This weekend was Franny’s school auction, which funds many of the special programs, after school programs, as well as additional teaching staff.  In addition to an extensive list of items, each class creates a art project to be auctioned off.  Franny’s class created this beautiful picture.  Franny made the snake and flowers. I love it! Seeing it in person is even more impressive, as it is quite large (about 5’ by 3’), behind glass, and framed.   At the auction, it sold for $3500!  Her teacher’s description was as follows:

Special friends are made in Kindergarten!  After marveling over the friendships  formed among the forest animals in the book, A Bear Snores On, the children were inspired to draw their favorite forest flora and fauna—a bear, a beaver, a bunny, and more!  Selecting color and pattern combinations, the children gave their whimsical critters dimension and personality.  Watch out, some animals may pop out at you!  The forest friends frolic in and around a “tree of life.”

Today, Franny and Cole had their third ski lesson, which progressed on to the chairlift and Cole on to the rope tow. Both did an incredible job, and I am so impressed with how quickly each of them are learning their skills. Franny has been excited about going on the chairlift ever since she finished her last lesson. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to actually see Franny on the chairlift, but I was able to film this video of her on one of her last runs on the rope tow.

Rope tow from T on Vimeo.

With the kids’ interest in skiing unquestionably confirmed, and their skills quickly progressing, we knew it was time for to get them both helmets.  Rick brought some home today—Franny’s is a sleek silver, and Cole’s has fire down the sides.  Cole absolutely loves his!  Not only did he wear it around the house, he wore it out on an afternoon shopping trip and then, out to dinner.  I tried to nickname him ‘Blaze’, but he insists that he is ‘Fireman!’ (And yes, the exclamation point is part of the name—it is always shouted, never just spoken) Surprisingly, he didn’t decide to sleep in it, but I am quite certain it will be requested first thing in the morning!

Today, the three kindergarten classes took a field trip to see Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly, a cute musical that takes a look at the world from a bug’s perspective.  It was at the Newmark Theatre downtown, and Franny was so excited to go.  Then yesterday, she found out that she could dress up if she wanted to, which doubled her excitement.  And, I think her experience exceeded her anticipation.  Although I really didn’t get any clear details from her about the musical, the excitement in her eyes and voice made it very apparent that she enjoyed it a lot.  I’m really glad that Franny has the opportunity to experience the fun of field trips when a lot of schools have eliminated them.  This was a great experience for her and I was thrilled she had such a great time.

All the kids adore their grandparents, but there is something very special between Delaney and her Grandma.  It is always her lap Delaney wants to sit on, her hand she wants to hold, and her hug she wants when she is hurt or upset.  There is unquestionably a special connection between Delaney and her Grandma, and it is very sweet to see them together.

Sunday, the kids and I joined their grandparents for a trip to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum.  I originally planned this trip because I thought that it was something that Cole would really like, and he did!  His favorites, of course were those that he could climb inside and look around in—the Spruce Goose, as well as a tour of the World War II B-17 Flying Fortress.  Although there is no way that he comprehends the history that these aircraft embody, he did know that they were very special.  Franny, however, was very sensitive to the imagery of bombings and the missions that these planes were designed for.  We spent close to five hours at the museum, but we barely scratched the surface of what was there to see; it is an incredible and tremendous collection of aviation and history.  And, although this really isn’t a museum designed for kids, they all had a great time.  Partly because of the adventure and the museum itself, but mostly because they shared it with their Grandma and Grandpa.  It was definitely a fun and special day for everyone.

The amazing Spruce Goose

Cole and Grandpa and the Flying Fortress      Franny and Cole in the space museum

Every few months Cole’s preschool gives each child an assessment of their skills in language arts, math, science, as well as a number of other areas.  There is also a section for teacher comments.  If I were to write them myself, I don’t think I could have captured Cole any better!  His teacher wrote: 

Cole is quite the personality!  When he tells stories, he does so with enthusiasm and imagination, and he plays exquisite games of pretend with others in our class!…He is extremely social with other students, and likes to try all our activities.  He especially likes dancing, playing with cars, and playing outside!  We look forward  to Cole’s continued growth. 

I also liked this picture Franny created during the ‘Under the Sea’ week they had a few weeks back.  I love that all the happy sea creatures are smiling!

