Seattle Spartan

Austin took Andy, Maisie and I to Seattle to compete in a Spartan Beast.

It was wierd to mask up again.  They loved the shuttle.

Free Vietnamese lunch with our Priority passes.

Seattle -- it's still freezing with gray skies and a light drizzle.  

We headed downtown to Pikes.  We saw all the sites and tasted all the food.

This filthy market shop has an "excellent" rating for safety.  We were all really confused.

This skyscraper filled with glittering colors was so pretty.

Austin then toured us all around the city.  At Ballard Locks we watched a boat go through Lake Washington ship canal.  Up high.

Down low.

So many green trees filled the sky line.

The Troll

Gas Works Park

Dinner at Dick's -- we were already so full from the doughnuts, cookies, mac n' cheese, oysters, and nuts.

We made it to the hotel and found the Nelson family!  Little Mickey returned from his mission, so he and Austin are comparing Italian notes.

Izzy and Giu make me feel so loved.

Saturday morning we ran our Spartan Beast -- 13 miles and 30 obstacles.  Before.

We arrived early enough to see their girls race.

Giuli gave Natalie a muddy high-five.  I think she's the true Spartan -- she sits and waits all day for her family to complete the hard courses all the while wrangling her toddlers.  She's the true champion.

Winners!

We did not carry a camera while racing, but this is Austin stretching right after.

I sat on the grass and once again was loved by all the little people.

Catching up.

After.  Our racing day was filled with sunshine, pretty much the perfect weather.  I've never run 13 miles in one morning before, so I was really glad to be doing so.

Austin then toured us all around his old huants.

Grandpa's factory.

Their first house (our wedding reception was in this house).

Their second house.  (Seattle is so beautiful, but I'm so glad they are by us in the desert.)

After showering, we went to the new "Shang-Chi" Marvel movie.  We groaned after the movie -- our bodies were sore.

Up early for our travel home.

These five got themselves ready for church, and the neighbor took them.  Look how clean and managed they look!  Grandpa B. stayed with them this weekend, and they had the best time eating pizza, playing at several parks, and doing tricks at the gym.

Home again where we spent the afternoon together.  I'm boasting my Trifecta Tribe bling.

And, their evening game ended a blessed Sabbath day.

The two days we were apart seem so long, because I miss their warm bodies and loud voices.  BUT, I did sleep 10+ hours both nights.  I need two weeks of 10+ hours of sleep; I really do.

Sectumsempra

This week was bit sparse, because the posts about Maisie's birthday and our Seattle Spartan weekend are separate posts.

Sunday we made s'mores using the left over candy from the BBQ.  

Peach rings are a delicious roast as well.

Molly's cute bun.  Those tiny center rolls of hair are her's. AHAHHA!

I took my friend, Sandy for a birthday lunch.  I've ministered to her for eight years -- since we moved here.  I've been walking weekly with her since COVID hit last spring.  We are dear friends; she's easy to love.

This is one of my most treasured pictures.  I remember that quiet Sunday afternoon relaxing as a family in their shaded grass.  I sat beside my daddy while he played with toddler Maisie.  We ate popcorn and then looked for Kylee's lost earring in the grass.  

Andy wanted me to go with him to his first studio haircut.  

Eddie, Ryan, and I played giant Jenga.  Our tower was as high as it could go.  We laughed and cooed as it went higher and higher.

Maddie's meet was well attended.

She took third!

Maisie drove us to YM/YW.  She has just one month to practice before her driving examination.

(Cuter picture of Andy.)

We decorated BOM cakes; it was fun.

We're reading the BOM in 40 days, and we're still keeping up on CFM.  It's plenty of scripture time together.  

Andy announce one morning that his friend was coming for lunch on his birthday.  We threw him a party.

Miles seemed very happy about it.

Maddie reads 1.5 novels each day.  She read the entire Sisters Grimm this week.  

I started crying one morning at the table about 10am.  Andy asked me what was wrong.  I told him that I just wanted to bake a blueberry pie.  He told me that I should.  I did.

This is all that's left.

We take turns reading to the littles, while the other parent interacts with the bigs.  It will forever tickle my soul to see children crawling all over him.

The title of this post is obviously a Potter curse.  We're almost done listening to book six.  I also finished the audible Dirt to Soil.  I fill myself fully listening and learning.