ZOO

On Wednesday we were so excited to go to the zoo!  I have not been to the Woodland Park Zoo in years and I'm talking like 20 years!!  Recently we have been to Point Defiance and Northwest Trek and Woodland was by far the BEST!!  We met up with Steve's sister Erin and walked the entire zoo...it's pretty big!  We saw so many animals it was great!  What I like about Woodland is you can actually see the animals...they aren't hiding...well we saw everything except the lions!  I think they were probably sleeping in the tall grass!  The only problem was THE BATTERIES IN MY CAMERA DIED RIGHT WHEN WE GOT THERE!  I know what you're thinking and I thought the same thing, "what kind of mamarazzi am I!"  I should be fired!!  I managed to get a couple of pictures before it totally died and I took a bunch with my iphone, but I haven't downloaded them yet...so these will have to do!

The Zebra...of course this picture will be framed and put in Harper's room!
Giraffe
EEE and Xavier...excitedly pointing out the animals!
Elephant
Statues of many of the animals are all around the zoo and Xavier like to "ride" all of them!
The carousel!  Last year when we went to Point Defiance we rode the carousel and Xavier didn't like it at all!  This year he loved it!
Harper's first carousel ride!  We had to wake her up to take her so she is stretching!!

DO WE EVER GET TO 3?

I don't know how many of you mommies out there do the counting thing when your children are doing something they aren't suppose to, but I do!  I start out with that stern voice and count 1...and if they don't stop you get a little louder, still in the same stern voice, 2...and then if they still don't stop I usually ramble off a phrase such as, "I don't want to get to 3," or "do you want a spanking?"  By this time my child has usually stopped which is a good thing because I really have no intentions of  getting up to punish him or I just really don't think I have ever gotten to 3!  

This question came up yesterday while I was in the ever so posh Wal-Mart and as soon as I walked in the door I heard a dad doing this same thing to his son!  Of course he didn't get to 3...which I believe most of us don't!

6 WEEK APPOINTMENT

Yesterday we had Harper's 6 week appointment even though she is now 7 weeks!  Here is how she stacked up.  

Harper's Stats:

11lbs. 1oz. = 75% weight

22 7/8 in. = 90% height

15 3/4 in. head = 90% 

The doctor can still hear her heart murmur, but he thinks he will be able to hear it until she is 6 months old and then we will go back to children's at a year to make sure it is gone!  Everything else looked great and she is a very healthy little girl!  We also had to get some shots yesterday which always break my heart. :-(  She had to have 3 pokes and an oral and she screamed while they poked her and then she was ok once I picked her up and snuggled her.  She was also pretty fussy all day.  Next time Steve gets to be the one who picks her up after the shots so she thinks he is the mean one!  

Harper at 7 weeks

PARADES & POTLUCKS

We have been so busy this past week and weekend!  Once we got home on Thursday from Okanogan, my friend Aimee left Friday afternoon and then the festivities of the weekend began!  We went to the Berry Dairy Days fireworks in the park on Friday night.  Xavier was a little scared, but he loved playing soccer with Jensen and Jaylen.  

On Saturday morning we ventured back to Burlington for the Berry Dairy Days Parade!  It was SO much fun!  The Stacey's saved us seats at a "prime" location and we scored so much candy I think Xavier's teeth are going to fall out!  Xavier loved seeing the fire trucks, tractors, horses and race cars!  Harper slept the entire parade!  After the parade ended we walked over to the festival in the park and Xavier went on the inflatable slide!  Luckily we can rent it, so get ready kiddos...we will probably have it at Xavier's 3rd birthday party!  Saturday night we had a potluck up at Steve's Aunt Linda's house.  The party theme was, "meet the new babies!"  Since December we have had 4 new babies born on that side of the family!  That family is so big that if we didn't have a party now it would probably be Christmas before we got to meet the babes!  The food and the company was great!

Sunday was Father's Day!  We got Steve a new bbq set along with a travel mug with space for a picture and a homemade card.  We went to church and then we ventured down to Dave & Laurie's house for many celebrations of birthdays, anniversaries, graduation and Father's Day.  It was sooo much fun!  Papa bought Xavier a bike earlier in the week for $6 and fixed it up, so Xavier rode that forever and then there was a garage sale down the street with the next size up bike for $10 so Papa bought that one for X as well!  He is pretty good on his bike with the training wheels!  It was such a busy weekend, but so much fun!!  

