HURLEYS HAPPENINGS!

Childhood in Burley!

2010-08-20T21:32:00.001-07:00

Before we left Burley, mom had us drive around the area where she lived when she was our age. We stopped at the old Southwest Elementary School for a quick photo op.

Mom went to this school when she was in the second grade...can you believe we'll be second graders in the fall?

I guess it's inevitable that we all grow up...pretty hard to believe that mom was our size when she went to this school!

It's not in operation anymore, but back in the 70's, these were the windows to the last classroom in which mom was a student before she moved to good old sunny Southern California!

Grandma Wolf in Burley!

2010-08-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

We made a quick stop in Burley, where we got to see our Great-Grandma Wolf! She gave us ice-cream treats so we could make it through the next leg of our seemingly endless drive in the car! :)

Our Favorite Rollins Family!

2010-08-20T21:26:00.000-07:00

Our return to Washington led us through Utah, where we had a chance to stop and visit our dear friends, the Rollins. We were so sad when they left Maple Valley...it was fun to see them again!

Henderson Cousins!

2010-08-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

We made the most of our time in Nevada and even got a chance to visit Lindi, Ryan and Anna in Henderson.

Ryan was quite the entertainer during our visit!

There's nothing better than a dip in the pool!

Kate was quite the trooper, touring Avery all over the pool!

I hope the mothership doesn't come to get me before I'm done swimming!

Vegas Chuck E. Cheese!

2010-08-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

A night out in Vegas...no, we're not at the casinos, but to a kid, what's more exciting than Chuck-e-Cheese?!

Looking for the next singing sensation?!

Ethan sure does love his Grandpa!

Auntie Luan shows us all about the arcade!

Watch out...my Uncle Jarrod is a cop and he's showing me the ropes!

Is law enforcement in my future?

Kate and Ethan won't shy away from any sort of game!

Visiting the Vegas Hurleys!

2010-08-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

We turned this summer into a full-scale family roadtrip! After our stint in Tahoe, we headed down to Las Vegas to spend some time with the Hurley side of the family. Vacationing in Vegas in the dead of summer gave us a chance to splash about in an effort to stay cool! Here, Kate and Madison wait their turn to plunge down the slide!

Fearless Kate prepares to plunge, while fearful Avery is content to position herself in the lookout spot, with no intention of ever leaving!

Isn't this backyard great?! Uncle Jarrod turned it into a regular water park during our stay!

Don't worry...with this porcelin skin we weren't light on the lotion!

Grandpa and Uncle Jarrod weathered the heat with a little time in the shade! You could fry an egg on that brick! :)

This is the life!

Bedke Reunion Fun!

2010-08-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

We certainly can't claim to be quick or current with our posts, but isn't it better to be late than never to have posted at all? :) Here the Hurley herd sits on the dock, waiting for a crowd of Bedke relatives to return from their ride on Lake Tahoe. We were VERY anxious for our turn on the boat!

Our mama made us all strap on life vests which made any movement next to impossible! We really do look like novice sailors, don't we?

Boating was a blast!

This time in Tahoe, we didn't have much sun, but the day at the lake brought some much welcomed rays our way!

Avery takes a turn at the wheel...everyone hold on to your hats!

Owen was not to be outdone by his sister!

No help is needed here! Whoever said you have to keep your eyes on where you're going? :)

Uncle Doug was such a sport...letting everyone have a chance to take charge!

Most of the Bedke bunch came together for a group shot. We had such a great time with our family in Tahoe this summer!

Lake Tahoe Playtime!

2010-08-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

The wind was not on our side, but we tried our hand at minature golf, anyway! Grandma helped Avery get her bearings!

Who would have guessed...Avery selected the PINK golfball!

It took Owen a moment to learn that this game involves taking TURNS!

Don't you just pick the ball up whenever you want?

With 6 of us playing, this was a test in patience!

What fun...I made it through the course!

Ethan concentrates...hoping to make a hole-in-one!

This was a blast! Watch out for me next time!

Avery takes a moment to regroup after a trying game of golf!

Part monkey, part cute boy!

Summer really is the best time for play!

Who doesn't love a slide?!

Sun Harbor Beach!

2010-08-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

We took in some rays at Sun Harbor Beach! The water was a bit on the cooler side, but perfect for toe-dipping!

