Giavanna has a birthday!

 On Thursday we headed north to Birch Bay to celebrate Ms. Giavanna's 4th birthday.  The drive was amazing with gorgeous blue skies and white capped mountains. 

 We arrived in time to take a hike with the girls - Gia made a wish with a dandelion puffball.

 Ceci flying and Sophie perched on the railing. The weather was gorgeous on Thursday. 

 The last time we saw Hank, he was a kitten.  Hank is now a cat - great personality and good manners.  Hank's favorite part of the party was the balloon strings hanging down - he attacked a string and brought the balloon down without popping it.  The game was over when he started eating the string.

 Friday night was soccer for Sophie and Ceci.  Gia found a comfy way to hang out. 

 Sophie moved so fast I only caught a blur with my camera!

 Ceci played goalie.  They both had great games.  The soccer fields are fantastic - look at Mt. Baker in the background.  How beautiful! 

 Before Gia's party I asked her what she wanted for her birthday.  She replied "Schleich!"  I asked her who she wanted to come to her party.  Gia said "my cousins!"  This picture of Gia and Elle is priceless I think. 

 Prince Charming Baylor.  Baylor enjoyed every minute. 

 Cake time!  Gia requested pizza and cheesecake for her party.  The pizza's were topped by the kids and baked for dinner and the cheesecake came with a variety of toppings - Gia's favorite is cherry! 

 Blowing out the candles. 

It is amazing that Gia is already 4 years old.  She is super sweet, independent and quite the comedian.  Gia loved all her gifts and thanked each person with a hug and a thank you before going on to the next present. What a great weekend! 

Spring Flowers

 Balsam root

 Desert Phlox growing along the Columbia river. 

Flowering cherry tree blooms.

Under the canopy of the flowering cherry tree.

Spring is the best time of the year to be in Central Washington! 

April Weather - Sunday, Monday and Tuesday......updated

Sunday afternoon looking North through the hail storm.  Pretty good sized pellets of hail!

Sunday evening looking East and then....

looking West.  What a contrast of weather within minutes.

 Monday morning around 8 am..... blizzard conditions

Snow on the pear tree blossoms. 

 Monday morning around 11 am.  Snow is gone but the wind is howling!

Tuesday - We spent the morning working in the yard and filling the creek with the warm water from the hot tub.  The creek is now ready for the opening day of boating season.   The tug boats tested the waters and made it all around the channel before crashing into the bridge.  It's always a sign of warmer days to come when the creek is filled.  Yippee!  I can't wait to see what Wednesday weather will bring.......

Playing in the wind

Elle and Baylor have been such fun.  Each afternoon rain, wind or sunshine we go outside to check out the Rhubarb plant.  It seems to grow daily.  These pictures are of a windy day for sure!

Run Bubba Run

Gorgeous sunrise looking through our new patio cover.

Elle baked some cookies with Grami. 

Baylor used the wooden dump truck as his little stool. 

Elle and Baylor have been such fun to play with.  They love to explore and especially love to play outdoors.  It's been a busy couple of weeks but so much fun for me and Bruce! 

Saturday

Kimmie brought Elle and Baylor over for a visit.  The little girls enjoyed the double sink after playing in the hot tub. 

Elle using a coaster as an Ipad - such an imagination. 

Gia finishing off Grami's coffee. 

I took the kids to the park while the adults checked out the CWU surplus sale.  The kids loved all the equipment even though it was a bit wet.  Ceci helping Baylor down the slide. 

Group photo #1

Group photo #2 - usually I love the tree bark pictures but this time my favorite is the slide pose!  The Roemers and Kimmie had to leave for home, work and school and Elle and Baylor stayed behind to spend a few days with Grami and Poppi.

Driving the old buckboard is a favorite of Baylor's now that he can climb up on his own. 

Elle showed off her new helmet.

Baylor didn't care the bike was pink - he didn't want Poppi to push his though.

At the beach we bought this chainsaw carved bear/welcome sign. 

Poppi, Baylor and Elle enjoying the warm day!

Giavanna = Mini Tracy!

Gia let Grami braid her hair - she is the spitting image of her mother.

While Gia was on my dresser she decided to give the sniff test to an old perfume atomizer that was her Great Grandma's.  It still smells like Chanel No. 5! Smells pretty Grami.

Back home....

After a week at the beach we headed for home.  Sophie, Ceci and Gia came home with us for some Eburg time.  Marc, Tracie and kids stopped on their way home for an overnighter before heading back home.  The first place the kids hit was the creek  - it is still dry so they just gathered up all the colored rocks and played fairies and princesses.  The creek won't have running water until the irrigation is turned on mid-April. 

Ceci found some shiny rocks under the bridge.

Marc and Sophie made some granola bars.   

Some bike riding.

Making beautiful suncatchers

Using the boat as a bucket.

Ceci and Emma washed their jewels in the rock bowl at the top of the waterfall. 

I love how Olivia is sitting on the glass ball in this picture.  There are a couple of places in the creek that collect water all year around so they did have a place to play in the water.