A visit from Grandma and Grandpa

Last week Nate's parents made the trip to Whidbey Island together! Peggy hadn't been here in almost three years and this was the first time they had come together so it made it even that much more special....Nate took the week off so it was a vacation for everyone!
For us, we were excited to have them experience the amazing Northwest summer so what better way to start it off the trip by an afternoon ride on the Puget Sound to go crabbing!!! ( Of course this was after we had gone to Anacortes to our favorite breakfast place).

It was a successful trip and we caught our limit for the day but before we could go home and cook them it was off to the docks for the dirty deed of cleaning - not going to lie it is a little creepy when you are cleaning a crab that has been broken in half and their pinchers are still moving!!

Nate giving the crab its final goodbye!

Scott was a trooper cleaning the crabs too - Peggy opted to take the pictures!

Connor and Cooper weren't too convinced that the crabs weren't going to pinch them!

Of course we didn't spend the entire time crabbing (but we did do it more than once) - We spent an afternoon at Fort Ebey flying kites, bike riding at City Beach, enjoying the sun in the backyard while the kids played in the pool and then we went to which has become my favorite place on the island... Double Bluff!! Yes - we have found a beach that actually has sand and not rocks! Whoever said that you couldn't get tan on Whidbey has never been to this place!!

We had to take some time out to train the kids in their own personal "flight training"

Navy Pilots in the making!

Connor loves Grandma's snowball cookies so of course she made them with the boyz....although I think more made it into Cooper's belly than on the cookie sheet!!! Yumzers!!

The night before they left happened to be Prowler Ball....YES..FREE BABYSITTING!!!! Nate and I had a great time with our friends and just spending the evening together..truth be told though we didn't spend the entire evening there - at midnight you would have found us at Applebees with a big plate of nachos!

These are my girlfriends Erin and Brandi from the squadron!! There is never a dull moment when we are together!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for making the trip to Whidbey! It was so great being able to share our daily lives with you and for you to experience our home in Whidbey! Thanks for the memories - We love you!!!

MY BUDDY......MY BUDDY AND ME!!

Do you remember the 80's doll, My Buddy?? I am sure you had the commercial memorized - it went something like this...

My Buddy, My Buddy, My Buddy, My Buddy,

Wherever I go, he goes,

My Buddy, My Buddy, My Buddy, My Buddy,

I'll teach him everything that I know!!

My Buddy and me like to climb up a tree,

My buddy and me are the Best Friends could be.....

Okay so I am sure I have jogged your memory by now! This song has come to mind a lot lately when I watch the boyz play! I love watching them play and listen to their conversations! Oh don't get me wrong...they do have their moments but for the most part...they are simply the BEST FRIENDS COULD BE.....

These are some of the things that they love doing together :

1. Riding Bikes / Scooters

2. Chasing each other around the house

3. Finding treasures

4. Playing in the dirt pile next door (oh I love that one)

5. Playing in their pool (thanks Gigi and Great Grandma Jackie)

and of course the all time favorite - dressing up and being pirates!!! Have you ever seen pirate faces like these......

..... nothing beats being brothers and BEST FRIENDS!

ALL ABOARD........

They're two they're four they're six they're eight

Shunting trucks and hauling freight

red and green and brown and blue

they're the really useful crew
All with different roles to play Round Tidmouth sheds or far away,

Down the hills and round the bends

Thomas and his friends...............

ALL ABOARD................................................

Last Saturday, we headed down to Snoqualmie Falls with Brandi, Bryce, and Scott to see every one's favorite blue engine.....THOMAS!!!

Connor and Cooper were very excited and couldn't wait to start their train adventure!

We arrived in plenty of time before the train departed so we hit the tents...but of course the boyz had to get "inked" before we did anything! Connor chose Percy and Coop chose Harold......once they got their tattoos it was off to the train tent!

I definitely was taking notes on the layout of the tracks that were set up!

Of course there is always time for a cool refreshing treat!!

HERE COMES THOMAS!!!

Nate and Scott went and stood in line - of course they were the first ones so we boarded the train first and got the best seats! Thanks Daddy!!

We ended the evening with meeting Sir Topham Hat!! The boyz weren't too sure of him at first (actually either was I) but they warmed up to him and were all smiles!!

Thanks Thomas for a great day and chugging your way to the North West!!

Hangin' Out North West Style

Summer in Whidbey is amazing and we definitely have been taking advantage of everything that the Northwest has to offer!!! The kids have been enjoying hanging out with their friends and doing what boyz do best..... being boyz!!

