Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma

 We didn't have anything planned on Saturday so we decided to head to the Zoo in Tacoma.  They have an aquarium inside the zoo as well and it's pretty cool.  I wouldn't say the zoo is as big as the Phoenix Zoo but it has a lot of fun things other zoo's I've seen don't have.  Oh and we only had the camera on my phone so some of the pictures aren't that great, but better than nothing.

 Monkey's

 Elephants, I have yet to find a zoo that doesn't have elephants.  They are pretty cool animals I guess.

 These are walrus's.  The big one on top weighs about 3700 pounds!!!!! NUTS!  That's huge.  I honestly didn't know walrus's got that big.  Oh and they took off there husks so they won't fight with each other in part because they have 2 females and one male.

 Right behind Zach right here is the kid's play area.  I know you can't see it very well but it's pretty cool.  I would say that overall it is for big kids though.  They have a little slide for little kids but that is about it.  The Woodland park zoo has a couple really fun area for little kids and big kids.  If I was to get a membership it would probably be to the Woodland park zoo.  I'm glad we got to see this one though!

 These 2 pictures are taken in front of the entrance.  Right behind the zoo is the lake, sweet right.

 She is always so happy!  She got stuck in here quite a bit and did great!  We did let her walk around some and she loved it but it's hard cause she is still slow.  She is a really good walker though.  She almost never crawls anymore.

 Inside the aquarium.

 Kinda washed out but oh well..

 This cat reminded Anna of Pete the Cat and she got really excited.  There are some really cute books about Pete the Cat that have a song within the book.  You can download the song from the authors website and read along with the book which is cool.

Pictures

This is the playground at the Woodland park Zoo in Seattle.  It is a fun Zoo and we most likely will spend quite a bit of time there.  My friend Kristen invited us to go and we are excited to get to know that Zoo just as much as we know the Phoenix Zoo and miss it.  

 We had the opportunity to go to a circus because we got free tickets from an All State insurance agent.  It was a lot of fun and I truly believe Anna really enjoyed it.  I really enjoyed it as well.

 Sometimes Anna tries to smile at the camera while looking somewhere else.  It's like I'm trying to listen to you tell me to smile and look at the camera but that's all your going to get Mom, better luck next time.

 My little amazing walker!!!!

 We got invited to a b-day party for a girl turning 1 in our ward.  The little girl was adorable and only a few months older than Kali so hopefully they can be friends when they are older.

 We live really close to beaches.  Well that is pudget sound which is an inlet off the ocean.  This particular spot is in Everett area so a ways away but we have a beach about 20 minutes from us.  The only problem is it's so cold hardly anyone goes swimming in it, go figure right?

 You can't really tell but that is the ocean behind us again.

 Pretty...and no joke the most open space you have in Seattle is on the water...everywhere else there are trees and hills.  I know this may be strange but I really miss the AZ trees.  Specially in Northern Arizona.  They don't look anything like the trees here.

 Yes Kali is naked but Anna really wanted a picture with her.  It's not a very good one but they sure love each other.

 Scripture time at night.  Anna loves to find the page we are on and repeat what we are saying.  She won't start talking either until she has found the page she thinks we are on.

Missionary Moment

We have had the missionaries over for dinner twice since we moved here and it's great.  Zach has gone out with them twice already to do splits and will go again this Thursday.  I guess if he doesn't have a calling they he will work with the missionaries.  They have given me a better perspective on what my brother Jason is doing in SLC Utah.  I know that he is doing great work and that the people in SLC are very blessed to have him there!  

