Samuri Sword Fighter

One last hoorah. The weekend before school started I took the kids to hear a concert in the park. It was SO fun. We got a free CD of the band and won a raffle prize and t-shirt. There were booths with give-aways such as balloon animals, waterbottles, stickers, and glow in the dark cups. The girls wanted to come back for the showing of Harry Potter, so we went home for sleeping bags, pj's and treats. We did purchase carmel corn because the smell was overpowering. Even Brody was entertained by the huge screen in the middle of this large park. I love community events like this....especially when they're free! Our friends the Rushings borrowed our baby backpack to do this hike the week before, so we decided to go discover it for ourselves. We had never been to Beacon Rock before and didn't know what to expect.
There are so many beautiful weekends that Todd is working (and will for the rest of his career), that I decided to take the kids and make new discoveries. I told them they are now certified hiking kids, because that is one thing we can all do together....as long as I can manage Brody on my back that is!
It was pretty chilly when we got out of the van, but we warmed right up. Hiking to the top was so much fun, and when we looked up for the first time and saw all the switchbacks of wooden bridges it was amazing. They just kept going up and up and getting tighter together. It only took an hour round trip and the view of the Gorge was spectacular! We then drove on to the Skamania Lodge and did a hike there, took part in an obstacle course, found golf balls along the trail, picked blackberries, got hot cocoa, and played at a playground.

This week Brody turned 18 months.....It seems like he's been in our family forever.....or is it that I just can't recall the quiet, peaceful moments we had before he joioned our family? :> I can't comprehend the idle, selfish time I would have on my hands right now, had we not decided to have another child. Those days will come, and I'm in no hurry for them to get here. I just relish the few hours of peace I have while he naps and the kids are at school. So pretty much any calls between noon and 3:00, are not likely to be answered.

When Brody was about 16 months he started getting out 2 swords, bringing one to me and fighting. It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. How do little boys have that instinct..... because he's not reaching for the Polly Pockets (unless it's to bite their clothes in pieces). He still doesn't say one single word, but understands when we say "go get your swords Brody". He really whacks away with them too! If you don't have one to defend yourself, you'll get hurt!
This would be an example of how not properly defending your position can lead to pain.
Then he pulls one of these and we're putty in his chubby little hands. He loves his (and Kennedy's) silky blankies.
It seems I've found another babysitter that can fill in when Griffin is away.....that would be the Backyardigans. They saved us on our drive to Utah. Into the Deep, Quest for Flying Rock and the Corn Maze one keep him GLUED to the TV.