Pollack Family Reunion

For the Pollack Family Reunion we all met at Uncle Eric and Aunt Lesley's house near Tacoma, WA. We had a great time!
Those black things are all sand dollars. I've never seen so many!
" That is the funniest thing I've ever heard!"
Aunt Lesley hanging out with the girls.
On our last morning we were able to see Mount Rainier (look beyond Annika's shoulder) over the bay. Absolutely beautiful!

A fun visit from Uncle Steve, Auntie Cathy, Sarah, and Will.
Safeco Field. The M's defeated the Tigers!
Yummy chocolate chip pancakes. It's going to be hard to go back to cereal for breakfast.
Fun on the playground.
Picnic lunch.

Walking the streets of Tacoma.
Checking out the view from the ferry.
Looking for seals with Daddy while onboard the ferry.
The tall ships were in town.
Lauren was fully entertained by Aunt Lesley - especially her fish face.

Grass sledding at the "big hill" with Cousin Daniel.
Watching the Tacoma air show from the side yard.
Having fun with Daddy at the Ruston Way Fair.
Taking a break for some kettle corn.
Watching the dogs with Grandma and Grandpa.

It's an Annika roll-up courtesy of Uncle Eric.
Grandma brought fun toys for the 4th.
Hanging out with Uncle Eric in the hammock.
Big tree!
Annika was pretty excited to see a fox in the park.

We lugged Karl's golf clubs across the country so that he could play at Chambers Bay - site of the 2015 US Open. I walked with him. It was pretty impressive. (Sorry, Karl, that I posted a sand shot.)
Karl finished his round at 9:00 - just as the sun was setting over the Bay.
Our family was very nice to watch the kids for a day so Karl, myself, and Dad could drive the 2.5 hours to Olympic National Park. It felt like a scene from the Sound of Music.
That's me on the rock.
The wildflowers were amazing.

The bus ride from the parking lot to the airport (a highlight for the girls). Karl has his arm over Annika b/c she just recovered from flying all the way to the front when the driver braked suddenly.
The Rose Garden at Point Defiance Park - within walking distance of Uncle Eric and Aunt Lesley's house.
Grass sledding with Uncle Eric is loads of fun!
An unconventional method of grass sledding.

Stairs 1 Lauren 0

We have a new family tradition. Whenever you break a limb, you get to enjoy ice cream after you get your cast on. On Tuesday morning Lauren decided to walk down the stairs to our basement. She has been doing great with stairs, but these stairs are steep and ominous (Annika and I have both fallen down them before). Annika and I were in the basement and so we heard the fall. I think she only fell 6 stairs BUT, as mentioned previously, these are steep and ominous stairs. It took us 24 hours to realize her wrist was broken (nobody told us kids don't get sprains), but now she is all fixed up. She chose orange for her cast color and she gets it off in 3 weeks to be replaced by a splint. She has already thrown about 3-4 tantrums asking for it OFF. Could be a long 3 weeks. . .

Trip to Pella

Annika loved dressing up dolls with Aunt Helen.
Uncle Lee making us yummy poffertjes (Dutch treat).

Our road was sandbagged at times on the way up.
Congratulations Brenda and Duane!
Downtown Pella, Iowa Fresh picked black raspberries!
Ahh - the prairie!

Hanging out at the Garden

Annika decided to smell the flowers - seems innocent enough, right?
Attack of the pollen! Fortunately, there was not a mirror close by.

The rain came down and the floods came up

Wembley's first trip downtown!

Annika sits and ponders the flooding.
That's the road we biked on about a month ago.
We weren't the only ones checking out the power of the Mighty Mississippi.