It's mid-March, but we had snow again yesterday. Thank goodness the plants haven't gone gang-busters yet, but they're trying. The native bushes are leafing out & the crocus are up, but that's about it. We uncovered the asparagus bed this week, but that's the only garden activity we've had. We still have greens (collards, kale, etc.) from last year & the artichokes are really getting going. Thank goodness everything is so hearty though. It has been COLD.

 

We woke up to a 1/2 inch of snow yesterday, & it kept falling for a while. Eventually it turned to rain, & it was a cold, blustery day. Our power went out for about four hours & we all got caught out in a downpour when we were trying to move the chicken tractor. We use the lawn tractor to tow it because it's so heavy & one of the kids always wants to ride to the back of the property (where the chickens are.)

 

We have a couple pullets that have tried to set recently, but we keep taking the eggs. I can't image any more chickens yet, & we're not ready to halt their egg laying either (read between the lines as you like on that one). We're getting a TON of eggs these days & we're happy to share with anyone that would like some. Last week I had Hazel's friends help gather the eggs & scatter some extra grain in their portable coop. The kids LOVED it of course. Hazel's friends even wanted to pick exactly which eggs to bring home, which was pretty funny (esp. since not all the parents wanted to bring eggs home.)

Last weekend we ventured to the cute little cabin in Rockport, WA, once again. It was our 4th visit to this amazing getaway, & this time we brought my brother & his girlfriend Kelsey. Actually, the trip was our Xmas gift - we rented a 2nd cabin for them.

 

Two days before our arrival the road reopened & the area finally got power again. We were ready for anything though. Our goal was simply to get away & enjoy the beauty of the North Cascades. Because of the recent flooding & numerous mudslides, we didn't expect to get out much or to see many other people visiting the area. Again because of the flooding, we knew there wouldn't be a lot of eagles to watch (December - January is their main migration time there because of chum salmon spawning.)

 

We were pleasantly surprised to find the Eagle Interpretive Center in Rockport open, & quite a few people viewing eagles in the area. We made it up to Baker Lake for sightseeing and snowshoeing, & we also drove as far as Newhalem on the N. Cascades Hwy. Last month's snow still covered everything, but it actually wasn't as cold as years past when we've been there. The sun came out ALL WEEKEND, which was amazing. We ate in every night, sharing meals with Mat & Kelsey in the cozy cabin & decided we'll have to make this an annual tradition.

As many of you have undoubtedly seen and heard, Washington is experiencing record flooding. After our snow storm late last month, standing water and potential flooding was expected, but no one could have expected how bad it became. Here in Olympia we received over 6.25" of rain in the last 36 hours, on top of all the melting snow. It's simply unbelievable. The images of our rivers and lakes are astonishing. Roads are closed everywhere. Homes and farms are ruined.

 

We live on high ground and we literally had a river flowing across the entire width of our 5-acre property yesterday. It connected a lake on one neighbor's property to a lake on our other neighbor's property. In the years past we have seen these lakes in our neighbor's fields, but we've never had more than a bit of standing water on our baseball field. Our poor chickens were at the edge of the "river" in the outfield, but luckily they're in a moveable chicken "tractor" so we were able to move them to higher ground.

I heard our first Xmas present at about 3:30 this morning - the plow went down our main road! I actually made it out on Tuesday afternoon, but most roads were still very bad & I appreciated the manual gear mode in my Volvo. Yesterday we tried to get Dave's car up our driveway, but it just wasn't possible. Back to the neighbor's it went.

 

The snow is melting, but we definitely do have a white Christmas this year. We had a slight dusting last night, but for the most part the snow seems to be over (knock on wood). Temps are in the mid to upper 30s & it's melting pretty fast. We hear that most people are happy to see it go, but I'm kind of sad to watch it melt away. We had a lot of fun family time stuck at home (check out the pics), & our Xmas gifts this year were definitely more thoughtful & mostly home-made. Hazel showed me how skilled she is at painting, beading and stamping as she made ornaments and cards for family and friends. She really amazed me with her ability and coordination.

 

We were thankful for the break in the weather so that we could see family and friends this Christmas though! My brother Mat and his girlfriend Kelsey drove down from Seattle yesterday & spent the night with us, then Dave's brother Alex joined us for breakfast this morning. The kids were a hoot this morning and are enjoying a few new toys & tasty treats. Merry Christmas!

