A year ago June

A year ago June, Hazel and I sent Daddy off to start his new job in Alaska, and we settled in with my folks for a few weeks to say some good byes and finish packing up the house. My blogging was spotty at best for the next... oh... six months... I'll be filling in the blanks this summer, so that I won't have any gaps when printing out my next blog book. We're also headed out on vacation for the next three weeks, so there won't be anything new until we return.

Hazel mostly took moving in stride. The few days I was gone all day to pack boxes, she was worried that I had left for Alaska without her though. Someone told me their son insisted on sleeping in his shoes, so he'd be ready to go at a moment's notice when they moved. Hazel did think that everyone would be coming to visit us often - like just to drop by for a play date - as in her mind it was only a short 3.5 hour plane ride, but she doesn't quite understand the financial challenge of that. We continue to talk about her friends often, and she's had fun sending cards in the mail. We're both looking forward to seeing some of them in the next weeks.

Our first goodbye was to Hazel's cousins Luke and Olivia, whose father was stationed on base, so we got to wander around a fighter jet display. Luke had fallen at the playground recently and had a cast on his leg.

Hazel enjoys getting to be a "big sister." Olivia looks a little less sure of the idea.

Luke was born just one week before Hazel, so they're practically twins.

We went to the grand opening of the local fire station. Those trucks are pretty big close up.

Good bye house. We miss your lovely yard.

Good bye Reed.

Good bye Amy.

We had a long, fun last play date at Reed's house.

Good bye evening walks at the marina downtown, where Hazel liked to stomp empty mussel shells.

Aunt Trudy, bless her, came out twice before we left and play, play, played with Hazel (and thankfully helped me pack too). Hazel's wearing her Jelly Belly factory hat and has some sort of candy making assembly line going.

One of Hazel's 32 Michael's crafts - more on that later. We finished our six week craft spree at five different stores as we moved from here to there.

Fun sticker paper dolls Gramma found to keep Hazel busy.

This was Hazel's first July 4th celebrated by throwing hundreds of pop-its.

Fishing from the dock - something she's anxious to do again next week.

Slide time with the not-too-old-for-sliding-yet cousin Henry, although he looks as if he doesn't want me to document his involvement.

Dress up with a super new skirt from cousin Sherrie.

This was hilarious. I must have twenty pictures of Aunt Hilary hosting this trivia game. Not one of those pictures was good of everyone, and several were very embarrassing.

Goodness, what could be so exciting?

Ah... the celebratory grandeur of a.... little flower firework. Was it really that great? Hazel must not remember the firework show we put on in Montana with the reservation fireworks. We'll make sure to remind her with a great show this year.

Her first sparkler.

Lastly, a trip to the zoo where they had a new dinosaur exhibit. The babies are so cute!

This one... maybe a little scarier.

This is one of my favorite guys. We've visited with him before, right up at the glass, with he and Hazel staring eye to eye. I always wonder what they're thinking.

Hazel with kids belonging to two of my high school friends. What fun to get them all together.

Hazel still laughs because Evie called her Hazelnut the first time they met.