Erin's 5 years old! (And our latest adventure)

 

Seems like we really look forward to May in the Prekker family.  Especially the < 6 and > 65 year old members, who kick off the month with a shared birthday.  The grandparents drove out to visit in late April, and stayed through Erin's and Grandpa's birthday.  They left behind a winter weather warning in Minnesota, and enjoyed sun and 70s during an unusually warm stretch in Seattle.  The girls and their grandparents had a blast.   

'Boppa' and Erin shared both a birthday and a birthday cake this year (notice the candles).  We had a great dinnertime party and were thrilled that Naty could join us.  Below, the birthday girl struck first and blew out all the candles (were we even finished singing yet?).  

One of the girls favorite activites during the visit was running downstairs to snuggle with J&D first thing in the morning, complete with storytime.  They do the same thing when Grandma Beth visits!

Speaking of Grandma Beth, we also enjoyed a visit from Beth, Ken, Muggy, and Jan last weekend.  A cousin of Fran's was getting married nearby.  Fran took Erin to the reception where she had an absolute blast, and stayed up until nearly 10 p.m!  

 

Fran asked for a hike on Mother's Day again this year, so after feasting on whole wheat flaxjacks we were on the road by 8 a.m.  It was cloudy and cool in Seattle.  We stayed inside the ferry boat on our way across the Sound.  Our destination was the northeastern tip of the Kitsap peninsula-- the Point No Point Lighthouse and park.

I learned that Point No Point got its name in 1841 when an explorer thought it resembled a place on the Hudson River by that name, because the both "resemble much less of a promontory at close range than it does at a distance."  Anyway, the first lighthouse on Puget Sound was built there and has been in continuous operation since 1880.

 

The beach was at low tide, so Erin and Nora took full advantage by hunting for interesting shells and rocks.  We saw a few harbor seals two dozen yards away.  People had built driftwood shelters along the sandy beach-- Erin thought these were fantastic, and wanted to "help build them" by adding one new stick to each. 

Nora did some exploring too.  We walked down the beach a ways to the big boulder in the photo below.  It was covered in mussels (Erin had just learned about barnacles on pirate ships, so this was very topical) and underneath Fran discovered more sea creatures-- including a couple starfish.   

We turned inland to escape the windy chill.  There was an ~1.5 mile hike back through the forest to a dirt road that led back to the lighthouse.  

Nora really tries to emulate Erin by walking and scampering around, but it eventually tires her out.  She had a little meltdown at this point in the hike, but sat up enough to fake a smile for the camera.  

Certainly one highlight of the walk was crossing by this pasture.  A friendly horse trotted over to say hi.  I especially like this picture-- not sure why I'm getting the stink eye from both Erin and the horse!

 

We made it back to the car eventually.  As you can see, the girls are pooped and, take my word for it, mom was hungry!  We had a picnic on the beach before heading home.  Nora, never one to hold back (below), gives me the universal sign for "I need a nap."  Happy Mother's Day to Grandma Beth, Grandma Jan, and others!! 

Birthday and Beach

 

Is 35 closer to 30 or 40?  It's birthday season in the Lee family.  I had my 35th on April 3rd.  Beth celebrates hers next week, then Eleanor, Erin, Frances (also 35- hah!)... it goes on and on.  Fran and the girls spoiled me with a great dinner (favorite item = garlic mashed potatoes) followed by egg-free carrot cake and presents!    

The next adventure was a long weekend on the Olympic Peninsula at a beach town called Seabrook.  I just finished a month on the lung transplant service, so it was great to get on the road.  Fran planned our meals, shopped, and packed the whole family in one day, wow!  (She found some other words for it!)

We rented the 3BR cottage third from the left below.  It was very cozy and Erin was delighted to find the decorative pillows on her bed had jewels on the edges.  Doesn't get any better than that.  

April on the peninsula is windy and rainy- but we lucked out and our only full day there was mostly dry.  Seabrook has lots of walking trails and is perched above a big sandy beach.  That break in the rain let us get the camera out and capture what a beautiful spot it was.  The pictures below are nice to scroll through uninterrupted, I think!  

