xmas2012

Merry Christmas!

St. Croix

December 7-14, 2001
(Did I mention that I destroyed our camera the day before the trip?  All the pics are courtesy of Joy/Bob & Babçia/Grandpa.)  All I had to do was whittle 800+ images down to 45 and then combine them to 9 collages.  (oops, I included one twice).  You can get a closer look by clicking on any pic to pop out a bigger view.

Once again, we are grateful for the hospitality
aboard Exit Strategy.

All the cousins played with each other so nicely.

Genna was a handful, or a ham, most of the time.

So glad we disregarded slightly dicey conditions to visit this tide pool.  Love to explore this area more next time... in calmer seas. 

Maya finally realized her ambition of snorkeling.  Albeit, sans snorkel.  She preferred the familiarity of goggles and only let me make her wear flippers once.  Unexpectedly, the Cruise Ship pier was the best snorkeling we saw on the island.  (Corals at other locations: Green Cay & Buck Island were sub par).  Plus, Frederiksted's western location shielded it from the open Atlantic and was the best, calm beach for playing around.  Bob spotted the turtle (top), Jeff noticed the camouflaged flounder (bottom) and the giant spotted ray (middle) was apparently after me.  Maya is also very proud to announce that she spotted her own flounder and got to swim though a school of a million little fish.  

October-ish stuff

Again, Genna's participation in family photos is sub-par.

Aunt Courtney & Grandma visited us in chilly early October.

Roller Champs

 Face Painting practice for Halloween.  Ironically, we have no photos of actual Halloween, and Genna was not a tiger.  She was "Ho Ho" 

 Hittin' up Gene's.

Make up posts (Sep)

ok, catch up time.

 This is "Family Portrait" as good as it gets.

Maya's first day of School 9/5/12

 Maya is hard at work in her field journal at the Wolfe Lake.

One of those Quintessential FB Posts

Status Update:  "My Poor Baby is sick!  :(  "
and here is a poorly-lit over-flashed picture to prove it.

Yes - little Genna was slowed down by a fever today.   She actually fell asleep on the couch before dinner. (Which never happens. - my children only fall asleep in their beds).  Baby girl even turned down her beloved "bite wide" after dinner.

Now we need something to knock Maya out.  She has been on a crazy streak since school's started.

Update: she slept in and was fine in the morning ..... then we took a bite wide after breakfast.  Perhaps it was her final molars.

P.S. Bon Voyage Babçia.  We loved having you and look forward to seeing you soon!

Future English Major?

Some kids want one more story at bedtime.
Or a drink of water.
Or endless hugs & kisses.

Maya wants Language Arts.
She tells us if she feels like doing opposites, homonyms/homophones, synonyms, or rhymes at bedtime.
What a girl!

I can't stop Beat Boxing!

Maya's last words tonight.....
It's true.  The girl has been beat boxing this tune for DAYS!!!!!

Maya is very excited about school.  We went to visit last night.  She is enamored with the monkey bars.  However, preschoolers don't stay for lunch and recess.... so that explanation isn't going well.
We signed her up for a Montessori School within Kalamazoo Public.  So there are 3 preschoolers (3-4 yr olds) mixed into the Kinder class.
I already don't like several things about it, namely the commute & limited outdoor time.  Lack of communication and information is an afterthought.   Is there time to ditch them, find a new school, register, and settle in?  I have 5 days.  4 of which are holiday/weekend/no-one-at-school-to-answer-the-phone-days.

Early August Beach & Fairs

 Climbing up to the top of the dunes at Van Buren State Park.

 Running down with Babçia.... halfway, and making her go back up.

Train Show with Grandpa.  Maya said her favorite part was the Legos.  Even though the snooty adult Lego enthusiast insist that the plural is "Lego" not "Legos".  And they are "bricks" not BLOCKS.  Oh brother!

 That's quite a get up you have on, Genna.  Love your leotard & hiking boots.  And why are you napping on the driveway?  Pictured is half the accoutrements that Genna lugs around constantly.

 Maya has been wanting Roller Blades for a long time.  I finally found her size at a rummage sale.  

She says it's EASY.

 Genna is the best Hula Hooper

 We spent a lot of time with Angela this week.  Even got her to try some new things like creepy crawlies and mystery snacks!  (we didn't eat the bugs, just the snacks)

 Our attempt at the Kalamazoo County Fair was a rainy cold mess.  So we pretty much had the barns to ourselves.  Steve & the boys also braved the weather to discover newly hatched chicks, which we may or may not have been allowed to pick up!

I am procrastinating.... need to sew right now!!!!!  

Warren Dunes

Camping at Warren Dunes State Park.  

July 19-20 (rained out)  July 23-24

 Lake Michigan was a pleasant tempertaure.  Papa taught Maya how to ride the waves in while Genna tried to eat sand while I wasn't looking.

 Genna was the main trip photographer.  That is why we have 155 photos of this event.  Half the time, she was pointing the camera the wrong way.  (Above is an advanced photog technique.  You can sign up for a workshop with the artist.)

 Such a goof.

Our new tent is very roomy.  The 3 girls had space on individual sleeping mats and Jeff got the full sized air mattress to himself.  It was an awfully hot night.  Genna eventually gave in to sleep at 11:35, attempting to share 24" of sleeping mat with Mama.  We must try this again in cooler weather.

Since we woke up to a downpour, we broke camp early and took refuge on the Boardwalk in St. Joe.  Then on to greet Babçia at her arrival stateside!

Stuff we did in July

Painting with feet, or painting our feet.

 Doing Genna's hair in rag rollers

 Picking Flowers in the Meadow.

 Catch and release a toad

 Making an Ant Farm