Back in August, Aaron and I spent a relaxing week with Bonney and Patrick on Orcas Island, of the San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington state. We flew to Seattle where we met Bonney and Patrick, spent the night in a small inn right on the coast and drove onto the ferry, first thing the following morning. The day we arrived on Orcas was sunny and clear, knowing this was unusual weather for the area (it is often misty and overcast, or rainy) we decided to make the most of our day. We went to an outdoor farmer’s market and stocked up on local produce (and some fresh baked cupcakes) and then we drove through Moran State Park and up Mount Constitution (2,409 feet high), knowing a clear day would mean great views. Mount Constitution is the highest point of all the islands and the panoramic views are breathtaking. The above photo is of Aaron and I at the peak, with a view of Mount Baker behind us. Then, we finally drove out to the cute house that we had rented for the week, right on the water. Click on the picture above to see the first half of the photos from our vacation.

It’s hard for me to believe it’s already been two years since Justin joined our family. At the end of July, Amy and Joe threw a cook out birthday party at their house. Families from both sides were in attendance, as well as friends of Amy, Joe and Justin. The birthday boy had a good time, but the highlight of the party by far was when Amy brought out her homemade cake. Those of you who know Justin, or follow this blog, already know that Justin LOVES stop signs, so of course that’s the kind of cake Amy made. She reports having gone through something like 6 bottles of red food coloring – and make sure to note that she actually cut the cake into an octagon as well. It was pretty impressive. I’m pretty sure she may have started a tradition though… Click on the photo of Amy and Justin above to view the rest of the photos from the happy occasion.

So here is the last chunk of photos. You’ll see Peter and Maria joined us for the second weekend of our time at the shore. As brief as it was it was great to have all the siblings together. We continued to spend a lot of time in the water. We really lucked out as this time at the beach ended up being one of the hottest weeks of the summer. On Saturday, our last night, we had a bonfire on the beach. I’m already looking forward to next summer. Click on the family photo above to see the last batch of photos from our vacation at the shore.