Up until now . . .

Let's see. We left off on our trip to California for the 4th of July. I have more pics that I keep trying to post, but one of them is so big that it makes everything freeze up. And, I'm too lazy to shrink them (although I know I should!). I'll do it eventually!

Anyway, I'll just scroll through my pictures as I write this and catch you up (thus preserving the record for future scrapbook pages . . . ).

July -

Trip to California: Went to Quaker Meadow, celebrated Grant's birthday with cousins, no one puked on the ride up or down the mountain.

Grant and Mitch and Grandpa John slept out on the boat at Detroit Lake. This was, and is, a big deal for Grant. He loved it and Mitch took the most wonderful pictures.


Celebrated Grant's birthday at Grandpa and Grandma Ratzlaff's house. Refer to the pirate pictures posted earlier. Here is one of Cole:


Summerfest! We were in the parade with MOPS. We didn't have to decorate a float and the weather wasn't too hot. Whew! It was fun walking in the parade and then stopping at the end to watch the entries behind us. The next day, Mitch served breakfast in the park and then he and his dad judged the car show. It was fun and HOT!

Grant continued (and completed) swim lessons. He is getting better and better! He can't wait to start up again. Maybe in the fall.

VBS!! Grant got to go to VBS because I was a "ranch hand" or whatever the teachers were called. I taught 2nd grade . . . or maybe it was 3rd. Can't remember. What I do remember is having such a great time sharing the gospel with those kids and then reinforcing it with Grant at home. Grant was so into VBS. (He calls it PBS!) He took a bag of pennies for the offering every day to buy bikes for missionaries. Before VBS, he was saving his money for shark legos. Now, every coin he sees is for VBS. He just loves giving! He probably talks about lessons learned at VBS a couple of times a week. Last week, as we were leaving church, he told me, "I saw sheriff Dave!!" Our youth pastor, who dressed up as a sheriff, is now a celebrity! :o)

My parents and youngest sisters, Hannah and Christina (8 years old), came up for a visit. We went out to Twin Rocks and visited with Tim and Sara. I had some excellent fish and chips at a restaurant near their church. We went berry-picking with Grandpa and Grandma Mardock (my grandparents) and got to see "Hope", their famously huge pumpkin. That night we watched Grandpa sing in the men's choir at Newberg's Old Fashioned Festival Hymn Sing.



August -

After a brief stop-off in Seattle to see Rob and Rachel's very cute house, we journeyed on up to Whidbey Island where we gathered with more family for a little "family reunion" of sorts. I say "of sorts" because only 4 of the 10 Bob Mardock siblings were there. Still, we had a wonderful, relaxing time at the Colonel's House at Camp Casey. In attendance: Marvin and Olive Mardock (my grandparents), Uncle Les and Aunt Gail Steele, Cousin Chad and Ingrid Steele, Cousin Andrea Steele, Rob and Rachel Mardock (brother and sister-in-law), Bob and Carol Mardock (my parents!!), Hannah and Christina, Mitch, me!, Grant and Cole. Sounds like a lot of people, but it really didn't seem like a lot. Anyway, we had fun walking on the beach, watching dad fly a kite (or at least attach it to the stop sign while it flew itself!), exploring the battlements, eating ice cream and cinnamon rolls and watching cruise ships go out to see. I'll do some scrapbook pages soon and post them.

We came back from Whidbey Island Sunday night, and then Mitch and I left for Salishan Monday afternoon, leaving our children in my parents' capable hands. Mitch had a State Farm Agent Celebration to go to. Basically, it is a training and recognition time for State Farm Agents and their families. They pay for everything as a "thank you" for the agents' hard work. Salishan was beautiful and relaxing! Our room was very pretty and overlooked the golf course, the food was excellent, the entertainment was pretty good and the company (Mitch) was very enjoyable. I left the conference with a renewed feeling of pride in my husband. He is such an amazing, courageous man for taking a risk and starting a business . . . and being successful at it! He started with no customers and is building his book of business the old fashioned way. Very few new agents start the way he did. Most will admit that they don't have the guts to do what Mitch has done. It is scary not knowing if we will be paid for the hours and hours he puts in at the office. Yet, in the end, we know that it will all be worth it. I need to remember this on the long nights when I wait for him to come home from work. The man is working his butt off for our future. (sigh) I am so proud that I married such a remarkable man.

The next thing I have pictures of is Cole's cute little naked buns as he ran through our back yard and into our little blow-up pool. Had to take those naked pictures for future black-mail.

Last Friday, Mitch, Grant and Cole went to the Volcanoes baseball game with Grandpa and Grandma while I taught a scrapbooking group. I had a great time (as I always do when scrapbooking is involved), while the rest of the family enjoyed a Volcanoes victory and watched the fireworks show afterward.

On Sunday, after church, we went out on Grandpa's boat. I got some great pictures of the 3 older boy cousins pushing Grandpa into the freezing cold lake. Cole did not like his life jacket at all. I had a good time watching him stumble around the boat until I had pity on him and took the jacket off. Seriously cute stuff.

Yesterday, I took the boys berry picking and of course got the "berry-smeared-on-the-face" pictures. Cole was an excellent subject. I also got an amazing picture of Grant that I turned black and white and blew up to an 8x10 for my wall. I'll try to post it.

Well, you are caught up and I feel better. Whew!