I just walked down to the mailbox for one last check, but nope, the mailman never came today. The snow is INCREDIBLE. It feels like deep mountains, but in reality our house is at 150 ft elevation. I've never seen snow like this around Puget Sound.

 

We're totally snowed in, still, but Dave did make it home from Seattle Thursday evening. What should have taken 1-1/2 hours took 4 hours. His Prius is safely parked at the neighbor's because he couldn't make it up the tiny incline of our driveway with all the snow. I made it out to Costco yesterday afternoon, a mere five miles away, but I had to chain up the Volvo XC (all wheel drive) to get out. I'm glad I went because the weather did take a turn for the worse today - it snowed a ton more & it didn't even get above 30 degrees today. Did I say this is CRAZY?!?!?!

We're on day two of being snowed in. I've never seen so much snow at our house, and it just keeps falling. It's actually warmer than it has been, with temps hovering around freezing. The kids love the snow, but we can't spend a lot of time out in it because they get cold too fast. Poor Rowan, who just learned to walk, can't walk in the snow - much less with all the bulky gear & hard-soled shoes. Hazel loves the snow until she takes her mittens off, and true to toddler form, she can't seem to keep them on.

 

I've got cabin fever trying to keep the kids happy, but the weather is simply beautiful. The sun came out this morning & the light on the snow was just amazing. This afternoon it dumped again (after I took the pics in the "Winter Wonderland" album) and now we have at least 8 inches. There's no end in sight, so we may end up with a white Christmas. Wouldn't that be something?

Fall is a very busy time of year for us. Not a weekend goes by that we're not picking, gathering, canning or drying. It comes with the territory of our property and Dave's ever-expanding garden & orchard. Luckily Hazel loves helping in the garden & both the kids love the fruit of our labors, esp. the fruit.

 

Our neighbor Julie also hosts a cider pressing party every year at this time. This year we pressed 3 truckloads of apples, gathered from orchards all over town, including our own. I'm guessing we pressed 75 gallons in about 4 hours. All the chopping and pressing is a lot of work, but having everyone pitch in to make it happen is wonderful, and the cider is always amazing. We fill up the freezer & have "fresh" cider all year long.

We just returned from a wonderful trip to Lake Chelan. I attended the annual Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association conference, in conjunction with my work. Dave came along to care for the kids while I attended 2 and 1/2 days of conference happenings & we stayed 2 extra nights to make a mini-vacation out of the trip. The conference was held at Campbell’s Resort, so we stayed there. I can't say enough good things about Campbell’s! It's right on the lake, SO family friendly, and right in the tiny town of Chelan. We could easily walk to a grocery store, restaurants, and two great parks for the kids. The 2 bedroom room with a full kitchen also made our stay easy with the kids. The patio leading right out to the beach was also perfect!

 

Needless to say, we had a great time while we were there. The drive (4 hours each way) was long, but the fall colors were amazing along Hwy 2. Dave had never been east of Leavenworth, much less along Hwy 2 (the "North Cascades Scenic Drive"), and he really enjoyed the scenery. Of course he enjoyed all the fruit and nut trees east of the Cascades as well. We also managed to visit a few wineries near Chelan, and even found one that let us crush some grapes and sample some not-quite-finished product. Yum.

 

 All in all it was a fabulous trip. I don't think I'd want to go to Lake Chelan in the middle of summer because of the crowds on the lake, but it was perfect this time of year. We might just have to make the trip again some day and I would definitely recommend it to other Washington families!

I've been horrible about updating this blog, & I apologize for that. I've just added some new albumns to get you all up to date with our late-summer activities and to see how the kids have grown.

Since returning from Hawaii, we've had a whirlwind of activity. We hosted our annual summer soltsice party & enjoyed the company of six of the attending families through the entire night. All the kids did great & really enjoyed camping in our back yard. The following weekend we camped at a local high school for Relay For Life of Thurston County, which I serve on the planning committee for. It was HOT all weekend, but it was worth it. As in years past, it was a moving experience, esp. with the kids there. The event also raised over $330,000 for the American Cancer Society!

 

The following week Dave was lucky enough to have off, since his employer, Amgen, shuts down production for a week at the 4th of July. We were blessed by the visit of his grandparents & great aunts, all the way from Florida and Illinois. It was their 1st visit in 10 years & they timed it perfectly for the ripening of the strawberries & sweet cherries. Hazel & Rowan enjoyed the extra attention & Dave & I enjoyed the chance to sit back & relax, rather than trying to tackle yet another project!

