Warning: don't feed the bear [the dog]

The note was wrapped around my morning Wall Street Journal:



In case it's not legible, it says, "Mama bear + 2 cubs less than 100 yards from your house two nights in a row." Jordan likes to get up at 4AM, just about the time the paper is usually delivered. Yikes, bears! I kinda want to see them. Wouldn't that make a better blog post than a picture of a note?

Bugel Boy...designs courtesy of Sister

Monkey

Kenzie loves the monkey bars!

Power struggles

The balance of power is upset when I hand the video camera over to Mason. It defies the law of gravity. I should hand down the power to Kenzie, who could, at her so choosing, hand the power down to Mason. At least that is what she believes. When power is shifted straight from me to Mason the universe is disturbed, and so is the Big Sister.

Here you see two clips. We start when Mason receives the camera, runs upstairs and tells her to play the keyboard. She wants to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. In the shuffle they turn off the camera, and then Take Two starts and they head back upstairs.

Spring appreciation

With snow having "blessed us" less than two weeks ago, I think we had extra appreciation for near 70 degree weather yesterday. We checked out the local farmer's market, which included pony rides, and visited a costume store where the kids explored new hair styles. It was just a really great day.

Every once in a while it seems the kids just aged a year in an instant. One day runs into the next for months and then, one day, I look up and notice all the changes at once. Yesterday was one of those days for me. Hanging out at the market, looking at different fruit and vegetable stands, talking to people, the kids just tagged along, content with having some sun and activity. They pay attention where we are so that we don't have to keep an eye on them every single second (maybe that's because they have just enough doubt as to whether or not I'd actually leave without them). Anyway, a definite "new plateau" day. We had a lot of fun.

We had a party in the evening, so not only did the kids miss their naps, but they also stayed up late. We had to wake Mason this morning so that we could go to Cindy's softball games. They were great for the first game, but after about four hours on the field, they were tired, and the weather began to chill. By inning three in game two, both kids were in my lap, fighting for a comfortable position. If either could have found one, they would have crashed. But, instead, they spent the last four innings flopping around on top of me, trying to get some warmth under the one extra coat we had stretched on top of us.

We got in the car and by the time we were two blocks away from the field Mason was sound asleep. When we arrived in the U District for some Pha soup, he was still asleep. I picked him up, walked down the Ave with him in my arms, still asleep. We sat down in the booth, and I eventually laid him down next to me. He slept through all of dinner, then briefly opened his eyes when I picked him up again to go back to the car. Out in the wind and new rain, he fell back asleep. I put him back into his carseat, and he nestled in. We drove home...both he and his sister stayed asleep in the driveway.

Eventually I heard the front door open, but no footsteps. I went around the corner to find Kenzie laying in the entryway on the carpet. "Mom, I'm sleepy," she said. I picked her up and laid her next to Cindy on the couch. Five minutes later, the front door opened, again no footsteps. I rounded the same corner, this time I saw Mason laying in the entryway on the carpet. I picked him up, he was still listless in my arms, finally and slowly rousing...ah, sleep deprivation brings out the sweetest sides in them.

Counting Spanish

Swimming update

Two lessons down...they love it. Here is Kenzie's underwater self-portrait. That's a fish in her right hand.

Mason learned a lesson in responsibility. Cindy handed each kid their towel before they left the house. Mason didn't remember his and was a bit chilly when they got out of the pool.

Swim lessons!

Alas! The kids are in swim lessons! They love the water, but they've never had official lessons, so today was the start. Cindy took this picture on her cell phone. She said they did great. Mason was a little too fearless. They had to keep reminding him to hold onto the board. Shouldn't that be an instinct?

Beach bums

Rosie The Kite, by Kenzie

Today I held a crab and a hermit crab. It was really fun. As you can see I went to the beach. We also went swimming in the swimming pool. I can swim. Well, not quite yet I can't swim. I can only do the first part of swimming. My name is Kenzie.

I flew a kite and her name was Rosie. She is a fairy. She is pretty. She has big wings and she follows me wherever I go.

The end.

Canadian Dolphins

First, I'd like to go on record saying that I hate sharing a computer. Even if it's not mine and the lady I'm sharing with, well, it's hers. I'm at the resort in Birch Bay and had to wait too long for the crazy lady with the curly hair to get done doing her job so I could even check email! Alright, enough of the rant...I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms from being unplugged. I made the unwise choice to not bring my laptop with us. What was I thinking? Something about being truly unplugged and enjoying the vacation. Yeah, I'm doing all that, but I'm a multi-tasker.

Anyway, we set off this morning for Canada and little else of an agenda. We cruised through the border and found ourselves in Vancouver. The weather didn't quite cooperate today, so we were in the car most of it. We went to Stanley Park and then the aquarium...which was fantastic! I'll upload pictures when I get home, but we had a great time. The highlight was the dolphins, who put on quite a show. Mason thought they were hysterical. As soon as they started swimming, he started giggling. Then they jumped and he screamed. He squealed, he gasped, he said, "Oh! My! Goodness!" in his loudest voice. He almost overshadowed the dolphins, except when they jumped 20 feet out of the water. Wow, what amazing creatures they are.

We also enjoyed the monkeys, birds, and all the wonderful fish, in particular the sharks and turtles! Fun day, we're wiped out, and the basketball game is on. We're hoping for a bit more sun tomorrow!

On the road

We went into Semi-ah-moo then into Blaine today. We stopped at a pizza and salad bar for lunch. They happened to have video games! Grandpy first gave the kids a lesson on the racecar game, then Kenzie hopped on. Grammy followed. Kenzie told her, "Gram, you don't stay on the road as much as I do." It was true.

Pictures when we get back.

Sickies

Both kids have been a little under the weather lately. I think they're now on the mend. They're troopers, though. And I think the kittens might prefer them a little more sedate.

We're heading to Birch Bay tomorrow with Grammy and Grampy, so they need to be recovered!