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.

 

March in Seattle

I got up early today for a long run.  The view above was just after sunrise on the trails at one of may favorite running spots, Discovery Park.  The route goes through pretty dense forest and all of a sudden you pop out next to Puget Sound and get this view across to the Olympics between the clouds. Easy to forget you're still in the city.  Our life here is so busy... have to slow down sometimes and enjoy what a beautiful place it is (if you've seen me run lately, you know the 'slowing down' part is not a problem).

     

Fran took the girls down to Portland this weekend to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the Lee family, since I had to work.  They came back today and brought Grandma Beth with!  Nora has been thrilled with baths lately, here are the two troublemakers last week.  Erin finished up gymnastics class (here she is getting a medal on the 'podium'), and now has started ballet.  Swimming lessons on Tuesdays at the local pool are still a hit.  We're looking forward to a visit from Laura and Tommy next weekend on their way to Hawaii!   
  

The blog resurrected!

I thought it's time we started over after the snafu on our blog late last year.  Lots going on with the girls in 2013 that we want to share with everyone.  First, we spent a week in Kauai with the Johnson family in February.  This was our second annual trip and we had a blast, the perfect weather during "winter" in Hawaii didn't hurt either. 

Another beach, Seattle style!  I've had time this year to explore Puget Sound with the girls, mainly day trips when Fran has to work.  We're at Carkeek Park in north Seattle (above and below).  Erin likes the shells in the tide pools, and Nora's favorite are the trains that run between the beach and the rest of the park. 

This weekend, I took the girls to the Cascades for a day of sledding and fun in the snow.  We ended up at a sno-park in Hyak, just east of Snoqualmie Pass.  Here they are in what was left of a snow fort.  Pretty sure Nora's smiling because she just finished what Erin's doing! 

Nora looks ready to push on to the summit.  Actually, it was sunny and ~45 degrees up there...

Erin loved zooming down the hill on our $10 pink Fred Meyer sled all by herself, and I loved the result of her making a dozen treks back up to the top-- a long nap in the car on the way home.  Our last activity before lunch was to make a snowman.  Nora's an impressive bodyguard (below).  Erin talked a lot about wanting to learn to downhill ski, maybe we'll get her a lesson yet this winter.  Next up, we're heading to the Washington coast in early April.