We're Moving to Yakima!!

Downtown Yakima with Mt. Adams in the backgroud (we believe!)

We're headed to Volcano Country!

http://www.visityakima.com/

Rob, Grant, and I are ready for the next new adventure in our lives! Rob will be attending medical school in Yakima, Washington, so that means we get to pack up and head north in June! We are so excited for the upcoming change and ready for the new attractions to see!

I have done some research about Yakima, and despite some people's opinions, there IS a lot to do in the Yakima Valley. Let's be honest, most places are much more happening than Payson, UT where everyone lives for Onion Days!

So, here's our list of things and places we want to see while we live in Washington (aka our mini tour brochure of the Yakima Valley!)

• For you cliff note people (like me!) just pay attention the the bold type! :)

In Yakima and surrounding cities:

• Floating down the Yakima River



• Yakima Canyon: wildlife viewing, fishing, camping, and river rafting



• Plenty of farms to get some canning done (asparagus, eggplant,berries, pumpkins, and all other kinds of fruits and veggies



• Yakima Greenway: A 10 mile paved path along the Yakima River. Great for running, biking, rollerblading, etc. There are parks, lakes, and playgrounds along the way.



• Historic North Front St: Along the boardwalk of Track 29 there are fun shops in railroads cars to browse!



• Hop on an Airplane at the Yakima Airport to go visit TN!!!

• Fly Fishing: Ask Rob...there's too many to list :)



• Golfing



• Great white water rafting in September



• Capitol Theatre: If you in a mood for a broadway play this is the place to go!



• Meadowbrook Family Fun Center : I don't really know what this is but sounds fun!



• Hillside Desert Botanical Garden: I don't know about his one either, but sounds interesting!



• Home of the minor leauge baseball team the Yakima Bears



• Yakima Valley also as the 13 miles of yard sales in Klickitat County (June 14-15)



• U-pick Cherries: Many farms offer thier produce for you to come pick free of charge! So get a canning! See http://www.johnsonorchardfruit.com/ for some cherries (june 20th) Washington cherries are my favorite!!



• Don't miss the Yakima Valley Fair (Aug 6-9) and the Pear Fest (Sept. 20th)



• During July and August a family movie is played outside in park on a big blow up screen each Sunday night.



• And of course you can't miss eating at the the famous Miner Burger!



• Also, i must mention that there is a Target and Costco in the area (plus a mall or two and a craft warehouse!)



• In Ellensburg (Central Washington University) there is the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute where the longest running reasearch on 3 ASL Chimps are.



• In Selah: Go see where Tree Top Apple Juice is made!



• In Prosser: We won't miss the Scottish Festival (June 21st)



• In Sunnyside: You can visit the Darigold Cheese/Ice cream Factory! YUM!



• In Toppenish: Also known as the city of murals (most buildings are covered in amazing murals..very cool!) Also, at Christmas time they provide train rides to the "North Pole" to get your picture taken with Santa! We are for sure going to visit this one with Grant!

• And of course it is wine country, so if you like wine there is plenty of that to taste!
  

In about an hour you can get to:

• White Pass and Chinkook Pass: Great places for skiing (White Pass only), biking, hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing.

• Richland: To see our family and all the cool fairs/festivals down at the river!
  
• Levenworth: A really cool "city in the Alps" barvarian town! A must see!
  


• Mt. Rainier: We will hike/climb it!!

• Other Volcanos (I'm still gathering more info)
  

In about 2 hours you can get to:

• Seattle: Zoo, Aquarium, Space Needle, Science Center, Fisherman's Warf, and all the other cool Seattle stuff!

If you know of any more attractions/events, or if I need to make corrections, let us know! We'd love to hear from you!
-k

Classy Little Details

Classy Little Details
Gifts & Home Decor

I've started my own very small business. I am making vinyl signs/blocks and other home decor! I've decided to call it Classy Little Details, because that's what I want them to be in someone's home. I have really enjoyed it so far! I have even gotten a few of my items in my hair dressers salon (she is running a consignment shop too!) Rob and I are seeing if this will bring in some grocery money to see if it is worth doing while he is in medical school, and let's be honest, it will keep me entertained! So, if your looking for a gift or just trying to add some spice to your home, I may have a solution!

Above are just a few things I have made, but lots more to come! The one's with bows are how I wrap them to put them on the store's shelf! Sorry for the glare of the celophane!

Wiggle Like A Fish

For anyone who is looking for some awesome children's music, this is the CD for you! I use this in my kindergarten class and they love it! The most favorite song is of course "Wiggle Like a Fish." They have gotten so into, that they form a congo line behind and wiggle their way through the song. Our little Grant even loves to wiggle when he hears it! This CD is great for not only teaching kids to groove, but it teaches them about what it means to have manners, dealing with emotions, and who they are in the world! Check out thier website at www.wigglelikeafish.com. You won't be sorry, it's catchy!

Love Day!

Our Valentine's Day was so fun! We heard about the Valentine Aardvark from our sister and brother-in-law so we thought we'd make it a tradition in our family (see http://www.valentineaardvark.com/ for more info!) We had so much fun making our pouches so the aardvark would come visit. Grant even helped decorate his with his talented scribbling. It was fun to see him find his treats that the aardvark brought. Grant loves lollipops!

Despite Grant's pink eye, Rob and I were able to go out for dinner and to the Temple! We will definately be making Valentine's Day a special day at our house!

Growing Like A Weed!

Grant continues to amaze us with all the things he is learning to do! He is now starting to attempt to walk! He definantly does things on his own time and suprises us when he does it! He loves to play with his shape tool box. As you can tell, he hasn't quite figured out where the shapes go! We are certainly loving watching him grow and learn!

Happy Birthday Rob

Rob's special birthdays was spent with the 11 year old scouts sleeping in the freezing cold. Only one kid freaked out and only one kid peed his pants, so all in all it was a great trip. He was especially glad that his buddy Andrew Jorgenson came for the birthday adventure! This is a picture of where they set up camp!

Rico Suave

As I was getting Grant and myself ready for the day, I noticed that Grant had some major bed head. To fix the problem, I got out the good ol' water and gel to fix the madness. I had his hair all combed over and perfect, so i went to finish getting ready as I left Grant alone to play in our family room. When i came back his hair was completely re-styled. He decided to do it his own way! Not only has he discoverd how to style his hair with gel, but he knows how to comb it and brush is teeth! We don't know where he got this "metro" side of him from!