We have been going to the park on Tuesdays to play soccer and last week I got to talk to a lady named Kathrine about the church.  She was at the park the week before and we told her we would probably come again.  She wasn't there this week but hopefully I will see her again.  Back to last week though.  She specifically asked me when we go to church and told me that the only thing she knows about the church is something about Joseph Smith starting the church.  Well that opened a huge door to tell her that our church was restored not made up after the apostasy.  I also got to share more about getting sealed and how families are central to Heavenly Fathers plan on the Earth.  She asked me how a person comes to be baptized into our church and I basically told her that the missionaries come and give lessons about what we believe.  If you feel that it is true and pray and get an answer that it is true then you join.  She asked me about spouses that are unfaithful and if our church tells them to try to stay together or to get divorced.  Well I told her that we try to stay together unless someone is in a harmful situation then they should get out of that marriage.  The reason I'm telling you this story is because even though I know hardly anyone in this town I know that the people I go to church will believe what I do.  I also know that if the Lord can help me find one missionary opportunity after only being here a few months then anything is possible.  In part I say that cause most of the time I'm home with my 2 girls so I don't get a chance to talk to non members very often.  

There is a play group every Tuesday morning which has been fun to get to know other Mom's in our ward.  The Mom who organizes it has a son who is about 18 months and just got diagnosed with an auto immune disease called Eosinophilic esopphagitis.  Basically her son is allergic to like everything.  I guess there is only like 10 things that he can actually eat and even then somethings he throws up.  I feel so bad for that little boy and his Mother.  It's super expensive to buy things for this little guy and all his med's have to be compounded differently so they are crazy expensive.  She said his is a pretty severe case and that eventually his body could reject all food and he could die.  I mean they would put in a feeding tube 1st but his body may not tolerate that either.  I sure hope that it doesn't come to that but wow that's hard!!!!

I have also made really good friends with a woman who has 2 boys and is expecting her 3rd little girl.  Her daughter has the same heart defect that my nephew Kyson has and also a hernia.  

It is great to know these woman and I'm grateful for their friendship.  It makes me feel so blessed that I have healthy kids!  All my problems seem so minimal compared to theirs.  

Sorry so much writing but I thought some of you might like to know what we've been up to.  I will post some more pictures once I get them off my phone.  I can't really post them directly here or I would.  

Before and After

Lots of fun pictures...

This is the cake I made for 4th of July.  This was our 1st holiday together with out any other family and I wanted to do a little something so we could celebrate.  

 We went to this fun park on the 4th as well and played Frisbee and kicked a ball with Anna.  Aren't the parks up here gorgeous!

 Yes Kali was asleep so she stayed in her chair in the corner but I loved this picture of the trees.

Our 4th of July plates

 Hey Mom

 My little look alike.  I honestly haven't thought she looked like me much until I put her hair up like this.  Now I can see it but when she was a baby I didn't see it at all.

 Anna climbed to the top of this all by herself and I had to take a picture cause I just know how crazy she is.

 This is our living room before the movers brought everything in.

 All 3 bedrooms were empty.

 She was SO excited to see her bike.  She got right on it and started peddling I was very impressed.  She couldn't do that very well on her own before we left.

 Our living room after.

 Kitchen after.

 Room 1

 Still room 1

 We have a bed now!

 The girls room.

 The girls room still.

 We had the missionaries over for dinner and I made them rolls.  Anna was my little helper.  I'm glad she likes to help even if it's hard sometimes.

 Love it.Going to Costco in Style...I also posted this on Facebook.

 Fresh raspberries, yum...from Washington.

I want to note that Zach has officially been working for a month now here in Renton.  I can't believe that much time has gone by but at the same time it almost feels like it's been forever.  Now many people are probably wondering how it feels to be without any family.  Honestly I haven't minded not being with Family because I get way more time with my own family and with Zach and ya I'm selfish and I don't like to share but it's been really great to get to know my girls better and Zach.  The only hard thing is finding someone to watch my girls.  But we are finding some good friends and I think over time we will figure that out.  I wish my girls could play with there cousins but at least they get to skype family every now and again.  We also look forward to times we can be together with other family but overall I feel it's great to be here even if just for a few years.  Oh and I DO NOT miss the heat.  Honestly I would not choose to move to the Mesa ever again if we didn't have family there but only time will tell.  I will also have to see how I like the winter here.