We take the kids to Lake Tapps

The Morris's were kind enough to invite us out to their family house on Lake Tapps over Pioneer Day (and my birthday this year).  I have spent I think 3 birthdays at Lake Tapps and let me just say it's one of the best places to spend a birthday.  We've never been with our kids before though, and taking them was just another opportunity to see how awesome it is.  Our kids loved this vacation.

We left on Saturday afternoon and made it as far as Boise where we had dinner at the Cracker Barrel.  Neither Derek or I had ever really eaten there, but it ended up being a great place to eat with kids.  They had these checkers games out front to play while waiting for a table.

Then, at the table they had little peg games to play.

And they had a great kid friendly menu.  Then, it was back to the hotel for swimming (of course) and bed.

In the morning, we got back in the car and made the rest of the drive to Lake Tapps, Washington.  Every time we would cross borders into a new state we would make a big deal about it in the car and scream out the name of the new state (and that was a tradition that stuck for the drive home as well).  We hit a little bit of traffic due to road construction at the tail end of our drive, but the kids did great with the long day.  When we finally arrived, the Morris's (and Pat) had dinner and waiting for us.

Monday and Tuesday we just stayed close to the house and played in the water.  Jared, Heather, Derek and I got to golf together twice over the week!  I haven't golfed in years and then got two times in during one week trip.  It was super fun.  The first day we actually brought all of us kids with us and they were pretty good.  The next day, Pat graciously offered to watch the kids and just Camden came with and Derek even let him take some swings with a kid golf club.  The kids were honestly happy to hang at the house and swim and play in the water all day.  They had kayaks to paddle, paddle boards, jet skis that Derek and Jared would take the kids out for rides on.






They had shovels and buckets to play in the sand and water with and tried endlessly to catch some of the little fish swimming in the lake in one of their buckets.  One afternoon, I put the 3 little boys in a canoe with me, we packed lunches and paddled to the island in the middle of the lake.

 Once on the island, we explored and then went swimming of the shore.


Derek and Jared picked the little boys up on the jet skis and traded me out for Liv and Emmett on the ride back to the house.  We would also take the boat out and take the kids tubing or knee boarding.

 Seriously my kids were in heaven!  Camden had the best boat hair.

In the evenings Jared and Derek would take the kids on the jet skis over to the golf course to dive for golf balls.

Wednesday (my birthday) was the Seattle Day.  Heather made me the cutest sandcastle lemon bundt cake.

We drove into town and hit a Mariners game.  We had the highest seats in the house, but you sit back agains a glass wall and can see the Seattle skyline which was actually awesome.


Then, we walked from the stadium into town.  We hit the Magic Mouse toy store on the way in and a cow chip cookie place.  My kids all picked toys and this molding snow called Floof as souvenirs.  Then, we continued on to Pike's Place where we added to the gum wall, had some famous mac and cheese from Beecher's, watched some fish get thrown, and then walked to the Monorail.


Liv really took to Heather this trip and seemed to always attach herself to Heather.



We rode the Monorail to the base of the Space Needle where there was a balloon man who made the boys balloon swords and Liv a balloon flower.





The kids played at the playground there for a bit and then we rode the Monorail back to Pike's Place.  On the way back, the kids made friends with the driver who let them all honk the horn!

From there we walked down to the pier where they had balloon sword fights.


 And we got fish and chips and clam chowder from Ivar's.  The kids loved feeding the french fries to the Seagulls.

Jared showed Carter how to put a french fry in his mouth, and he got a Seagull to snatch it from his mouth!

The kids walked miles and miles that day and did great.  Still had energy to run around the lights outside the stadium at the end of the day.

Thursday, we were exhausted from our Seattle Day so we spent the next day at the house playing in the water again.  We were happy to sit and watch the kids play in the water all day.

All week at random Pat would announce that the kids got to pick a treasure from her treasure box.  All the kids loved this.  Pat is really the best.  Lake Tapps is just the best--a beautiful lake with views of Mr. Rainier.

Friday, we drove out to Mt. Rainier National Park.  We took the kids on a neat hike up to a lake with gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier.  




Then, all the kids filled out their Junior Rangers booklets to earn Mr. Rainier Jr. Ranger Badges.

 On the drive back to the house all 3 of my kids fell asleep in the car.

 That never happens any more.  The result of a great day hiking in mountain air proceeded by a bunch of other fun and exhausting days.  Then Saturday, Jared convinced us we could make the drive back in one day and since we wanted to get home for Sunday calling stuff we did.  It was a long day in the car, but once again the kids did great.  We would stop and Dad would run little PE drills with the kids and then jump back in the car and drive some more.  I made good use of the car time and wrote the 4th and last of my primary programs for this ward while serving as 2nd counselor in the primary presidency.