Apple Pie

This photo is out of order - it's actually from 2 weekends ago. Izzy & I were home working on potty training for the weekend, so Kristi & Heather came over to spend time with us since we didn't want to leave the house. I showed Kristi & Heather how to make apple pies. This is a darling photo of them with their pies ... they did a great job!

Gathering leaves

It was a crisp fall afternoon today so it was perfect for gathering fall leaves and treasures. Izzy & I walked around the neighborhood and found a bucket full of treats - we'll make crafts with them tomorrow!

Build-A-Monkey

Izzy has been working on potty training for about 2 weeks now - and that's all it took for her to master it! After the original bribery of M&M's started getting out of control, we promised her that we would collect stars and at the end of it she could go to the Build-A-Bear store to build a new friend in celebration of her success. She picked a monkey - and we named her Georgia (Curious George's sister ... of course!). It was so much fun - and she really loves her new friend. Hey ... it's cheaper than diapers!!

Heading into the store

Floppy monkey


Izzy pushed the foot pedal to stuff her monkey and bring her to life


Auntie Kristi helped Izzy put on big girl panties - just like Izzy!


Izzy's new friend, Georgia the Monkey!

Pasha's 3rd Birthday Party

Pasha turned 3 the first week of October and he was kind enough to invite Izzy to celebrated with him for a train birthday party! We headed over to Country Village in Bothell for train cookie decorating, a train ride, and of course a train cake! It was Izzy & the boys... and she loved it!!! Happy birthday Pasha!!

2010 Start! Heart Walk

Sellen sponsors a team in the Puget Sound Start! Heart Walk every year. Since I start fundraising for our team together with our COO each year in April, I have a personal connection to the event so we go every time. For the 3rd consecutive year we were the #1 corporate fundraiser. This year we raised $125,000 from our vendors - pretty impressive to have such supportive partners in tough economic times like these!! Not to mention - it really is a fun event to participate in! Gerald enjoys it too!

Gerald & Sellen Superintendent Gary Rager

Izzy and a co-worker's daughters discuss their matching sweatshirts.

Izzy and a Sellen dog check each other out.


Heart Walk over the years:
2010

2009

2008

Mommy's Get-a-Way

I headed up to Blaine for a 3-Day conference with Philanthropy Northwest during the last week of September. I left on Wednesday morning and returned on Friday afternoon. It was my first time to leave Izzy & Gerald home alone since she was born. Of course everything went great - and it was SO wonderful to have a little bit of me time. The conference was amazing and I returned recharged and full of ideas I'm looking forward to implementing at my work. The hotel wasn't bad either ... Semiahmoo on the water. It was gorgeous fall weather and was so nice to sit outside with friends having a cocktail each night before dinner. Not a bad business trip at all!!

Lolo's Birthday

We headed over to Bremerton for an end-of-summer BBQ to celebrate Gerald's Dad's birthday (Izzy & Alex call him Lolo) at the end of September. Alex and Izzy ran around the back yard and enjoyed one of our last warm sunny days of the summer. Later Izzy helped Lola and Auntie Nila pick-up apples and pears that had fallen from the trees - she is such a good little helper! Izzy, Alex, and Lolo sat on the swing on the patio and enjoyed meat-on-a-stick!!

Kristi's 3-Day

My sister Kristi trained for over 9 months and raised $5,500 all so that she could participate in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day event. It's a 3-Day walk - each day they walked 20 miles - for a total of 60 miles. I think there were 2,000 people there if I remember right and they raised millions of dollars to support breast cancer research. I was so very proud of my sister - she trained so hard and pushed herself harder than she ever has. Thank you Kristi - for participating on behalf of so many breast cancer victims and survivors. You're amazing!!

Check out this awesome video of Kristi and her friends on their adventure - Izzy even makes an appearance! http://so-and-scott.com/temp/3-Day.mov

Sebastian's Bday Party

We attended our friends Chris & Pauline's son's 1st birthday party at Fox Hollow Family Farm in Issaquah. It was a blast - and such an ideal location for a kids birthday party! Check out the fun we had:

Izzy LOVED driving the tractor - she even picked up passengers!

Izzy's pony ride.

Petting the animals

Riding the "roller coaster" !

Visiting with friends - Mitch, Khaisy, and Sienna.