Kate and Nicholas worked furiously to create a castle in the sand! They were fighting a war with the water!

Ethan WANTED to be buried in the sand...honestly!

Everyone chipped in to bury this boy!

Even the baking sand didn't curb the smile from Ethan's face!

Kody willingly splashed around with the boys, who enjoyed the refreshingly chilly lake!

Hiking Around Spooner Lake

2010-08-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

True, we are not known for our hiking abilities, but when the family decided to take a hike around Spooner Lake, we decided to tag along!

Here we are with our cousins, Lola and Nicholas...resting before starting out on our 2 mile journey!

We're half-way there! :)

Sweet sisters!

Owen needed a little pick-me-up...he was a trooper, but not one to pass up a piggyback ride!

Spooner Lake

Michelle's cousin, Kade, wins the prize for being the best kid-friendly entertainer of the vacation! Kade was Ethan's new best friend!

We really did have a great time...but maybe next time we'll go on the short hike! :)

Bellevue Art Fair!

2010-07-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

We were not about to spend the day at home when the sun was shining upon us today! Bellevue was alive and kickin' as it hosted the annual Art Fair! Inside Bellevue Square Mall, we happened upon a rock wall climbing event that both Kate and Ethan were giddy to try! They discovered that not everything is as easy as it looks!

It takes some fancy footwork and nimble fingers to make it up the wall!

Kate took a minute longer getting a solid start, but once she did, she took off!

There is a reason, Kate discovered, that flip-flops are not the shoe of choice when tackling such an endeavor!

Fantastic Mr. Fox! We walked all over the fair to find the face painter! Ethan picked this to grace his face!

I am like a star, shining brightly! Don't think for a moment that we're washing faces tonight!

Owen was NOT to be left out of this experience! He would have climbed the wall, too, if we'd let him!

We really did have fun in the sun today! Summer is the best time for silliness!

Ready for Church!

2010-07-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, while dressed our best, we decided to take some recent shots of our sweet angels! Ethan is such a handsome big brother!

Our smiling, sweetheart, Kate! We were successful in our attempt to straighten her lovely locks - she's growing up!

Owen continues to be the family ham! Couldn't you just squeeze this little guy?!

We are all about the hairbands these days! Our little baby is such a girlie-girl!

What a fabulous foursome!

We are so blessed to have such terrific kiddos! They amaze us every day!

Fun in the Sun!

2010-07-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

We haven't had too much sun this summer, but when it does warm up, the kiddos clamor to get cool! We got a new pool this year and boy, do we love it! We're keeping our fingers crossed for many more sunny days to come!

The goggles had sharks on them...the perfect match to Ethan's suit, so we HAD to have them!

Kate would live in the water if she could!

The boys are ready for action!

Hey, guys...this water is a little chilly!

Swim Lessons!

2010-07-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

Look out, water...here we come! Kate and Ethan head off for their first day of swimming lessons...we're so excited, we can hardly stand it!

We were lucky to get Cameron as our teacher! We learned all about floating and gliding, bobbing and kicking! Mom, Avery and Owen watched us every day from the stands...we're ready to move on to level 2 now!

Picking Raspberries!

2010-07-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

It has truly become an annual tradition for us to go berry picking at Remlilnger Farm! This summer the weather has been so mild that the berries were few and far between! We did manage to work as a team and picked a flat worthy of jam!

Mr. Muscles, here, insisted on holding his own box!

For once, it wasn't blaring hot...a perfect day for picking! We just wish the berries had been a little easier to find...our patience began to wear thin pretty early on! But when you can pick 'em and eat 'em along the way, well, that gave us the energy boost we needed!

Kate's Dance Recital!

2010-07-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Kate participated in ballet for the first time this year. Dance Arts held a HUGE recital at Kentlake High School in June. Kate's class danced to a song about Fireflies. At the end of the recital, we honored our big star with a bouquet of flowers in colors to match her costume!

Kate and Natalie became the best of buddies!Here they are, all dolled up with make-up and all! There's enough hair gel here to coat a small village!

Grandma even came up from Los Angeles to see Kate's big dance debut!

We all enjoyed watching the dancers...it was a fun-filled day for everyone!

Gymastic Big Shows!

