...of bajillions, I'm sure.
:)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
One Dumb Photo
This picture cracks me up.
Closed eyes in a photo aren't unusual, but the remarkable thing about it this time is that I was the one taking the picture.
I mean, you'd think there'd be better communication between my right index finger and my eyelids, like, "Hey guys, don't lower yourselves because I'm pressing down now."
Sometimes I amaze myself with my ineptitude.
Ah, here we go...
...proof that I'm not a complete dunce.
Closed eyes in a photo aren't unusual, but the remarkable thing about it this time is that I was the one taking the picture.I mean, you'd think there'd be better communication between my right index finger and my eyelids, like, "Hey guys, don't lower yourselves because I'm pressing down now."
Sometimes I amaze myself with my ineptitude.
Ah, here we go...
...proof that I'm not a complete dunce.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
My Kids Are Public-Schooled (But It's Not What You Think)
My BFF recently wrote a post on her blog about how and why she homeschools. You can read it here.
I've wanted to broach the topic of options in education here before, but have always chickened out because it's a hot-button issue. However, Shari wrote such a fair-minded, reasonable explanation on why she homeschools, I've been inspired to pen the following as an addendum of sorts (thus the cheesy rip-off of her post's title).
Apparently, I seem like a homeschooler. I don't know if it's my hair style or what, but I can't count the number of times I've been asked, "So, are you still homeschooling?"
"Ummm...actually, I've never homeschooled."
"What? But I thought you..." *mouth agape*
Nope. Never.
Let me clarify--I am NOT anti-homeschooling.
Shari's husband is a cop and the husband of my friend, Diana (another homeschooler) is an ER doctor. Both of them work crazy schedules. If their kids attended traditional schools then they'd pretty much never see their dads. Homeschooling is an excellent choice for them. I get that.
I'm happy to say that both of these moms do a wonderful job of teaching their kids. The kids are well educated, involved in many activities and don't seem weird in any way whatsoever. So, yes, it can be done very well. (Don't be offended if I didn't mention your name. I know a lot of people who do a great job schooling their kids at home.)
So why do people have such strong, often smug (no matter which side they're on), opinions about this topic?
I think it's because we want to be excellent parents. We all want to do well in a slew of areas of our lives, but if there's one thing we really don't want to mess up in, it's raising our kids.
(At my funeral, feel free to declare that I didn't clean my kitchen floor often enough or that I couldn't hand write legibly to save my life, but if anyone says I was a lousy mom, I just might pull the casket lid shut and sob my rotting eyeballs out.)
We can't help but compare ourselves to other parents, so when we see someone doing something drastically differently than us, we want to justify why our way is right. I have to extricate myself all the time from this divisive little trap that is powered by nothing less than yucky old pride.
Education is a HUGE part of our kids' lives, so we want to do it right...but right doesn't always look the same.
Just as Shari sometimes feels disparaged by people who discover she homeschools, I have a few times felt looked down on for not homeschooling, as if I was lazy and not willing to put my kids first. One woman went so far as to say, "Aimee, I think you need to pray more about how to best educate your children."
I pasted on what was (at that moment) a very fake smile and assured her that I had prayed quite a bit about it and believed they were where they ought to be. Grrr...
Every family is different and every child is different, so there is no set rule on education that should be applied to everyone. What is best for one kid is disastrous for another.
So, why is it that for the last 10 + years, I've daily thrown my kids to the sharks? (Just a little passive-aggressive humor for those of you who like that sort of thing.)
Many reasons, really. Here are a few:
1) My kids are getting a great education. (With the exception of Tobias's present chemistry class) they have both excelled in virtually every area of academia since Kindergarten.
2) Out of the 44 + teachers that my kids have been taught by, there have only been about three with whom I was less than happy. Even those nameless few weren't horrible, just sort of difficult, but dealing with difficult people is a skill we need to learn in life. The others have been great people who I know care about my kids and they're good at what they do.
3) It keeps us in touch with our community. Obviously there are a lot of ways to do this besides having your kids attend a public school, but it automatically happens when they're going to the same place, day in and day out, investing in the lives of other students and the faculty.
4) (Okay, this one is a bit hard to summarize, but I'll try...) The public school system has allowed my kids a fairly safe place to learn very important life lessons.
Is there bad stuff at my kids' schools? Absolutely!
(Like the time Delaney came home from school with a pentagram on her forehead and said, "Look at what my teacher drew!"
JUST KIDDING! I hope no one fell for that. *hee hee*)
Have my kids always made the best decisions possible when faced with a choice? Absolutely not! But the opportunity to learn these things for themselves is priceless.
For example, when Tobias was in first grade, he buddied up with a kid whom we'll call Roger. After encountering Roger myself, I was less than charmed by the little darling, but didn't see any clear reason as to why I needed to interfere with the relationship. I just stayed aware and prayed. Tobias told me later that Roger liked to intimidate other kids and play unfunny pranks. Tobias knew this wasn't right, but refrained from speaking out against it.
