The Keene Family

We're in! We started moving boxes on Thursday, August 20th because the seller was super nice and said we could unload some things ahead of closing. That was a blessing! We loaded the largest Penske available plus our truck and a utility trailer and took an entire load to our new house that night. Then we went back to Maple Valley to sleep, and got up Friday, August 21st to the official move day. There were lots of last minute phone calls and challenges up to about noon on Friday, and then all went quiet while we packed the Penske, our truck and another utility trailer, my dad's truck, and our Volvo with what remained of our stuff. We unloaded all of it Friday night after the seller left (about 8 PM) because the Penske was due back first thing Saturday morning. We did, however, sleep in the house in our own beds because we unloaded the mattresses and tossed sheets on top. My mom had washed the kids' bedding ahead of time so they slept in freshly laundered, brand new sheets...

...And then this girl turned FIVE. Haley is going to a pre-K class this school year (read Outliers and you'll know why) but she is ready to take on the world. She is smart, spunky, sweet, and smiles a lot. We just can't imagine life without her! FIVE We had a family birthday party for her on Sunday because it worked with Uncle Jeff's birthday as well, and it was before Madi left for college. Fresh back from skiing, Haley took a cute photo of me with Ali Trampoline girl Madi helping get ready for dinner Gena and Ali prepping asparagus For Haley's birthday dinner, she asked for (and I quote), "pork chops, wild rice, roasted asparagus, and fruit salad with raspberries." The girl knows how to order. Eating with Travis Grandma Keene snuggling Russell Then the presents! Haley was so excited to get a digital camera, as she's been saving for one with extra chore money but it was taking awhile. Now she says she's saving he...

Haley has really been enjoying her gymnastics classes. We have one left (on move day) and she is excited to continue in our new location. She bounces almost continually through class anytime she's waiting for her turn. It's pretty funny to watch. Walking the parallel bars Doesn't she just look like a gymnast here? Practicing core on the jump track Uneven bars

Less than two months ago, we were leaving my parents' house in Port Orchard to go ski and Jim joked, "Hey, we could move to that house," as he pointed to the house across the street. We have joked about moving back to Port Orchard after 18 years away for quite some time, because most of our family lives there and our favorite ski lake is there. We've never been serious. Then we found out that the house was going to be for sale, but hadn't been listed yet, so it was kind of for sale by owner. So we toured the house and... we loved it. Then we found out that we could possibly sell our house for enough to make sense financially. So we made the owners of the Port Orchard house an offer and... they accepted. Then we spent a week making our house ready to sell before we left for ten days of camping. So we listed our house while we were gone and... it sold. We looked at each other and said, "Are we really moving to Port Orchard?" Because we really, really ...

We were home for two weeks and left again, this time for a trip with Jim's parents and our dear friends the Bonnells and the Schmalzes. This trip has become a tradition and we just love it! (Other families welcome - just ask!) Boating Day 1 Haley's favorite day: ice cream at the marina Boat Twins! Boys in the bow Beginning of the week: lots of tubing End of the week: lots of skiing! She loved it - it doesn't show here. New tradition: kids' triathalon! Transition from bikes to run Six and up age group finishers Five and under age group finishers The crew!

The day after we returned from Banks Lake Trip 1, we headed to the Bike Challenge and Safety Rodeo. The kids had such a great time last year! JT rode hard and so did Haley. We were proud of her for racing the course, as it is pretty tough and the age range starts at five. As a four year old, she was certainly behind on age, but she wasn't on power. She took third! Then a surprise came to JT: he won the bike raffle and went home with a new bike!