New Beginnings...

Okay...so I didn't think I'd be ready for school to start and fall to be coming swiftly on it's heels. But I must say that I can feel that change is in the air and I'm actually ready for the new school year and the "new beginnings" for our family.

So, I couldn't resist posting our Back to School photos like all you other proud mothers out there. Proud because your kids are growing and changing and becoming these amazingly smart and independent people...but also proud (well more elated) because you've inherited your house, your sanity and your freedom back! :)


This year is a "new beginning" for our youngest, little Brinley! She is starting pre-school and is more than ready to jump in and start running. Just look at the total excitement in her eyes. It was oozing out of every pour on her body on Monday. She is starting to feel like one of the "big girls" and even is excited to sit down and do her rigorous pre-school homework with her sisters. And...notice the lunchbox??? She even gets to stay and have lunch at school. Yes, life is most assuredly exciting for this little 4 year old.


Kylie started 2nd grade (how could you tell) at the BRAND NEW Siena Elementary school just down the street! She is so happy to walk to school and to be rid of the "awful bus." She is contemplating adopting her new teacher, Mrs. Bates, as a second mother as she just can't seem to say enough good things about her. I'm so happy that she's going to have a super year this year!


Kylie will also be starting her dance team schedule again next week (this will really throw us back into the "real life" schedule). She auditioned and made the next team up - the Bravo team. Needless to say, she is raring to go. I don't think much will hold her back on the dance floor this year!




And then there's my 5 TH GRADER! HELLO! I'm not ready to have a 5th grader. 1 more year of elementary school? Are you serious? Well, we're going to hang on to every minute of it before we are plunged into middle school life and all that comes with it. Natasha is also so excited about her new teacher! You should see their pirate classroom! She is also so excited about the idea of being one of the first to ever attend the new school! I know she will make the best of this last year of elementary!


She too is starting something new. She has started piano lessons and is loving every minute of it! She eats it up! I love to see the excitement in her eyes when she plays music for our family nights!


So, as far as I can tell, the kids made it through the summer without any lasting damage...at least I hope so. But looking at this picture makes me question...

Time to jump back into the whirlwind for another year. Life is moving fast...too fast to soak it all in. But I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Scenes of Seattle

I thought I would post some of the fun things we saw this time when we visited Seattle. Of course, these are the kids' favorite things to see...and they just can't seem to get enough of them. But it was fun this time because Shane was there with us. Unfortunately, he just can't make every trip to Seattle that we do, but the girls really had fun showing him the aquarium and the ferry ride (which I'm bummed I didn't have my camera for!) So here are a few snapshots from our trip!



Pike's Place Market...the day we went it was crazy busy. Body to Body! But we got some really yummy things to eat! Doughnuts, bread, HUGE crab legs, pepper jelly, & curry pasta!

Home of the famous "flying fish." We watched for awhile so the girls could see them tossing the fish back and forth.

If seafood is your thing, then Seattle's the place to be!

Miki and Cody in front of the market.

The fresh fruits and veggies are so colorful and beautiful. Most of the vendors have varieties that you'll never see in any grocery store.



Mel and Brinley hanging out on the hog.

They have THE most beautiful flowers at the market. My favorite is to go when lilacs are in season. You wouldn't believe the smell in the air and the gorgeous boquets of lilacs are incredible!

Of course we had to make our usual trip over to Ivar's for some fish and chips with Dad.

Then over to the aquarium for some exploration! This sea anenome is one of the biggest I've seen.

The starfish in the "touch and feel" tank. The kids get to feel all the sea creatures in this tank.

The kids were excited to see "Dori" from Finding Nemo!

The green anenomes are so brilliant. There is one area where they are all green. It's my fav.

The girls hanging on the fin of the killer whale! :)


These are sea otters like we saw on our last trip to Seattle swimming in the water near Ivar's!

Brin bonding with Uncle Dave. What a fun trip. It's fun to re-live it through the pictures! Until next time!

This one goes out to all my ladies...

