This and That From the Week

Just got back from a friend's birthday dinner.  We went to a restaurant called Zeppoli's.  It was a little too loud to be quaint but still really good.  And it's not a chain!  Even better.  (Jenny- I still miss you at these things)

I don't feel like I've been with it much this week at all.  I guess it's gotten better as the week went on but it seemed like I was dropping the ball over and over.

Jack and I were working this afternoon and he said, "Mom, you're so lucky.  You never have to do any work."
My response:  Bug-eyed.  Mouth wide open.  Speechless.
Then I just smiled.

We did take a hike up to the Cascades on Monday.  I'd never been there.  It was beautiful.  I took so many pictures (didn't I just say I was going to try to enjoy things more and photograph less?)  At some point or another, all the kids gave me some good material.

From Jack:  "Mom, there are so many huge rocks here.  I just have to conquer them."

First let me say this look is classic Kayla.  

Her quote:  "Mom, I have imagined this place so many times.  It's just like I thought it would be."

Also a classic.  This time of Samuel.  Do you see the waterfall behind him?  Gorgeous.  Sam's "job" was to hold my hand as we walked across the not so steady rocks that finally led to the waterfall.  If I said, "Sam, be careful, " he would say, "MOM!  I am OK!"

Or, if I said, "Sam, come help me,"  he would say, "You can do it Mom.  I know you can."

Lucy liked the "water fountain" as she called it.

She was also often heard saying, "Out!"

(meaning, get me OUT of the stroller!)

Brian surely worked the hardest, pushing the jogging stroller up, up, up the trail until we finally left it and headed across the rocks.  Going back down was not really much easier but we made it.  Four miles round trip.  

Well worth it, for sure.