2010-07-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

This past spring we took gymnastics at The Little Gym once again. We really improved on our skills and got to showcase everything we learned at The Big Show!

Mr. Tony helped Ethan as he attempted a back handspring!

Kate did an amazing job on her beam routine!

Ethan participated in The Big Show on Saturday. Here are some of the friends who were in our class with us!

Kate joined Tuesday's class for The Big Show this year! It really is all about the medal! :)

Kate & Ethan Turn 7!

2010-04-16T22:50:00.000-07:00

On our "official" birthday, way back in April, we got to pick where we wanted to eat for dinner. We donned our special birthday hats (made for us by the one and only Mrs. Lagerquist!), weathered the April showers, and took off for IHOP!

What is better than breakfast for dinner?! Plus, we live for those placemats and crayons they give you...there's hours of fun wrapped up in those! Maybe we don't really need presents after all!

Mom says we look like gremlins in this picture! Ethan really wanted Owen to be next to him...honest!

Our sisters often like to goof around!

We came home and topped off the night with ice-cream sundaes!

Everything is better with sprinkles on it!

Super Mario Brothers Birthday Bash!

2010-04-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

It's Mario Time! Being the all-time Super Mario Brothers fans, Kate and Ethan celebrated their big "7" with a party in the style of Mario!

We can't take credit for making this one! A friend took on the challenge of making a cake fit for Mario and Princess Peach! Amazing, isn't it? And it was delicious on top of that!

We transformed the old homestead into a life-sized video game! Nothing too fancy, but it sure did set the tone for a fun party!

Look out, Bowser...34 kids each took a turn at bringing down Mario's nemesis in a variation of pin the tail!

Would a party be the same without a pinata?!

Kate takes her turn! Baseball is most definitely in her future!

We hope our friends had as much fun as we did!

Ethan Finishes Basketball!

2010-04-16T22:30:00.000-07:00

Better late than never, right? Okay, so it has taken some time for us to get these pictures posted! March brought with it an end to the basketball season. Ethan wanted desperately to try out the sport of his uncle Jarrod and to his credit, he gave it his all! This was the last game of the season and Ethan had a blast! Watch out Lakers!

Ethan did finally get the hang of the game...and was responsible for some really terrific defense!

The team celebrated with blizzards and medals at the local Dairy Queen! I know, only in Maple Valley, right?!

Cameron and Ethan enjoy being together and celebrating with the team!

Bedtime Fun!

2010-02-21T08:58:00.000-08:00

Nightime is often the silliest time of day for us kiddos! We had just brushed our teeth and were getting ready for storytime when we were smitten with the sillies!

Brothers are the best of buddies!

Tired...who's tired?! We've got enough energy to keep going for hours!

Do we look like we're going to go to bed easily tonight? Sleep is for the birds!

The sweet sisters show off their smiles!

Bathtime Antics!

2010-02-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

Bathtime is one of our favorite pastimes! We love the opportunity to get "nay-nay" and let loose! This time, mama broke out the camera and caught a few shots of us as we were a-splishin' and a-splashin'!

Once we knew the camera was ready, we were hamming it up!

Stealing a kiss!

We sure are loving siblings...most of the time!

Squeeky clean! Once the temperature of the water reaches freezing and mama has forced us to open the drain, the fun is over and it's time to grab a towel!

Who says the fun has to end? I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeve to delay bedtime as long as I want! Remember who rules this place, after all!

Christmas Eve Jammies!

2009-12-24T19:47:00.000-08:00

Keeping with tradition, Ethan, Kate, Owen and Avery get ready to open their one Christmas Eve present!

Grandma sent us each jammies!

Now we're set for Santa's big visit We're just hoping that everyone catches at least a little shut-eye before tomorrow morning!

Gingerbread House Fun!

2009-12-24T11:09:00.001-08:00

Kate and Ethan's first-grade class celebrated the Christmas season by making gingerbread houses earlier this week! Here is Kate in action, diligently trying to get the decorations to stick!

Drat...that pretzel fence just won't stay put!

Licking your fingers is half of the fun!

Ethan enjoys being the design consultant! Maybe next year we'll brave making our own houses at home with Avery and Owen!

A Visit to See Santa!

