I'm Back......

Well friends and family....its been a long time I know since I have updated this blog. I could give lots of reasons why, but why? Instead, I will just leave you with some fairly recent pictures of our girls starting the new school year off.

Our youngest girls started their last year of preschool at the Pine Lake Co-op. Hard to believe!!! Alyssa and Audrey love it there and love their teacher, Ms. Ardis. You will find me there almost every Monday working in the class (part of the benefit of twins--you get to volunteer in the class twice as much!). He, he.



Madison and Katelyn got to be the first year students of their brand-new school, Creekside. Its GORGEOUS, 2-story, "green" building and we are all loving it! Unfortunately, they did loose some of their friends from their school last year when they redid the boundaries, but it seems to be okay so far given the gorgeous new facility and the fact that we are only 2 miles or less from their friends of the other school.

Here they are in front of the new school on "Meet the Teacher Day."


Madison started the 4th Grade this year. This is her teacher Ms. Yanev.



Katelyn is in the 3rd grade this year. Her teacher is Ms. Mensik. Katelyn really scored with this classroom--it overlooks the playground on the 2nd floor and is "decorated" so nicely. I, of course, notice these things since its one of my passions. In fact, her teacher and I were laughing about that--she told me she was a bit embarrassed by it, but I told her I loved it!



Here our Madison and Katelyn on the first day of school in their "back to school outfits" that they of course picked out days before. Don't you remember doing that? That was such a fun day for me I could hardly sleep the night before.

3 year old Construction Fun

So it seems when you are in the midst of a remodel, kids find many fun uses for those "must -have" tools. The other day Alyssa and Audrey were playing with Daddy's tape measure, entertaining themselves for quite a while.

Remodeling Begins

Demolition began the first week in October after school started for all the girls, birthdays were celebrated and life began to be "routine" again. Well, that was until remodel/demo started.

We have been living in our basement, using our laundry room as our temporary kitchen. Its worked out pretty well considering, and I am just thankful we have such a space to do this and funds to make it not just a dream, but a reality. Thank you Lord! BTW, did you know that I LOVE this sort of thing and always wanted to remodel a home and live to tell about it. And...guess what, I am!!! Its hard to find things in life where you feel good about completely demolishing something because its not worth saving, and making it so much more BUT on a TIGHT budget. This kind-of thing makes me sing, really!

No oven, but somehow we managed to make it through the holidays without it.:>( I just kept thinking how wonderful family and friend celebrations would be next year in our NEW kitchen. Its all perspective right!?

Entry of our home (left pic: looking from front door. Right pic: looking from back of home towards front door).

Kitchen before demo. About the size of many new homes master bedroom closet!

Yes, that WAS the kitchen! Going, going, gone!

I will try to post more pics as time allows.

October Brought....

A wonderful and relaxing trip for a Mom and girls weekend at Katelyns good friend, Audrey's, parents vacation home in Leavenworth. They have been friends since Kindergarten and love spending time together!



Took 2 beautiful hikes while there....


Halloween

A Christmas present (Katelyn), UW Husky Football Player (Madison) and a Baby (Alyssa)+Doll (Audrey)=Baby Doll

A trip to the pumpkin patch with Grandma Sue. Grandpa Ron and Dad were at home working on our kitchen remodel. We appreciate and love you guys so much!

Its Been Way TOO Long!

Need I say more? Aside from our daily life of trying to maintain a household of 4 lovely children, I have been keeping ever so busy remodeling our greater kitchen with my husband and being coordinator for our churchs MOPS group this year. We are enjoying it all, but its been very difficult for me to find the time, or should I say, make the time, to blog. So as not to bore you with the details in explaining it all, here are some pics to bring some of you up-to-date a bit more with life here at the Bolstad home.

My Littlest Babes started preschool! I can't believe it, but they sure can!


They also go to experience their first official Puyallup Fair!


And then there was the first day of school for my 3rd grader and 2nd grader! Yikes, where does time go?!?




My Oldest Babe turned 9--Yikes, I am getting old!!!

and thought she needed to get her ears pierced at Claires....

and then concluded with a dinner party at her favorite Mexican restaurant and a sleepover.

Summer Camping Trips

We took 2 family camping trips this year--one to Lake Wenatchee and the other at Camp Moran on Orcas Island. Both were great, but the kids decided their favorite was Lake W. b/c we weren't limited by the ferry schedule and they LOVED the beach there.


Arrival at Lake Wenatchee


Audrey Alyssa getting really dirty!


I think they are loving it and so is Maak! This was the first time he finally enjoyed the water and got in to swim.


Taking a swim--more like a raft ride.:>) Dad and his big girls paddling on the surf board


Surfs Up! Loving to climb the rocks in the lake


Dishwashers! Building our campfire for smore time!


We even got to watch a Bavarian show one night at the campsite! And...Katelyn participated afterwards in the chicken dance and got to dance with one of the ladies in the show!

Reunion with our Oregon Friends

We have been friends since we all gave birth to our first girls at St. Vincent Hospital in Oregon. The 3 girls and our families have remained friends since--now 9 years (each of our girls were born within 2 weeks of each other)! Due to our distance now, visits aren't very often, so its that much more special when we all get to see each other--a reunion of sorts.:>)


My girlfriends and I at Gas Works Park in Seattle

We had the privilege of having both families here for a weekend in mid-August. We all had a a great time together hanging out, sharing meals together, and spending the day in Seattle with them. We especially loved getting to use our home as we have always dreamed, now that our basement is nearing completion. We watched movies, played board games and had air hockey games all going on simultaneously. So fun! One night all the girls had a sleepover together too with the goal of staying up all night--they didn't quite make that.:>)


The 6 kiddos (minus A.&A.)


Amber and Madison Ashley and Madison


All the kids swimming at Pine Lake Park

We love you guys and are so glad we have remained friends even through our move. You ladies will always hold a special place in my heart! I look forward to many more years of friendship.