A life full of faith, hope, love, and laughter.
The sites and scenes of our everyday life away from home.
On our way home from our trip to Moses Lake, we stopped at the Ginkgo Petrified Forest state park. Enjoy!
Love this pattern in the rock.
Can you count the rings?
Isabel thought this place was cool.
Some large pieces, some small and some bigger than this one!
Gino loved this local piece of petrified rock.
It’s petrified fir.
Looks like wood… but it’s rock!
So pretty.
For the holiday weekend, we headed over to Moses Lake to visit our family in the area. We had a great time even for the short amount of time we were there. Enjoy!
Playing basketball in the dining room before it’s time for bed.
These cousins know how to play well together. Always laughing and being silly together.
Isabel’s basket went in the net!
Aaron made a few baskets as well.
Cute cousins!
Aaron’s ready for bed but Isabel wanted to read some books.
Can’t tell from this photo but they were both sad that we had to leave so soon.
Aaron 4 years (he tells you he’s 5) and Isabel 7 years.
We have been wanting to add more garden beds to the one (garden bed) that we had last year. So a few weeks ago we headed to the home improvement store to buy a pre-made raised bed. While waiting in line, Gino decided to just make a raised bed himself. So instead of getting a pre-made one we purchased cedar wood to make our own and saved over $50.00 in the process. It also looks nicer and sturdier! Looks awesome!
Gino cut the boards down to the dimensions we wanted and then later we treated the outside of the boards with an eco-friendly stain. Last weekend we put the beds into position and filled the top bed with dirt. This weekend we got more dirt to fill the lower bed and to get both beds ready for planting soon. We also purchased 3 large pots to place around the yard.
Our new raised bed area looks so great!
Last weekend we purchased some plants as well. We purchased some filler flowers for the area over along the fence where I lost flowers to slugs! I had 14 plants and only 2 survived!!
We also got a beautiful “Let’s Dance” Moonlight Hydrangea (which I planted today in the big blue pot) and a Black Lace Elderberry. The elderberry, we haven’t decided where to plant yet, so it’s just sitting in the garden bed for now. The flowers I will probably plant sometime soon, if the rains hold off long enough for me to get out and clean up the area where I am going to plant them.
We will fill the area around the beds with rounded stones (bigger then pea gravel).
The area where the standing water is, will have the same stones as well and will be the new spot for the hose reel.
Close up of the rounded stones that we placed in front of the raised beds.
Looks great with the paved walkway to the “shed”.
This area will just be for my new potted hydrangea, can’t wait to see more blooms on it!
When we get the areas all complete, I’ll have to take more photos for now, you can what we’ve been up to for the past several weeks, in between rain showers and sun breaks.
Today was the annual kids fishing derby at church. The last time we attended was 2 year ago, we didn’t go last year because we were on vacation in Utah.
Isabel was excited again to get out and fish with Daddy. This year we went with our friends Steve, his nephew Anthony, and our friend Copper.
We had a great time in the rain and the kids all seemed to have a fantastic time too! I didn’t get as many pictures this year because of the rain, I didn’t want to get the camera wet. Enjoy!
We arrived! Getting our gear out and heading to the fishing hole.
Maybe the sun will stay out and it’ll be great! The sun wasn’t out long and before long it was raining again.
Cooper casting his line. He did such a great job! He was the first to cast but not the first to get a fish.
Isabel caught the first fish!
Very nice!
Cooper getting some help with his reel. He’s got something on the line!
Wow! Cooper caught a really big one!
5 1/2 lbs. for this one. Didn’t get a total for all 5 fish he caught.
Cooper with his big fish!
Isabel’s is the smaller one.
They took turns catching fish. Isabel got one and then Copper would get one. Then Isabel and then Cooper. Gino was hopping back and forth between the two of them just trying to keep up.
Anthony was doing an amazing job on casting his line but he wasn’t catching anything but sticks and other people’s line. Gino eventually did get to help him, just after Cooper and Isabel had caught their limit of 5.
A calm moment before both of them catch another fish!
After the derby was over, Gino helped Anthony out and he was able to catch 3 fish! Way to go!
We ended up taking all the fish home with us for a total of 13 fish in all. Looks like trout is on the menu for tonight! Yum!
This year there was a raffle for the kids in the fishing derby. Isabel won this big green tackle box!
She’s got plans for it but it’s not for fishing…
Until next time… Thanks Rayburn family for another great year of fishing!
Tonight was Isabel’s spring program at school. The program was called “Revved Up and Ready to Go!” – a musical about the race of your life, by Heidi Petak.
It was fun and action packed with the Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classes. Although Isabel wasn’t feeling well (she has a really bad cough), she gave it her best try. Before going into the program we told her to lip-sync the words while everyone else sang. I think she tried that for a little bit and then just gave up all together.
The songs included: “Rev It Up!” – “Custom-built Heart” – “Jesus Is the Way” – “Forgive and Forget” – “Praise My King” – “Action” – “High Performance Mind“. Several of the students even had solo performances as well.
Isabel got to lead the first grade classes out into the sanctuary and onto the stage.
I know she was super excited about that!
Love the attire! The t-shirt and jeans went perfect with the program!
(Isabel is on the far left.)
Very nice group shot of the choir and cast, those on the very edge were cut off.
(I didn’t take this picture, I got it from school photos.)
Singing “Rev It Up!”. The kids had actions with this song and they really seemed to enjoy it!
( I didn’t take this picture either, got it from school photos).
