The House is Finally Furnished....

...and it looks like we have actually been there longer than a week!



The is the view as you walk in the front door. You are looking at the stairs and my daycare kids' drawers, sign in sheet, etc.





Just to the left of the stairs is the living room/ daycare area and then the dining room.








This is the view back into the living room/ daycare area toward the front door from the dining room.











From the dining room, you walk into the kitchen through the archway.





Through the kitchen, you enter into the family room. The mocha wall is one of the walls accent that we painted.








This is the other accent wall that we painted.

The Brew Family Farm

The Brew Crew consists of the following inividuals:

Eric & Wendi (mom and dad)
Casey-Michael, Jacob, Dominique & Walker (kids)
Gizmo (dog - Shih tzu)
Shugo (dog - Akita)
Maxx (hamster)



Shugo (Japanese, meaning guardian and protector) is our latest addition. He's an 8 week old Akita who is already bigger than Gizmo who is 2-1/2 years old. This is one of his first pictures when we brought him home on 6/30/06.





Shugo's first bath (7/2/06).



Eric & Shugo



Gizmo at 2-1/2 years old and 12 pounds (7/13/06)



Shugo at 2 months (7/13/06) and heavier & bigger than Gizmo. Good thing Gizmo THINKS he's in charge of Shugo. He's going to have a rude awakening!

Northwest Trek Animal Zoo

Our close friends, Brian Alt & Patti Carlisle, moved from Fort Lewis back home to Texas in February. We were all supposed to vacation together this summer but, when we bought the house and cancelled the vacation, they came to our house this month for their vacation for a week. We've missed them and we're glad they decided to come out. We were very busy this week: Northwest Trek Animal Zoo, downtown Seattle and the underground city tour, Columbia Valley Winery, 4th of July on the Tacoma waterfront.....



Jacob and Walker showing how totally excited they were to be there!



The four of us..... (the other two are on vacation somewhere in the country!)



Herd of Elk....Eric's favorite. He, again, had a fit when I wouldn't let him bring his rifle! I don't think he understood that, even though it's hunting season, this doesn't apply to the zoos.



Walker couldn't get over the horns on this guy!



It seems like the view is perfect from anywhere in Washington!



This particular zoo is filled with only North American animals such as the Bison.

Columbia Valley Winery

Another beautiful view on the way up to the winery....




Aren't we cute?



It took us about an hour or so to get up to the winery but we finally arrived.....



We went on the winery tour and learned about how they ferment the wine and bottle it.

I've never seen so many barrels of wine! And I thought I was in heaven when my 3-bottle wine rack was full! I'm moving into the barrelling plant....



Patti and I hiding in one of the rows of the barrelling plant, hoping they wouldn't notice if we didn't finish the tour and leave. But they caught us. Damn!

There are still two other wineries that we have to visit in the same area, within a mile of this one...

Our First Home

We recently purchase our first home in Yelm, which is approximately 17 miles from the east gate of Fort Lewis. Instead of Eric having an 8 mile drive to work, he now has about a 22 mile drive from door to door. Gives him a chance to unwind after work before coming home to a house full of daycare kids!

The house is 2,100 SF, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms on 1/4 acre. We have a huge front yard and huge fully fenced back yard and live on a horseshoe loop.



Once we get things fully moved in, unpacked, and hung up, I will take some updated pictures that indicate that someone actually lives here.

Casey-Michael's 5th Grade Promotion

All the kids were promoted to the next grade (thank goodness!). Since 6th grade is considered Junior High School at Fort Lewis, Casey-Michael had an actual promotion ceremony on the last day of school....


Walking into the Auditorium with his class


Sitting in the front row







Principal, Mrs. Boyd



Mayor, Special Guest Speaker



Teacher, Ms. Llorente

Receiving his Promotion Diploma

He made it!!!

Winter Ball

Regimental Winter Ball
2nd Calvary Regiment, Fort Lewis



We love any excuse for a party....but this was a good one!

Multnomah Falls & Fish Hatchery, Oregon

The fish hatchery is south of us on the way down to the Oregon border. Eric was not happy when I told him that he can't bring his fishing pole!



Wendi, Casey-Michael (being cool!), and Jakie

Olivia & Dominique

Is this what we would look like with no kids?!



Oh, but there they are!



Multnomah Falls is on the Columbia River just south of the Washington / Oregon border. It's beautiful - and not nice to those who are afraid of heights!


View from the ground. The bridge across the middle of the picture is where we walked to! YIKES!



Eric with Walker

I lived!!!