Crash the Campsite!

So far this year, we haven't yet made the effort to go camping.  It's on our list and I'm sure it will happen eventually.  In the meantime, however, friends of ours decided to break out the tent and camp in a nearby campground.  What a great opportunity for a visit to the campfire!

Marshmallows!  Yum!

Seaside Oma

Sometimes the best times with family are the time when you are really doing nothing at all.

We packed up a few snacks, the bikes and scooters, and

headed to the boardwalk at Semiamoo one day.

We walked, talked, looked for birds, hunted for treasure.

And, most importantly:  just relaxed.

I swear, this is the last birthday post

OK, one final hurrah.  This was the year of separate birthday parties for the girls.  Kerry May has slowly formed her own group of friends and interests, and it seemed only fair to finally give her "her day" with friends. 

What better place for turning four than Build-a-Bear Workshop?

We'd been here one other time for a friend of Jenica's third birthday. 

I think Jenica had pretty much forgotten all about it.

Maybe that was a good thing?  Anyway...

A good time was had by all.

It was a small group, per Kerry May's choosing.  And really, a nice group of kids. 

In the end it was cute and fun...

And one last final time: Happy Birthday, Kerry May!

Oma in Seattle

In the middle of Oma's visit, we decided we needed some adventure.  Seemed like a great time to take Oma to Seattle for an overnight visit to the "big city."

We used Priceline and found a great boutique hotel in lower Queen Anne (complete with kitchen!)  Super nice place.

Then, we were off.  Our first stop had to be...

an old favorite -- the Woodland Park Zoo.  (Special Meerkat exhibit was very cute.)

Also, we couldn't leave until we had given the new carousel a spin.  Fun!

Kerry decided staying in hotels is simply awesome.  And really, who can argue with that?

Eventually, we did manage to drag Kerry out and get on to more sightseeing.

There was a time, when we lived in Seattle in the 90s, when it seemed like we were at the Space Needle at least once a month.  Needless to say, it got really old...

BUT, this weekend was the first time we'd been there in at least six years. 

Seemed all new and neat to experience with little people.

Then, it was on to the Monorail!

Again, seeing it from the eyes of the kids makes it seem so much more special.

All in all, a great city visit.  Walking, visiting, shopping, sightseeing...

it all can make you plum-tuckered out!

Around the Sun We Go Again!

If you know me, you know I am completely in love with the Montessori method.  We decided to send both girls to Montessori this year and man... I'm not sure I've ever made a better decision.  I've spent the last year reading about Montessori, her life and her philosophy and, based on being an educator, as well as a parent, I am completely sold.  And yes, I could go on an on, but that's a blog of a different sort.  So I'll stop.  :)

But I did want to share one of the very neat things that happens on your birthday in a Montessori classroom:  you get to travel around the sun!  Montessori teaches nearly everything through hands-on doing.  Things are not merely told to the children, instead the children are allowed to learn by "experiencing" whenever possible.  So when it's your birthday, we all know we grow another year older.  But how do you communicate to a young person what a year looks like?  Well, a year is the time it takes for the earth to rotate around the sun one time. 

Get your globe!

The children sit in a circle, a candle is lit (to represent the sun), pictures are shared so everyone can see what the child looked like at each year, and around you go...

There is also some discussion about what you can do at each year and how you grow and change.

We started as

helpless babies and grow into

capable, smart, fun-loving big girls.

Here's to another good "trip"!

Four is Fabulous!

Well, it's official: No more babies at our house! 

Kerry May turned four on May 17th, so we designated May 16th (Sunday) as "Kerry May Day"  -- she chose the agenda for her day. 

Hmmmmm... so hard to decide.  But really, what better way to start than with presents?

She received lots of super nice things and was perhaps most happy to see her new fishing pole.  Kerry was hoping to go fishing right away, but alas, there's this thing called a license... but I know she will get to try this out this summer. 

Then it was on to The Children's Museum for some play time. 

A few months ago Kerry and I were lucky enough to visit with some friends; she's been enamoured with the place ever since.

Even Daddy and Oma had a good time.

After a tour of the rest of the museum (neat!), it was finally time for the first requested treat:

Mallard's ice cream!

But wait, there's more...

I know, I'm tired too...

But we don't want to miss out on:

Pastries! (and that brown thing in the middle -- don't be alarmed -- is a brownie!) 

(Sure we love cake, but pastries are somehow more special...)

Well, the day flew by, as have the years.  It's really amazing how fast they grow, right before your very eyes. 

Love you bunches, my Kerry May. 
Here's to a wonderful 4th year!

Birthday Celebration Part??: Rock Climbing Party

This was our first year where it seemed inevitable: no more combined birthday parties with friends.  Kerry has become her own person (for sure), with friends and ideas of her own.  The girls are also at different ability levels, and we decided that this was the year they could each choose what to do with their friends for a celebration. 

After some deliberation and looking around, Jenica settled on: rock climbing. 

Big in our family?  Not so much.  Stefan used to do a fair amount of climbing waaaaay back when...well, you know -- back in the day.  But, this was something that seemed like fun to all of us, even if we were a pack of newbies.

And fun it was!

Not the best place for pictures, but you get the idea.

I thought there would be more a fear factor here, but after just a little hesitation,

Jenica was game.

I was impressed with how high some of the kids got!  You can just barely see Sophia up in the right hand corner.  Brave little people!

This is an up shot of the bigger wall, more for the experienced climber.

Not for us... yet.

Meanwhile, Kerry May was happy to watch and wait...

cupcakes and juice make waiting worthwhile!