 

Since then it's been HOT, so we still haven't done a lot of outside projects because of the heat. We're trying to get ahead of the weeds in the garden (in the morning & evening) & replant the beds that didn't germinate in the cool spring/early summer we had this year. We have spent a ton of time in the pool - it's hovering at 85 degrees most every day, just from the solar panels Dave installed last year. The kids both love floating in the pool & Hazel has learned to swim with arm floaties, which amazes us - she's not even 3 yet!

It's been just over a month since we returned from our marathon wedding trip, but I've finally added some photos. We went to San Francisco at the end of May to attend my cousin Quincy's wedding. The next day we flew to Kona to attend my dear friend Shauna's wedding. Shauna & I have been friends since junior high school & she's one of the few high school classmates I'm still in touch with. Both weddings were amazing, but pretty much polar opposites of each other - the big church wedding in SF verses the small almost all family ceremony on the beach in Waikoloa.

 

Although traveling with the kids was challenging to say the least, they both did WONDERFUL on the planes. We made the most of the trip by seeing the sites in San Francisco & spending a full week in Hawaii after Shauna's wedding. My brother also joined us in Hawaii the day after we arrived & we took the opportunity to spread mom's ashes in Anaeho'omalu Bay, where the rest of the island chain volcanoes can be seen on a clear day.

It's been a crazy month of warm weather and SNOW. We're prepping the garden, but thankfully haven't planted in the ground yet. Two nights ago it was 26 degrees! The fruit trees are blooming & the honey bees  are flying (yep, Dave has 3 hives now.) Hopefully the fruit will still set this year, despite the cold April we've had.

 

For Earth Day I put together a project for Hazel & her friends from my "mom's group". We planted marigolds & the kids enjoyed the activity. I'm sure the big draw was the chance to play with dirt & water! Seriously though, hopefully the kids will be able to take care of the plants & watch them grow. I was impressed that all the kids understood the concept of a seed - & not all of them have gardens at home.

 

Also in celebration of Earth Day, we attended the annual Procession of the Species parade in downtown Olympia. Hazel was really excited by it this year. She was captivated by the whole thing, which was an hour long. Everyone was dressed as plants & animals & a lot of marine life. We didn't actually walk in the parade, but Hazel was very excited to wear her salmon costume again (from Halloween.)

 

More excitement in Hazel's world is the two dozen baby chickens we picked up a couple weeks ago. Our neighbor Julie is actually caring for them at her house, but Hazel loves to check in on them & "freshen" their water & food. She already knows where eggs come from, because of Julie's existing hens, but raising the chicks will be a wonderful learning experience for her - even when they end up on our dinner table.

We had a wonderful Easter at our neighbors Julie & Mike's. They have a ton of family and friends every year & Hazel just loves them & all their animals (currently horses & chickens). It was a terribly rainy day, which put a damper on the egg hunt for most people - but not Hazel. She probably collected more eggs than anyone! They'll be plenty more for her to find in the coming months though, because the hundreds of eggs stashed for adults went largely uncollected. The rain was really something else!

 

We spent virtually all of Easter next door, and we had a lovely time with Mike & Julie's family and friends. Hazel had a blast with all the kids, and many were even younger than her. It's amazing that she's the "big girl" now - and a big sister. Rowan slept most of the day in the Ergo carrier or stashed in a corner. He can sleep anywhere, thank goodness.

 

Oddly enough, the day before and after Easter were beautiful. We've spent a lot of time outside lately, getting the yard whipped into shape and pushing the kids on the swings. Hazel rediscovered going barefoot, and she can't get enough of it. However, on Wednesday the weather reverted back to winter - we've had snow for three days now! It hasn't amounted to anything here, but it sure is strange. Thank goodness our fruit trees haven't bloomed yet!

We decide it was time to go play in the snow, so we headed to Mt Rainier for some snowshoeing. The mountains are loaded around here, but it hadn't snowed a lot for a few days, so the roads were clear & open to the top - Paradise/Jackson Visitor Center. We parked at Narada Falls, below Paradise, & 45 minutes later everyone was bundled up & we finally got Hazel out of the parking lot (any snow was good snow to her!) The trail was well marked, but quite a bit steeper than we'd hoped for. With Dave & I each carrying a child - Rowan at 17 lbs now & Hazel at ~28 - it was fairly difficult at times. The forest was beautiful though, & the snow was at least 6 feet deep even under the tree cover. A little over an hour later we made it to our destination, Reflection Lake, ~1.5 miles away. We stopped for a snack & to play in the snow (Hazel was beyond excited to roll down the hill).

