More Photos from Enumclaw

Eating lunch

Great Grandma? Is that you?

Loving cousins

I love this photo!

So serious!

Poll Results

Thanks for voting in my super power poll. Here are the results:

1 vote "fly"
5 votes "invisible"
1 vote "super strength" (that was me)

The reason I chose super strength is because I figure that if I'm strong then maybe people would take me seriously. I feel like no one really listens to my ideas. I don't talk just to talk. When I say something it's because it's important. I know that putting fear into people would only give me a false sense that people are really listening, but maybe it would make me feel better. For a little while, anyway.

Check out my new poll.

Enumclaw Highland Games

This past weekend we made our annual trip to the Enumclaw Highland Games near the base of Mt. Rainier. It's so beautiful there and the town of Enumclaw is mostly farmland. It's so lush and green. It makes coming back to the arid high desert tough.

(It was overcast most of the time we were there so I had to borrow this photo from the internet.)

This is our booth. It's a 20' x 20' booth with anything Celtic that you can think of - jewelry, sarongs, purses, pillow cases. The list goes on. Will's parents started coming to this game a number of years ago, but it's so big and busy that Will and I (and now the kids) have been coming up to help. It's a lot of fun and we have a good time.

My sister, Erica, and youngest nephew, Connor, came down to visit us. They helped entertain Moira and Kyla when Will and I had to work.

A Highland Cow

This barn is right behind the King County Fairgrounds where the games are held.

On Sunday afternoon for closing ceremonies there is a "mass band". That is where all the pipe bands (13 of them this year) play together in the middle of the fairgrounds. It was hard to capture in pictures the scope of just how many band members were playing all at the same time. The music was so loud. It was awe inspiring.

After "mass band", the SFU Pipe Band parades through the grounds. They are one of the top bands in North America.

Little Purple Riding Hood showing off her tattoo.

Liam was loving playing with Connor's sword. He swung it around and had a great time with it.

Connor, aka Batman

Poll Results

Thanks for voting for who would beat who in a cat fight:

3 votes Wonder Woman
1 vote Bionic Woman

I voted for Wonder Woman because I love her outfit. Besides, anyone who is brave enough to wear such a costume in public has to be pretty tough.

Check out my new poll.

Highland Games, Athena

This past weekend we went to the Athena Highland Games. Will and I, and now the kids, have been going every year since Moira was a year old. Athena is a tiny little town near Pendleton, Oregon. It's about four hours from here in the middle of wheat fields. It is the sweetest little town and an odd place for Highland games. This was their 25th year for the games which got started around dog trials. People gathered together with their border collies and competed to see which dog was the best at herding sheep. It's fun to watch the dogs and how they respond to voice and whistle commands.

These photos are of a dog named Lexi. It was a hot morning and during her turn in front of the judges she found a small hole in the fence and decided to cool off. Everyone except her mistress got a big kick out of it.

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There is nothing like a man in a kilt! (Unless it's two men in kilts!)

There are a few athletic events. Here they are getting ready to throw a large stone.

The kids did well inspite of the 95F/35C weather. We were able to bring the motor home with us and so when it got hot in the afternoons Will put on the AC and a movie for the kids. It helped us all get through the weekend!

Poll Results

Here are the results for what side of the bed you sleep on:

2 votes right
3 votes left (I'm one of those)

Did you know that the expression "getting up on the wrong side of the bed" means that you got up on the left side? Superstition says that the devil is on the left side (hence throwing salt over your left shoulder to ward away evil) so if you get up on the wrong side of the bed, you encountered evil forces as soon as you got up in the morning. Evil forces are no match for this girl!

Check out my new poll.

Casa Blanca

I know you have all been dying to see what our new house looks like, so here it is! Our house on Blanca Avenue:


2800 sq ft split level home on a .45 acre lot.

3 car garage

Backyard

View of the backyard from the master bedroom balcony.

No one behind us but sheep.

The updated kitchen and family room.

The formal living room. We are going to turn it into a library/music room.

Upstairs are 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a master ensuite. Since you all know what bathrooms look like, and ours aren't anything spectacular, I haven't bothered to include any photos of them.

Liam's room.

Kyla's room.

Master bedroom.

The hot tub on the balcony outside the master bedroom.

Looking on to the main floor from upstairs. The kitchen is to the left and the living room is on the right.

The downstairs "bonus room". Moira's room and a laundry/bathroom are also downstairs.

Moira's room.

There it is. Our new home. I will update photos as we get things unpacked and set up. Yesterday Will and I bought a new dresser for Moira and one for us, plus we bought ourselves a new bed (headboard and footboard). We got some bar stools for the kitchen counter and a friend gave Moira her old desk. Things are coming together slowly. Unpacking is about as much fun as packing and we would all much rather go swimming in the pool.