2009-11-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving arrived and, still stuffed with turkey, we headed to the mall for our traditional visit with Santa! Nothing kicks off the holiday season like a visit to Santa's Workshop! Although Avery was still a little timid, we made it through. We were hopeful that being a whole year older might make this visit a little more fun... we can dream, can't we?! We were sooo excited to FINALLY get to wear our special Christmas clothes that have been hanging in our closet!

Here we are, preparing to enter Santa's Village...

This is our favorite time of year!

After the visit!

Watching the reindeer fly!

Who says you have to wait until December to start celebrating? We've been enjoying the best of the Christmas cartoons for weeks now!

Trick or Treating!

2009-11-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

We couldn't have asked for a better night for Trick-or-Treating! There was no rain and the bone-chilling cold disappeared for the night! Here we are at the beginning of the adventurous evening...full of energy and excited to get going!

We thought at first of trying to pick a family theme, but Ethan's love for Star Wars, coupled with Kate's desire to glam-up as Cinderella made fitting in with the Dalmation duo a bit hard to accomplish!

Here's a quick interview with the Halloween Hurley Bunch!

Pumpkin Patch!

2009-10-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of fun-filled adventure for the Hurley Bunch! We made our annual October outing to the Pumpkin Patch. It was a great day for pumpkin picking...not a raindrop in sight and no muddy fields to be trudged through! There were pumpkins aplenty and we had a hard time making our selections. Fall is one of our favorite times of the year!

No one could ever say that our kids are camera-shy!

Pull up a pumpkin and pose for a picture!

Avery is no doubt dreaming of pumpkin pie! Or is it the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies awaiting her in the car?!

"Pretty strong to have picked this one off the vine, huh?!"

"I can carry this one, so I guess it's mine!"

"This one here is the perfect size for me!"

What could be better than being surrounded by scarecrows and pumpkins?!

What a great bunch of kids we have! It's the end of the day and they're still smiling! I bet you can't guess who's still scheming!

Ethan's Big Game!

2009-10-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Ethan's soccer game to cheer on the Frogs! With only three games left in the season, we were excited to witness Ethan at the top of his game! He made 4 goals and was quite proud of himself! Here are some short clips of our little soccer star!

We were able to capture at least one goal!

Ethan is nothing if not determined!

The Green Frogs do their best to work as a team and score big!

Salmon Days!

2009-10-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

After being turned on to the event several years ago by our friends. the Dayleys, we have made it an annual Hurley tradition...the first weekend in October, we gear up for a day of adventure at Issaquah's Salmon Days!

Doesn't Avery make an awfully cute salmon?!

Fighting upstream wouldn't break Owen's spirit!

I wonder if life would be just as much fun if I were a salmon?

Ethan made sure we knew that he didn't want to eat any salmon today!

"Why, oh why do I have to be on this horse?" Socks was patient, even with the tears!

"I know it doesn't look like it, but I really did enjoy the ride!"

Kate was a natural, riding on Sugar! Grandpa Bedke would have been proud!

"I'm ready for a cattle drive anyday! Taffy, here, will get you where you need to go!"

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the whole day was getting to jump on the bouncy ride! Here, Ethan and Kate discuss the fun they had!

Sports Day at Glacier Park!

2009-09-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Our school's annual BBQ was held this past Thursday! This year's theme was Washington Sports Teams. Ethan donned his soccer uniform, and not having any sports attire, Kate just went for something cool! The day started with some clouds, but the sun came out in full force and it ended up being a great day for an outside lunch. Mama, Avery, and Owen came to join Kate and Ethan for lunch. We loved seeing them in their new surroundings!

Avery needed a little refresher to keep her in good spirits!

Owen doesn't need a reason to smile... when the camera comes out, he's all about grins!

Zoe, Olivia, and Kate enjoy some girl bonding time on the courts!

Both Kate and Ethan alike have found a new love at lunch recess... basketball!!

Wall-ball is also a new favorite amongst the kids!

Soccer Kick-Off!

2009-09-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

The Fighting Frogs had a blast at their debut game! It was boiling hot outside, and the fields were packed, but Ethan and his teammates had loads of fun while playing two back-to-back games last Saturday at Tahoma High School!

Ethan and Blake patiently wait for their turn to practice! Tuesday nights are spent fine-tuning our skills so that we're ready for anything when Saturday's game comes around!

