Sugarland / Keith Urban Concert

Kevin and I really love a good concert. It's something we've done usually once a year since we've been married and sometimes we'll make a trip out of it, visiting a new city to see a favorite artist.

Earlier this year Kevin started listening to country music with regularity. Soon songs like "Check You for Ticks" were on regular rotation at our house and I made fun of them freely, and without holding back. And then: the unthinkable. I started to listen to country music. I'll admit now that I like a good bit of it, and it's not the country music from years back that was peppered with more of a bluegrassy feel.

So here we are, a country-music-loving-couple and who should come to town but two of our favorites. We both got on separate computers the day the tickets went on sale, and it turns out we got some close-looking seats, just a few seats apart. We banked on someone not minding scooting down a few and bought them.

The night of the concert we walked into the stadium and walked closer, closer, and closer only to find that we were just a few seats back. That alone would have made it fun, but both Sugarland and Keith Urban put on such a fun, interactive concert. We had a fantastic time and got some amazing pictures.
(No, that is not my hand on Keith's arm, and I would also like to point out that the picture of the hand taking the picture is another not-yet-trademarked Random Capture)

Boys

We had Elliot over to spend the night, just the two guys together. They were so funny. Ran, played, shouted, were wacky (with a capital W), and had an all-around good time. You can tell the way Cole looks at Elliot, his older cousin, that he loves everything he does and wants to emulate it down to the last detail.

Bathroom Redo

While we were away on our big trip, Kevin was home very busy. In fact, MUCH busier than I ever realized. I would call him and he'd sound tired and stressed and I kept saying, "go to the pool! Relax! Take advantage of the time alone!"

He was taking advantage of it, in fact. In a way I would have never guessed. Kevin and our friend Pete, a contractor, had managed to completely gut and redo our 2nd bathroom (the kids bathroom) in 10 days. TEN. DAYS.

We got home from the airport, talked, unloaded all the stuff, and I headed upstairs to go to the bathroom. That's when I saw the door. This amazing, dream of a door that we always had talked about getting. I thought he'd just put in a pocket door, since we had talked about how nice that would be in that small bathroom. Imagine my double surprise when he came upstairs and told me to open it.

I was shocked. Everything was perfect. Perfect! I couldn't have chosen any detail better myself. We talked about what we want to do to our house all the time, it's nothing new. But I didnt' realize that these past few months Kevin had been talking specifically about the 2nd bath knowing he'd do this while I was away.

When my girlfriends found out, one said: "He certainly knows the way to his woman's heart.....no need for flowers or some fancy vacation."

Exactly right.

The Big Trip Part 5 - Seattle Children's Museum

We decided on a whim to take the kids to the museum and it was so worth it! They ran and played and played and ran and ran and played! It was such a really neat place, hidden below the food court. And it was nice to give them something to do that was all for them, after such a long trip of visiting people and places they didn't know too well.

Our whole trip was just really a special blessing. It was a lot of activity packed into 10 days, and required a lot from the kids. It was a special trip where I could truly see very clearly that the Lord had his Hands on this whole trip. Everything just went so smoothly and our visits were so wonderful with all the family. And on top of that, the kids got to spend plenty of time with Grammy and Grandpa. In their book, that was icing on the cake.

The Big Trip Part 4 - The Space Needle

Someone gave me a really beautiful picture of the Space Needle a few years ago. I didn't know where to put it, but finally decided on the garage. Seems like an odd place, but it's on the wall on the drivers side so that when I pull in every day, I look to my right and have this beautiful view.

Cole asked about the Space Needle early on, and was fascinated by it. So naturally we decided to go to it during our visit. We ended up making incredible time back from Spokane and had the afternoon downtown.

It was a beautiful, beautiful day! The kids had a great time going up super high. The only disappointing thing was that I remember the elevator being so much slower and they peppered you with facts all the way down. This time it was over in a matter of seconds! No fun facts on how many people had jumped off. (Just kidding....sort of).

The Big Trip Part 3 - Spokane

After our visit with Grandma and Grandpa Thompson, we hit the road to Spokane. I always enjoy this drive. It's just so beautiful, and I remember doing it so many times growing up. The best news is that now there is a Starbucks on the way.

The kids did great again, which is truly amazing considering the amount of flying and driving they did in a 10-day span. I love going to Grandma and Grandpa Mattix's house too, there is just something about it. Open space, the big yard, the horse's near by; it's all just a wonderful place to be. Really so peaceful.

During our visit Grandpa Del took Cole out with him on several jobs. He gave Cole a tour of his shed, which included the coolest scale I've ever seen and some really cool machine's for Cole to sit on. Cole is so funny, becasue although he may be shy, he is always listening. Grandpa Del took him out to do something outside with him and told him all about Mt. St. Helens. Cole came back inside and immediately told me every single detail -- some he probably knew better than me!

He also had a good time doing puzzles with Grandma Ruth. We managed to do one in just a day I think? She always has the neatest puzzles and it was fun to pull one out and do one. Grandma also gave me a tour of her sewing room and all her projects (finished and unfinished) and it was probably one of my favorite parts of our visit with them.

The anniversary party was a smashing sucess (although I didn't get any pictures of that....leave it to the professionals).

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit out there and it's always so hard for me to say goodbye. Which is why I cry every time.

The Big Trip Part 2 -- Seaview Park

Almost immediately after I knew I'd be going to Seattle with Mom and Dad, I decided I had to visit Seaview park with the kids. The park was just about a mile or so from the last house we lived in before we moved and I just have so many memories from there. My best friend lived across the street from the park, and up until the last visit I would go knock on her door and talk to her mom every time I came back into town.

The play equipment is different, but the big open field we played football in is still there and so is the hill we used to roll down. Watching the kids play there was pretty special. I left there when I was barely a teenager, but it remains "home" for me in that most of my clearest memories are of that park and that area. I knew I wouldn't have this chance often, so I was so glad we made the drive to visit it.

I even tried out the new equipment.