Day 1:  Berry Dairy Days, Fireworks at the Park

Harper is dressed in her John Deere Gear ready to see the tractors and fireworks!
Jensen holding Harper
Jaylen holding Harper
My son is so "gansta!"  I really think his head is crooked because his hat always falls off to the side like that!
Day 2:  Berry Dairy Days Parade & Meet the Babies Potluck

Xavier anxiously awaiting the parade...again crooked hat!
Kirstie and her dad Marv!  
Xavier actually gave this dog a high five.  Now if we could only get him to like the Mariner Moose!
The things Xavier liked at the parade...an old train....
the fire trucks...
the tractors...
and the horses!
going down the inflatable slide!
Papa getting some Harper snuggle time at the potluck
The 4 new babies..... from left to right (Kade, Harper, Lena, Caitlyn)
and their mommies!
The pool table was Xavier's favorite "toy" at the party!
At the end of the night he wanted to eat marshmallows with Papa
Day 3:  Neyens Celebrations!

Harper with Auntie Smeggle
Harper with EEE
Lindsey who is married to DJ has a sister Sayeh(pictured above) who I went to school with since 7th grade!  She had a baby boy in January, Grayson!  He is so cute!  He has my approval for Harper!
Xavier and his favorite cousin Lindsey!  He absolutely ADORES her!
Papa teaching X how to ride his new bike!

GG getting snuggle time with Harper
Jared teaching X how to head the soccer ball!

Steve watching X and Jared!
I just had to take a picture of Dave & Laurie's next door neighbors drying their clothes!  I found it funny!!  
The Neyens men hanging around talking!
The end to a busy fun weekend!  He finally crashed!

OKANOGAN IS OK!

I was so excited to have a little mini vacation to Okanogan this week!  My best friend and college roomie, Amanda...aka Mitz, lives with her family in Okanogan!  She grew up there so her parents still live there on their ranch!  We love going to Okanogan because it is only a 4 hour drive from our house over the most beautiful scenery you have ever seen!  We drive through a little town called Winthrop, which looks like an old western town and it is very close to one of the most happening lakes in Washington, Lake Chelan!  

Mitz has a 2.5 year old, Steele, and her son Camden  was born on the same day as Harper, 2 hours and 17 minutes after Harper!  Our other best college friend, Aimee, drove up from Klamath Falls to hang out with us as well!  When we all get together we have the best time!!!  We eat too much, drink too much and tell all the old college stories that never get old!  I did feel bad for Aimee though because there she was on her vacation with both of our families and 4 crazy kids!!  She said she had fun...

We got to do so many activities in our short 4 day visit!  We went to their ranch, Lake Chelan and then just hung around the house!  It was a great trip and I'm always sad when it's time to say good bye!

Mitz holding Harper
Aimee holding Harper
Mitz snuggling Camden
Steele LOVED Harper!  He would always come over and snuggle her and kiss her toes!
This is the day we went to the Ranch!  Xavier rode the tractor...

Fed the calf...
Steele fed the calf...
then I fed the calf!  Ha..just kidding...my friends put me up to this!  I never back down from a challenge!!  P.S...I'm not really feeding this calf!  She is sucking on my finger!
They went for a ride in the ranger....
The boys took the boys for a ride to get hay for the pony.
and finally they rode the pony Twilight!  
It was such a fun day on the ranch!
We roasted marshmallows at 11:00 at night!
They were amazing smores!!
Photo opp!  We had to fit both the babes in the bouncy seat!  Camden was not too happy at first...
but then we finally got a good picture of them both looking at the camera!  Future boyfriend and girlfriend??
Xavier posing with the babes...
My polka dot girl was so happy!
She was giving lots of smiles!
Sun Bathing at Lake Chelan!  This is the only picture I got at Lake Chelan since we spent most of the time in the water with Xavier.
Snoozing next to Camden on the couch
It was impossible to get these two to hold still next to each other for a picture!
Blowing bubbles!
Me and Aimee...the end of the trip :-(