Housecleaning, Walks, and Military

On Saturday, we had to clean the house and get it all ready for the Open House on Sunday. Our job description was basically for 11 people to work as hard as possible to make it look like the house is not inhabited by 11 people (by no means an easy task).

Before we began our arduous cleaning regime, however, we drove out to the Columbia River to take a nice family walk. Instead of walking by the river, as we have in the past, we crossed over and walked around the Fort Vancouver area.

The scenery was breathtaking and the weather just about ideal. Daddy kept exclaiming that he felt like "a pig in mud" (his favorite expression whenever the weather is particularly nice). We all agreed with him, however, and had a great time just wandering over the expansive parade grounds.

Austin found a stick that was shaped in a similar outline to an old 1700's gun, think something along the Horatio Hornblower type revolver. I believe God must have designed that stick especially for little boys. Anyway, Austin had a great time walking around shooting down imaginary objects.

Leisel even managed to get the camera away from the chief photagrapher so that she could get a picture of him and Mommy together.

The homes that lined the far edge of the parade grounds were beautiful. They reminded both Jonathon and I of being back in Williamsburg. They were old design, but beautifully kept up. You could even go on a tour of one of the houses, but Maria Cantwell had her office in there, and we did not particularly feel like walking in and striking up a conversation with anyone of her devoted followers.

As we were strolling along the grounds, the girls and I were teasing about encountering some military guys around the fort while we were there. On the way back, who should we see, but two soldiers standing along the fenceline. There was a moment of hushed whispers and suppressed giggles among the girls, with a few superfluous comments thrown in by Jonathon. Daddy caught on immediately to his daughters' nonsense and went over to strike up a conversation with the guys. He found out that they had been over in Iraq several times and he was able to thank them for their service to our country. Then he took our picture with them.

That was the highlight of our entire walk. We girls have already decided that the Fort Vancouver side is better than the Columbia River side. We have determined to make it our frequent haunt and are going to get Daddy to take us there on a walk again as soon as possible.

If Leisel looks a little miffed in the picture, that is because Jonathon had been teasing her unmercifully ever since he first spotted the soldiers in the distance.