Our Garden, Mary Lu at Strong Start, Juan the Sandwich Maker

Lately, Juan makes our lunch. About a week ago Juan decided that he could make our ham sandwiches himself. Since then, he pretty much makes our lunch--yes, we've been having the same thing everyday. It's so cool and he's so proud. We literally don't do anything to help him except cut the bread. I stepped in and cut the cheese one day because the cheese slices are very large when he cuts them with his table knife, but he didn't like having help so I stepped aside and we were all just very calcium-rich for a few days. The photo below is the very first sandwich he made.


























Mary Lu dancing. Mary Lu is a very tan girl.













Neither Juan nor Mary Lu stay dressed for long when we're at home. This seems intrinsic to all children.










This is Mary Lu at Strong Start with her teacher, Dana. Strong Start has been such a fantastic find for us. I feel so lucky that we get to do this with Mary Lu. Dana is amazing and Mary Lu talks about her all the time. We sing songs, "like Dana," now we even brush teeth like Dana.














Gym time at Strong Start










Dana filling ML's car with gas.













This is our neighbor's cat who has adopted us. Juan has named her Sweet, apparently paying reverence to one of his homies still in the clink. At any rate, she is with us whenever we are outside. She lets Juan carry her around some, and doesn't even blink an eye when she gets wet with the sprinkler. Juan plans and carries out entire plans to get her to do things (like get in their toy car or in the pool). He builds ramps and lures her with treats.









This is a view of the part of our backyard that remains wild. We plan to landscape some of it (i.e. terrace an area for berries and make a seating area) and leave the rest wild. Juan calls the really dense part of it "The Forest" and I think that's a cool thing to have.










This is the view up to our house from our garden. The photo above was also the view from our garden but if we turned to the left.









I'm not sure if you can pick them out, but these are the three fruit trees we planted this year. Two apples and a peach. We'll plant a pear or two and hopefully a cherry next year. Juan really wants a cherry tree.










This is the view of our garden from above. Some things are gone already: arugula, beans, peas, carrots, lettuch, spinach. You can just barely see the tops of our corn in this photo, but our corn is just coming in now. We have/had tons of tomatoes and zucchini. We've got 5 or 6 pumpkins that are getting big. For next year we need to work on our technique for cucumbers, peppers, and watermelon. We also want to terrace above this and make our garden extend all the way up the hill. On the far side you can see our grape vine. They're wine grapes, completely useless to me, but I think they're cool so we're keeping them. There are tons of old vines all over this part of the yard, but this is only one that came in this year so I felt like we should keep it. It's pretty.

Seattle Trip

Our family vacation this year was a trip to Seattle. It was very short compared to past summer family vacations, but we did manage to take one, and it was a good time. We met dad and Zach in Seattle for a Mariners game (vs. dad's Yankees). We went to Pike Place before the game and then down to walk around the harbor a little. We had gorgeous weather and admittedly the market made me long for urban life. I'm a sucker for an outdoor market. Likewise, the sea air and the green, green landscape gave me the same pangs they always do. I reminded myself that all that is relatively close, and we can visit it often.

These first few photos are the kids with Uncle Zach in the hotel room on Saturday night.





































































Juan got his hair cut the day before we left. So handsome.















This is Mary Lu's, "Where did Grandpa Randy go?" look. Dad suggested that we take a family photo by the pig, so John, the kids, and I all headed across the street to the pig. Dad and Zach disappeared into the crowd for inexplicable reasons. Ahh, senility.




































Heading down to the port



















To me, Juan always seems like an ocean kid. It's when he's at the sea that I just feel like he's at home. This is my nature too, so maybe it's just me projecting that. Or maybe it's because I saw his start in San Diego. I don't know, but to me it just always seems like near the ocean is where he belongs.
























Climbing the Orca sculpture. Did you know that Orcas are actually dolphins?













































Ok, dad looks grumpy in this photo, but it's because he has a heinously broken foot that he's walking around on unknowing.

Shawn and the Fam Visit

Our good friend, Shawn, and her family came to visit in September. I love visits! We had a great time--we went to Oliver, BC and to Molson--the local ghost town that John is sure everyone wants to see. I literally don't think I can ever go into the Molson museum again, ever, but it IS endlessly entertaining to John.

These first few photos are of another riding lesson.














Juan likes the grooming portion a lot. This is their instructor, Emily, and her show horse, Dancer.

























Mary Lu kept making soundless face gestures on this day. It looked as if she were clicking to Dancer, her whole mouth would contort in and out, but no sound came out. She was rather serious about it, and it went on for some time.


































Juan and Mary Lu on a rusty old tractor in Molson. I was in my Happy Place. Also of note, it was freezing and we didn't bring coats for the kids so they were wrapped in some towels we found in our trunk which inhibited steering and climbing. Juan adapted ok, but Mary Lu was alternately cold and pissed off.











Shawn and Ken's daughter, Sarah.









This is at a cool water park in Oliver. Mary Lu digs the ride on toys these days. Of note, the town was without a playground (much like Oroville) until two local waitresses fundraised and motivated on a grass roots level and a couple years later the park was built. Totally awesome.










I thought this would be a cute idea but Sarah was not on board.











Juan loves taking his bike everywhere to ride. We ride/stroll around town pretty much anywhere we go locally.











Shawn and Sarah




























Shawn, Ken, and Sarah















Juan helping Ken to load their things as they prepare to leave. Juan uses his wagon as a "flatbed" and jumps at the chance to load and "secure" pretty much anything.






























Juan also jumps at the chance to be in anyone's car, just like he always has.
























When these photos were taken, Juan was obsessed with Batman. At that time, he was going to be Batman for Halloween and made this mask. It's held together with many Nemo band-aids (we've since invested in "play" Band-aids). He kept it hanging on his bunkbed so that he could grab it very quickly on Halloween morning. His Batman obsession came out of nowhere and I think is sparked by Ruben's love of Batman although I don't even think they talked about Batman the last time they talked. At any rate, although he still dresses up like Batman and talks about Batman often (he's told me that on the nights we have hot dinners, we talk about Batman at dinner--we always have hot dinners), he now wants to be Super Why for Halloween.