Blast from the Past.....Summer 2006

Summer of 2006.....

Jacob was 4, Joseph was 3 and Ben had just turned 2. I was pregnant with Lauren and she was due in September. This picture was taken in July on our big Laws Family camping trip to Cape Disappointment. After 3 years in a row of bad weather we finally gave up and tried a different location. Aaron used to camp here as a boy with his cousin so it was fun to go back and have a big camping trip with Papa, Grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins each year.

Taken at Cape Disappointment, one of our all time favorite pictures of Jacob and Joseph. Aaron was lucky enough to zoom in on this unopposed, candid moment between brothers.

The boys at Uncle Keith's house sitting in the back of his pick-up.

Back in the "Clifford the Dog sprinkler" days. Many summer afternoons were spent watching the boys (and the neighbor kids) run through the sprinkler in the front yard.

JoJo getting the pep talk from Daddy just before his maiden flight without training wheels. Like Jacob he was 3 when they came off (one of the advantages of living on a quiet cul-de-sac). Ben is almost 5 and since living in our new home (on a gravel driveway) he still needs his training wheels on.




Pregnant with Lauren
(In my last trimester) I spent most of my summer redecorating the spare bedroom in anticipation for the arrival of my little girl. My theme was "A swallows Nest." The round crib took months of stripping, sanding and staining to a rich walnut brown (it was previously lacquer white). I painted a soft sky with clouds on the ceiling and muraled Lauren's name with hand painted birds. I sewed her bedding, put up the chair railing (well Aaron did). Sanded, stained and attached a mirror to the closet door. Made a cornice box, covered it with my inspiration fabric and searched for months on e-bay and in antique stores looking for the perfect details to complete her room. My heart and soul went into her nursery and so did all my spare time that summer. Too bad that 1 year later we would move to a different home, and my daughter would only remember this room from the pictures we took.

This was the summer that we discovered Lake Cresent on the Olympic Peninsula. 2 weeks before Lauren was due we spent 3 days enjoying this magnificent place. It has since become one of our favorite camping destinations. The lake is gorgeous as is the view surrounding the lakeside campsites.

Many bike rides and evening walks with the Big Red Wagon were taken down our street. I miss those walks.

Summer sleepovers for the big boys. Jacob and JoJo eating ice-cream and sleeping under their "tent" that Daddy set up for them in the family room. I don't know why but they would get SO excited about having these little indoor campouts.