The Keene Family

JT decided to start trying to walk on his own yesterday, and it's been walk, walk, walk ever since. How fun! Still wobbly, he is making a big effort to conquer his feet. Here is a compilation of the last 24 hours. I think he is officially a toddler!

While we were camping, JT started asking for bites of sandwiches. (Actually, he started asking for bites of everything . Hungry man.) When we got home, I used a sandwich thin to make him his very own PBJ. Yep, loved it. Next we'll try turkey and cheese. Yummmmm!

We spent a whole nine days at Steamboat Rock State Park on Banks Lake. This was my 26th year in a row to spend time there over the summer (and Jim's 11th, and JT's 2nd). The Cole kids came with us, and so did Grandpa and Grandma Cole. It was great to see the cousins playing together in the sand and on the water. Then Grandpa and Grandma Keene, who were dogsitting Slider, came for two nights too. We had so much fun! Our annual picture in front of The Rock. The girls took the boat out all by ourselves. Jim and Preston double ski at twilight. Snuggling in the tent with Daddy Movie night on the boat! Rock jumping - a family sport So happy in the sunshine JT ate most of his lunches lakeside, in his wagon Enjoying mid-week Mexican at La Presa Hiking The Rock The view from the top Madi and JT enjoying the water JT loved playing with Grandma's clothespins Yep, this is where we swim and ski... rough life, huh? JT enjoying the boat Stuck in the tent Grandma, Grandpa, and JT I h...

Hooray! The Cole Kids (aka our nephew and nieces) are visiting Washington for three whole weeks. We took some cousin pictures to commemorate the occasion. Thanks to Jim's crazy antics, everyone was laughing! We have been pretty busy with our hosting activities. The guests stayed with us for a few nights and have been with their grandparents the rest of the time. Preston, Madi, and Ali are all amazing with JT. They help with diaper changes, meals, and all sorts of tasks. Frankly, it's been like having great babysitters around most of the time! Day 1 - Spent time at Long Lake skiing and enjoying the sunshine. Here are the boys... ...and JT, sporting his new backpack from Grandma Cole. Day 2 - went to an outdoor movie. JT fell asleep, but the rest of us laughed our way through Madagascar 2 . Day 3 - Went to the Seattle Aquarium and waterfront. So much fun! Day 4 - Hung out at the lake, went kayaking. Day 5 - Went to Poulsbo via Puget Sound in my parents' boat. JT got to dr...

Last Sunday, we left church in the sunshine. JT got a shoulder ride since we parked so far away. We decided to swing into Whole Foods and pick up JT's meals for our camping trip. (No, I'm not packing homemade baby food for a week long camping trip!) Jim suggested we get lunch there since we were all hungry. And then it hit me... the first meal of my son's life that I did not have to be a part of. Not one bit. No packing, no preparation, no nursing, no pureeing, no chopping, nothing. It was fabulous. So we got a fruit bowl and some chicken bisque for JT, and took a picture of his first ever true "eating out." Then JT got to push his own cart, which he loves , and pick out some food for our trip. Okay, so maybe I helped pick it out. But he did push the cart all by himself. Jim gave some assistance with steering because he kept running into displays. And since JT had already dropped a jar of pears ("Clean up, Aisle 12"), we thought we were pushing our luck....

It's true: when JT is sad or hungry, he wants his Mom. When he wants to play, however, there is one person he heads to first: DAD. Jim and JT have so much fun together. Here they are enjoying lying on the floor on one of our hot days. Jim is teaching JT how to relax under the ceiling fan. Enjoying some "shirts off" time... And playing hide-and-go-seek (Jim is hiding around the corner, which is why JT is laughing.)

You may have heard the rumors... last week, Seattle recorded the hottest day ever. It was 103 degrees at SeaTac Airport, but it hit 113 in my car. Here's proof that it got really, really hot: The Keenes stayed cool. First, we have air conditioning in our house. Second, we have ceiling fans in all the bedrooms. So we have no room to complain about heat. In fact, we kind of like it! Here's how we spent the hottest day. JT had swim lessons and Jim had to work, so I got to take him instead. After swim lessons, JT and I drove up to Wiley's Ski Shop in south Seattle. It is quite possibly the best ski shop anywhere, and it's where we get most of our gear. Jim and my skis both had loose screws, which is dangerous, so I took them in to get repaired. This was JT's first visit to Wiley's. You can see he is not handling the non-a/c store very well. :) A little advertising for Wiley's... since they fixed our skis for free, in under twenty minutes, on the hottest day on r...