Birthday Fun

October is always a fun, busy month for Chris and I since we both have October birthdays. This year, we really lived it up with a birthday dinner at HopWorks Urban Brewery in Portland with friends, I got a weekend away with a friend to her beach house on my birthday, and then Chris and I got to go to a cabin right on the Puget Sound in the Seattle area with another couple, this last weekend, thanks to the wonderful friends we have who agree to have our girls overnight (such a blessing, since we don't have grandparents in town!). I forgot to bring my camera to HopWorks Urban Brewery, but we did get to sit in a cool little separate room that was once a vault. But here are some pics of all our fun:

Happy 36th Chris!

Kristin and I in Pacific City, Or

My hot husband, finding lots of clams on the beach

Isn't he a beautiful little guy?! They are ALL over the place on the Puget Sound beach, it was like taking a field trip to the tide pools... we also saw a ton of clams and sand dollars, and even some crabs that were taken back and cooked right up!

This is the gorgeous view of the Puget Sound from our cabin.

Preschool time!

So Summer and I began a Monday morning preschool routine for our little ones last year, and are continuing on into this year. Addy and Ella are loving the "school" time together :)

All about the beer

So Chris' latest and greatest hobby has been beer. Not just because he likes to drink lots of it, but because he enjoys experiencing all the many local and international beer flavors there are out there, and pairing them with the right food, etc. Portland is really the best place to do so, short of moving to Germany, which is NOT going to happen anytime soon. Anyhoo, the Curry family went to the Hood River Brew Fest on Saturday, and had a great time. Until 5:30, kids are allowed in, and they had lots of things for the kids to do, and food vendors, etc.

Beers were tasted, faces were painted, live music listened to, and danced to, and I even found a beer that wasn't fruity, that I enjoyed! The kiddos did great, and it was well worth the trip!

My delicious beer (Belgian style Kriek) and my little Hawaiian Belle!

Ella,who looks like she belongs in Avatar, and Annabelle, ready to head to Hawaii!

Nothing like a cute little girl with a blue face, dancing, to grab your attention! :-)

Chris and the little goof ball

Daddy with his girls

Joy of Dance

God has been gracious, and we were able to enroll Annabelle in ballet 1A with "The Joy of Dance" this Fall. She has had 1 class so far with Miss Tasha Irwin as her teacher! It is really so cool, because Tasha and Danielle Irwin are now running "The Joy of Dance" studio and I got the privlege of seeing The Irwin girls grow in their faith and ballet skills while attending Hinson Church and working with them in the youth group, and they have grown up to be beautiful, talented, God-fearing girls who dance for the Lord, and glorify them in their everyday lives. This is why I chose "The Joy of Dance" for Annabelle. My hope is that as they teach her she will see the benefit of using her talents and gifts for God's glory.

Annabelle's first day

Annabelle had her first day of first grade at Walnut Grove Elementary School yesterday! She was so excited, she was up at 6 am, reading in her room cause she couldn't sleep. This girl lives to learn and be social, two things that going to school provides. Her favorite thing about this year...well two things: she got Mr. Peterson (her favorite teacher), and she gets to eat lunch at school. She was so proud of herself, the first thing she said to me when she got off the bus, was; "Mom! I ate all my carrots!". You give them a little independence and they prove you proud! I am hopeful that this is the first of many good decisions this little beauty of mine will make :)

Camping in luxury

Annabelle with two of her buddies, Isaiah and Mikayla

All of the kids (minus the 3 Sweeney kids who left a day early)

The whole group

I just followed in suit with Ella...

Kristen, Jenn and I

The Curry family went camping for the first time together as a family over Labor Day weekend. It was a really great time "roughing it" at the Thousand Trails Campground in Chehalis, Wa. If you have never been to Thousand Trails...while yes, we pitched our tent and made our own food, we also had access to a pool, a hot tub, mini-golf, and other fun things for the kids to do. Not so serious camping, but FOR SURE the way to go with kids! We went with our lifegroup and had a grand total of 17 kiddos, 12 adults and one large group campsite, where the kids gleefully rode bikes together, swam, and ate lots of other people's food. Kinda a dream for a kid. It was really a lot of fun, and we really couldn't have asked for better cohesiveness within a group. The kids did fabulously. We even got a compliment from the older couple staying at a campsite across the road from us. Not too shabby!

Daddy's little Lakers fan

Thanks to the brightly colored clothing options at Children's Place, Ella can root for her daddy's basketball team, and look stylish. And yes, Ella picked this outfit all on her own too, that is the beauty of it all :)