prep it so the church could mow the field easily. Poppie and Seth came along for the ride and to help out. On the way over a deer ran into the side of the truck when Kevin was driving. Second deer Poppie has had run into his truck. I guess it is better than the truck running into them.
The days were spent digging out rocks and weeds, walking the field to look for garbage and mowing down the grass. It was a great trip spent serving and eating phenomenal Mexican food. And it was Kevin and Seth's first mission trip.

 Seth found and albino praying mantis while on a break.

 Celebrating a job well done on one of our piles of rocks.

 One of the two Mexican food restaurants. Best tacos ever!.

 Downtown Bridgeport.

 Chief Joseph Dam. On the other side are record hybrid trout just waiting for the catching. Poppie was disappointed he didn't bring his fishing gear.

 Picking fresh cherries with Pastor John.

 Seth was the only one brave enough to swim in the river. It was pretty much like swimming in water fresh of the glacier. As you can see from the clearly refreshed look on Seth's face.

This week...

Kelly headed off to Mexico for a much deserved vacation with her girlfriends this week.  Which means one thing for us...well, two things, really.  Seth and Ezra!!!  The boys have been spending the week at our place and at Grammy and Poppy's.  Seth spent the first part of the week non-stop fishing with Poppy.  Ezra was at our house and attended two birthday parties already this week, plus Eli's 2nd Birthday pictures and playdates and a kayaking adventure with Kevin.  A full, fun week for all of us.  I am so glad we get to spend this time with the boys!

Bella and Ethan's Birthday

This evening we headed out to the Postier house to celebrate Bella and Ethan's Birthdays. We had to take the Edwards Suburban since we had Seth, Ezra, Court, Bro, Caleb and Eli. The kids had a great time playing on the trampoline and in the lake. We had a delicious dinner and then had ice cream cake and the kids opened presents. What a GREAT evening with some GREAT folks!

The Birthday Boy...turning 8

Brody

Eli...being shy.

The birthday girl...turning 7.

Kayaking on a gorgeous afternoon

Caleb and Ezra spent a few hours kayaking with Kevin this afternoon. They saw starfish, jellyfish, a geoduck, crabs and a mama & baby seal. Ezra had never seen a geoduck before.

 Ezra with a geoduck and a lollipop...hope he remembers which one to lick!

 Happy kayakers!

 Finding crabs at Burfoot Park

Thrilled to be having their picture taken...

Mama and Baby seal by the marina

Eli's 2nd Birthday

Connie, Don, Nana, Papa, Grammy, Poppy, Scott, Jenn, Anna, Jessica, Seth and Ezra joined the Happy Rus Bunch to celebrate Eli's 2nd birthday a bit early (he turns 2 next Sunday) this Sunday morning. We celebrated with a birthday brunch and a BLUE elephant cake....just perfect.

Papa and Eli with the elephant cake, designed and made by Nana

Elephant cake!

Brunch!

Opening presents

Yummy cake

Showing off his new ride...thanks Nana and Papa for the Harley!