 

We talked to a few other groups of snowshoers & saw some skiers with packs for camping out. Very cool, but since fires are not allowed - no thanks! On the trip back we couldn't believe our eyes when we stopped for a break & saw Mt Rainier come out from behind the clouds. Hazel, despite the cold & her lack of nap, got caught up in our excitement of seeing the Mt "out". It was clear she was really enjoying herself, which made us very happy. Rowan was his usual easy going self & slept most of the way. They both did amazing all day, so we couldn't have been happier. It was a long day, but well worth it!

I have a rare moment when both of the kids are down for a nap. I can catch my breath... whew. The last month has flown by, but things have certainly changed. We've had a sneak peek of spring & Hazel can finally play outside again without getting too cold. Dave has been working in the yard getting the garden area ready & planting grapes in the back. Two-dozen to be exact. He sure does like to add work to our already hard to stay on top of property! I've been able to do a few projects outside too, but really not very much since I only have a few minutes here and there. Sometimes Rowan is a great napper though, and I can get some things done while Hazel plays or tries to help. My big feat last week was getting the windows washed. What a difference that makes on a sunny winter day!

 

Rowan continues to grow in leaps & bounds. He's 16 lbs now, and not yet 3 months old. He's literally as big as Hazel was at 6 months, & he's starting to outgrow the 6 month clothes. He's outgrown his infant car seat, but we're getting another loaned from a friend so we don't have to put him in the big convertible seat yet. He sleeps well most nights, usually a 7.5 hour stretch, but not always. Rowan HATED tummy time earlier this month, but last weekend he suddenly decided it was okay & learned to roll-over very quickly. I remember Hazel took a while to learn, but Rowan just did it out of the blue (like he had at 3 weeks old, but it must have been the "newborn strength.") Maybe it's because he has all that weight to throw around. He's also getting very expressive & laughing & razzing. Very cute.

 

Hazel has also changed a lot this month. She was being quite the 2-year-old a couple weeks ago, but seems to have turned a corner back to her well-behaved self last Friday. I took her to a new activity, gymnastics, (& told her she had to behave to be able to go) & she's been a gem since then. Her listening skills seemed to have turned back on. :-) Hazel is also doing fantastic with potty training, which makes me happy for obvious reasons. This week she is also demonstrating her ability to count to 4, which I think is pretty darn good. Her ability to synthesize things continues to amaze us. She learns things by watching & listening - even if we're not trying to teach her something. Most of the time Dave & I are just going about every day life, maybe explaining what we're doing, & she shows us or tells us about it at a later date.

Oh my, how the time has flown by. Rowan is almost 2 months old now, and quite the chunk. I can't wait to see what he weighs in at when I take him to his 2 month Dr appt next week. I'm still amazed every day at how big Rowan is because Hazel was such a petite baby. Rowan is already in clothes that Hazel didn't wear until well past 6 months old.

 

Adjusting to our new family size has been challenging. I rarely have time for myself, nor does Dave. Since Hazel is almost 2-1/2 she definitely demands a lot of attention. "Watch me" comes out of her month a lot. Our sweet, easy-going toddler has turned a corner and become a real 2-year old. But I have to say she is still a very good girl 99% of the time, and thank goodness tantrums or anything like hitting has never even crossed her mind (knock on wood). She continues to adore her baby brother, but she's beginning to understand that he takes away attention that might otherwise be directed at her. Such are family dynamics I suppose.

 

Hazel continues to amaze me with her remarkable speaking ability & her comprehension of how things work. She is very inquisitive & creative in her pretend, which I'm sure will lead to an embarrassing public display some day soon. At home she often "cleans" stuffed animals because they have "poppy all over". Oh dear. I must have explained cleaning up Rowan to her, and now it's an integral part of her play. What will be next? I probably don't want to know.

Rowan Dwight Hudson was born on Tuesday, December 4th, just after 4 a.m. Just like his sister, he came into this world swiftly, naturally and without any complications. Unlike his sister though, Rowan was a BIG boy at birth:

 

8 lbs 15 oz

20 inches

 

We brought Rowan home on Tuesday evening. At 15 hours old, he got to meet his big sister, who had an "uncle Mat day" while we were away. After welcoming Dave & I home, Hazel greeted Rowan with a lot of excitement and awe. Her first instincts told her to be gentle with him - as she softly patted his back - and so far she has shown nothing but kindness toward him. She is helpful and constantly wants to know where and what her "baby brother" is doing.

