Our Daily Life: June 2015

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Visit to Great Wolf Lodge

Today we decided to take a drive up and stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. This hotel has in door water slides. It is super pricey and the only thing that comes with your stay is unlimited access to the water park. All the rest of the fun adventures they have, like a magic wand quest, glow in the dark mini golf, and arcade cost additional money. So we prepared the kids ahead of time that we couldn't afford the extra's.

While mom was checking in Dad took my camera and the girls to explore the hotel.

Summer loved sitting on this big bear!

We weren't able to take any pictures while swimming because we were all enjoying the fun. We spent a few hours swimming and then took a break for dinner. When dinner was over Summer didn't want to go back to the pool so she was mommy's side kick while Dad and the older girls went back to swimming.

Lucky for me Summer was satisfied with free fun. When we visited the arcade she told me she was having fun just pretending she was playing.

Here she is snuggled in bed for the night..pretending to be sleeping.

Monday, June 29, 2015

The girls race again

All 3 girls race

Errand day

Today was set up as a packed day! We had to take our car over to the dealer first thing in the morning so they could get it fixed. That was quite the hassle considering it took speaking to 3 people before everyone agreed my car was covered under the recall. The first lady didn't care and wanted to send me on my way. After another employee took over they in fact agreed with me that is was covered and just to make sure called two more people to verify. Glad I was persistent. The fun didn't stop there..I had to babysit them. They told me that if the part came from back east it would be difficult to get it in time. By 2:00 I hadn't heard from them so I called multiple times..only to be put on hold and hung up on. So I jumped in the car and drove down there to get some answers. Yeah, they hadn't even taken the car back yet to be looked at. I was shocked!! I mean, if this car could have issues getting done by the end of the week due to parts you would have thought they would have took it right at 8:30 when we brought the car in! A few hours later they told me the parts do come from back east but they convinced them to over night them which would get the parts to them by Wednesday.

We had fun taking a swimming pool break!

Summer's favorite part was taking a ride on Daddy's back while he swam!

Later on in the afternoon we went up to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a visit! Summer is entertaining as always!

Here is my step-dad's dog Emma...she is just the most perfect dog ever! We all fell in love with her. So glad she is in good hands at Grandma's house!

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sage plays Taps

Patriot Guard Ride pt 7

Duck duck goose with daddy

Patriot Guard and Memorial

Today was the memorial service for my step-dad, Steve.

Stephen Edward Smith, 66, of Longview passed away May 18, 2015, surrounded by family.
He was born Feb. 3, 1949, in Longview. He was the son of Delmer and Eleanor Smith and the brother of Charles, Ronald, Gary and Theressa Smith.
Steve is survived by a child; two beloved stepchildren; five grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and other extended family members.
He graduated from Mark Morris High School in 1967 and lived in the Longview area his entire life. He was an Army veteran and served as a sergeant in Vietnam, earning the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart and an Air Medal, having more than 100 helicopter insertions into enemy territory.
Steve worked for Weyerhaeuser Co. for 42 years. He was a machinist for a number of years before moving to the pulp and paper division, from where he retired in 2011.
Steve enjoyed rock collecting and spending time at the family lot in Ocean Park. In his younger years he enjoyed off-roading, motorcycle riding and working on cars. He possessed an easygoing personality with a nearly endless ability to trust in those around him.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Smith; his grandmother, Ida Sims; and an uncle, Carol Pritchard.
A memorial service, including a potluck, is planned from 2 to 5 p.m. June 28 at the AWPPW Hall in Longview.
Cremation has taken place under the direction of Dahl-McVicker Funeral Home.

Tim put together a great memorial service to honor his life. He arranged to have the Patriot Guards escort him to the service with his ashes. I video taped the whole ride but will just share a clip of the end of the ride.

Here the patriot guards escort Tim and the ashes to the front.

The presentation of the flag.

During this time Sage played Taps on the trumpet.

Tim was presented with the flag which was given to our younger brother Shawn.

Afterwards we took a picture of us siblings.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

The long drive

This morning we left the house at 5:30 a.m. for the long two state drive to WA. This trip we needed to drive our bigger 8 seater car, the saturn outlook. Since we would be gone a week we had lots of luggage to fit in the car. Plus, it is nice to pop up the third row single seat for Kayla to have her own space for less fighting during the long 13 hour drive.

Things went quite while during the first 4 hours. The next 4 hours seamed to take forever. Then the trouble hit. Our power steering started to go out. Thankfully only at slow speeds. Then, our air conditioner stopped working as well and temperatures outside ranged from 94-99 degrees. It was a hot, muggy mess in the car!!

Thankfully my brother offered for us to use his minivan for the week once we arrived. The power steering was a recall for this vehicle so we brought it to the dealer in town for them to fix it.