We're learning how to kick and pass to one another, but at this age, isn't it all about working up a sweat, running wild on the field?!

Coach Tryg gives it his best shot...trying to get 7 six year-olds to pay attention isn't the easiest of tasks! But we sure are having a great time!

Kate & Ethan Start First Grade!

2009-09-03T22:49:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday morning, Kate and Ethan rose with the chickens and headed off to their first day of First Grade at Glacier Park Elementary School! Getting up early wasn't a treat for anyone! But once they were up, they scrambled to get dressed and out the door! Donning their brand-new outfits they were anxious to enter their classroom and start the year!

Kate is excited to be back in school - she loved learning to read and write in kindergarten and can't wait to start working again!

Ethan, too, is ready for first grade! He loves learning about new things and is excited for all that is in store this year!

Kate and Ethan are in the same class with Mrs. Lagerquist! They will be with her for both first and second grades...boy, are we lucky! :) She is one of the best teachers around!

A Trip to Bainbridge Island!

2009-08-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

In our quest for summer fun, we decided to make a break from Maple Valley and headed off for a day trip to nearby Bainbridge Island.

While waiting for the ferry, we walked along the waterfront and stopped for a popsicle with a pirate!

We've never been on a ferry before, so this was quite the adventure!

Grandma made the trip with us and bought us ice-cream cones as a special treat to top off the day!

Beating the Heat!

2009-08-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

In winter, we complain about snow; in the spring, we complain about rain...but NOTHING deserves complaints quite like triple digit heat!! Owen doesn't seem to be too upset, though, because heat justifies stripping!

Our cousins came to visit from California and we joined them for a swim. We were looking for anything that would help us cool down!

Perhaps the best thing Ethan acquired this summer was the $1.50 pair of goggles!

In our quest for adventure, we teamed up with some friends at a birthday celebration at the Auburn Drive-In. Nothing says fun like a movie about secret-agent guinea pigs - one was even named Hurley!

Owen and Avery didn't really watch much of the movie, but had a great time eating snacks and running around!

Staying Cool at the Lake

2009-07-17T16:11:00.001-07:00

When we heard that the weather forecast for today was high 80's, we knew staying in our house was out of the question! Instead, we joined up with our friends, the Roeths, and took off for nearby Coulon Park. Everyone had a blast! Ethan convinced Rachel and Kate to help bury him in the sand...Owen was not to be left out of the fun!

Buckets, shovels and sand...the perfect combination!

Avery wasn't a big fan of getting wet and/or sandy!

"Bury me! Bury me!"

Kate wasted no time jumping into the water to cool off! We practically had to drag her home!

Mr. Fearless! Ethan can't wait for another trip to the lake!

Gymboree Fun!

2009-07-15T20:39:00.001-07:00

"Peek-a-boo!" Today Owen and Avery enjoyed their second Gymboree Play and Learn class at Bellevue Square. It took Avery a few minutes to warm-up, but once she did, she was off and running! Today's theme was "Frogs and Friends." One of the activities was to climb the stairs and "hop" across the beam, like a frog. Avery loved climbing the stairs! It wasn't long before she mastered the beam, either!

Bubbles, bubbles, everywhere! Gymboree has the best bubbles EVER! They come by the thousands and you can catch them on your fingers! Avery had a blast trying to pop the ones that came her way!

Whoever invented the parachute was an absolute genius! Is there anything more fun than holding the parachute and watching it come up and down?!

Owen takes the "play" part of Play and Learn very seriously! He was making the most of his exploratory playtime!

Here, Owen waits patiently for directions from Joni, our teacher, about how to work the parachute.

"Look at me...NO HANDS!! I can do it!"

Raspberry Picking!

2009-07-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

In our quest for summer fun, we made a trip last week to Remlinger Farm for a berry picking adventure! Everyone had a blast!! We could have picked for hours as there were berries galore, but we forced ourselves to stop after just one flat!

Avery made the most of her personal berry basket! She loved loading it up and dumping it into the collection!

Note that Owen has no basket - the berries wouldn't have made it that far! He was packing them into his mouth as quickly as he could pick them!

We discovered that earlier is better - this was the first time we have made it to the fields when the supply of raspberries was this plentiful! Ethan and Kate went wild and didn't even get a chance to whine about being hot!

"I'm a natural!"(And a cute one at that!)