I volunteer in Franny’s classroom twice a month, and I love it!  I have the opportunity to see so much more of what they are doing and what they have done.  We receive daily communications, but it doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what they do every day.  Today, I was able to see one of the projects they did on Martin Luther King Jr.  One of my tasks was to type the kids’ comments about Martin Luther King Jr. into the computer.  Earlier in the week, they drew pictures of him and then told another volunteer what they thought he would say to them.  Their comments were very sweet and insightful, from something as simple as Use good words, be nice to each other, to  Don’t judge anyone by the color or their skin.  Others, were obviously drawn from their readings or discussions, like I have a dream that our nation will rise up.  Franny’s was a little like that: I have a dream of you and me.  Martin Luther King Jr. is such an important and timeless historical figure, I was very excited that they spent so much time on him.  I received an email from her teacher earlier this week stating that Franny was ‘very sweet and empathetic’ during their discussions, and that she was ‘quite aghast by some of the stories [they] read about MLK and Ruby Bridges’.  I was very pleased to know that Franny had this reaction.  I think it says a lot about her, and what a wonderful heart she has.  She is quite the little girl!

Franny’s picture

All the class pictures

We’ve had a membership to the Children’s Museum for a little over a year, now.  I really like this place—it’s a great destination for young kids, and while we have been here numerous times, there are still new things to see every time we go.  After the kids’ playgroup today, we had a little extra time, so we stayed a little longer.  Cole and Delaney loved this lighted table.  Cole spent his time building with the magnetic panels, while Delaney focused on building towers with the legos.  All the pieces are clear, so they glow with the illumination.  They were very into this activity, and they stayed here for quite some time.  I love seeing them concentrate so intently.  We would have stayed longer, but we needed to get back for Delaney’s nap and to pick Franny up from the bus stop.  I am sure, however, that we will be back soon.

We’ve always been a bipartisan house in theory, but there has always been a strong leaning toward the Duck side.  After this weekend, however, the leaning has shifted….to the other side.   We all had a great time walking around the OSU campus, playing games in the MU, and checking out Rick’s graduation picture in the new Kelley Engineering Building.   The rain and wind had finally stopped, so we also enjoyed walking outside on the beautiful campus without getting soaked.    I was surprised how excited the kids were to walk around and point out all the beavers they saw.  It was really a great time.  Even a routine dinner at Chipotle was special, sitting among the pennants, flags, and beaver memorabilia.  We arrived in Corvallis today with the kids cheering Go Ducks!, but we left Corvallis with the kids shouting Go Beavers!  I do think a strategic road trip to Eugene is in the kids’ near future… 

Perhaps a weekend where there are flood watch alerts is not the best time to visit the Oregon Coast.  But, we’d had the trip planned and the kids were really excited about seeing the aquarium, so we decided to brave the stormy weather and just go for it.  Unquestionably, the aquarium was a great destination, but it was a little unfortunate that more than half of it consisted of outdoor exhibits.  We were able to see the otters at feeding time, which Delaney really enjoyed, but the heavy downpour and strong winds sent us back inside fairly quickly.  For all the kids, the highlight of the aquarium was the Touch Pools, where they were able to see and touch anemones, sea cucumbers, starfish, and other sea life including a silly little sea worm that would quickly retreat into it’s hole when it was touched and then reappear….over and over and over again.  It was a very fun trip, and we all look forward to going back when the weather is a little more accommodating!

This week, Cole and Delaney went with their playgroup to Playdate PDX, a new indoor play area in NW. It really was a great facility and both kids had a great time. Delaney had no problem managing the different structures, even though it was designed for kids closer to Cole's age. When my friend took this video clip for me, it was the end of our time there and Delaney was tired, so her excitement isn't very apparent. But believe me, there was no denying her enthusiasm for this huge slide, not to mention everything else. I think she has a daredevil streak that may even rival Franny's...

Slide from T on Vimeo.

In December, the kids’ wonderful pediatrician passed away. Dealing with his death has been a difficult process; I don’t think a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about him and the impact he made on our family.  Over the past weeks, the process and necessity of finding a new pediatrician for the kids has been extremely sad and unproductive.  Two weeks ago, however, I took a leap of faith and selected their new doctor.  The determining factor was that he was a very dear friend of Dr. M’s—a connection that I have found great comfort in.  I can only believe that a person with the character, integrity, and kindness that Dr. M had would only have friendships with others that share his values. 

