Family Camp and Neighbors

Howdy family,

Kendra made chocolate chip cookies for Daryl, our reclusive neighbor.  He'll be a tough nut to crack, but we are patient.  We stopped by his house to say hello and be kind.  Come to find out, he is a diabetic.  nothing awkward about that though!  just getting to know everyone one conversation at a time.  so we took the cookies home and ate them. 

Kendra took some treats down to our other neighbor who is suffering from back pain and prayed for her while she was there.  We are finding tangible ways to bless people and it's been a great transition for us to care so much for those around us in daily life.  I consider our latest revelation to be the most real example of "love god and love others" that I've ever seen. 

We invited another family in our neighborhood over for dinner a few weeks ago.  The husband and I connected on many levels.  mountain biking is one of them.  He's much more in-shape than I am, but we had an excellent ride even in the pouring rain. 

We just survived the biggest campout the 4 Webbs have ever joined.  Family camp for Easton's cub scouts turned out to be a great weekend even with tons of mosquitos and uncomfortable beds.  It was a sacrifice for Kendra, but we made some memories that will last a lifetime.   Max went with us to Jim Creek Navel Recreation area. 

120 other campers lined the massive field where we played and cooked and popped up tents.  I didn't get  a single picture of the 4 Webbs together because there were not many moments where we were all in the same place sitting still.  I did catch this one of Kendra and I with the playground in the back. 

Easton and Layla were very brave and adventurous.  The climbing tower and high swing were great challenges for them to conquer.  The swing was the most memorable, fun thing they both experienced the whole weekend.  They connected to the rope and then were pulled up in the air by a pulley.  then they let go of the tether and swung free. 

The massive structure behind them in this picture is where they climbed with a safety rope. 

Easton made it to the top.  He paused here on the middle platform to hear us cheer him on.  He was extremely proud of himself for getting to the top and we were impressed with his can-do attitude. 

Layla made it to the middle platform and climbed very quickly.  When she made it there, she decided that was enough and she repelled back down.  She is so competitive that she cried for a bit since Easton made it to the top, but she didn't.  we tried to console her and make sure she knows how proud we are of her, but it took a little while for her to be back to her normal sunshine self. 

Easton and I played chess on the life-sized board.  I taught him the game again and he gladly took my chess pieces.  I ended up winning, but he put up a good fight considering he is still learning what moves where. 

On our way back to camp from the chess match, Easton saw a deer.  We snuck up on it slowly to see how close we could get.  when he was within a few feet, Easton lunged towards the deer and chased it off.  I'm not sure what he would have done if he caught it, but we had some good laughs about this friendly deer afterwards. 

One of the busiest areas of the campground is this massive stump.  they used it as a castle of sorts for their games of clan wars.  With the big man-made playground only a few feet away, it was clear that mother nature has the coolest things. 

I took a panoramic shot from our tent to show a few of the tents off in the distance and the play area.  Parents spent much of the weekend relaxing her in chairs as the kids just played. 

Kendra found a soccer ball abandoned on the playground.  She started dribbling and another kid came by to play.  She kicked the ball back and forth, showing off her fancy footwork for the other kids who were watching.  I took a mental snapshot to freeze-frame the moment.  There are days when I can't believe how amazing Kendra's recovery is and how fortunate we are to have our family be so functional. 

The campout wore Max down to nothing.  He was totally wiped out after two days of running full speed ahead. 

The second night was late.  around 9:30pm the sun was just going down so they broke out the smores.  After that, we ate blue frosted cupcakes.  Bed time was shortly afterwards, but 10:30pm is much too late for our super consistent 8:00pm-bedtime crew.  it was worth the grumpy moments though. 

on another day, I worked from home and took a long lunch to go for a walk with Kendra and Max.  These simple pleasures are the ones I appreciate the most.  Other people think this is no big deal, but it is huge considering how far Kendra has come from being bed-ridden with the broken vertebrae.  I'm never going to take this for granted.

or this...  At Easton and Layla's family dance party, there were two types of parents:  those on the dance floor and those surrounding the dance floor as their kids danced the night away.  We were the dancer parents.  Kendra has no insecurity or concern for other people's opinions. it shows up boldly in these moments where she cuts loose and has a great time being herself. 

Easton and Layla are still figuring out who they really are.  Part of that discovery is trying new things to find out what each one is passionate about.  Kendra took Layla to her first cheerleading informational meeting as a preparation for the upcoming school season.  Layla is excited to try it out, but her passion for figure skating is still fully in bloom.  You never know how a summer can change people, but we are lining up our next school year really well already. 

see you soon!

Everything Outside

Howdy family,

welcome to kind-of summer time. it's at least sunny and we have months of outdoor adventures ahead.  On one of my work from home days we took a bike ride to a local lunch spot.  It's been many months since we did something like this.  It was one of those moments we hoped for and dreamed about for so long.  The weirdest thing about not being able to do these simple things with Kendra is the crazy amount of enjoyment I get from them now. 

