More kite vacation pictures and waiting for the bus

Kites and School

We had a really great time at the kite festival last weekend, in spite of the horrendous traffic getting there. We got on the freeway going south past Seattle at about 3 on a Friday afternoon which you just don't do if you are sane. I really don't do well in heavy traffic. Even though I wasn't driving, had interesting people to talk to, good books to read and two antsy kids to help distract me, I was still ready to tear my hair out after three hours of inching along. We finally made it to our campground around 11 that night and still had to set up camp. I'll admit that I was ready to chuck in the towel on this vacation, especially after I received 5 bug bites on my forehead alone... I didn't count the rest. However, the forehead bites were in the shape of the constellation Cassiopeia, so that's kind of cool, I guess. Anyway, Saturday morning dawned sunny and cool and just all around beautiful. There was the perfect amount of wind for all the kites at the beach. The picture above doesn't really do justice to how big and amazing these kits were. And that's just one little shot of the sky. Imagine the same view (different kites) everywhere you look! The day was warm enough to play in the water, which Sam and Grace loved. I had quite a time keeping Sam within a safe depth. He just doesn't understand rip tides, no matter how often I explain. "But I know I'm stronger then the water Mom!"
The beach was gorgeous... over 2 miles of just sand, not a rock or pebble in site. We made some fun sand castles, but didn't get pictures. We had our beach towels just in front of this man:

He's without a doubt the most amazing kite flyer I've ever seen. He had three stunt kites that he could do just about anything with. You can see him holding two of them in the picture. The strings for the third are connected to his belt and that band around his leg. It was simply stunning to watch him. I heard one of the event officials telling someone that he is completely deaf and just flies kites every day, all day. What a life!

Here are some more pictures of the day. We had just a great time, but by the end of the day we were all pretty tired. I think we were all in bed by 9. The next day was rainy and cool so it was easy to not linger. We really had such a great time. Rob's mom enjoyed herself so much she has already reserved a place for us to stay next year! I sense a family tradition in the making. 

Ok, so blogger seems to be having trouble uploading the rest of my picture. Which is a shame because they were really good ones. One of them was of Sam waiting for the bus on his first day of school! He and I went to school together last Wednesday for an orientation type thing, and the Friday was is first official day. He really had a great time, though I think it was a bit overwhelming. There are a lot more kids in elementary school then at preschool. He rides a great big huge school bus in the morning, and it is hard for me to imagine my little boy on that great big bus with all those giant kids surrounding him, none of which he knows. He gets mad though we I refer to him as a little boy. His teacher seems really nice and he has 5 friends from church in his class. He's excited about music class and art class and P.E. Also soccer starts next week and he can't wait for that. Grace will start going to preschool next week in the mornings so I'm going to be on my own for about 3 hours a day. I haven't really even started to think about what I'll do. It almost seems too wonderful to be true! 

August

Normally I loath August in all its hot, never endingness. Seriously, I don't know how it happens, but I swear there is at least 5 more days in August then any other month. Maybe its the effect of having two 31 day months in a row, though January never gives me this kind of stress. Then again, there are holidays in January whereas August is just a whole lot of nothin. (Except for some family birthdays, but really, if they're not mine they don't really count)

Anyway. There is my rant on august. And it doesn't apply this year. I always approach August with trepidation, and my bleak outlook just hasn't panned out this year. We did have those abysmally hot days last weekend, but the rest of the month has been pleasant and lovely. Usually the days of August drag by, but this year I'm surprised to look at the calendar and see that it's already the 21st. School starts next week and tomorrow we leave for Long Beach, WA and the International Kite Festival and a last big Hurrah for Summer! Rob's mom, Elaine, is a kite fanatic and has been wanting to go to the festival for a long time. She asked us along this year and we eagerly agreed, even though it means we will be missing our own Lentil Festival here in Pullman. And I'm sorry for that since this is probably our last summer in Pullman and the lentil festival is the high point of the summer here. Sam and Grace are very excited to be spending the weekend with Grandma; Sam especially. He had his backpack packed and ready with all the essentials (toys) weeks ago! The backpack was on his bed for a few weeks where he would periodically change around its contents. Then about 5 days ago he moved it to right by the front door so we would be sure not to forget it. On Tuesday I bought him a new backpack for school and the moment we got home from the store he sat right down and lovingly moved all his stuff from the old to the new, and then moved the new pack a few inches closer to the door... just in case it would be overlooked in the old position! I anticipate a highly successful weekend, even though we will be tenting it Friday and Saturday night and the chance of rain isn't all that small. But we'll be right by the beach and such roadside attractions as the largest cast-iron skillet in the world and the amazing alligator man (half man, half alligator), and best of all, more kites then you could possibly imagine! Who says August can be dull?

The Dog Days

Out of nowhere Pullman decides to hit us with some real summer days. We'll be hitting 100 degrees and beyond tomorrow and I'd like to point out that I've checked the weather forecast for all the places where my family live and with no exception, not even those in Arizona, we'll be the most miserable tomorrow. Factor in our lack of A/C and windows that face full west and I almost want to cry.  However, by Wednesday we should be back in the 60's and raining... so a typical day in this not so typical Pullman summer. I have to say this has been the coolest summer I think of my life. By the end of it I'll probably be able to use my fingers to count the number of times we hit 90 and beyond. Growing up in Arizona, I'm not used to summers like this. I like it! 

O frabjous day!

Our neighbors are moving!!!! Pure joy is making my little heart leap and frolic with glee. No more  cigarette and pipe smoke pouring into my bedroom window while I try to sleep, no more waking up at 4 am Sunday morning to listen to domestic altercations that end with visits from the police and trips to the E.R. because of aggravated assault and battery, no more vulgar and foul language to listen to, no more holding my breath when passing their apartment in the stairwell. 

Bliss. 

Until the next ones move in. 

Who could be even worse, though I'm struggling to conceive how.