Happy Father's Day & Happy Birthday Ben

Happy Father's Day Dad & Happy Birthday Ben!

Grandma let the kids put candles on their Dad's cake.

But the frosting was too tempting.



So Joel came up with a great idea to fix it!



See? If you put a bunch of candles in the hole,

you'll never know someone's finger went through the frosting!

Tulip Fields at Mossyrock

Yesterday the sun was shining and it seemed like a perfect day to go check out the tulip fields.

The volume of color is stunning.

The signs say you may walk through the fields, just not pick any.  The workers keep them deadheaded so the flowers all show in perfect condition.

Most of these are later varieties, which means we need to go back in a week!

No farm is complete without a John Deere tractor.

This is the perfectly manicured display garden.  I love the winding paths and the space.  And no weeds after these workers get done with it.  This garden always inspires me to thin things a little in my own.

The coloring on these tulips was illuminating.  Didn't see these in the fields, so they must be a special trial variety. 

Number 49

Robert had climbed Mt. St. Helen before. So in the early 70's he made a valiant effort to take me to the top. This was years before the top blew away. I only made it half way and was ready to turn around.

Yesterday marked 49 years of sticking together even when there were mountains to climb....and look at the view from a higher elevation! We have been blessed with six children and their families to make the journey even more worthwhile. We are happy that we kept climbing this time and that we had such great company of family, close and extended, to go with us. The view is well worth it!