Joe's Birthday Police Car ride!

On the evening of Joe's birthday  - he got a ride in a state police car!

Joe and his friend Mason won an essay contest during the school year and it finally worked

for them to go with State Trooper Gavin Wilson.

I've known Gavin thru the pharmacy and he was excited to take the boys to dinner.

Joe's violation.

Great job boys. Thanks Gavin for taking time with these boys.

Joe really enjoyed it!

Birthday Celebrations Continued

More birthday celebrations!

On our actual birthday, mama had to work - in fact, it was my first day

back from our NorthWest Adventure!

But, a birthday party softened the blow!

Grandma Jean made a very special mini cheesecake for our work staff, delicious.

And new perty earrings from Blake!  Mint green and perfect for summer!

And of course Grandma went all out for Joe on his birthday lunch.

She's is the best.  

A message from Kia.

See,  I told you, delicious pitch in for me!

And a (new to him) phone for our newly 12 year old.  

Joe || 12 years of Joy

Lots of family gathered to celebrate Joe's birthday. 

I appreciate that.

And I wonder how my baby is 12.

But, then, I remember all the joy that has come in those 12 years.

Like this joy.

It's life like and contagious.

It's authentic and inspiring. 

Mama got flowers too from Anniston and Allison, I loved them!

Pretty nieces.

Earlier in the day, Sam and Joe helped

me get the porch ready and party decorations up!

He was outside ready for family!

And earlier in the day, mama made Joe a chocolate iced chocolate cake.

And it true Ashley fashion with baking/cooking it was a bit of  a learning curve, ha.

Joe was impressed with the cake.

I love this 12 year old.

So thankful for each of those 11 years together || 12 years in our hearts.

Our Summer Babies

Bear with the blog posts for a short bit!

This delay in blogging brought to you by IPhone woes.

And I have the pics on the phone and in ICloud but getting them here

has proven frustrating - so alas some sideways posts!

It's a little more like real life anyway, occasionally life skids sideways

for a bit and we are along for the ride.

Our first visit after our vacation was with our precious babes.

Mr Walker was so super sweet, look at his happy face.

And Quinn was getting her first taste of a new food.

Sam was excited to hold Walkr

Then take on Noah in a game of basketball game

North West Adventure || Pike Place Market, Seattle

We headed to Seattle after lunch with our friends so that we would be on time for our Friday morning flight from the airport.  We arrived into Seattle around 3 and what is there to do except go to the Public Market, of course!

We snagged a front row parking spot even though the market was crazy busy.

The hardest part about the market is the inability to take anything home with you!

Flowers and fresh food don't mix well on airplanes!

But, the rich sights and bustling sounds sure are something to behold.

And some things are rich enough to just be remembered!

Sam was in search of one thing that he remembered from our last trip here.

Fresh Rainer cherries.

We found them quickly and we also got 2 fresh peaches.

The produce is amazing, the colors are endless

We tried to put our pin on Indiana - I think it was covered!

And we found the famous fish market this trip _ I think we were so overwhelmed last trip 

we forgot to look!  Flying fish everywhere.  It was entertaining!

We lost Sam and Dan after they found their fruit, but Joe and I explored some more.

We didn't visit the space needle this trip but we saw it!

Our trip back to the hotel had us understanding why we spent the night before our flight out - the Seattle traffic! EEKS we couldn't get out of downtown!

Dan dropped the boys and I off at the hotel and returned the rental car to the airport rental place then took the shuttle to the airport.

He took the airport shuttle back to the hotel (thanks for the tip Nicole)...it saved us some time in the morning!  But, after he got back to the hotel we were a bit hungry!

We ordered our first Grub Hub - Taco Bell it was!

And this is our only trip from our Friday flight home.  We didn't have seat assigned and it was a full flight so I didn't sit near the boys AND they almost forgot our entire busload on the tarmac - there wasn't time to be nervous because we were already seated before the lady beside me told the story, ha! Our flight home was like a mini vaca for mama - I read a book and drank a coca cola an even ordered the popcorn from the airplane menu - posh, I know!

Our Orcas sand and rocks are bottled up near other beach treasures.

That jar sure holds a lot of treasures of our North West Adventures!