Earlier last week Nick went on a deep sea fishing trip that left from Westport Wa, with a family friend and brought home this 12 lb. salmon (apparently it was not nearly as big as "the one that got away" earlier in the day). He filleted it in the backyard with the boys looking on which further solidified dad's cool status in their minds. I know doing laundry just does not rank with cutting off a fish head or using a chainsaw (see boys staring in awe below).

Today if there was an emergency (fire, flood or earthquake) how prepared would you be? You may have stored some food water and a first aid kit but what would you do for entertainment while you ate canned peaches and granola bars?  Well fortunately for the Oliver family we've got Carson. This morning while I was in the shower he invaded my privacy to inform me he was packing some "go bags". Later when I was a little more decent I found that the toy room had been dumped upside down and all the backpacks in the house had been stuffed full of toys to take in case of an emergency. I didn't bother to ask him what he planned on playing with while we wait for 'the big one" to hit our home. It seems like everyday is some new big idea. . .I choose "go bags" over climbing and gettting stuck 18 ft. up in a pine tree in the backyard like last week.

Am I the only one who is so excited for the best 16 days of TV for the next 4 years?

A motor cross show on your 5th birthday

We spent Saturday at the Microsoft Company Picnic which really is more like a state fair or a carnival.  We passed it off as a really big birthday party for Carson. I mean how many kids get 20 bouncy houses, pony rides, live bands, carnival rides and a motor cross show for their birthday? Not many, thanks Mr. Gates for footing the bill on this one and introducing Spencer to a new dangerous choice of careers.

  Growing Gills

After a slow start to swim lessons for Carson his year we broke out some old home videos to show him how brave he was last year. Given Carson’s competitive nature he was not to be shown up by 3 yr. old Carson, and has overnight grown gills. Really we're talking from not going under water to huge cannonballs and dives off the side of pool and actual face in the water swimming (which closely resembles flailing). Given my water sports background I couldn't be more proud!

Dry for 24 days!

As much as I'd like to announce that it is Spencer who has been dry for 24 days. . .we're nowhere in the vicinity.  But that's a whole other post. Instead we have enjoyed 24 straight days with no rain! In fact it has been downright beautiful, our lawn has sadly suffered (and it's SO worth it!)  and I have savored every minute of it!

Has it really been 5 years since we first brought you home from the hospital? Where did the time go? Were you really that small? I can't remember you being anything other than big!

Happy 5th Birthday! Here's to Kindergarten, T-ball, soccer, reading, making your own breakfast, your abundance of self confidence, being an amazing storyteller, a master Lego builder, spending most of swim lessons underwater, wanting to know it all and having the most sensitive spirit I've ever met in a boy your age! We love you Carson and celebrate having you as the big brother of our family!

Last week Nick spent Monday through Thursday morning at Scout Camp, returned home long enough to take a shower and pack up the car and our family headed to Sun Lakes in Coulee City, WA for a camping trip. We went with several other families from our ward and Carson and Spencer ran from campsite to campsite begging food with their gang of dirty little boys. I must say it is so nice and even a little relaxing when you camp with friends, the boys were never bored once.  The campground itself wasn't anything special and gravel isn't the best groundcover to sleep on but it was outstaged by the beautiful weather and the lake. I've  never met a sunny day near the water I didn't like!  We spent all of our time swimming, fishing, boating and just sun soaking. I have such happy childhood memories of camping with my family and I'm hoping that our boys will feel the same way when they are older.

* I will confess that the happy family fishing moment didn't last long, 15 minutes later both boys were laying on the dock bored to tears because we hadn't caught a fish and wouldn't rent them a boat. And Spencer enjoying his ride in pirate boat has no idea that by the end of the day his poor inner thighs will be rubbed raw (huge blisters) from sand and a soggy diaper! Who was in charge of packing the swim diapers?

The following conversation truly (like I could make this up!) took place while Carson was sitting on the bathroom counter brushing his teeth.

C: Mom, how do you make dreams come true?

M: Well, what kind of dreams do you want to come true?

C: Not the scary ones. What about the happpy the ones?

M: In the mornings when you wake up you can tell me what your dream was about and we can TRY to make it come true. Like if you have a dream about going camping, then maybe we can plan a camping trip.

C: (thinking for a minute not really buying my suggestion) I have a better idea, I think we need Jesus to help.

M: Like saying a prayer?

C: No, we need a box, a really big box and we can put the dream in the box and mail it to Jesus and he can make my dreams come true.

M: Oh yeah what kind of dream would you send to Jesus?

C: (Without hesitation) The one where everyday is my birthday!

Yes, dear insightful 4 year old of mine, It is through the help of Jesus that all our "dreams" do come true. . . we'll talk about the whole sending it in a box and USPS limitations later! 

Our holiday began early with Nick running in a 5k race and then watching a parade in Carnation. (Please take note that it's the 4th of July and we are wearing rain jackets! In the afternoon the sun did make an appearance)

Later we had a BBQ at our house with grandparents and Jones cousins.

Grandma and Grandpa supplied some fireworks which are perfectly legal where we live!

Then we sat around and waited for a real firework show to begin. What a fun day spent with family and honoring our country, the freedom we enjoy and those past and present who fought to make it so!

I love summer, homemade jam and teaching my boys to work and berry picking seems to cover all three.Spencer is not very good hired help and eats more than he picks, obviously he doesn't understand my need for homemade strawberry pie for the 4th. Carson did a pretty good job but is not much fun to pick with because every 5 minutes he is either whinning or insisting that he's picked bigger and faster than you (why is everything a competition when you're 4?) In the end we picked enough for freezer jam and the strawberries for the pie will have to come from the store. Happy summer all!