Summer treat

We had the best treat last weekend when the Megan, Lars and Bjorn came for a visit.  We hadn't seen them in two years (cringe).  On Sunday afternoon while waiting for them to arrive, Grace kept running outside to look for Bjorny.  She was so excited that I thought she might actually have remembered him.

It was soooo good to catch up and really fun to watch the kids together.  I couldn't stop remarking on how well they got along.  The weather was horrible so we spent a lot of time just playing at our place, but we did venture out to the CAS for some fish-looking, an earthquake simulation, and some time in our favorite kiddie playroom.  The visit was too short but we are already scheming for some serious, international adventuring once we are all back in the same time zone.  Maybe we'll even get a reprise of the Niagara Falls glow in the dark mini golf episode of 2007!

Until then I will savor these pictures...

Cheers!

Future folk star

Mega duo

Buddies

Watching fish (with their mouths full)

Ride 'em turtle!

Puppet master

More ice cream with sprinkles, please!

And now for a quick look back... 

Summer 2010 (15 months and 12 months)

And winter 2010 (9 months and 6 months)

Searching for summer: Santa Rosa fun

We bailed on the fog last weekend for a bit of summer up in Santa Rosa with Gavin and his parents.  A note on the fog - it has been so thick and wet lately, coupled with strong wind, so we're all (and by all I mean every person I talk to) completely over the fog.  I've given up on summer skirts, we're all wearing scarves and winter coats and still shivering.  Go away, I say! 

Anyway, back to our day trip.  We remembered Howarth Park from last summer so wanted to go back now that both kids are older.  We had a picnic, then headed over the "attractions".  In addition to a huge, very cool playground with water features, there are some kiddie rids and ponies.  Grace and Gavin were dead set on the ponies, then on a train ride.  Much as we didn't want to, we drew the line at the carousel and corralled them back to the water and playground (I did not expect as a parent that setting limits would be hard because I want to let Grace do every fun thing that comes along!).  The had a blast.  So did we.  Always fun to be with Natalie and Chris.  And it was so cool to hear "baby" Gavin talking in multi-word sentences now!  Although as Grace correctly points out since Gavin's second birthday, "he's not baby Gavin, just Gavin."

No pictures of eating berries and tomatoes straight from the vine at Natalie and Chris's, unfortunately.  However, sun-ripened blackberry = summer in your mouth.  Yum.

Exclusive interview

Yes, she is wearing a dress-up dress over her pajamas.  I will keep trying to get her rendition of Do-Re-Mi on camera.  However, my favorite lyric-butchering of the week is: "Supercalafragilistic-expialidocious, even though the sound of music's very quite a 'cocious!"

Okay, for some reason blogger won't embed the picture of the video so you have to click the link - Interview - 480p.

Birthday season

It has been quite the birthday party circuit lately... i guess it makes sense since Grace's school friends are clustered together by age.  We're so lucky that the parents of her friends are all very cool and interesting people because we have spent a lot of time with them lately!  

A highlight, though, was my little cousin Scott's 30th birthday!  It was so fun to spend the day celebrating with him.  He babysat for us the first summer we lived in San Francisco and Grace developed a special bond with him.  These are the only pictures I took because I was busy getting worked at Catan and eating seconds, thirds, etc., of everything.  But these pictures say it all.

Not pictured is Grace's other infatuation - with Anthony.  That other one (as she has been know to call him) can get her to eat vegetables and meat better than anyone else (pretty good for a Giants fan!).  They also have a hilarious Dodgers versus Giants schtick that never gets old.  It's only fair, since it was Scott's birthday and all, that I admit the following conversation that transpired in the car on the way home.

Steve called (from LA, again).
Grace:  I want to tell Daddy something!
I passed her the phone.
Grace:  Go Giants!
Steve:  No, Daddy doesn't like the Giants.  Daddy likes the Dodgers!
Grace:  The Dodgers are yucky!

And finally, a little olympics-inspired competition.  Grace legitimately scored on me a couple times with her wicked serve.

June/July collection

Clearing the photos from my phone and other miscellany from the summer...

A girl and her Go Go

When GoGo came down at the start of July, the trip was too quick (and Steve and I were mostly out of town).  But, we squeezed in a quick trip to the park and dinner Friday night.  

Grace and GoGo then had a ridiculously fun-sounding weekend... zoo (including train ride, carousel and ice cream) and a trip to the CAS with Alli.  Here's a little glimpse of their high jinks and shenanigans.  We're looking forward to a longer visit in a few weeks!

Fair warning

I love all my far-flung friends, but you would never know it by how bad I am at keeping in touch, especially by phone.  Since there is never enough time to have a "real" conversation between the chaotic evenings, busy weekends, the need for a few minutes of quiet now and then, and worst of all, time differences, I end up not calling at all.  So unless a lot of people want to start getting calls after 11PM eastern, I'm going to give this a try.

Chatting with Gracie

A few recent "conversations" with Grace.

She was walking on the couch while Steve and I were both in the kitchen cooking with our backs turned.  Steve turned around, saw her... 

Steve:  What are you doing!?

Grace:  (wide-eyed silence)  

Steve:  You do not stand on the couch, right?

Grace:  Yes, I do.

Steve:  No.

Grace: You weren't supposed to be looking at me! 

Grace and I were on the bus home one night and I was asking about her friends at school.

Me:  Did you play with Isabelle?

Grace:  She's on vacation.

Me: Was Finn there?

Grace: No, he's on vacation.

Me:  Did you see Ronen?

Grace:  He's on vacation.

Me:  Wow, it must be summer - everyone is on vacation.

Grace:  No!  Only three of them!

Someone at school must say "No way, Jose!" because Grace has picked it up.  But instead she says "No way, you say!"

At dinner one night, Grace asked me if she could have a lollipop.

Me:  No.

Grace:  Daddy, can I have a lollipop?

Steve:  No.

Steve:  Grace, you know, Mommy and Daddy usually agree.  So, if you ask us both the same questions, we'll say the same thing.

Grace, very solemnly:  That makes me sad and frustrated.

A few weeks ago, Grace was bouncing off the walls and I was trying to get her attention.
Me:  Grace, look at me, just look me in the eyes and listen.
Grace looks at me, and I begin to speak.
She then sticks her thumbs in her ears, wags her fingers and sticks out her tongue.
She was looking right at me exactly as I had asked...  (and lest you think I've lost my sense of humor in trying to reason with a three year old, I gave up at the point and just laughed).

Searching for summer: Sacramento

A few weeks ago Aunt Greg and Uncle Joan invited the extended fam out to Sacramento for a bbq and swimming.  All morning Grace kept exclaiming that she was off to a "pool party".  There was not just a pool and wonderful company but it was 100 degrees.  Ahhh!

We had a great time swimming in their lovely pool.  Their garden is so beautiful!

Grace just loved using the water canons to spray us all in the pool from the comfort of the spa with a  little help from Great Aunt Joan.

Sunbathing.

Joan grilled the yummiest dinner of salmon and chicken along with summer salads and corn on the cob.  We ate outside and lingered over pie, reveling in the warm summer evening.  Long, warm summer evenings are one of things I miss most about San Francisco summers.  It was so fun to see everyone.  My only regret?  That the above pictures are not terribly good but the best of the lot.  It was just too nice to be in the water, and the rest of the time my hands were occupied by eating.  At least I'm honest!