The financial aid process is so long and disheartening. Ugh and ugh.

We returned last night from 3-4 days at my parents’. During which we were quite busy. Looking very much forward to staying put for awhile. Even if that’s only a couple of weeks.

Here are a few photos from the days before we left:

On our way home we stopped to play at Magnolia Park in Hillsboro. It was a great way to blow off some steam and ensure a sleepy girl the whole way home.

Last Monday is was Beeeeeautiful here. But before we could hit the beach Ali and I had to man Off Our Rocker while Tony had a business call. Note the beads, Huggies spray-sunscreen, and what appears to be texting. Oh, and her ADORABLE new hair-do.

Baby in her toy box/basket.

I got my hair highlighted last Wednesday!!!

Sleeping on the way to Grandma and Grandpa’s Thursday morning[ish].

Trista and Ali running through the sprinkler on Friday because it was HOT.

Then we cooled off the this boat turned pool.

And that brings me to last Saturday, which was the annual Lewis family picnic. Upcoming!

Hmmm. Status update much? If you don’t understand that then you really should enter the social networking arenta where the rest of the world (or at least my generation) plays 24/7.

We are all sick here. With some nasty cold that is hardest on Ali since she can’t take any meds for her stuffy nose and therefore can barely sleep. It’s exhausting.

We came home from my parents’ Monday night and I don’t think it’s stopped raining since. Which is okay. Because I’d rather be under the weather and housebound when it’s nasty out. And it’s cold too. Cold, cold, wear sweatshirts and slippers and turn on the heater cold. Or maybe that’s just us being sick?

Anyway, I have a ton to blog about but it’s expansiveness is overwhelming me.

We’re going back to the valley in just over a week.

So we’ve been back well over a week now. But this just never happend. And now it seems kind of distant, so I’m just going to narrarate some pictures. Thank you Billie for a lovely week up in the San Juan Islands!

This is Ali wating for the ferry in Anacortes. We left in the evening and drove to Seattle. Got there about 12:30am and slept at Billie’s house. Then got up in the morning, left about 7:30am to catch the 11am ferry (it’s about a two hour drive). Got in line and everything. Ferry was delayed almost an hour. Ali did well though and we made it and surprised Billie!

The crowd at the last softball game.

Ali playing with her new friends Jade(right) and Coral(left).

Ali playing on the beach just down from our apartment.

Huddle.

Projecting Sesame Street.

We were a family of crabs forthe annual Invertebrate Ball.

If you haven’t taken a look at the numerous other pictures yet. Hoping to get a quicky update in today, assuming Ali goes down for an afternoon nap soon. This evening we are going to Manzanita to see/have dinner with my Grandma and my Uncle Don’s family. And we seen to be spending 9pm-9am in bed lately trying, trying, trying to get some sleep. ANY SLEEP!

At this point it seems like forever ago, but just afew short weeks ago we were at my parents’ house. We got there on July 16th (I know because the reason for our visit was my getting a wisdom tooth pulled). When we left their house for my appt. we noticed a flatter than flat tire. Lame. Luckily Trista let us take her car, which had just gotten out of the shop the day before. Sometimes luck follows lack of luck.

The tooth removal was fine, I was done 45 minutes after walking in the door. Was sore for a few days, but they give you the good medicine and oneof could supposedly breastfeed with so I survived. Although I did spend a few days fighting nausea while on it.

The first night we were there Ali opened a bunch of presents from my parents and siblings. Jordan got her this Elmo house which she loved (and is still loving- she now scampers into it to hide out everytime a diaper is brought out) but kept knocking over in her attempt to hug and kiss Elmo.

Saturday (we were there from Wed-Mon) we went to the zoo. I don’t think I’ve been there much on weekends before. Especially not summer weekends. Actually I haven’t been to the zoo at all in five years at least. Much had changed and it was pretty crowded. Reminder to do as my mom did when we were kids and go on in-service days. Ali was kind of cranky and much more interested in the other kids than the animals but we had a good time.

Real-life baby bear!

She was into these fish…

…until this little guy showed up.

Before she took a stroller nap.

On the way home.

Saturday evening we had a BBQ. That turned into a birthday BBQ. But began as me asking my dad to BBQ for dinner sometime when we’re there. Because he usually works swing shift this was a number of months in the coming. First we invited my Grandma, then Jordan and Becky, then Gabby and Trista’s new boy Tyler. Although at that point I don’t think they were offical yet. Anyway…

Doing the ‘more’ sign.

