In disguise

I bought Cole some fake mustaches the other day. I was browsing a new toy store in town and felt like I should buy something to support their efforts.

Cole loves dress up.



Showing off his "power"



Audrey wasn't as comfortable in the mustache but she still wanted one.



It was a perfect NW winter day. Clear, sunny, cool. Cole found the moon. I reminded him that MOON was one of his first words.



We then went inside for a rousing game of "drag the kids around the hardwood floor inside the sleeping bag". They can't get enough of this.

Misc. Happenings in the Great North

Our good friend Lee visited us before he caught his ship. The kids LOVE him and vied for his attention especially at bedtime. He read them Goodnight Goon.



We visited Science World in Vancouver, B.C. Highlights included a seminar on illusions, a flying saucer, the coolest water table I've ever seen, a giant air cannon, and a plasticine dummy with removable intestines. Cole waited patiently a very long time for a chance to put his hands in this 3D body puzzle.

Down hill ski race simulation.



Flying saucer.






Audrey at the water table.



Observing centrifugal force.



Cole at the water table.



Cole's teacher has initiated a fun activity at school called "Traveling Tales". The kids take turns bringing home a bag filled with a stuffed bear named Little Bear, his blankie, and 3 books about bears. The children are encouraged to take Little Bear on adventures and read with him. They then draw a picture and dictate a story to be read during circle time at the next class. Cole has been talking about this for weeks and his turn finally came up last week.

In this picture Cole is drawing a picture of a treasure map and dictating a story to his dad. Little Bear watched with an LEGO Mars Mission alien in his lap.

Inauguration Day

The kids and I watched as Barack Obama was sworn in this week. I tried to talk to Cole about the significance of the event. He was more concerned with when the PBS cartoons would continue. 4 year olds! I took pictures so he and Audrey will know they watched the most significant presidential inauguration in recent history.





Cole wearing his "Kids 4 Obama" pin

Back to school, Thank Goodness

We've had a three week break from a normalized schedule. Cole started back to preschool this Monday and today Cole, Audrey and I went to a siblings class at the technical college. It was exactly like Cole's old co-op in Seattle except both children can attend at the same time regardless of age differences. What a FIND! We all had a wonderful time. The teacher was warm, knowledgeable, and down to earth and the other parents seemed easy to like too.

We are reading The Magician's Nephew by C..S. Lewis to Cole. Some of Audrey's favorite books are Hug by Jez Alborough and From Head to Toe by Eric Carle.

Audrey Loves Blueberries

So does Cole.

Audrey's smeared face is an accident but since she was getting some laughs and attention Cole decided to smear his face too. I've long wondered if we have a "class clown" on our hands!

Knight Baby

Cole and Audrey got some very cool gifts for Christmas from their big sister, aunties, grandparents and parents. Thank you everyone! Audrey got a baby, crib and stroller and immediately it became clear that Cole wanted to play with them as much as she did. He invented a game called Knight Baby in an effort to merge two dissimilar interests. It mainly involves carrying the baby around while fighting an imaginary opponent with a sword.

We went to the cool educational toy store in town called Launching Success to buy Cole his very own baby today. Why wouldn't we want to encourage his desire to nurture? We also bought a hospital Lego construction kit. Thank you Grandpa and Tutu! I'm trying to get Cole interested in building stuff. He's more of a story teller by nature.

We called Grandpa and Tutu in Hawaii to tell them what we bought with the Christmas money and to thank them. Audrey wouldn't give up the phone - she had a lot to say. I finally suggested over her babbling that Richard just hang up when he was ready.





Knight Baby, the "sword" is actually a teacher's pointer Cole bought today using his allowance money. He has two chores - feed Tess and set the table for dinner.


Duplo hospital.


Safety first.

Cole Learns to Ski

We met my dear friend Christine and her husband and son at Mt. Baker today. To my constant dismay they have moved to Arizona and we only get to see them once or twice a year. Christine's son, Ryan, and Cole both took their first ski/snow board lessons and they both ROCKED the hill!

We rented skis for Cole. Tiny skis and tiny boots! I was feeling incredibly nostalgic remembering my own first day learning to ski at the Little Ski Hill in McCall.




Cole with his instructor, Heather.




Learning to snow plow.


Wiping out but still having fun.


Ryan learning to snow board.


We headed in after Cole's 1 hour lesson to warm up and have lunch in the lodge. Audrey was a super trooper all day. I carried her in the ergo carrier and she did nothing but smile and enjoy the action.


After lunch we headed over to the handle tow for more practice. They've really made some improvements on tows in the last twenty years!




Alex and Cole made a couple runs on the bunny hill.


While I watched the boys ski, Audrey napped.




One happy boy! He's ready to go again though he wants to try boarding next.