 

We are all doing extremely well and enjoying each other's loving company. Thank you for all the well wishes that have been coming our way!

The days are getting shorter and we haven't figured out how to explain that to Hazel. Bath and bed time have been linked with darkness falling for the last month or so, and now that's all changing. How do you explain the seasons to a two year old? I keep trying, but she doesn't seem to really get it. After all, when the fruit and berries she'd been picking were no longer there, I told her "the birds ate them." This was true, but maybe I should have tried to explain the reality of plant cycles and the seasons.

 

There are still some beautiful days, but our time in the pool is clearly over. I even dumped out Hazel's kiddie pool today, most likely for the last time. The apples are all getting ripe, and I've already put up dozens of jars of canned fruit and salsa. The squash just won't quit, as always, but fall is definitely on its way. Before I know it we'll be lighting the stove and Hazel will have to wear a jacket when she plays outside. No more "go barefeet" will be a challenge, though she'll probably figure that one out fast when her feet get too cold.

Early this morning we returned from ten days in southeast Alaska. Dave and Hazel and I flew into Juneau on the 28th of June (our 3rd wedding anniversary) and stayed with my dear friend Rose Foley, who I've known since we were kids. Rose and her boyfriend Todd put us up at their beautiful home north of town, which overlooks the tidal flats and Douglas Is. Rose took us hiking near Mendenhall Glacier and toured us around the "big city". In contrast to my trip up there last September, Juneau even greeted us with warm, sunny weather!

 

On our third day we caught the once-daily jet service (summertime only) out to Gustavus, where my grandmother Mary Hervin has lived since shortly before I was born. My parents actually helped build her cabin when my mom was eight-plus months pregnant with me. My brother Mat met us on the jet and we all arrived in Gustavus/Glacier Bay a short 15 minute flight later. The next day cousin Quincy, and his finance Teri, arrived in Gustavus - bringing together all my grandmother's grandkids. She was pleased to say the least.

 

My brother only had a few days to stay, so the guys immediately started re-building grandma's woodshed, which fell down last winter under the weight of record-breaking snow. In just over a days work, the shed was finished, well better than "good enough for a town this size" as grandma likes to say.

 

The 4th of July brought rain in Gustavus, but most of the 400 residents still came out for the parade, BBQ and community games (think horseshoe tournament, 8-legged race, egg toss, etc.) We took part in the festivities and Hazel certainly enjoyed all the kids, candy and ice-cream. Much like my trip with her up there last fall, I was thankful she has good raingear and rubber boots.

 

During our visit Dave and Quincy had the chance to go halibut fishing, and they managed to bring home a 30 pounder, part of which grandma promptly made into the guys' favorite "beer bits".

 

Most of our time was spent tooling around the tiny town, enjoying the amazing scenery. We spent a lot of time on the beach letting Hazel play on the outgoing tide, or picking wild strawberries in the grass above the high tide line. Dave and Hazel and I also took the Glacier Bay tour (National Park), which involved an all-day boat ride up to the face of the rapidly receding glaciers. Dave and I have been on the tour before, but we thought it was time to do it again and give Hazel the experience. The trip was absolutely amazing because the weather was downright beautiful, and we saw a ton of wildlife. We saw otters and marine birds, seals and sea lions, humpback whales and brown bears - even two cubs. Hazel definitely saw the bears too, which was exciting.

 

Well before the trip was over, I was wishing I could stay longer. Being in SE Alaska, esp. in the summertime, fills me with a sense of peace I cannot explain. It is powerful. I miss being on the waters of SE so much that I ache. I can't believe it has been ten years since I've spent an entire season salmon tendering. I remember the work, the scenery and the solitude like it was yesterday. I also remember growing up in the commercial fishing lifestyle, on the waters of SE, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

As most of you know, I serve on the planning committee for our local Relay For Life walkathon fundraiser. We just completed our 2007 event, June 22-23. Participation in our event was amazing, and we raised over $275,000! Taking part in the event, and helping to make it happen, was very fulfilling. Hazel & Dave & I walked the caregiver lap on Friday night, which was powerful and quite emotional. The midnight memorial was also emotional, but moving. There are photos in the "Relay" album of some of our luminaria, and others I found which had been purchased for mom. I did not stay awake for the entire 24 hours of the event, but I did stay on-site, along with hundreds of other participants camped out at North Thurston High School.