N's First Swim Lesson

Swimming lessons have been a top priority for our family. I took them every summer until I earned a Red Cross Certification, E's been in the water since 2 1/2 almost year round, and now it's time for the boy. He's reverted back to his clingy self as of recent, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I gave him the rundown, and he had loads of questions. It helped that E was already in the water doing "her lesson," and he just got right in! For the most part he listened attentively and participated in everything (at one point he even shot off the raised dock to imitate his teacher only to find himself near the bottom of the pool...coughing a sputtering he have me a soggy smile while his instructor placed him back on solid ground, undeterred in the least).

*You can see E watching from the far left lane on the other side of the pool and cheering him on!

N's First Bike Ride

We got E the tiniest little bike when she was 2. She rode it a lot until it was outgrown and then we lent it out. Well, it's back in the hands of another 3-year-old... One who strangely enough is content to pedal at a snails pace. Just like his sister though, N's is having a little bit of trouble with the pedaling direction and often stomps back to a jolting halt. I have no doubt that very shortly I'll be screaming at him from the front porch to slow down, and stop playing chicken with oncoming traffic.

This clip is almost 2 minutes long and mostly placed here for posterity. Please forgive the gushing motherly instruction and encouragement.

Party Time!

N got to celebrate his big day for a week. I started decorating the house a week before the actual party, and I was glad to have it so festive! N really wanted a Totoro Party. Our family has a very soft spot in our collective family heart for the Studio Ghibli animated films and Totro is at the squishy center. I set to work checking out blogs from moms that had done the same thing, I filed some good ideas away and wondered if I was really going to pull this off? I found a site dedicated to free printable's I used for hanging ceiling decorations, I found another that offered free wallpapers that I downloaded and printed up for magnets. The kids and I started sunflower seeds so our guests could take home a few sprouts a la the acorn garden scene. I visited a handful of Asian markets to pick and choose a few snacks that our American kid palates would appreciate. I began strategizing how to pull off a Cat Bus birthday cake and Soot Sprite and Totoro carnival games...I had waaaaay too much fun with this.

Seed Starting

Making Acorn Bean Bags

Turned out Great!

Exacto

These Guys were Lurking Everywhere!

Making Pom Pom Soot Sprites

Assembly Line

Super Cute

Late Night Cake Assembly

Magnets

Bean Bag Toss Final Product

Hiding

Fishing for Soot Sprites (we also had leaf hats and soot sprite necklaces )

Bubbles are always a hit

Soot Sprite Balloons

Take Home Gifts

The weather was so nice

The finished product

Surveying the Goods

Stamp of Approval

Blow out the candles

Soot Sprite Cupcakes

Gifts! (notice the lovely Totoro hat he got!

Thank You Card Sneak Peek

* Thanks so much to Jason and Eileen for taking pictures for me at the party, you made this post possible!

3 Already

He joined us with a ferocity to be reckoned with. Big in stature and personality. He gives his 7-year-old sister a run for her money every day. He's a sweet and strong headed, bright-blue-eyed and brown haired hurricane. He's 3 today.

I delivered him here at home he weighed in at 10 pounds 12 ounces!

He was a little slow learning to walk, but practically runs everywhere now!

Give this a guy a shovel and he's happy for hours; at the playground, beach or in the garden with Mama.

Like many boys wheels are his thing.

Hi Ho Cherry-O

N's first Family Game Night

Sunny Game

Oftentimes after I pour my cup of coffee I will nestle myself into the rocking chair situated by our windows and enjoy the warmth. A while back I had my phone out and the sun caught the face of it and projected a concentrated reflection onto the wall and N went nuts! He loved chasing it around the room and frequently collapsing from laughing so hard. E took over this morning while I grabbed this video.

Duet

Caught the two boys in a little post breakfast jam session this morning. D on acoustic guitar and N on a cardboard accompaniment.

Garden Tootsies

The sunshine kept me out in the garden all afternoon, N loved this little patch of sun heated earth right next to my garlic and would slid down the tarp covered mound and do a little jig before doing it again and again.

Spring Break Re-Charge; cold weather camping

1000th post!

on the drive

Tho we don't fall into the typical Spring Break needing family, we did decide to take advantage of the week off our parent-participation school offered and made a 2-night reservation at the Cape Disappointment State Park located at the furthest coastal SW tip of Washington. The weather didn't promise sunny warm breezes so a 13x13 pet-friendly rustic cabin seemed like a good idea. We all piled in the bunks (and floor) cooked outdoors on our stove, explored the beaches near by, roasted marshmallows, and hiked to both lighthouses that bookend the cove.

The exact opposite, in every way to Hawaii's version

Waikiki Beach

the boys by tide pools

drift wood

the gals

she just couldn't resist

playing it safe

hallow tree

Bunker on the way to a lighthouse

The Moll-Doll

Sooo happy to roast

hand grinding our morning coffee

a truck kite?

overlook

lighthouse