Fran gave a memorable impromptu lesson on seaweed as we finished up our beach combing for the day.  The other big hit at the beach was the Seabrook indoor swimming pool (Erin) and hot tub (Nora).  I haven't been swimming with Erin in a couple months, and wow has she improved with her weekly lessons.  She can float on her back and 'swim' across the width of the pool by herself.  She entertained us (and other pool guests) by doing belly flop after belly flop from the side of the pool.  Despite some frustration with an oven that didn't want to heat, we had great food all weekend.

We left Seabrook midday on Sunday and spent the afternoon driving to the southwest corner of Olympic National Park.  We explored Lake Quinault in the rain.  It's part of one of the three temperate rain forests in the world-- besides olympic peninsula/british columbia I think the others are in northern europe and in japan.  Anyway, Quinault got 28 inches of rain in December alone!  We hiked a half-mile loop through the old growth forest.  We hustled to the lodge to dry off and have a late lunch.  Then it was back to Seattle-- I was equal parts lonely and happy on the way home as Fran and the girls snoozed the entire ride.

Grandma Beth came to help us out again this week as Fran had several shifts at the hospital, we're very lucky to have her so close!  Nora can finally say grandma ('wah-wah'), but my favorite new word of hers is people ('poo-pah')!  It's funny to hear her sing how the 'poo-pah go up down' during wheels on the bus.  Erin's on spring break from her preschool next week, so Fran and the girls are headed down for some time in Portland.  Then, towards the end of the month Grandma Jan and Grandpa Deanie will be here for a visit.   

Easter Weekend 2013

 

OK, before we get to Easter weekend... we loved having Laura and Tommy visit us on their way to Maui last week.  We had brunch in Ballard followed by a trip to the locks (no salmon this time).  We even squeezed in a trip to Seward Park before nap time.  We decided to be our favorite animals for a family portrait next to Lake Washington (above), Nora chose sloth. 

 

We were spoiled this weekend with wonderful weather.  We opened the windows, got out the sidewalk chalk, and the girls were in sundresses.  I got a tip that the Yoshino cherry trees were blooming on the UW campus quad so we packed a picnic dinner, invited some friends, and joined ABOUT 3000 OTHER PEOPLE who were also in on our "secret".  It was beautiful, as you can see below.  The trees are from the 1930s, but were transplanted to campus in the '60s.  I had to hoist Erin and her friend Simone up in a tree to get them to sit still enough for a photo!    

 

 

Easter morning was much anticipated among the under-5 crowd at our house.  Fran did not disappoint!  The girls scampered downstairs and hunted for eggs and found their baskets.  Later this morning, after I went to work, Fran said she was doing dishes and the house was strangely quiet-- Erin and Nora were getting along so well!  She poked her head into the living room and found Nora devouring chocolate eggs, she had unwrapped them herself!
 

Fran went all out!  We had a delicious breakfast as a family that started with Easter bunny pancakes.

Nora is growing up by the day, it seems.  She strings together 2 word phrases like nobody's business. We hear "No, Ay-in, no!" and "roll, cat, roll" (she saw a neighborhood cat roll on its belly the other day).  My favorite is "mos mup" (more milk).  The time she spends around Erin and Natalia is certainly rubbing off- Nora says "gracias" appropriately, but won't say "thanks".  The word "mos" for more I think came from her Spanglish combining "more" and "mas."  Nora asks to take a bath every morning and every night, we usually oblige once a day.  

Erin got out a pair of tap shoes we had around, and she got the spring hat as a present from our neighbor.  Our kitchen became only a little off Broadway for awhile...

Erin's still really active and curious.  With the better weather we've been going on walks regularly.  We walk past a house that sells mini-greenhouses, chicken coops, and dog houses-- below Erin sits by her favorite... the dog house with the grass roof!  She never passes up a good climbing tree, as well.

With her walking and talking, Nora is quite the charmer.  Grandma Beth came and stayed with us earlier this month and confirmed what I'd seen too-- Nora's looking more and more like Fran did as a toddler.  The curls and the mischievous smile are the giveaway. 

 

We'll have plenty more rain before summer comes in July, but for now it's pretty nice.  Fran took this artsy shot (below) on her walk with the kids today.