My mom told her to kiss the Elmo on her plate.

Playing ‘Apples to Apples.’

Playing with Alyssa at Hammerlee park on Sunday.

If you haven’t seen yet, many more pics here.

So, last Tuesday night, about 30 hours after arriving home from or near-week at my parents’ we left to surprise Billie at Friday Harbor Labs on San Juan Island. It was semi-impromptu, as we’d planned to leave Thursday but decided Tuesday afternoon to go that night instead. More about all this later, as we are swamped, exhausted, and in the midst of re-training Ali to fall asleep ny herself and in her crib. I’m going to be hardcore about it this time.

And she’s been crying for at least 30 minutes thus far.

Got back from visiting my parents this afternoon. No time for posting much anymore, when we don’t get to spend much time with so many people. Had a good visit, will post more about it soon. Hopefully tomorrow. Until then, I have uploaded an album.

Take it easy. These are, after all, the dog days of summer. Or something along those lines…

…a week and a half now? And we’re leaving tomorrow. Was going to be today but some things came up and now it’s tomorrow. Going to Portland. Well, Gladstone. Premise is my getting a wisdom tooth pulled. For which I am so, so, so excited as it’s been bothering me for like a year or something. And it’s going to be covered by insurance which at the last minutes was in question as I got a noticei n the mail Saturday saying our dental had been downgraded to emergencies only. Couldn’t do anything about it until Monday. Appt. was Wednesday and had been on the books for FOUR MONTHS. That’s a long wait. It was a hassle but looks at the moment as if everything is going to work out.

So we leave earlyish tomorrow and are staying until Saturday or Sunday…or Monday, whatever. We’ll see. Don’t think we ever even got fully caught up. Whatever than even means.

Rocking out with her new toy.

Before her check-up last week.

Ali did great with the shots. Didn’t really seem to phase her a bit. She’s teething though, back ones I guess (since she has all the others) and that has been hard on her. Cranky and crying through the ngiht and knawing on practically her whole hand. Hopefully that ends with a quickness.

Last Friday night we went to a Relay For Life event at the local high school. On Saturday we went to a craft fair in Nehalem and then out to lunch for Tony’s and I "anniversary" which was the day before. Two years since our first date. Also my parents…twenty-seventh? wedding anniversary so happy anniversary to them! Weekends are so fun here in the summer, there’s so much to do. Or, maybe just SOMETHING to do, which feels like a lot after the winter.

Ali at the restaurant.

And before bed.

We’ve also been playing a lot of Wii. Well, almost exclusively Wii Fit. Because we promised to return in to Jordan when we go back to town. Sad. It will definitely be missed. But we are so, so, so grateful for the loan. I’ve seriously seen such a difference all over fromthe strength exercises and yoga I’ve been doing. I’m now down SEVENTY pounds from my pregnancy peak (which was 214-yikes!). Anyone looking to buy us a present in the upcoming months, hint hint.

Some time when we finished feeding the seagulls.

And the last few are from today. More here.

Been having a lot of falls lately.

And having moments of "acting" babyish.

Tickle monster!

Hmmm, where have the last few days gone? Must be a post to come in the future. Anyway.

We woke up about 4am on the fifth, last Saturday. We left the house at 4:30am and Ali was still asleep in her carseat. She woke up in the airport, happy. She was so funny. We first flew from Des Moines to Minneapolis. Ali slept. Pretty sure I did too. The plane was bigger this time, which was a relief to me. In Minneapolis we had about an hour and a half to wait. We let Ali play a bit in this kid’s area. At the gate she had a blow-out (which she doesn’t normally do anymore) that required a clothes change. Glad we carried on her luggage.

Out last flight left around 9:30am and we got to PDX just after eleven! It was a three plus hour flight so we were putting the time change to good use. And on the way back….we got an extra seat between us! It was absolutely glorious. When reserving the seats on flights with three-seat rows Tony specifically reserved the window and aisle seats hopnig forthis exact situation. And it couldn’t have happened on a better flight. ali didn’t fall asleep until we’d been in the air for awhile. Then she was awoken shortly after by how FREAKING LOUD they talk on the overhead system. For the first time we had to work to amuse her.

Before take off.

First nap.

Eventually we all napped, Ali and I laying down across Tony. It was nice. Well, airplane nice. When we landed in PDX we had to descend through layer after layer after layer of clouds. Welcome home. It rained over the mountains. We got home about 2pm. And now, about a week later, I think we’re actually to a point we could consider "recovered."