Hangin' with Bryce at his pool!!!

ICE CREAM!!! ICE CREAM!!! WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!!

Last week we headed over to Burlington with Bryce and his Mama for some good ol' fashion berry picking! The farm was great... not only did it have the best berries but it had tons of things for the boyz to do.... Check out Coop and his new ride!

I am not trying to brag but Connor is pretty much the best berry picker ever!!! He definitely has my competitive personality... he kept saying, " Mama, look at all the strawberries I picked, I have the MOST!!!" What can I say you gotta teach them young!

Of course there is a system to berry picking.....pick a berry, eat a berry, pick a berry... Connor and Cooper definitely mastered that!

Cooper found it a little easier to just sit in the middle of the patch!

By the time we reached the raspberries he had regained his energy and was back to picking!

I knew exactly what he was thinking as he went for my bucket.....but how can you say no to that face!!!

After we were done picking the berries it was time to enjoy the farm! The kids went on a barrel ride that was pulled around by a tractor!!

After a long morning of picking berries it was time for some relaxation while eating homemade strawberry shortcakes!!

Cooper decided to eat by himself....I am sure he figured if he ate by himself then he wouldn't have to share - smart kid!

We have officially entered crabbing season!! Our friends have a boat and pots for the summer so we have joined in the adventure! They had dropped and baited the pots earlier that morning so we took the boys out on the boat to pick up the pots!!

Our ride!!

Connor taking the wheel!

JACKPOT!!

Unfortunately someone had taken the crabs from our other pot but we were still able to get nine crabs out of the trip!

My captain!!

Cooper wasn't a big fan of the boat as he kept asking if we were sinking....he stayed close to Daddy the whole way home!

The summer isn't over yet and I know that there are many more Barton adventures that await us.... I can't wait!!

BOYZ and their TOYS

Well it has been a loooooonnnnnnggggggg drawn out conversation for three years with my hubby about his need for speed and getting a motorcycle! I think the movie Top Gun has ruined military wives everywhere as naval aviators watched Maverick speeding down the road as jets were flying over him!
Two weekends ago Nate bought his dream bike off of Craig's list from a guy in Vancouver, WA - so Nate made the four hour trip to purchase his Triumph Speed 3 Triple!
The next day he was out for a bike ride with his buddies, Cooter, PKP, and Two Dogs! As they left the house it reminded me of the movie Wild Hogs - I am thinking of making them some homemade patches for their coats -KIDDING!!!

Nate has been on leave so Monday was the first day that he could ride it to work! He wasn't too upset about leaving that day knowing that he was going to be riding his new toy!

Well you know me...... I told Nate the other night that I wanted a Range Rover! I mean he gets a bike so shouldn't I get a new car???? He told me that I could when the Honda Pilot died! I think he knew what I was thinking because he quickly followed with, "And you can't drive it off Deception Pass!" RATS!! So the deal is when the car hits 170,000 miles I can get my Range Rover - SO....here's the thing - I have 120,000 more miles to go - ANYONE UP FOR A ROAD TRIP????

Where's The Moose??

Mama, Dada where's the Moose????

This is all we heard for eight innings Monday night at the Seattle Mariner's game!! Our friends, Jeff and Leslie, gave us company tickets to the Mariner's game. I am by no means a baseball fan but I do love going to Seattle to watch it live!! Connor has been enamoured by this moose since he was two years old and we went with the Boersma's monthly during the summer. Cooper has quickly followed right along with Connor although I don't think he really knew what or who he was.
We had great seats and saw the Moose during the first inning a couple sections down.... so in order to pass the time we decided to go and buy a special treat!!! Yum Yum Cotton Candy!!!

Nothing beats a whole mouthful of sugar!!



Cooper and Daddy hanging out! Looking for that darn Moose!!

Finally at the top of the ninth inning I walked to our usher and asked him when the Moose was coming out on the four wheeler! He proceeded to tell me that they are no longer doing that because he almost ran over a Yankee player - I don't know what is more bizarre - a Moose driving a four wheeler OR a player being run over by a Moose driving a four wheeler!!! Needless to say I had to break to my boyz that the Moose had his license taken away!

We still had a great time anyway!!!

Unfortunately it didn't matter how hard we clapped or yelled - the Mariner's lost to the Blue Jays!

Maybe they should reconsider bringing the Moose back!!! Better luck next time Seattle!!!