My 1,000th posting has arrived!!
I am shocked that it’s here.
When we began this blog 6 years ago, I had no idea what to talk/blog about, let alone who’s going to read what I write!?! What do I have to say that is meaningful to those who read this blog?
Someone has been reading my words, most of those people have been family and a few friends. No one else has ever told me they read what I write, besides my own parents and they enjoy it. My father skims through the postings, mainly looking at the pictures and my Mother reads each one through. So someone does read it!
In those 6 years, I have really begun to enjoy blogging. I feel terrible if, I miss a day. This is my journal, about our lives and what we do. Some day, Isabel will be able to look back and read what she did on this and this day. She may even get a few laughs out of it and say, “Hey, I remember doing that!”
What I hope she gets most out of my words/blog, is that I love her very much. I want her to look back and remember those times that she has forgotten when she’s older. So she can sit at her dining room table (eating dinner) and tell her kids about the time she did this and the time she did that. Just like she enjoys doing with Daddy and I now and hearing about when we were her age.
So what I write is for her… remember to have faith, put your hope in Jesus. He loves you more. Laugh and enjoy this website.
It’s for you, Squirt! I love you.
Last night we went to the Monster Truck Show at the Spring Fair.
We had a fun time despite the light rain that fell for most of the evening.
Isabel liked this one because it was purple.
There were 10 trucks in all.
She told us that she had hoped there would have been a truck that was purple with yellow flames on it. It’s purple and yellow just doesn’t have flames!
We later learned that one of the trucks was driven by a 16 year old girl! She did a good job but the truck she was driving was having issues so she was out early in the show.
The last time we went to the Spring Fair, Isabel was 3 and couldn’t ride on any of the rides. So this time, if she wanted, we’d let her ride something. The first ride she wanted to go on was the Ferris wheel. I think she was a bit nervous at first but got more comfortable as we went around. I think we ended up going around 5 or 6 times.
Our view.
You can also see the other monster trucks.
Not to many people down there yet. As it got closer to the show more and more people began to show up.
At the top of the Ferris wheel.
After the Ferris wheel we walked around and found some rides more her size. Lots of them in fact but we couldn’t go on all of them. She picked a roller coaster, air plane ride, fun house and then played one game with the leftover tickets!
First roller coaster ride – little coaster just for kids!
She was very nervous for this – see her grip the sides of the car!
She went around on the coaster for about 3 or 4 times before it ended.
She really enjoyed it!
After her tickets were gone we decided to get some food and see some exhibits inside.
We saw F.F.A. exhibits and then small farm animals; geese, ducks, chickens, chicks, a turkey, bunnies, llamas, pheasants, goats, and miniature donkeys and
The first time she patted this sheep it, it baa’d, Isabel’s eyes got so BIG, she must of startled it!
This petting pen and a few goats, 2 sheep, and 1 chicken.
The Monster Truck show was great. It was the first time for Isabel and the first time that Gino and I have seen a show on asphalt. Isabel enjoyed the show but didn’t care for the fireworks afterward. By the time we got home it was almost 11 p.m. and she was to tired, she went to bed within minutes!
Today we headed to the baseball diamond to see the Seattle Mariners vs. the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field.
This is the first MLB game for both Isabel and I. It was a great day for our first game, the sun was out and it wasn’t raining. However it was cold/windy and then there were those pesky birds (more about that later)!
We were going to take the train to the game but ended up driving down for our first time. Next time we’ll take the train!
Our game started at 1:10 p.m. and we arrived around noon. Before we even stepped into the play field we already had some great souvenirs!
Left to right: our tickets, a bag (that was given away at the door), baseball cards (that people working at the stadium gave to Isabel), Mariners magazine (we purchased for a few bucks),
and Isabel’s first game certificate!
I’ve got to say everyone at the stadium was super friendly and very helpful telling us where to go and what to see while we were at the game. There’s a playground and a museum too! We’ll save those for a later day, we’re here to watch baseball!
Outside on the street behind home plate.
Just inside from where we entered was a cool bat sculptural hanging over our heads.
First look at the field.
Isabel liked the grass pattern.
The new (just this year) video screen on the right, replaced the old scoreboard build in 1999. It is 56.7 ft high and 201.5 ft wide and covers 11, 425 square feet. It is 10 times the size of the old video screen and is equal to 2,182 42-inch flat screen TV’s!
Her first baseball game.
After getting some much needed food, we found our seats in section 316.
Our view of the field from our seats. Not bad at all!
The Ceremonial First Pitch was thrown by Jeffrey Charbonneau.
Mr. Charbonneau is our state Teacher of the Year and is 2nd in the Nation!
Mr. Charbonneau after his perfect pitch!
“The National Anthem” was sung by an older gentleman from Olympia. He came out later in the game and sang “God Bless America” as well. He did a great job on both songs.
Let the game begin!
The first pitcher in the game was Brandon Maurer. During the game they used 4 different pitchers.
Enjoying the game despite the cold wind and those pesky birds!
Just before the game ended, our section was bombarded with seagulls! The birds were flying low searching for food and pooping on everything (my coat got a bit of splatter)! Our section cleared out and let the birds take over! Crazy!
We moved 4 sections over into the sun, which made the wind seem not so cold, to get away from the birds. We watched the remaining 2 innings from this location.
The game is over and the Mariners have won.
The score was 4 – Mariners and 3 – Rangers.
Daddy and Isabel after the game.
Mommy and Isabel after the game.
Us after the game!