S O P H I E...great to be 8!

She's had a birthday...shout hooray!

Sophie couldn't have been looking more forward to a birthday more than she was this one...finally eight years old!

(request:dark chocolate cake with white frosting...and horses on top!)

With the birthday hat balanced on her head, Sophie shows her fancy moves with her new hulahoop, a gift from Lucy.

And turning eight means...being baptized! A very exciting a fabulous day. Sophie was baptized by her daddy, Michael on June 5th, 2010...just twenty-odd years to the date of when I (her mom) was baptized.

Thanks, Gma and Gpa Daines for making the trip to be there.

And my two sweet sisters, Julie and Suzanne.

We love you, Sophie! We're all proud of you and the choices you make to be happy!

Seattle

We flew to Seattle to visit Michael's brother, Brian, and family. They are living there while completing their Orthopaedics Residency Program. Only one year left! None of our children had ever seen each other (don't know how we let that happen!) It was fun to see the kids get to know each other and have fun playing with cousins!

Here on our first day, hanging out before heading out! Sophie, Cole, Riley and Sam. (Lucy hiding behind the couch!)

We went here first...


...for some delicious fish and chips (better than we tasted in England, actually!) Uncle Gordon finished up a conference in Seattle and met up with us here. One of these days our children will get all of their uncles and aunts sorted out. Still confusion in this area! It was fun to be all together...more Daines members with us than not! And finally, hot chocolate hit the spot for the cool weather!

Feeding the seagulls our leftover french fries. The gulls really live for this kind of fast food!

Enjoying the aquarium...measuring up to the inhabitants!

Loving all the different kinds of fish...especially the sharks~although not as many seen as hoped!

Celebrating Brian's birthday/matching for fellowship on a night out without kids...ahhh, yummy dinner at Joey's and a lighthearted time at the arcade. Here, Michael and Carly in rare form, shooting it out on safari mode!

We also enjoyed a trip to the science museum, of course the butterfly exhibit is always a highlight! This little beauty showed us it's colors and pleased us all, especially our zebra-lover, Riley (pictured: zebra longwing butterfly) The kids loved the robots, dinosaurs, bones, tide pool, strength testing, playground, bugs, and the naked mole rats!

Lucy stretching out in a dinosaur footprint.

Time out for just Michael and I...yummy little French cafe and Pike's Market. Thanks, Carly for braving the masses for a few hours! Thanks, Michael for a much-craved treat, and the pleasure of spending time with just you!

IMAX showing of "How To Train Your Dragon" ~ so cute and very fun with the glasses! Each of the kids brought their little dragons with them to watch the movie.

What a crew! Glad we left the glasses there! And...we've hatched a new breed of dragon lovers!

Last but not least, on the day we left for home, Riley pulled out his 2nd tooth! So brave! I love the little lisp that comes from such a daring task.

Thanks, Carly and Brian for hosting us and our little brood of monkeys! We love hanging with you guys and look forward to many more occassions soon!