Safety First

I've described my job in Construction Management to Edy and Edison as "I tell the workers on the construction site what to do, and answer questions they have if they don't know how to do it."

Edison has been to the jobsite and seen the excavators and dump trucks and other heavy equipment, and he was very excited.

This morning before leaving for work, I gave Edison a kiss, said goodbye and told him to have a good day. He responded by saying bye, then bringing my ear close to his and telling me "Tell the workers don't get smushed by the big machines."

Fourth of July Camping Part 2

We cooked all of our meals over the open fire, roasted marshmallows, and played down by the river. Edy and Edison even managed to find a dead fish to examine.

The last two times we stayed in a yurt. This time we got the refitted shipping container, which was small but pretty good to stay in. It was hot and could have used screens on all the windows to keep the bugs out.

Edison managed to burn his toes on the fire pit, which was not much fun. It wasn't too bad, however, since he seems all healed up as of yesterday. We all managed to get home safely and in one piece beyond that.

The other great part about this campground is that is was a 15 minute walk to the fireworks show, which both the kids managed to stay awake for after 2 1/2 hour naps that afternoon. We think we might go back next year if we can get a reservation. Anyone care to join?

Fourth of July Camping Trip Part 1

Last weekend we spent the 4th of July at Tolt-McDonald State Park. It was our third visit there, but this time there were Independence Day activities in the nearby town of Carnation.

We met friends at the campground for dinner and guitar playing and sandbox playing. We walked into town to ride in the kid's parade, then watch the Grande Parade with so many tractors and horses the kids were in awe.

Fun x 3

Sprinklers are fun. Trampolines are fun. Jump ropes are fun. Let's combine them all together and have 3 times the fun!

Edy thought we should try putting the sprinkler under the trampoline to see what would happen, and it turns out it shoots through it, and makes little water mist rainbow too. Since the sprinkler goes back and forth, there was a game invented where you have to jump over and around the water.

And the jump rope was just thrown in for good measure.

Adorable! Best Show My Daughter Has Ever Done

...were the reviews given by the crowd watching a group of 5-7 year olds sing.

Edy went to Broadway Bound theatre camp last week - every day from 9-3, which culminated in a performance of songs from the movie "Frozen" on Friday. Each little girl, (there were no boys) did a little acting part introduction before the song, then they sang the songs as a group, including hand motions.

Just after the performance, I asked Edy how she felt and if she was nervous. She told "I was really nervous right before I got on the stage, but then I got really excited." An actor in the making!

That is Edy just to the right of the microphone stand while some other girls are doing their acting introduction. I will post some videos if I can get them uploaded to the blog.

Fremont Solstice Parade

The family went to the Solstice Parade last Saturday in Fremont, and sat in the sun for about 2 1/2 hours watching floats and bands and all sorts of other things.

Edy's new haircut

Edy came back from the grown up haircut place with a grown up haircut! I think she aged about 3 years in the hour she was gone.

Sunny and 50 degrees

Means it's too hot to jump on the trampoline with all our clothes on.

Birthday Present

Finally got the lawn leveled and the present built. Just in time for Mothers Day/Edy's Birthday.

They both seem very happy with their birthday present. It was a total surprise. Mom had a big smile on her face too when she tried it out, you know, for safety, before the kids got home.

Modesty, sort of

It was a sunny 68 degrees here yesterday, absolutely beautiful, so for my daughter, it's obviously time to take some clothes off. I'm in the yard working when she gets out of the car from the ride home from school.

"Did you forget something at school?" I ask her, because she has no shirt on.

"No Dad, I just took it off in the car." She says as she goes into the house to get a skirt to wear instead of her long pants.

She comes back outside, with her skirt in her hands and announces, "I'm going to change into my skirt... Don't look at me!"

Edison seemed as confused as I was about this modesty logic.

It's Starting Already, Part III

Yesterday, Edy was waiting to use the toilet as I was finishing. As I turned around to wash my hands, she says to me, "Daddy, you didn't put the toilet seat down when you were done".

So I asked her "Why is it my job to put the seat down, you are the person who has to use the toilet with the seat down. Shouldn't you be the person to put it down to use the potty?"

She replies, "No, it's your responsibility to put the seat down. If you don't put it down, I might fall in when I use the toilet."

"But you also won't fall in if *you* put the seat down before you use the toilet."

With exasperation and eye rolling, "Daddy, it's your responsibility."

Which is exactly the argument I have had with my wife for the past 13 years.

Edison bedtime discussions

When Edison doesn't want to go to sleep, but knows he's supposed to be quiet, he whispers,

"Daddy, I want to tell you something."

"One thing Edison, then be still and quiet and close your eyes."

Then he says/yells in an excited, loud stage whisper, "I love you!". It is very sweet and cute and heartwarming.

Instead, tonight he tells me "I love elephants, they are big and they walk very slow and have really big poops!"

So much for sweetness.

Avant-Garde Art...

or just white trash entertainment? It's so hard to tell sometimes.

I'm imagining this is what that artist in The Big Lebowski did in her early years.

It was 50 degrees and sunny in Seattle yesterday, which for Edy is bathing suit weather, unless you don't have one handy, then it's just time to strip down to your underwear.

Budding Musicians

We went to an open house for the Seattle Symphony Children's Music classes a few weekends ago. They have an instrument "petting zoo" where the kids call try playing lots if different kinds. Edy and Edison both like the violins, and Edy was really getting into the horns. She played the trumpet, french horn, and trombone.

Ed tried the trombone once, but I think it was a little too loud for him. Too bad because he really likes making that slpppppbbbbbbt noise with his lips even when he doesn't have them on a horn

Mindblowing Science

Edy received a science experiment kit for Christmas, mainly consisting of baking soda, citric acid and some powdered colorant for experimenting with acids and bases, and creating CO2 bubbles when you mix them together.

We performed the color changing volcano and underwater volcano experiments this weekend. When we are done with the ones in the box, Edy designs her own versions, which usually consist of mixing various things together and seeing what happens. The last pic is our "science orange" that we mixed into our color changing volcano. It actually did register a reddish color change, which identified that orange juice is an acid.

She really enjoys it and she is retaining a lot of the science behind it. She is the one that told me the orange juice was an acid based on the color. That's mind blowing!