The Annual Trip (Pilgrimage?) to Ocean Shores
For the last five summers the Pringle family as voyaged to Ocean City State Park to spend a couple of days camping, playing in the sand, beach combing, and splashing in the surf. We also have a tradition of visiting a little ice cream shop called The Peppermint Palace. The kids all have their favorite flavor and pester us until we stop there. This year's trip to Ocean Shores was marked by only one sad event. On our final evening we decided to visit the jetty which is on the south end of Ocean Shores and forms the northern boundary of Grays Harbor. The kids enjoy the jetty and spend a lot of time climbing over the huge rocks and search for "caves" between the boulders.
The wind always seems to blow strongly at the jetty and it did not disappoint this time. Upon arriving at the jetty, the kids sprinted for the rocks and we took out our best kite, a 5-foot wide plastic monstrosity with a huge, grinning, Spriderman charater. Nathan insisted on flying Spidey and we enjoyed teasing him as strong gusts of wind would nearly lift him off of the gound while he flew the kite. After a few minutes of kite flying, we were thrilled to see that a pod of whales had approached the beach. They were in the setting sun so we had trouble seeing the whales but they were unmistakeable as they cleared their blowholes when surfacing. Nathan was still flying Spidey but was very interested in the whales when, WHAMO!, Spidey was gone and making a break for freedom! Nathan chased after the now free kite shouting, "Stop! Stop!" but the kite didn't listen and headed straight for the jetty. A couple of concerned citizens joined the chase but Spidey was too fast. Nathan and I shed a few tears as we stood atop the jetty and watched Spidey disappear out into the distance. Spidey, you were a good kite. May the wind always blow and buoy your wings. Rest in peace.
We Finally Have a Back Fence!
Staying At Grandma and Grandpa's
The boys and girls both got to spend a couple of days with their Grandma and Grandma Pringle this summer. The kids played lots of dominoes (Long Live Chicken Foot!) and did lots of biking. This was one of the highlights of the summer for the kids. I will try to post some pictures of their experiences as soon as I get a few from the old folks. ;)
Scout Camp
Ryan enjoyed his first Scout Camp experience at the incredible Camp Parsons near Brinnon, WA. We were all very proud of Ryan as walked away from camp having earned six merit badges. Ryan thought camp was AWESOME and enjoyed practicing scout skill with his friends. The weather was perfect for camp and Dad (who went for the week as one of the Scout leaders) even had a great time.
Camping With Friends
This summer featured a new and fun twist! We got to spend three fun days and two nights with our good friends, the McCains, up on Icicle Creek near Leavenworth, Washington. Leavenworth is Bavarian village nestled up in the Cascade Mountains just outside the Wenatchee National Forest. The trip was especially fun for the kids as everyone had someone to play with and keep them occupied. We enjoyed brisk hikes, fishing, strolling around Leavenworth, and swimming in the Wenatchee River. Tons of fun!
A Visit From Grandad
We were all very excited to welcome Grandad Wiley for a visit. It had been a long time since he was able to break free from work to make it north to see us and the kids. The kids were VERY excited to spend time with him and we made the most of it by visiting lots of local sites including Larabee State Park and Lake Padden. Grandad brought his dog and the kids thought it was great to get to be dog owners for a few days. The dog, whom we called "Boy" or "Buddy," seemed to fit right in with the family and enjoyed the extra attention paid him by the kids. When Collin would first see the dog he would say, "Wu! Wu! Wu!"
We Have Bunnies!
The Pringle family is very happy to welcome Tippy Bella Pringle (the girl's bunny) and Gandalf Greyhame (the boy's bunny) to our happy little ranch. The bunnies are miniature rex/lop mixes and they are half siblings. They both have sweet dispositions though the Gandalf is a bit hyper. The kids are very excited about their new friends and they have been spending all summer getting ready for their arrival. The preparations began in the spring when Dad and the kids began to build the hutch out of recycled fence panels. After finishing the hutch, the kids spent a lot of time researching bunny care and searching craigslist.org for baby bunnies. The bunnies are eight weeks old right now and seem to be adjusting to their new home. If Ferndale changes the rules regarding livestock within city limits, our next project may be a couple of chickens!Standing Atop The Mountain
To finish out our summer, Dad decided to gather the older kids (Mom and Collin stayed behind) and venture up to Artist Point in the Mt. Baker National Forest. Artist Point is the highest elevation that you can drive to in Whatcom County and is only about 2 hours from our home. We were hoping to catch a beautiful sunset and breathtaking vistas of Bellingham Bay. As we neared or destination we were disappointed that there were low clouds which obscured our view. Not to be deterred, we still had a great time taking pictures, hiking the many trails at Artist Point, standing on unmelted snow fields. A great end to a wonderful summer!
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