Lanna's 9th Birthday

Lanna turned 9 this month and we had a fun gathering with just a few friends and family. They had a great time bowling, playing Wii, eating junk food and watching movies.

Something was funny to Lanna, but the others are
wondering exactly what.

"Cake was great, Mom & Dad!"

Lanna and Brooke with her new Timbers Shirt
(will that fit mom?)

Lanna with Eastyn and a new brownie pan & brownie mix
"Because I know you want to be a chef."

Veggin' out watching movies.

Happy Birthday Lanna!!!

Carol's 40th Birthday

We spent the day in Seattle for Carol's 40th birthday. Here are the highlights.

Head to Pike Place for obligatory picture in front of fish throwing stand.

Take picture of kids on Pike pig!
Get picture with husband in front of Pike Place Market.
Contemplate midlife crisis tattoo.

Do a little urban caching.
Visit Ivar.
Enjoy a beer at the Mariner's ball game.

It has been a fun ride so far. Hope the next 40 are just as fun.

5th Grade Celebration

We started the month of June with Maggie's 5th grade celebration. She has managed to complete elementary school all at the same school, Columbia Heights Elementary. I can remember when she was a kindergartner on her first day, it seems like not that long ago. And now she is getting ready for middle school (sniff, sniff). We have had a wonderful time watching her grow into a beautiful young lady. Way to go Maggie!

Maggie on her first day of 1st grade.

Maggie at her 5th grade celebration.

Receiving her certificate of completion from her 5th grade teacher, Mr. Clift.

Month of May

May came and went with a blur and a few fun trips to Eugene to celebrate the twins birthday and headed to Ontario for Memorial Weekend. Of course, we did some caching along the way!

We helped Jill do a cache that required us to haul a ladder to the site and climb the tree. Since this was her idea, she was the lucky winner to scale the tree and started the climb with high hopes.

Here she is about 20 feet up the tree, with still another 20 feet to go. She got site of the cache, but was not adventerous enough to release her grip on the tree and venture out onto the branch where it was haning. Logged the cache as found, but did not sign the log book. Not sure we will do one of this difficulty in the near future.

On our way to Ontario, we took our time and cached along the way. We stopped at places and saw things I am sure we would not have seen otherwise, such as this stage coach at a gas station right off the freeway. It was a cool find and the girls had a fun time climbing inside. Not sure what Dan is thinking with that look on his face.

We arrived in Ontario with much anticipation. The cousins quickly reacquainted and had fun at the park.

Maggie could not resist climbing a tree; looking more like a teenager, but still a kid at heart.

While in Ontario, we visited Boise and the girls got to see Boise State University where Dad went to college (#2 on the girl's college choice list behind, of course, Washington State!) Dan wanted a picture with the girls on the Smurf Turf. This isn't actually the Smurf Turf, but close enough.

April Caching

We did yet more caching in April, the girls having a blast finding as many as they can and dragging friends along with them. We went to Astoria on a beautiful day and did about 10 or more caches. We saw sights from the movie Goonies, rode the trolley and logged a cache while on the ride, climbed to the top of the Astoria Column (great view) and visited many sights in Astoria we would never have seen had we not decided to cache. What a great day!

The girls, Auni, Maggie and Lanna, showing their latest find.

Found a travel bug that wanted to visit as many bridges as it can. The Astoria-Megler Bridge in the back ground. We moved it along to another bridge cache.

Jail used in the film Goonies. The girls thought this was cool.

Virtual cache atop the Astoria Column, great view!

March Fun

We spent the month of March finishing up basketball and getting ready for spring break. Our last tournament was in Seaside, Oregon, and the weather that weekend was gorgeous. We had a blast as a team hanging out together.

Panther's team photo on the beach.

Ruiz Family, Seaside, OR 2010

March also had us celebrating Maggie's 11th birthday. Wow, we can't believe she is 11 already. She had a slumber party with a great mix of kids and we played glow in the dark golf, did some geocaching and overloaded on junk food. It was a great time.

Birthday group getting ready for miniature golf.

Slumber party shot.

Happy birthday Maggie.

Lanna has finally found some books on cooking and has been so into reading, she has fallen asleep while reading the books.

Father-Daughter Ball - 2010

Saturday night was the annual Father-Daughter Ball put on by the Longview Parks and Recs, and once again the girls had a blast. The girls started the day by getting their hair and nails done and really enjoyed the pampered treatment. Our friend, Madeline, had her hair done as well, and all were eager to show off their special hair-dos.

Lanna, sporting her special do.

Maggie, sophisticated in all black.

Madeline, elegant in her dress to match her eyes.

The girls all dressed up and ready to go.

We had dinner (I was allowed to dine with them, if only to take pictures) at the Back Stage Cafe and had a nice low key dinner in the company of friends. The dads were dressed in their suits with boutonnieres, the girls with matching corsages, and all ready for the dance floor.

Left to right: Maggie, Dan, Lanna, Madeline and Mike

Everyone came home happy and excited for a fun night, and Maggie was proud to proclaim she was the winner of the chicken dance. It was a memorable night, and the girls are planning next year's event already.

Dan and the girls all ready for the Father-Daughter Ball.