Celebrating my Dads Retirement @ The Beach

This deer was in the front yard of the house we rented!

My dad Harvey retired last Friday from Honeywell. He worked there for 42 years. Can you believe it? My sister and I wanted to do something really special for him and honor him. We rented out a house on the beach for two days. My sister is quite the poet and her is the invite we sent him!

Forty-two years have come and gone and here we are today.
How do you thank the man who helped his family find a way?



Forty-two years of late, late nights and early mornings too.
Only wishing that the blonde daughters would someday get a clue.

Forty-two years of headaches and early age stress.
The oldest wants a CD and the youngest wants a dress.

Forty-two years of carrying a lunch box and thermos everyday
The kids want to go to college and mom and dad need to pay

Forty-two years of weekday traffic morning and every night.
Dealing with the wife and daughters after every fight.

Forty-two years of Paul Harvey and Lunch everyday
Wait, hold on, that part will need to stay.

Forty-two years of indicators surrounding every room
Christmas coming every year, sometimes way too soon.

Forty-two years without complaints he did this selflessly
His daughters want to thank him so ever tremendously.

Forty-two hours is the gift they give in a surprise place untold
They desire to thank you on July 26th at 7:00 am in the cold

Pack a bag and be ready for a memory to be made
It’s forty-two years in the making and will be a very beautiful day.

So we meet my parents in the Costco parking lot and jumped on to I-5. We headed north. Still Dad & Mom had no clue. We got up to the Edmond's ferry and took it to Kingston. We stopped at Port Townsend and went shopping. And them headed to Squim for lunch at the Three Crabs Restaurant. It was very yummy! Still having no clue we headed to the home we would be staying at for two days. My dad was so shocked. That evening we made a crab dinner and gave my Dad his gifts. He received a crab pot and accessories, and a sturgeon fishing trip in September. We had alot of fun playing right on the beach in front of the home, flying kites, and relaxing. I will never forget this weekend.

A Great Week @ the Cabin

Presley and Ethans favorite part was jumping off the edge of the pool!
Do we have to get out?

Presley had been told not to play with Papa's Hats above the bed. I went to go and check to make sure that she was asleep before I headed out on the deck. Of course she had to take it down and fall asleep with it on her head! I couldn't stop laughing!
Watching cartoons in the morning!

Checking out the river, looking for some fish.

We had a great time at the cabin. The weather was awesome. Some days it was in the 100's and others in 90's and well as mid 80's. So hard to come back to rain. I didn't get to many pictures taken at the cabin. We were in the pool lot, pretty much two times a day.

We also enjoyed going up to Chelan for some shopping, and down to Wenatchee for some more

shopping. We are hoping to get back over there in August and September.

Family Gathering in Kenniwick

The whole family

My cousin Nicole, Ethan and Nicole's baby Preston
The Woodruff Family
All Second Cousins
All the first cousins
My Dad Harvey and his sister Marlys
Pat and I enjoying the weekend

Presley wanted every floaty and water guns to be in the pool.
Pat and Ethan swimming

Presley

Ethan & Pres in the bouncy house
Pat and our Nephew Logan
NoNo & my nephew Tyler.
Pat relaxing!

This last weekend we had a family gathering in Kenniwick Washington. My cousin Carolyn and her family are moving back east for a year so my whole family (dad's side) were together. All the cousins and especially the second cousins enjoyed swimming in there pool. A bouncy toy was set up for the kids, and the adults sat around and visited. Thank you Carolyn and family for hosting such a beautiful weekend!

Next day at the Water park

kids watching me boggy boarding!

On the first day at the water park Tyler my nephew went on this boggy boarding thing. All night I thought if we went back to the water park that I wanted to give it a try. Today when we got back to the water park I was wanting to chicken out. My five year old nephew said that I had to do it with him! I was brave and tried it. It was so much fun, I actually did it twice. The first time was horrible. Second time not so bad. Don't laugh here is the videos.

attempt one!

attempt two! Much better!

Moses Lake Water Park

Pat and I! Yikes, no makeup! Just-kidding!
Presley was all about Mom this weekend. I loved it!
These boots she won't take off. She wears them with everything!
Ethan waiting for a smore!
Finally enjoying it!
Presley heading up to the slide.
My sister Carrie and I
Getting Presley in the pool.

Tyler & Ethan heading down a small slide.


Presley being brave heading down the slide.

On Saturday we headed over to the Moses lake Aquatic Center. What a blast. The kids had so much fun. I think that they have turned into water babies! Later we headed back to Carrie's house and BBQ and did Smores in the back yard. YUMMY!