"This whole berry thing is a lot easier than I remembered!"

"We let mama pose with us for this picture although these really are the fruits of our labors!"

Owen & Avery Kick-Off Summer!

2009-07-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

Summer's here and the time is right for... POPSICLES!!! Is there any better way to beat the heat?

Check out the monkey suit! Owen can't be bothered with silly things like smiling for the camera when popsicles and berries are calling his name!

Always the charmer...that sweet smile will get you everytime (even when it's blocked by a binkie!).

Owen is really quite fond of Scout, even though the feelings are not ALWAYS mutual! :) Let's be honest - how many bareback "horseback" rides should one dog have to endure?!

Kate Loses a Tooth!

2009-06-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of wiggling with her tongue, Kate lost her first tooth today! While eating some chips, Kate mentioned to Mama that her tooth was feeling especially loose. When Mama went to give it a feel, it popped right out.

Kate is very excited to get to use her new Tooth Fairy pillow that Grandma made her!

Big Gymnastic Show

2009-06-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

June 17th was a day filled with much activity for the Hurley Bunch! Ethan was rearin' to go when it came time to strut his stuff at The Little Gym! Kate spent the day at home with a less-than-friendly tummy and as a result, wasn't up for performing with her "Good Friends" class at The Big Show. Both kids have been taking gymnastics all year and this was their opportunity to show off their skills.

Mr. Tony didn't even have to lend a hand when it came to walking the balance beam!

"I worked hard for this medal!" ("Okay, so did Kate - she deserves one, too!")

The "Good Friends" together one last time - celebrating their big achievement!

Kindergarten Concert

2009-06-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the culminating event of our Kindergarten year at Glacier Park Elementary School was the music concert put on by the kindergarteners last Friday! Kate and Ethan got dressed in some of their new clothes (a gift from grandma!) and eagerly set off for school that day!

They have absolutely LOVED music with Miss Hinami this year and were very anxious to perform many of the songs they had been practicing over the past several weeks! Aren't they cute!

Owen & Avery were on their best behavior for the concert! After all, they can rock out with the best of them!

The auditorium was filled with admiring parents and friends as the kindergarteners marched in and took their places on stage. Kate mentioned several times that they had to be soooooo careful on the risers so that nobody would fall off and get hurt!

One of their final numbers was the song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," in which several students were selected to come forward and hold posters. Ethan was never so proud!

Kate was also a star... our family loves the limelight!

It's a little dark, but here you see Mrs. Blevins' entire p.m. class - all of our friends were singing their little hearts out! (Ethan and Kate are both on the third row, far left and third from the left.) Everyone did such a great job! Owen and Avery were mesmerized the entire time!

Field Trip to the Zoo

2009-06-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

On June 10th, we made Mama's preschool field trip a family affair! We sure had a blast visiting all the animals at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma. It's a small-scale zoo, compared to the LA or San Diego zoos, but is filled with terrific exhibits. We saw walruses, polar bears, lemurs (think King Julien from Madagascar!), porcupines, meerkats (think Timon from The Lion King!) and our personal favorite, the Siamang monkeys! Here, Kate and Ethan pause long enough to take a quick picture with our friends, Cayleb and Ty.

We couldn't have picked a more perfect day for an outside adventure! There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temperature was just right! Ethan and Kate enjoyed spotting the animals when they weren't easily cooperating! Just take our word here- the blob behind the fence is really a red wolf!

It was a good thing the tigers were kept behind thick plexiglass - even though this one was just rousing from a nap, she didn't look all that gentle!

Both Kate and the gibbon monkey strike a pose! They both look so comfortable in front of the camera! It's gotta be the glasses that bring out Kate's glamorous side!

Owen was never so happy to be set free from the confines of the stroller! He couldn't be stopped when allowed to play in the kids' zone! Avery missed most of the fun here because she thought taking a catnap was a better idea!

Jonah joined in for this picture. We had just caught the show where a HUGE eagle and some pretty clever birds taught us about taking care of the environment so that animals can have a clean place to live.

There really are monkeys out there - and not just Kate and Ethan! Look really hard and you might be able to make them out, hanging from that tree. They were on the move and made it very difficult to catch a good picture.

