2012-13 School Year Begins

Joseph on his first day of High School !

I go to SpiritRidge Elementary School and my Teacher is Mrs. Schuster (Shoe-stir) - by Henry

I started at Somerset Elementary on September 4th, 2012. I'm in 5th Grade and my teacher is Mr. Olson. - by Jack

Jack & Dad Catch a Crab Dinner for All

On September 2, Dad and I went crabbing! We rented a row boat on Camano Island and got a crab pot - which is a cage where you put crab bait. We rowed out a little bit into the Puget Sound and dropped the crab pot into the water. There was a big rope attached to it and a buoy on top. We waited for 45 minutes and then pulled the pot up. There were about seven crabs inside! We measured them because you can't keep crabs that are less than 6.25" inches long. We did it a few more times and wound up with four crabs for the day. Then we came home and cooked them for dinner. Yum!

Henry's Encounter With a Bear

I wasn't scared as this bear walked toward me. I didn't even flinch while the bear came closer... and closer ... and closer. I knew it wouldn't attack me ...

... because I was at the zoo and there was a big glass window between me and the bear. 

by Henry

San Francisco

In August we went to San Francisco. We watched a baseball game where the Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants. The Nationals won by 12 runs. Everyone in my family was rooting for the Nationals. I got to sit with Mom about 20 rows right behind home plate. They were really good seats! Jack and Joseph got to sit two rows from the front between home plate and the dugout! Dad sat up in a box with the Frisbies.

We also got to see San Francisco. We went to a video game museum and drove over the Golden Gate Bridge but it was really foggy. 

Crater Lake

In August we drove down to Oregon and camped overnight at Crater Lake National Park. The lake is the result of a volcanic eruption a few thousand years ago where the top of the mountain blew off, leaving a big crater. It's filled with water and is the deepest lake in the US, and is also incredibly blue and clear, because it's pure rain water, no rivers flow into the lake. 

We took a boat ride around the lake and also did some hiking. 

Kayaking in Lake Union

In August we went kayaking in Lake Union right in Seattle. There were a lot of sharks. Joseph almost got eaten by one. Just kidding. There really were a lot of seaplanes. They use the lake as a place to take off and land. Lake Union is a lake that is near downtown Seattle. We also got to sail small sailboats in a man-made pond. 

Trip to New York

After going to Washington DC, we went to New York. There, we went to a Nats-Mets game, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, went out to dinner in Little Italy, and stayed at the Webers (and swam in their pool). We took a boat around Manhattan. We also went out to Grandma Carol's house and played bocce, and took a boat along the water.

Rodgers Return to Washington DC

In July we flew to Washington D.C. While we were there we went paddleboating and went to a Nationals Game (see the pictures below). We also saw some old friends, drove by our old house, and went to Villa Bella for dinner (yum). From there we drove to New York.

Lauren Visits Us in Seattle

In July, we had a visitor from the East Coast - thanks for coming out Lauren! She stayed with us for a couple of nights before going to work in the city. The weather was gloomy but we got out and did a few things in the city, including this visit to Lake Union.

Camping in Glacier National Park

In early July (over the 4th of July) Dad, Joseph, and Henry went to Glacier National Park in Montana. It's about a ten hour drive from Seattle. Jack and Mom didn't go because Jack had a baseball tournament. 

We hiked a bit, saw some animals (goats and a bear were the highlight), and saw some great scenery.