Renton River Days!

It's so "sun country", but I must admit

it was rather sweet... 

at least the bits we participated in.

The rubber ducky derby

(call me simple, but this is one of the 

cutest festival events I've been to)

The first duckies to make it to the bridge down the river, 

 win of all sorts of prizes.

Perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

The Wenatchee Youth circus:

a little carnie but fun to watch these young kids

do stuff like this!

Emma says, just looking at that makes her butt tingle!

Recycle Fun Music Machine

Maybe after our ugly doll phase we'll move on to these!

Chop sticks with duct tape on the tips are the drumming sticks.

boy toys

add a touch of fire

even better

Ape Caves Hike 2008

Sorry these first 5 photos should be last, but just roll with it.

This is volcanic rock in the lava tube.

A dramatic look after crawling out of a 20 ft.crawl space that

some of the braver souls endured. 

This is our exit. Phew!

Ain't Helen a perty little thang?

Peter with our hikers.  Emma's friend Sam

was along for the trek.

OMG!

Here is the opening of The Ape Caves at Mt. St. Helens.

I'm still in awe of the 2 hikes we endured yesterday.

The caves are actuallly lava tubes that formed over 1,900 years ago.

Peter and I are so impressed with how well these 

kids handled the 2 cave hikes ... whine-free to boot!

My favorite quote from Will:

"this isn't hard mom, this is fun"

(his special lisp makes it oh-so-scrumptious to hear)

It is absolutely pitch black inside.

If you don't take a moment to look up every once 

in a while with your headlamp, you may miss something pretty crazy like this.

Peter remembered a funny little hideout.

He and Theo got ahead of us (as well as above us) and freaked us out as we came along.

A much need skylight along the way to give hope to wee ones 

who were starting to worry that maybe it didn't really end after all. 

The Exit.

More "Daisy Nose it " fun

Watch out or you'll get supersoaked!

(they  were both armed so it was double trouble)

More Pike place posing.

Izzy, our very serious hiker.... errrr maybe for just a moment.

We found the troll!

(Look what is in it's hand!)

Look what happens when Auntie Gabby says "I'll give you 5 bucks if you...."

(I didn't think they'd bite... literally!)

 "crazy cousies"

The "Daisies Nose it" tour

2008

The Jarzembowski Crew made it to the Gum Wall

 ( of course the littles couldn't help touching it....NASTY!)

Ain't they cute?  Love at long last (phew!)

Jocie just picked our big a_ _ salmon.

We'll be gettin' 2 meals out of that sucker!

Can you say "Double trouble"?

Nat's giggle was absolutely contageous.

Yummmy gelato at the Market.