Today, Delaney had her 18 month check-up with her new doctor.  I no longer have any concerns about whether I made a good decision.  He was methodical, listened attentively, and had a warmth and sincerity reminiscent of Dr. M.  He was everything that I hoped he would be.  I think the kids will be in very good hands.

Oh, and Delaney’s stats were no surprise—she is long and lean:  3rd percentile in weight and 72nd percentile in height. 

For Christmas, Delaney received a book of Yoga for toddlers from her California cousins.  All the kids have been having fun with this book...  

Delaney doing Frog and Franny doing Lion

A Trio of dogs

Two birds

And, rest…moving quickly into silliness

Franny and Cole had another ski lesson today.  Everything went great—they seemed to pick right up where they left two weeks ago.  Delaney had a little more difficulty accepting that she couldn’t join them on their ski adventure, but we’re trying to come up with some ways to keep her included, at least in some way.  She finally calmed down when we let her stand up on Franny’s skis, but that also made it worse when Franny had to leave for her lesson.  In the end, a very good day.  Rumor has it that Franny will advance to the chair lift next time.  Very exciting for her!

These are Cole’s “hand gloves”, as he likes to call them.  He is very proud of them and his ability to get them on.  He wore them for two days straight, doing everything in them.  Finally, they got wet and I had an excuse to have them get lost in the laundry for a couple of days.  They are now clean, but I am waiting for him to ask for them before I hand them over.  Kids go through the silliest phases!

Today we met our friends at the World Forestry Center for a mid-week afternoon adventure.  This wonderful museum’s focus is to learn about the sustainability of forests and trees of the Pacific Northwest and around the world; for Franny, Cole, and Delaney it was just great fun.  There was simulated rides on a train, river raft, and safari jeep.  There was also a Timberjack harvester where the kids could climb in the cab and experiment with the controls.  The hands-on Plant a Tree exhibit was also a big favorite for the kids. I have read that the Forestry Center is a great place to take kids, but I didn’t realize to what extent until I saw it in person.  It was definitely a great way to spend a rainy Portland afternoon!

Today, I took Delaney to a trial Gymboree class.  I wanted to see how she would like it before we signed her up for a session.  She LOVED it!  All those kids just her age and all those great mats and structures to climb on.  When she wasn’t exploring the different things they had set up for today, she was doing her ‘happy dance’ in the center mat with a huge smile on her face.  I was so happy to see her have such a good time.  She keeps up with the big kids, but this was just her pace and she finally had an activity just for her, rather than watching Franny and Cole have all the fun.  It’s about time!

Today was the day we’ve tried not to think about for the past two weeks—Franny back at school, Rick back at work and actually having commitments and things that have to be done.  All day, Delaney continued to walk up to me with big serious eyes and ask “Daddy?”   Cole and Delaney had fun playing together, but clearly seemed a bit out of sync without their big sister and ringleader.  But, after dinner they had a great time together having a camp out in the living room, complete with sleeping bags, flashlights, and a campfire.  They probably would have spent the night there if they didn’t have to really go to bed in order to be rested for another big day tomorrow.  Our days are fun and very full, but nothing compares to carefree vacation…just four more days until the weekend!

Today, we visited the Lan Su Chinese Gardens.  Although windy and very cold, the walls surrounding the gardens blocked the weather, and with the sun, it almost felt warm.  It was extremely beautiful and serene and the kids enjoyed exploring the various courtyards.  They had a family guide that Franny enjoyed using to find different shapes and sculptures throughout the gardens.  It was a really nice and relaxing way to spend our morning, and one that all the kids really enjoyed.

 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit.  According to Chinese tradition, the Rabbit brings a year in which you can catch your breath and calm your nerves.  It is a time for negotiation.  Don't try to force issues, because if you do you will ultimately fail.  To gain the greatest benefits from this time, focus on home, family, security, diplomacy, and your relationships with women and children.   Make it a goal to create a safe, peaceful lifestyle, so you will be able to calmly deal with any problem that may arise.

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