Do the Puyallup!

Every year, Ed and I spend a full day at the Puyallup Fair.  The exception, of course, was last year when we were celebrating our new baby girl!!  We have a bit of a history here.  Our first date was to the Puyallup Fair and we've been going there every year since 2001.

This year, we were so excited for Samantha to experience the fair.  We went to the Evergreen State Fair a few weeks ago, that was a lot of fun and a good experience for us in knowing what to take with us to this fair.

We arrived in the early afternoon and immediately set out to see what was new at the fair this year.  We spent some time wandering through the booths and games, but eventually ended up at all the animals.  We have been teaching Samantha animal sounds through the pictures in her books but we wanted her to see some of these animals in-person.  We were kind of disappointed with the set up this year - they rotated the animals through by week so there were some animals that weren't even at the fair the day we were, like cows and rabbits.  But Samantha was still excited to see the animals that were there.  They even had an, "Animals from Around the World," exhibit so we got to see a zebra, llamas, and even a yak!  We also love the outdoor garden and giant pumpkins there every year!

At the outdoor garden

Inside the "bird barn" (chickens, ducks, etc.)

That pumpkin is bigger than she is!!

Now, as I mentioned in our Evergreen State Fair post, Ed and I are known for our "Fair" purchases.  So, what did we buy this year?  Don't be disappointed, we just purchased a couple of odds and ends things - no swim spas, wood stoves or mattresses this year! ;)

All in all, it was a fun day.  Samantha got her first taste of a "Krusty Pup" corn dog, got to see lots of fun, new animals, and we established a possible new tradition this year - we had a caricature artist draw Samantha.  I'll scan it in and post it here so you can see... :)

Can't wait for next year!

Pears-a-Plenty!

One of the things I love best about Summer time is the abundance of variety of fruits and vegetables available locally.  In years past, Eddie and I have canned a lot of peaches.  This year, we opted for pears.  We bought two boxes of pears and, with a lot of help from my mom, she and I canned pears this year.

So pretty!  Just a couple of samples from my first time canning pears!

They turned out beautiful!  What's more is that Samantha loves pears, and I love the peace of mind I have in knowing exactly what's in each of these jars. :)  Yeah, it can be a daunting task to can your own fruits/vegetables - but well worth the time and effort!

The Birthday Girl!

Today is a very big day...

Samantha Grace is One Year Old today!

It's hard to believe that just one short year ago, we were the recipients of the most precious blessing - a beautiful, perfect baby girl!

(PICTURES COMING SOON!)

I can't help but reflect on that most wonderful day when we met Samantha's birth mother face-to-face and, together, welcomed Samantha into this world.  I will never cease to be grateful to both my Heavenly Father and to that dear, selfless mother for placing Samantha in our care.

Samantha is thriving!  She is growing so big, so smart, and has such a beautiful personality!  I am amazed daily as I watch her learn and experience new things.

This is truly a day to celebrate - so that's what we did!  We invited some friends and family over to help us celebrate Samantha!

Big thanks to my friend Deb, my mom, my sister, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law for all of their help with both preparations and food!  Hope I didn't miss anyone...

We had such fun, starting things off with LOTS of food!  Then we let Samantha blow out the candle on her special cake!!  Following a quick bath (to rinse off the cake :), Samantha, who was getting so tired from all of the excitement, opened her pile of presents.  Though she started off a bit hesitant, she got the hang of ripping off the wrapping paper. 

It's so clear from the many people that came to help us celebrate, that this little girl has made an impression on so many and is very loved!!

I don't know if Samantha's birth mom still/ever reads this blog.  If so, thank you!  Seems so inadequate a phrase to express our deep gratitude...

Letting in the Light!

Getting a new roof is kind of like buying insurance, you don't really want to, it's not fun, it's expensive, but it's necessary!  So, since it was time to re-roof the house, we decided to take the opportunity to make a couple of other improvements.

Work commences by pulling off the old roof!

Look at all that money just sitting up there in the form of shingles!  Ugh!

Sky lights

Still not quite finished - but so great, nonetheless!

And roofing half of the back deck

Next step, add the gutters - so excited about this!

I am so amazed and pleased with the extra light in our house!  It's truly so much brighter in here and I believe it will have a positive impact on our utilities bill...well, maybe moreso next Spring :)

As for the back deck, this will enable us to use the grill more frequently during adverse weather conditions.  And...the cat likes it! :)

Who knew that, aside from the expense, getting a new roof could be so rewarding?!

If you throw out your back, can you get a new one?

Maybe it's one too many car accidents, maybe it's not working out enough, maybe it's sitting at a desk all day or carrying around a heavy computer bag, then again, it could be that gorgeous bundle of baby joy called Samantha that I carry around daily - no matter what the reason, my back is completely out of commission right now and I have to say, BACK PAIN IS THE WORST!!

I guess it's like that quote that essentially says that health is one of those things we take for granted...until it's gone!  Ugh - it hurts to move, it hurts to sit, it hurts to bend, it hurts to stand, it hurts to breathe, but what hurts the most, wanting to pick up Samantha and not being able to right now.  I hate being waited on, I hate not being able to do things for my family.  

Pain, pain, go away, come again some other day - well, not really, just stay gone!!!

I know where I'm going this week, back to the chiropractor!!  Enough of this!

Evergreen State Fair

August and September bring lots of sun and warm weather, the start to Fall (the best time if the year :) and...FAIRS!  Ed and I love going to the local fairs annually.  In fact, we're known for some big buys at the fair: our bed, our swim spa, our wood stove insert - some pretty significant items over several years at great "Fair" prices! 

All year we have looked forward to taking Samantha to experience her first fair.  We packed up some snacks, Samantha's stroller and diaper bag, and headed out to Monroe.  It was a beautiful, sunny day in the mid-70's; a perfect fair day.  We wandered around the fairgrounds for a bit, just to see what was there, what was new, and to plan where we wanted to go for the day.

A beautiful day at the fair!

As you can imagine, we were anxious for Samantha to get to see some of the animals.  We saw the cats, dogs, sheep, goats, pigs, cows and...HORSES!  Samantha just loved the horses.  The other animals were interesting, but it was the horses that she was most excited about.

Samantha squealed when she first saw the horses. 
Here she is trying to pet the horse - so fearless that one!!!

We also introduced her to Fisher Scones, quite easily the best fair food!  Samantha did so well - enduring the confinement of a stroller, being patient while mom and dad visited the various exhibits.  We decided to stop at the Frontier Photos booth and get a new family picture.  What do you think?

(PICTURE COMING SOON!)

And of course, we did make a stop for nap time! :)

Worn out!

I think she's ready for the Puyallup Fair now! 

And in case you're wondering what we bought this year...NOTHING! But, there's always the Puyallup... :)