Issy Mom's Summer Picnic

Since January, we have been participating in the Issaquah Mom's Meetup group where members host all sorts of types of events for children, moms or entire families. The group has over 120 moms in the area as members and we are gradually getting to know a lot of the families, especially ones with kiddos around Clara's age. This past Saturday was the summer picnic. It was such a blast for Clara and her pals with carnival games, a musical performance and, of course, yummy food! Here are some of the photos from the day.

Eating blueberries and watermelon

Eating Picnic with Daddy

Her first ride on a motorized car. She didn't know that it was self-propelled when she got on. She was using her feet and happened to press the button - what a thrill!

Participating in the musical program

Adorable girls

Learning to play bean bag games

Silly Mommy the clown!!

Manzanita with the Fishers

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Escaping the Heat with Backyard Fun!!

Since last week was so sweltering outside and (because we are without A/C) inside too, we found refuge in our backyard in the afternoons. Clara still isn't too sure about her little pool, but she likes getting wet from the hose or sprinkler and her buddy Davis loved being in the pool. Even Vertigo enjoyed being outside in the grass because hot weather like that is really hard on her too.

Clara blowing bubbles for Vertigo

Adorable Davis waiting for Clara to join him in the pool

Too hot to wear anything but a diaper

Scout's Most Recent Photo Shoot

As one of my mom's group activities, a friend of mine hosted a photo playdate at her house where the kids ran around and had fun while a photographer snapped shots of them. Here are some of our favorites from the fun day. Clara's best shots (as above) were from when she climbed on top of the kids table and attacked all the other kiddo's snacks! Away from home, Clara turns into a bottomless pit and is such a mooch about food. We get such a kick out of her!

Photos by clarissa mae photography

~ Mama's Weekend Off ~

This past weekend Mama and her cousins ended up having an impromptu girls weekend in Crescent Bar leaving Daddy & Clara on their own - Not really, since they went to stay with Grandma & Grandpa in Quincy for the weekend. It was Kevin's first time with Clara without Mama around, but he had lots of helpers and it ended up being a great weekend for us all. They had a BBQ and swim party at Auntie Sherri's on Saturday and then another BBQ at Grandma & Grandpa's on Sunday afternoon before they came to pick up Mama. Clara loves being with her cousins and seeing all of cousin Ashley & Jason's many pets. Kevin was a nice daddy and even scheduled a playdate for Clara with the daughter of a friend of his from high school.

Mama on the other hand enjoyed the sun, relaxing meals, sipping yummy beverages by the pool, boating, sleeping in till 10:00 both mornings and best of all the company of my FUN cousins that I do not get the opportunity to see that often. It was such a treat! By Sunday morning I was missing Clara quite a bit so was nice when she and Kevin showed up for a little swim time and fun with the family too.

Daddy & Daughter Time

Exploring in Grandma's Garden

Playdate with Lucy (14 months)

Clara chasing after Lucy - Mama was sad she missed getting to see the girls play. Hopefully we'll meet up with the Blantons again soon.

Art time with Ashley, Hailey & Zane

Grandma's Girl

Cousins and our kids: Danielle, Nick, Nathan, Dusty, Braeden, Kennedy, Jennifer, Kevin, Kendal, Clara & Mama

She wasn't too sure of this kiddie pool at first either, but after seeing the kids play and hanging out on the edge for a while she got in and played hard till we had to drag her out of it.

Not having it!!

After having such a blast at the sprinkler park, we remembered that Grandma Jan bought Clara this neat sprinkler/splash mat. We thought Clara would love it and set it up on a warm evening last week in the back yard. Ha! She was terrified of it - cried and clung to Daddy. In the photo above, the water part is turned off and she still wouldn't have anything to do with it.

This isn't the first thing that Clara had all of the sudden become afraid of. She had been fearful of the bathtub when we stayed in a hotel a week prior and screamed after she was given a balloon from the nice gal at Nordstrom who helped fit Clara's new shoes. It just must be a developmental stage and while the situations now are silly, we are glad she is not completely fearless!

Sprinkler Park with Good Friends

There really isn't much better than getting together with a group of childhood friends and their kids on a sunny day to picnic and play in the park. Christy, Hayden, Logan, Meagan, Joelie, Kallee, Sara, Dacey, Kyan and Celisse met up with Clara & I at Recreation Park in Chehalis this past week. Some friends, Clara had not even met before so it was a BIG treat. The park has a sprinkler park for the kids and it was such a hit!

In the photo above, you see her interestingly going into the water and literally 10 seconds later, she ran back out. After a while, and some watching of the other kids, she figured the sprinkler thing out!

Having a blast! Clara loved tagging around with the older kids.

Sara, Christy & Dacey

Meg & cutie pie, Joelie

Celisse and Clara share bubbles