For all my brave tubing ladies...this one's for you. I just couldn't resist posting some of my favorite pics from our near death experience Friday night. Thankfully, I don't have any pictures of myself out there screaming like a baby. But I did get some great ones of you all!

Kim...this is what it looked like when you were actually ON the tube. You were really livin' on the edge out there. It's a side of you I don't get to see very often, but I'd sure like to see more of it.

I love your face Alisa...you looked like you might not make it through this one. Kim looks like she's going to lay back and take a nap...or were you making a concious effort to keep breathing? I loved how when I was out on the tube with Tonya and Alisa, Tonya was almost silent because she was laughing so hard and all I could do was scream like a crazy woman!

There you go Kim...that's what all your daredevil stunts caused you! I lost count of how many times you spun before you landed in the water! But...

you were ready to take it on again! You rock!

So...the tubing memories live on. I'm ready to create some more! LIVE HARD...PLAY HARD!

Family Photo Shoot!

Well, that's a wrap. The first official "Klann Family Reunion" has come to a close. What a fun week and so many fun memories! This is the first family picture with our newest 3 additions...Todd, Miki and little Cody!

My brother's wife Miki has started her own photography business and so we pleaded with her to take our pictures. She did a fantastic job and we all had a lot of fun. We went to Gasworks park in Seattle for the first shoot. It was a little out of the "norm" for a backdrop, but I like the way they turned out. Then we went to eat at Mel and Todd's favorite burger joint - Red Mill. Yum, yum. Nothing like eating a big juicy hamburger, shake and fries when you're in a tight pair of jeans right?

Then we rolled over to Robinswood park for some greenery shots. Here Cody is engaged in one of his favorite passtimes...pulling hair! He is so cute...a little David. The girls could hardly contain themselves. They all wanted to hold him, feed him, and play with him. Funny though...none of them wanted to change any diapers!

Brinley was having fun not being the "littlest." She was trying to hold Cody, but he is almost as big as she is! Well not quite...but he's not so easy for her to carry around.

Natasha surprised me the most. After a day or so of reservation, she really seemed to bond with Cody. I could see the future babysitter coming out in her. She did a great job taking care of him.

Here's my little girlies at Gasworks.

This one is one of my favorites...This is probably a more realistic shot of the Klann Klan. CRAZY!

Cute couple...Mel and Todd

David, Miki and little Cody. I know I sound a lot like a big sister, but it was so strange to see my brother in the "father" mode. He looked like such a natrual. He was so cute with Cody and it was so much fun to see him and Miki having so much fun with their new little one.

The reunion was fun...hopefully we won't have to wait too long to do it again!

SHE DID IT!

Natasha surfed all by herself! Wahoo! Just look at the great big grin on her face!
We had been STRONGLY encouraging Natasha all winter to give surfing a go all on her own this year. She was very hesitant and reluctant to try. We added a little incentive to do it by telling her that if she learned to get up on her own we'd take her to ride one of her favorite horses, Shilo. With her serious horse obsession, that incentive seemed to be enough.

She's been surfing since last summer with Shane, so she's been able to "feel" what it's like. The first night she tried, Shane got in the water with her and helped her get her feet positioned correctly and get the board in position for me to drive. She tried several times that night, and was soooo close.

After a few days of thinking about it she was ready to try again. And this time SHE GOT RIGHT UP! The very first time she was up you could see on her face that she was so surprised and so she let go. In the meantime...Shane was still floating a ways away in the water and so Natasha had to try and get up all on her own! Up she popped! This time she held on and what a big grin she had the entire time! It was a huge sense of accomplishment for her and I was really excited that she would try! She's already trying to schedule that horseback ride.

Kylie is next up...she thinks she'll be ready here soon. She's already asking Shane if we can borrow our friend's children's wakeboard. When she gets out on the surfboard with Shane they really ham it up. They're out there posing and singing to the music! It's like 2 peas in a pod.

As for Brinley, well, she still has a few years until she can surf solo, but in the mean time she's going to live it up anyway. We call her the "waterbaby" because she gets in the water every chance she gets. She loves surfing and tubing, but she lives for the swimming!

Fun times...if only summer could last all year long.