And then, just like that I was in Dublin, Ireland.  My boss walked into my office and said, "you're going to Ireland in a few weeks" and then, here I am.  I brought home a tin whistle, an Ireland shirt for each of the twins because I was given specific instruction not to come home empty handed. 

Once I arrived back home we spent the Memorial day weekend hanging out with neighbors who are fast becoming friends.  If Kendra gets to know Suzanne half as well as the twins are getting to know their kids, then we'll have a fun summer. 

One of our couple friends bailed on coming over to our house for dinner one night so we asked if our neighbors wanted to join us.  we ended up hanging in their backyard afterwards eating smores. 

My new employee and his family joined us for weekend fun at the lake.  We went to Vasa Park where the beaches were clean and the lifeguards were plenty.  These water slides were only good for a few trips for Easton and Layla because they aren't comfortable swimming deep in lake water.  They are used to clear pool water and somewhat clear ocean water. 

The beach was toasty, the sand castles were plenty, and rocks were pretty enough for Layla to take a handful home and add to our rock jar.  Her favorite part of the beach was collecting pretty things.  Easton's favorite part is building, then knocking over sand castles. 

Our neighbors on either side of us took a three-family trip to swamp creek.  not even kidding.  that's what it's called.  We rolled up to the parking lot and I thought it was a joke, but then we walked down the path where it opened up to this amazingly clear creek and pleasant creek bank spot. 

My neighbor Clay built a little minnow holding tank area and we filled it up with lots of hand-caught minnows.

We brought plenty of shade to keep the pesky sun from cooking our fragile Seattle skin.  The ladies had plenty of hang out time as the kids explored and played in the water.  This was the most relaxing day of the year so far for us. 

This is my favorite picture lately because there is so much symbolism embedded in it.  We are hand in hand physically and spiritually.  We are more "one" now than at any point in our marriage.  I'm shirtless because it's hot and there is no symbolism at all.  just an observation.  Anyway, this leisurely walk through the creek is how this last year has felt.  It's not like floating in a massive river or struggling to swim up a river.  just a stroll in the sun even when the sun is not shining. 

After our trip to the creek we had dinner at our house to celebrate Kendra's birthday.  These are the adults who are our neighbors on both sides.  The kids were running around the house like headless chickens and nobody cared.  I gave Kendra her birthday gift at dinner.  I handed her an envelope with the cash to pay for our entire Disneyland trip and cruise in Florida this coming February.  I've been saving up for over two years, but didn't set up much fanfare around the presentation so it wasn't epic.  even so, the vacation will be and that's the important part. 

Here are some of the neighborhood kids who hang out at our house regularly.  I see much less of Easton and Layla than I'm used to because they are having a blast playing with friends every day after school.  They are looking forward to summer, but they have no idea how great it's going to be.

Easton asked me to buy him a fidget spinner.  I gladly did and then gave it to him as he earned it.  I said he needs to fidget on all of the windows in the house with a cleaning cloth and some window spray.  It's amazing what they're motivated to do when earnings are on the line.  I'm hoping they will do more things for one another out of love instead of for rewards, but it's a work in progress at nine years old.

See you soon!

Man Camping

Howdy family,

Easton and I had the most excellent camping trip weekend.  This is what we "boy time" at the extreme end because it was just the three of us boys being away together alone.  We camped at Larrabee State Park where the campsite was right on the ocean.  Well, it was in the "sound".  According to locals, the ocean is different than the Puget Sound.  Anyway, this is the view we had a few hundred yards away from our site.

A campfire made it feel authentic.  I got to teach him how to build a proper fire and he'll be amazed by flames for the rest of his life, like I am.  This attempt failed because the wood was too wet, but we were both too tired and ready for bed to bother anymore.

Our campsite was awesome and disastrous.  We were nestled between a main road where cars and motorcycles roared by and a railroad track where the train went by hourly...  all. night. long.  That's the rough part.  The good aspect was the mostly-flat, dry ground and large space for us to spread out our stuff.  I bought a new tent because our old was wore out.  This one is canvas and will probably outlast me in years.

We went to bed fairly early and after a sleepless, cold night I woke up at 5:30am to find this. 

Easton staring at me waiting for me to move a muscle.  I did and he immediately jumped into a sales pitch about how great it would be to see the sunrise over the ocean.  So we did!  Max was bouncing off the walls, I mean bridges.  He was running back and forth so fast that he looks like a blur. We walked through some green forest scenery that looked like the set of a movie. 

down to the ocean where we were the only people in the entire bay.  Easton used his pocket knife to stab tiny crabs that would crawl out when rocks were turned over.  Max ran free all over the beach and I followed wherever they wanted to go. 

I bought some wood because it's illegal to cut anything down out here.  Easton learned how to chop with a hatchet so that we could get the fire started. 

This time it really worked well.  I was impressed with Easton's ability to kick back and relax.  He's an active kind of kid, which is really awesome.  However, it was pleasant to simply "be" without doing anything at all.  We had several thoughtful conversations where I loved every minute.  I want so badly for the twins to be open and honest with us about everything in life, including the good, bad, and the ugly.  That's not always the case from my own personal experience and stories from other kids and adults.  The thing I noticed most about this moment in the picture was how grown up he looks.  it's a little bit of a shock when I realized the little toddler is almost a "pre-teen". 

