Sunday, October 5, 2014

Grothaus Family Reunion

We had the best family reunion this year in Lincoln City, OR. We'd spent a lot of time planning for it and it paid off. Everything seemed to have gone smoothly, there were fun activities every day, and the kids had a blast spending the week with their cousins!

We stayed in two houses on the same street, with a short walk to the beach. In our house were us, the Heggies, and the Hatfields. 11 little boys in one house made for lots of fun cousin time! The downstairs was perfect for the kids to play and have sleepovers.

Along with playing at the beach every day and finding seashells, the highlights for the kids were: the air hockey/foosball tables at the house, a talent show, a pinata, a nighttime glowstick dance party, a superhero costume day, a photo booth, beaded necklace making, a sandy starfish craft, a s'mores night, a trip to the salt water taffy store, and a cousin sleepover every night. The week was jam packed with fun stuff for them to do.

Some of the other adult/family activities were: visiting a lighthouse one day, checking out the Tanger Outlet mall, a golfing day for the men, and getting family pictures taken. And my personal favorite, game nights with the adults and teenagers every evening after the kids went to sleep.

The photos are out of order, but here are a few of our favorites!

First walk down to the beach! Tyler, Spencer, Dillon, Collin
Sleeping twins on the first night. Fortunately, we were able to plan our days around their naps and they did pretty well sleeping in their pack and plays in the gigantic closet of our bedroom (having twins scored us the master! ;)) But really, it worked out perfectly and they were able to sleep soundly and stay on their nap schedule.
Running from waves with Grandpa
These boys sat and dug in the sand for hours!
Dillon, Elliott, Truman
Collin and Dillon playing a little air hockey in the garage game room
Cousin sleepover
Family beach picture
We had a family home evening talent show. Collin's talent was spelling his name out of chow mein noodles and cheerios. (It's covered up in the picture, but he likes using whatever he has to spell his name).
Truman and Elliott's talent was reading their Curious George book (finishing the last word of the sentences).
Truman and Collin checking out the "caves"
Grandma and Elliott
We were able to have some professional group photos taken while we were there.

Siblings
Katie and Justin designed awesome Family Reunion shirts! It was fun for all of us to match.

Nightly games of Werewolf. So much fun!!
This was a pretty bridge on our way to a lighthouse.
Bumblebee pinata! Truman had fun hitting it. Elliott just wanted to hold the stick and did not want any one to take it away after his turn!
Truman getting cozy with Aunt Lindsey (We took a picture because either of the twins letting anyone else hold them was a rare moment).
Cute picture of Truman
Twins running free on the beach
Supermen Tyler and Collin
Superhero cousins!
We met Lindsey's baby Walker for the first time!
Exhausted from too much fun.
Photo booth
Lindsey took individual family photos for everyone. Our family is in a stage where good family photos are just about impossible. . . but we did get a couple of good ones!


We had to make a stop for hand made salt water taffy!
The reunion was a success and definitely a highlight of our summer! 

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Summer!

The last few months in our new Puyallup home have been spent getting settled in a new town and staying busy with our growing boys. We are happy in our new home/area, and Rob is happy in his job. We have definitely been blessed.
Honestly, I felt like it took me a little while to feel at home in Puyallup. I think I was comparing it to how quickly we felt at home in Port Orchard, and after having spent the previous few months meeting people and getting to know THAT area, I was burned out. Meeting new people can be exhausting. The first month or two were a little difficult with being in a new place, not knowing anyone very well, and dealing with the hassles of moving for the second time (and I'll be honest, the occasional bitterness about the whole Port Orchard thing).
But, we went to the library every week for story time, and soon joined a community mom's group that has lots of playgroups and activities. I thrive on routine and having places to go every day, so everything was better once we started getting busy and meeting more friends.
(Side note, I'm constantly torn between needing to leave the house every day for sanity's sake and never wanting to go anywhere with my 3 small children who like to run away from me any chance they get or scream if I try to contain them in a stroller.)
Anyway, we really like it here now! Here is what we've been up to through July:
Big boys at the big table
We had a fun Easter- we went to a community egg hunt, made a bunny cake, and had a visit from the Bodines. 
I do think it's fun sometimes to look at what our Easter baskets looked like in previous years. 

He was the most excited about the bunny cake. 

New house, new blinds to break.

We love our little backyard.

Running around the neighborhood! We no longer hang out in the front yard because of two little boys who bolt down the street.

Mild panic attack when they do this, but it is kind of cute.

Mother's Day- a nice photo with all three boys was not in the cards.


Collin was proud of the tower he built in his pocket.

Funny Tru (that is bread.)
Hanging out at Target to escape the heat!

Our favorite thing is visitors! Collin was so happy when Emma came to visit.

The twins' dining table since they refuse to sit in high chairs.

Playing with their new water table from Grandma and Grandpa!

My dad came to town for a few days and we tried out the Tacoma Children's museum.


Grandpa with Truman and Collin

We're glad we still live near a Lowes!

Father's day trifle! Daddy and Truman

These two love books so much! (Elliott, Truman)

 
This is our reading chair- it gets pretty cozy!

Cupcake helpers

Over 4th of July weekend, we went to Sunnyside for the Grimmer family reunion. All of Rob's siblings and their families were together for the first time in several years. We had a fun picnic at the dinosaur park, attended Eli's baptism, had a couple of BBQs, and had some family pictures taken.
We had to stop by Ron's in Yakima for their giant strawberry ice cream cones!

Truman especially loved Amber's cat Greg.

Playing in Amber and Steve's yard

Vance and Collin being silly

Vance and Collin

Truman and Elliott

Just hanging out in the wagon, eating some grilled cheese.

Cute brothers- Collin and Truman

Grandma Grimmer came for a short visit, with Great Grandma Weber as well


A fun movie date in the park- Lego Movie!