We caught a ride on the carousel before heading home. Wouldn't you know it, ...they had a PIG! Avery was in hog heaven! What a way to end the day!

The little two turn the big "2"!

2009-05-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

Avery's new pig fettish made coming up with a birthday theme fairly easy! Okay, so no cake awards will be won anytime soon...but it was a hit, nonetheless, with the two year-old crowd! :)

Avery is all about pigs and Owen has a tender spot for "moos!" Alas, the "MOO" cake!

Our Birthday Girl shows off the balloons selected especially for her by Kate and Ethan!

Owen, sporting a big boy haircut in honor of the big day!

This might be the last time you'll see Avery in her highchair - she finds greater pleasure these days joining the big kids at the table! We thought eating cake might be consumed with less disaster while strapped down!

Owen insisted on donning the Toys 'r Us birthday crown! What better way to inform others of your all important day than a stylish paper crown?!

Check out all these presents for me!

The best thing about having big brothers and sisters is that they get to "help" whenever presents are involved! We had a great day!!

Kate & Ethan Turn 6!

2009-04-26T17:05:00.001-07:00

April 2nd was a big day at the Hurley house! Kate and Ethan celebrated their big 6! Grandma came up from California for the big event and we all began the festivities with a night out at The Rock, a local pizza spot! After dinner and some special birthday cupcakes from Coldstone, Ethan and Kate opened their gifts from Grandma, Avery and Owen. Check out the piles! In all honesty, the thing they looked forward to the most was getting their birthday crowns at school!

No, there's nothing wrong with your eyes - this picture is anything BUT focused! It does, however, show some of our friends who came to celebrate with us at The Little Gym. Now THAT is the way to have a party! Everyone got to run around as Tony and Tiffany, our gym instructors, took all the responsibility for the event!

Kate insists that her favorite apparatus at the gym is the rings - we still aren't sure what skill we're developing here, but swinging sure is fun!

Everyone had a blast! Tony and Tiffany said that they'd never had a more polite group of kids at a birthday party!

Just how many kiddos can you squeeze into a donut after all?! Owen was NOT to be left out! :)

We are all about High School Musical these days, so it was only fitting that the theme this year was "High School Musical 3"! We're lucky Grandma was here to put together our cake! Cake decorating just isn't up mama's alley!

Overall, our celebration was a huge success! We enjoyed being with all of our friends - those from church as well as those from school! After all, what beats friends, cake and presents?!

Tulip Festival!

2009-04-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend we made the trek up north with our friends, the Dayleys, for the last weekend of the ever-famous Washington Tulip Festival! We arrived at one of the hot spots, Roozengarden, and everyone made a beeline for the windmill! We tried, albeit somewhat unsuccessfully, to get all the kids to pose for a photo op! Josh just had places to go and people to see! Owen would have been right there with him if we hadn't strapped him in his stroller!

The forecasters predicted clouds and rain and we worried about the accompanying chilly weather, but to our pleasant surprise, the sun made its debut and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day!

Here's one of those rare pictures that shows that Michelle actually does exist! She's always the one behind the camera!

This picture doesn't do it justice - the endless rows and rows of tulips were a sight to behold! Here, Owen was preoccupied with the fact that he was standing barefoot on a big pile of dirt! He had chosen to remove his socks and shoes for the, oh, one-hundredth time that day! Can you tell that Kate and Ethan love the camera?!

Give Avery her own bag of caramel corn and she's happy as a clam! What you don't know is that we had just enjoyed a fabulous lunch right before making it to the fields! Check out those cheeks!

Can you tell that Owen has a trick or two up his sleeve?! That devilish smile of his is rapidly becoming his trademark!

Kate really enjoyed the trip - especially the opportunity it gave her to use her camera! Her favorite tulips were the red ones, and the yellow ones, and the pink ones...

Can't you just see this picture on a postcard or cereal box?! Ethan wore himself out playing hide-and-go-seek with Kate and Sarah and then running all over the fields, looking for the perfect picture to capture on his camera!

Such sweet sisters these girls are! Avery absolutely adores her big sister and Kate is so kind to her, well, most of the time!

There really was no preplanning of outfits that went on with the girls - it just so happened that everyone donned stripes for the day! Kate and Ethan both were more excited about seeing Sarah than anything else - isn't she adorable? We hope to get everyone together more often this summer!