In case you haven’t seen the third album yet, which has party pictures, pics from the 4th, and these click here.

Just blogging about the trip is making me tired at this point.

The fourth we woke up at like 6am because we wanted to leave around seven. Above is what Ali looked like before we had to wake her. Basically a birthday hangover. I have no pics of her outfit in it’s entirity but the plaid fabric is a little skort (skirt-shorts combo for those of you not up on your little girls’ fashion) with a tiny polka dot tank and a big, pink, polka dot bow. She was adorable as adorable could be. The tank you’ll see much of later.

The memorial service was for Tony’s Great Uncle Dan, Grandma Swalla’s older brother. He passed away in December, in California where he lived. Though I never got to meet him, he sounded like a great man. There was a mass held in his honor (my first Catholic service and it was kind of nerve-racking). The one that started at 8am. Ali did so well. She was a little antsy and just wanted to talk and sign. We kept tryingtoput the pacy in her mouth but after the fast everyone seemed to love she was making noise. I guess her tiny joy was keeping with Uncle Dan’s spirit.

From the service we went to the graveyard to bury the ashes and then back to the church to plant a tree in his memory , followed by a brunch. Somehow we didn’t take many pictures. Probably we were too busy meeting/catching up with so many people. Ali and I got to meet so many Swallas (or former Swallas), everyone nice as can be. There weren’t many "kids" there, meaning Tony and I’s generation of younger which waskind of disappointing. Also disappointing was Susie and Steve sneaking out without saying goodbye! I’ve only been asking Tony for about ever if you guyswere going to come because I was so looking forward to seeing the Wolfe family again.

After the brunch Ali was so, so exhausted so we drive over to Mary’s house. Ali napped inside while Tony and I sat out in the sun, enjoying so peace and quiet. Then Mary and Billie came home! Haha, I kid. Eventually Ali woke up and played around. Their land (farm?) is so, so beautiful. We ate fresh raspberries and showed Ali chickens and ducks in the pond right off their deck. And then there was inside!

Mary and Steve are so obviously experienced grandparents (besides Ella and Joey, they have Kate who is two or three and we didn’t get to meet), they have a whole set-up that Ali just loved. And Elmo chair, numerous riding toys, a piano thing, and all sorts of noise makers. Add to that FIVE people paying attention to just her and Ali was pretty much in heaven. But, backing up, when Ali first woke up Steve (Mary’s husband if I didn’t mention that) put some water in this bird bath for her to play in and then began snapping pictures. Beautiful, beautiful pictures.

Finally we had to leave. We were headed to Hyperion were The Carrolls were (and had been since, like, 9am). First we had to stop at Target to get baby bug spray and some of this new-fangled spray on sunscreen we’d been seeing. Then we went back to the house and packed some (I think Ali had needed a nap and immediately fell asleep but woke in the Target parking lot) because our flight left the next morning about 6:20am.

The afternoon and evening was spent out by the pool. The sun was kind of spotty by the time we got there, Ali was cranky, and we were hungry. Around four the buffet opened, then we swam a little, then Ali napped a little. Later we swam again, until about 7:30pm and it was so awesome. I love warm nights. Love them love them. they are pretty rare in the Puget Sound area and basically non-existant here. It was one thing I have always missed about the Portland area. Anyway, after swimming we changed and went back for more food. Then the bingo began! Which was fun and Karen even won. And itwas good prizes too, like $100-$400(!). But if more than one person won you had to split it.

Finally, about quarter to ten the firework show started. I seriously thought Ali would have already been asleep so never thought about what she’d think. But she was awake! At first she looked pretty scared and was covering into Tony as they lay on a lawn chair. But then she started kind of babbling and yelling. And by the end she was clapping! It was so, so cute and we were so proud of her. Becuase this was no driveway firework show. This one was intense and it was loud.

Trying to get her to nap amidst the chaos was fun. Eventually she did though.

This last pic is her wiped out when we got home. Which was around ten-thirty or so. A lot of planning had to go inotthings such as the outfit she was wearing. After swimming she wore it (needed to be warm enough for the night air), then slept in it, then we just put her right into the car seat in the "morning" (we had toleave the house by 4:30am!) and she flew in it too. While she slept we packed everything else up. I went to bed eleven or eleven-thirty but I don’t know when Tony did. I do know we were up before 4am!