Time is On Our Side

I am always grateful for the end of the school year because it rejuvenates my creativity and gives me a chance to catch up on myself. We are in the final countdown with only a full week left of school and one extra Monday, due to snow. Hopefully my summer posts will be a bit more consistent, as we've definitely been busy since spring break to this point. So here is 9 weeks of events jammed into one post. Within the post are a couple links to Vimeo, with videos I created for a class I was recently part of. My goal is to make a video once a month. Unfortunately, I missed my May opportunity, but will definitely work on the mini family keepsake films for the remainder of the summer. Enjoy the highlights!

Rest of Spring Break
The remainder of our staycation for spring break was spent divided with friends and visiting Point Defiance Zoo and then celebrating Jax's 3rd birthday. The theme this year is was trains. His cake was a fun shaped 3 and track. He had fun sharing his toys and playing with his friends that showed up.

Aquarium Watching

Friends: Bubba and Charlie

Touch tank fun

Watching the walrus

Munching his cake

Seeing his cake with his buddy Faith by his side

His new play tent from Grandma

The cake (upside down)

Gifts for his buddies

Door decor

Gifts from his friends and family

Train of fun snacks

Snack cars

Happy Birthday, Jax!

Keepsake Films
I decided to get into film making, just to make small documentaries of my family. It has been really refreshing for the storyteller in me. I have really enjoyed creating these small films that highlight the little stories of our life. I made two for the month of April and one was specifically for the final class project. i worked on an Easter one I never finished. One is of Jax bug hunting and the second is of Madelynne repotting her seedlings. I am gradually getting better, but the art of filming and creating still images is somewhat similar in retrospect. Here they are, if you haven't viewed them already: Planting A Garden and Bug Hunting Adventure. Here are some fun stills of Easter and the bug hunt.

Badass baseball face

Bubble gun fun

Hunting bugs

Bug catchers

Dying eggs

Easter 2019

Helping mom film

Magnified

Those toes

Newest Addition
We also added a new addition to our family shortly after Easter, which is lovely Astrid. Once again, another Vikings referenced name, but what can we say, we're a bit obsessed with the show. The kids think of How To Train Your Dragon She is a sweet kitten, playful, and energetic. She likes to play fetch with her little cat toys, antagonize her bud Floki, and curl up with her buddy and our Old Timer Goober.

Reading to my "kids"

Watching the fish

Visits Galore!

Grandma and Jax

The rest of May went by in a blur. Brad's mom moved out the start of the month. She is waiting for her house to be finished and built, so she is temporarily staying with us. It's been a big help, that's for sure.

Family time!

Then, Madelynne celebrated her First Communion with her Queen of Angels classmates. It was a really special day. She was lucky that her Great Grandma King, my grandma, was able to travel from Wyoming to be here for it. I loved it that she kept needing to "pinch her" to remind her that she was really here. My Aunt and Uncle were great entertainers for Jax and Maddy, and her friends, and they also enjoyed their time in the beautiful PACNW.

Aunt Shelly jumping on the trampoline with Maddy.

Dinner celebrations

Our sister tattoo's

Lindsey getting hers

Me getting mine.

Lindsey and I got to spend some quality sister time together and finally got our sister tattoo's.

Maddy with Great Grandma

Maddy with her two Grandma's

4 Generations together

Receiving her first Communion

Then, shortly after they left Brad's Grams moved out with the help of Brad's Aunt Ann. So far, Grams has made a successful adjustment. I think she is most entertained by her Great Grandkids.

Events and Other Things
As for life in general, we've been busy! We had a couple of runs the past two months: The Run The Peninsula Series at the RR Bridge Park 10K where I earned my own PR of an 8:40 mile/split. That was impressive for me!

The beautiful Discovery Trail Railroad Bridge: Run The Peninsula Series.

3rd in my age group!

We did the Color Run Seattle on Mother's Day, which is always a hoot and tons of fun as a family. Brad was fearless and dressed up in Madelynne's crocheted unicorn garb. He got plenty of looks, laughs, and commentary on how awesome he looked. Jaxson slept through most of the race in the stroller.

Before we ran and Jax refusing to be cooperative

Brad with the kids

Stretching

After the run all "colorized"

He cracks me up

Go Pro shot

The first weekend in June, Madelynne and I both did the North Olympic Discovery Marathon, where she competed in the Kid's Marathon and then I ran the Marathon Relay with my She Runs This Town "flock." It was such an awesome experience that I have been toying with running a full...Time will tell; we will see. It's definitely gnawing at me as a consideration for sure. Everyone I have talked with who have done Half's have told me the same---it's not that much difference or if I can finish a Half I can probably finish a full. Hmmm....

Cool medals---the Triangle One attaches completely with the others in the series as it is race number 3/

Our Team: The Flock <3

Maddy after her race.

Jaxson's doppleganger: Arlo

We celebrated the Irrigation Festival with a parade that Maddy was in with her best bud, Piper, and they had a fun night watching the Sequim High School Operetta performance of Legally Blonde.

Watching Newsies with our pals: Elysie, Faith, and Shalom.

Kitsap Forest Theatre

Watching the firworks

Parade Watching

Maddy helping in the parade.

Maddy's bud, Piper, handing out goodies at he parade

We also ventured to Kitsap Forest Theatre to watch the production of Newsies with our friends. It was so cool, a neat theatre tucked away in the forest near Bremmerton. We hope to return in August to see Mama Mia!