Making summer last longer.....the San Juans

While I was packing for our move, the twins did a gymnastics camp and the foam pit was definitely the highlight.  Dre is in the pit and Rea is flying through the air.

I love how they are holding hands while they wait in line.

 Nice balance and straight leg little perfectionist Reagan

This group picture makes me laugh -  Reagan is blocking about half the kids as she looks right into the camera and poses. 

On the awards stand at the end.  LOVE Dre's pose.

 Last night in her room.  Actually since we sent all the furniture and everything in the moving truck with Carlos, me and the kids camped out in my bedroom in sleeping bags (the only room with carpet) for a few days while I cleaned and cleaned and said good-bye. 

 Then we stayed at Oma's for a few days and had some fun like going to the coolest amusement park there is... Enchanted Forest.  This is the walkway to the seven dwarf's mine.

 The play put them all into a trance.

 Look at these lanky girls.  These two seem like they've grown a foot this year.

Talk about being in a trance...the marble thing-a-ma-jig even puts me in a trance.

Me, Amber, Madison, and Rivers just after getting completely drenched on the log ride.

 Push-up pops and sliding out of the "Old Woman's Shoe" over and over and over again.

The last pick out of the garden before heading to the San Juans.

 

 

 The Nuno's and Oma left the night before check in and stayed in this cute little abode halfway to Anacortes, WA.


We stopped at Costco with our lists of food to get for the week and were running really short on time to make the ferry, so we literally threw the food and kids in the van and sped off.  Hehe. Reagan can't even get to her seat.

 We boarded the ferry and the relaxation began.  Actually the kids all got together and went crazy on the ferry so it wasn't very relaxing.  Once again, Cody and Jason were the last car on seconds before they shut the gate and pulled away.  We were the second to last car with a whole 3 minutes to spare. 

 Oma broke out the trip shirts....Billabong rash guards for the littles and bamboo jackets for the rest of us ...so soft and comfy...perfect for cabin lounging.

 OK, now the peace and tranquility really starts.  First thing Rivers did was rent a paddle board and took the kids on rides.

Fishing at dusk

 Bunkbeds......                         and Cassidy insisted on sleeping with Rivers every night (which of course Rivers loved)



puzzles on the ferry to more island visits.



These strong little boys biked 10 miles around Lopez island

 And strong mama pulled the twins

 Rivers and I double kayaked around the East Sound with Tyler and Amber and Jason. 

 It was a starfish wonderland!!!!  We seriously saw thousands and thousands of starfish.

 The water was so clear and glassy - heavenly.

 Oh how I wish I could click my heels and be back in that kayak with Rivers.  Such a fun couple of hours (except for the fact that we "borrowed" the kayaks and the lady almost called the Coast Guard because she thought they were stolen). 

 Biking Lopez

A favorite pic from the trip.  I finished crocheting Reagan's hat there and she wore it the rest of the trip.  The mornings were just cold enough that it gave me an excuse to build a fire. 

 Since the kids were missing school for this trip, we did homework in our cabin every morning.

Goofy girls

 We went to Friday Harbor this year and visited the Lavender Farm.

It's one of my new favorite places.  They have a shop with lavender everything, including amazingly delicious lavender ice cream.

Then we went to the state park with this cute little light house and

 ....we all sat and watched a leopard seal eat a huge salmon for about 1/2 hour.

One of my favorite things about the San Juan trip.....no screens.  No TV, no Ipad, no computers, and no phones (almost).  And the best part is the kids never asked even once for any of those things. 

 These three were so crazy.  The water is really cold, but you wouldn't know it from watching them.

 If you notice, Reagan's hair is all wet because she kept swimming with her head under the water and her eyes wide open.  The water is so clear it looked a little freaky to see her eyes so clearly.  Tyler couldn't swim last year because he would get a cold headache.



I finally made Reagan get out and she was freaking me out a little cause I couldn't get her warmed up.  I wrapped her in 2 big blankets and made her drink warm milk.

Rivers the paddle board queen.

And Carlos the fishing king. 

 They caught a halibut the first day.  There was a crazy lightening storm one day and we happened to be in Moran state park at the top of Mt. Constitution.  As we were coming down from the tower on top, the lightening and thunder struck and boomed almost simultaneously and we all jumped and screamed and ran for the cars.  The thunder literally shook the ground it was so loud.  We went back and spent a day at the lake at Moran park when the weather was better and Whit, Rivers and I did a nice run around the lake, swam, kayaked, cliff jumped, rope swing...awesome day.

 The quaintest little cabins you ever did see.  My kids all tell me they want to live in the cabin.  I love their simple tastes :)

Finally she gets to paddle by herself.

 

 there is beauty all around...

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 The last night there Rivers and I snuck out to the water late to play in the freezing water so we could see the phosphorescent algae.  It really is out of this world cool.  Love my girl that's always up for an adventure.  The next morning we packed, cleaned and headed out.  There is a sign as you leave that says "Leaving Beachhaven....entering the world" which is truly how it feels.  After riding the ferry back to Anacortes, we all stopped to get gas and say good-bye and it was a tear fest.  We had such a good, fun week we didn't think about the fact that after, everyone else would drive back to P-town and we would head to Utah.  I hate good-byes.