No campout is complete without eating some fire roasted meat products.  Easton's nick name is "hot dog" so this moment had several jokes and laughs. 

We walked to the beach several times during our two-day trip.  One time was to explore a cave.  Easton and I climbed up this make-shift ladder and found a cave.  We came back with flashlights and muddy clothes so we could check it out. 

We squeezed our way into the muddy opening.  Easton's responses of amazement were such a joy.  I am proud of his adventurous spirit and curious nature.

whittling is an essential skill and very enjoyable in the right setting.  Easton felt so empowered to keep his pocket knife with him during the entire trip.  I used my grandpa's knife that was well-worn and sharp as a razor. 

Nobody in the entire campsite had more fun than Max.  He had the time of his life because the wide open spaces and endless wildlife kept him entertained the whole time. 

There wasn't much of a museum or history experience here other than the plaque declaring this as the oldest state park in the state of Washington. 

When we arrived home, Max poured out of his seat and onto the driveway pavement.  He didn't move a muscle as we unloaded the smelly, dirty camping mess.  We were all dog tired, including the dog.

While the boys were freezing our booty off in the woods, Layla had a girl's weekend with Kendra and Alaysha.  Layla's figure skating organization took over 200 skaters to the stars on ice show in Seattle.  Alaysha was kind enough to take Layla and they had an awesome time.  Their early arrival resulted in Layla getting a picture with Gracie Gold who was an Olympic medalist in the 2014 events.  Layla was star struck, but had enough courage to talk to her and ask for a picture. 

Each weekend seems to bring its own unique adventures even more so here in Seattle.  We are ramping up for summer fun by swapping out our scarfs and hats for shorts and flip-flops.  summer is coming...

See you soon!

Developing Relationships

Howdy family,

The 4 Webbs are sliding into home plate for the school year.  A month from now the twins will wrap up 3rd grade.  They attended 4 classrooms this year:  Tempe, Redmond, home school, and Bothell.  That's a lot of changes in a short amount of time, but I am extremely proud of their flexibility and going with the flow. As we settle into the spring season and exit the wettest winter ever in Seattle, we are discovering more neighborhood community in a few months than we had in 15 years in Phoenix.  Easton declared his new best friend is our next door neighbor.  they hang out every chance they get and sometimes include me in their fun. 

Easton invited me to play out a scene from Halo with their Legos.  He still wants to include me in their play time.  that means so much to me. 

Cain had three blow-up punching gloves which the boys used to chase each other around the street beating each other up.  I gave mine to our other next door neighbor, Tashinga, and took pictures instead of getting hit. 

I took the three amigos to the park for a hike down to the lake.  Easton and Cain wanted me to spin them in the tire swing, but Tashinga was not interested in joining.  Nobody puked and there was plenty of laughter.  that's a successful day at the park with three boys.

I convinced them to sit still long enough to take a picture.  We hiked down to the lake about 15 minutes from our house where there is plenty of trees and rocks to climb on.  They burned a ton of energy playing in the mud and beach.

Tashinga is a couple of years younger than Easton so the connection for friendship isn't quite as strong as it is with Cain.  But they all three have fun together and it's good for Easton to include someone younger so he can be a big brother.  Most everyone has a best friend at some point in their life and I'm really happy for Easton to have Cain. 

However, nobody replaces the bonds of brother and sister when it comes to the twins. They still spend most of their time at home with each other when their neighbor friends aren't around.  I walked with the twins home from Easton's track meet.  They were picking dandelions along the way and blowing them into the wind.  Layla found a flower she knew Mom would like so she ditched the dandelions and gathered a bouquet for Kendra. 

I bribe Easton and I'm not ashamed at all as a parent to employ this technique.  I bought a used copy of Halo 2 from Amazon for $7 because I heard Easton asking about the game.  It arrived in the mail, but I talked with him already about what is required for him to earn it.  I told him to read the book of Mark and John in the Bible and then compare and contrast them in a conversation with the family. He read both books in two evenings and was able to explain the key points and differences.  We were all super impressed, but he set the bar really high now that we know his potential. 

There are all kinds of ways we are developing relationships and reaching out to our neighborhood and city.  Kendra and I went to breakfast for a morning date once the kids were dropped off at school.  during breakfast at the diner she told the waitress she wanted to pay for an elderly couple's breakfast.  We paid for their meal and Kendra went over to sit with them.  She explained that God asked her to do that for them as a way to honor them. 

Then, as we left the restaurant Kendra was on the phone with a friend, praying with her about a medical situation with her husband. 

When we arrived home she grabbed some cookies and put them in a bag.  She walked down to a neighbor's house where she prayed with her for healing in her family because they were sick. 

A few months ago I asked a dangerous question:  "What is The Church?"  I've been reshaping what I believe about the answer to that question by using only the Bible to define it.  The camera lens of my heart is coming into clearer focus with answers to what The Church is just by watching Kendra step into the reality of what the Bible describes.  The fruit is coming, but right now we are busy planting seeds.