Soccer & Opening of Boating Season!

We finally had a break in the rain and went outside to play.
The kids liked playing basketball and catch. Much to our surprise, Edison seemed to be really good at kicking the ball in a straight line and then corralling it again. So we signed him up for soccer this summer - should be fun!
The weather was so nice last weekend that we put our new boat in the water for the first time this season. The kids enjoyed playing with it on the driveway.
But they had even more fun when we took it out on Lake Stevens on Sunday.
It is always beautiful to go boating in the early season since we're surrounded by all the snowy mountains.
We are so happy with all the room this boat has. It was great when we had our picnic up front.
Eben is so happy the kids enjoy boating. Need to work on Edison's manners a little bit, though!
The kids have been playing together really well lately, which makes me tremendously happy. Here they are playing car.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Today was gorgeous at the top of Stevens Pass. Lisa and I had a brilliant day of skiing - they got five feet of snow this week (rain for us in town all week). But we finally got some sun! Thanks to Eben for staying home with the kids (his ski day was Friday).
Charlotte went to her first birthday party yesterday for her best friend Grace. They've been hanging out since they were infants at school. Next month they move up to the "Twos" Class together.
Grace's mom, Amy, had the brilliant idea of serving cake pops to the kids rather than cake - they were a big hit.
So sweet!
She also had a giant cardboard playhouse for the kids to color and play in - another wonderful idea for a March birthday.

MARCH - All Kinds of Wheels

Edison finally got the hang up his "balance bike." It doesn't have pedals and the idea is that kids learn how to balance on a two-wheel bike and don't need training wheels when they move to the real thing. He can now ride down our neighbors' driveway - a giant ramp and is so proud of himself. He hasn't fallen yet, and we're anxious about his first skinned knee - but so far so good.

Speaking of ride.... We bought a new truck - a Dodge Durango. We mostly got it because it will be great at towing our new boat. But I am also thrilled to have sold the mini-van. It definitely served its purpose but this truck is pretty awesome and I love driving it. Can you believe it gets 20 miles a gallon around town?! Not too shabby.
With seating for seven, it satisfied every requirement we had. And Consumer Reports listed it as a Best Buy and top vehicle for almost all SUV categories. Eben never thought he'd own a Dodge, but I think we made a good pick.The kids still love this chair - now they take turns spinning each other around.
Charlotte picked out this lovely number. The backwards cap is something she is modeling after one of her stuffed animals - a "Hip Hop Bunny" for Easter that sings and dances - Marlene got it for the kids last year and it has made a comeback this month.
Charlotte's new phrase is "I did it." She loves to choose and put on her own clothes, brush her teeth and wash her hands. She watches Edison very closely and learns a lot from him. Her vocabulary is growing in leaps and bounds. She is especially interested in bugs, animals, and school buses.

Scottsdale - Part 3

Heading to the pool .... again.
Hanging out at our favorite spot.


The kids loved the table tennis - mostly chasing the balls as they bounced away.
Edison got a few balls bounced over the net.
Tag teaming against daddy.
At the hot tub, the vent holes from the jets would shoot up water if you plugged them up on the other end. It provided no end of entertainment for the kids.
Making handprints after lunch. Edison acted the big brother and showed Charlotte the ropes. It was so cute, she ran after him and had to make her handprints in the exact same spot.
So wonderful to run around in the grass!
Charlotte was excited to watch the airplanes head east on the flightpath above the resort.

Scottsdale - Part 2

Heading across the grounds to the pool. Each morning we'd put the kids in the jogging stroller and run up and down the Arizona Canal - a couple blocks east of our resort. Following that we'd grab some food for the day at the Trader Joe's adjacent to us. Then we'd head to the pool, eat lunch, the kids would do naps, and we'd go to the pool again. What a dream!
Charlotte just loved jumping in with daddy.
The pool had nice stairs and a bench step most of the way around that provided plenty of room for the kids to relax.
Two kids, four eyeballs, and two big smiles - definitely a rare occurrence.
About eight blocks away was a huge city park and playground.
It was a historical park centered on railroads and even had a scaled down railroad circling the park.
Needless to say, Edison was in heaven. He told me it was the "coolest day ever."
Our casita even had a kiva-style fireplace, perfect for those chilly desert nights.