Before the fun ends...

Well, the fun had to eventually come to an end.  Sunday morning, we woke up and had a leisurely breakfast. While Nayon and David were packing, Addie decided to give Aunt Kristina and Uncle Jared a dissertation on how things work in life.  Here she is at the beginning (note that Indy looks hopeful that she will be let out into the backyard SOON).

Addie is still talking, and Indy has given up hope.  :)

And before we headed off to the airport, David insisted on one last hike.  Even though it was overcast, it was quite nice.  Here we are headed "down" the Tolt Pipeline Trail.

Addie enjoying the water one more time...water is pretty scarce in Phoenix.  She wasn't used to having it every where she walked.

One last group shot...man, it was a good weekend!

Max AGREES!

What a great weekend!  We can't wait until they come back!

Top Pot Doughnuts, Redmond's Farmer's Market, Tolt Pipeline Walk, and Birthday Dinner

Today was another busy day, but it was a good day!  We started out by hitting Top Pot Doughnuts in Bellevue, WA.  The last time David and Nayon were here, we took them to Top Pot -- and it was so good, it was their ONLY request when they came this time.  For whatever reason, we picked a good morning because it wasn't very busy at all.  We gorged on our doughnuts and coffee and had a very delightful breakfast.  Max was super happy because David gave him a small piece of a doughnut to gnaw on with his two teeth.  Max was in heaven.  In case you ever go there, Kristina highly recommends the Apple Fritter and the twist.  :)

After we finished up at Top Pot, we head to the farmer's market in Redmond to walk off all of the sugar. The farmer's market in Redmond is the oldest market on the eastside, and it is always a treat.  We strolled around looking at fresh produce, tons of flowers, arts and crafts, and tons of other things too.  It is a nice way to spend a nice Saturday morning.  Nayon seemed to really enjoy the farmer's market.  David bought an apple and thought it was the best apple he has ever had.

The next place on our list was Bill the Butcher in Redmond.  We were having Kristina's birthday dinner, and if we are celebrating Kristina's birthday, she wants STEAK -- and good steak.  So we stopped at our favorite butcher and picked up the goods.

After we headed back to the house, we enjoyed a movie or two and just lounged around the house.  Kiddos took naps, so did adults -- it was just a good afternoon.  Kristina worked on macaroni and cheese for dinner while everyone else milled about the family room.  However, David, Jared, Addie, and Indy decided to go on a walk.  At that time, Kristina decided to take a short nap and catch up on cooking shows with Nayon. Kristina and Nayon had a very restful time (Max was napping) -- here's what was going on during the walk.

Addie wanted to "walk" Indy -- little does she know, Indy walks everyone and the leash is just a formality.

Addie explaining what happened to the leash.

Indy and Addie burning lots of energy.

And here's the birthday dinner.  You see we had steaks, asparagus, and fancy macaroni and cheese!  It was divine!

And here are two new friends...they are a pretty cute twosome!

The Loop Drive to Whidbey Island

Friday turned out to be a long day, but that's how it goes when you're trying to fit a whole lot of stuff into a short period of time.  :)

We started out by heading to Bowman Bay and taking a short hike.  We have done this with several sets of visitors and it never fails to impress everyone.  It is a nice short hike with very pretty scenery.

Jared's favorite tree -- the Madrona.

A great place to take a family picture.

Off in the distance, you can see the blue sky trying to come our direction.

Thanks to another hiker, we were able to get a good group shot!

Max hiking along with Nayon.  He looks pretty content just hanging with Mom.

Addie looking at the flowers that her Dad picked for her.  What a nice background too!

Addie playing in the Sound.  Little kids just love throwing rocks in the water and having a good time!

A shot taken from the ferry on our way back across to the mainland. 

We did stop to eat in Coupeville on Whidbey Island.  It was a very nice lunch on the water.  Since it was a bit of an overcast day we all had something warm and some wine.

When we got back to the house, we unpacked and settled in a bit.  That evening we went to Stone Restaurant in Redmond.  It is a Korean Restaurant that Kristina and Jared found a while back.  They were interested to see what David and Nayon thought, and if it was authentic.  It was a HUGE hit with everyone. The KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) was AWESOME!

After finishing dinner, we headed back to the house to have some birthday cake.  Kristina had made a cake, but we hadn't had a chance to eat it yet.  Tonight was the night. Look at Addie's face in anticipation of the cake...

Aunt Kristina and Uncle Jared serving it up!

Addie looks pretty happy in this picture...it must be pretty good!

Happy Birthday Kristina!

Kristina's day started out just like any other Thursday would start out -- except that it is her birthday! And because it is her birthday, she was anxiously awaiting a visit from the Lee Family.  That meant she got to leave work early to go pick them up from the airport and that it was going to a be a GREAT weekend. Woohoo!

Unfortunately the plane was later than expected, so the fun didn't start as early as expected; however, it still started.  When the plane finally arrived, Kristina and Jared finally got to meet Max and see Addie again. Although, Addie wouldn't have remembered the last time she saw Aunt Kristina and Uncle Jared, she had indeed see them before this visit. Max however was a new addition to the family.  And as usual, it was great to see David and Nayon too.  Time may pass, but things never change among friends!  It was great to have us all together again.

Here's Max and his Aunt Kristina -- it looks like she was ok.  :)

What a great way to spend a birthday weekend!

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest David, Nayon, Addie, and Max!

Kristina is Portland Bound!

Anyone that knows Kristina knows that she has been spending a lot of time playing tennis this winter and spring.  One of the teams that she is on made it to playoffs, and playoffs was this weekend at Central Park. She played both Saturday and Sunday -- and her team was victorious...they are headed to Portland in mid-August for the Pacific Northwest Sectionals!  This is quite the accomplishment and she is looking forward to the trip and some good tennis!

Good Luck Kristina!

Harp Parents Visit

Mom and Dad stopped by while they were over helping Gerry (Jared's Uncle) with his house and dogs while he underwent surgery.  It was a great opportunity to celebrate a bunch of things... Mother's and Father's Day, Dad's Birthday, and Mom's Birthday!

Kristina put together a great dinner when they arrived on Saturday, which included Kobe beef steaks. On Sunday we headed over to Seattle for lunch, hoping to eat at Serious Pie, but they were way too busy, so we headed to Bravehorse Tavern instead.  After that, we walked over to the flagship REI in Seattle to let the folks do some shopping with their birthday money!  We were hoping they could stock up in preparation for the hiking trip into the Bighorn Crags in Idaho later this summer.

 

On Monday, Jared took the day off to take his parents up to Dorothy Lake.  It was a bit drizzly that day, but that really doesn't affect hiking in Western Washington!  We had a great trip.

 

Updated Baseboards and Door Frames -- Upstairs

The main update for us was trim updates upstairs.  We replaced the baseboards with the white ones that we like so much.  Jared also re-did all of the door frames as well, and they make it look way more finished -- maybe a little too finished for us.  In addition, we also had the doors sanded and re-painted or well.  It looks WAY better and much more updated.  Great job Jared!

Our master bedroom and the craft room baseboards still need to be updated along with the office, but that is for this winter.  :)