One day, Tobias and Roger were in the bathroom and somehow Roger convinced Tobias it would be funny if Tobias climbed into the trashcan. Tobias did so, but as he was standing waist high in the discarded paper towels of others' post-potty-hand-washing, something clicked in his brain. (Brain clicks are vital!)
This isn't funny. This isn't funny at all.
And I'm the one who put myself here.
Tobias phased out his "friend"ship with Roger and learned a lot about avoiding association with people of less-than-stellar character.
Nine years later the lesson is still sticking. Several weeks ago, Tobias kept referring to a new group of friends at school, but suddenly it stopped. I noticed and asked, "Are you still hanging out with so and so and such and such?"
He paused for just a second and then responded, "No, I cut that off. They weren't good for my relationship with God."
Now, this is not a kid who ever says something to impress or even because he thinks it's the right thing to say. (He speaks his sometimes very critical and brassy mind so freely that I'm sure some hot head is going to punch him in the nose at some point in the future.) Therefore, hearing him utter the above words, I knew they were true...and they thrilled this mother's heart.
It was difficult to refrain from asking a million questions (Why? What were they doing? What did they want you to do?) but I kept my smiling mouth shut other than to say something like, "I'm so glad you could recognize that and that you backed away."
If a kid isn't choosing to do wrong only because they haven't got the opportunity to do so, that's not an act of choosing right. If we choose for our kids all the time then they aren't exercising their own wills which is something they will have to do every day as adults. Yes, they will choose poorly at times and suffer for it. (That's why I've allowed my kids to buy some of the most worthless junk you can imagine--so that they'll at some point realize, "That lame whoopie cushion I spent my whole allowance on only lasted for three ba-gushes!") They need to learn how to make good choices instead of just having good choices made for them.
Having our kids in the schools they've attended has given them lots of opportunities to flex those good-choice-muscles.
(I don't deny that there are probably a lot of things that I don't know about my kids and their doings at school, but I don't need to know everything. God does and if something is of vital importance for Jeff and me to know then God can reveal it to us somehow, and He has on more than one occasion. Then we can pray through making decisions based on that new knowledge.)
5) We want our kids to be aware of what the world is throwing their way so that we can actively counteract it. This is actually in two parts.
First, we want our kids to see the stark contrast between wise living and unwise living. Our kids see on a daily basis that kids who make good decisions and whose parents make good decisions reap good consequences for those actions. They also see the converse of that.
Secondly, we want our kids to hear what theories and belief systems are running through the world so that we can address those ideas with them. They're going to be exposed to those things at some point, so why not now when we can discuss them and hopefully counteract them.
For example, Delaney was recently studying Darwin's theory of evolution in science class. I didn't just tell her, "Oh, don't believe that. It's bad." Rather, I sat with her and looked at different aspects of the theory, explaining why this part over here may be plausible but that part over there isn't and why. Then I asked her questions because I wanted her mind working so that she could own her opinions instead of just regurgitating what has been stuffed into her head by me or anyone else.
Shari wrote about wanting her kids to be critical thinkers. That's something I want for my kids, as well. Of course I'm hopeful that they will arrive at certain conclusions as they think things through (what parent doesn't?), but if they give the answers I want without the conviction of heart to back it up then those aren't genuinely their beliefs anyway.
In summary, I am not committed to public schooling. I am committed to my kids and so far, my husband and I have determined that public school is the best place for them. If at any point we discern that it no longer is, then we will yank them out immediately and figure out the new best for them.
Soooo...what about private schools? Years ago, I substitute taught at a number of private schools. Some of them were places where the kids were getting excellent educations and others were unfunny jokes to which I wouldn't dream of sending my kids or money. Just as every child is different, so is every school.
I hope this looooooong post didn't seem preachy. I'm just sharing my thoughts and experiences for whatever they're worth. :)
I've wanted to broach the topic of options in education here before, but have always chickened out because it's a hot-button issue. However, Shari wrote such a fair-minded, reasonable explanation on why she homeschools, I've been inspired to pen the following as an addendum of sorts (thus the cheesy rip-off of her post's title).
Apparently, I seem like a homeschooler. I don't know if it's my hair style or what, but I can't count the number of times I've been asked, "So, are you still homeschooling?"
"Ummm...actually, I've never homeschooled."
"What? But I thought you..." *mouth agape*
Nope. Never.
Let me clarify--I am NOT anti-homeschooling.
Shari's husband is a cop and the husband of my friend, Diana (another homeschooler) is an ER doctor. Both of them work crazy schedules. If their kids attended traditional schools then they'd pretty much never see their dads. Homeschooling is an excellent choice for them. I get that.
I'm happy to say that both of these moms do a wonderful job of teaching their kids. The kids are well educated, involved in many activities and don't seem weird in any way whatsoever. So, yes, it can be done very well. (Don't be offended if I didn't mention your name. I know a lot of people who do a great job schooling their kids at home.)
So why do people have such strong, often smug (no matter which side they're on), opinions about this topic?
I think it's because we want to be excellent parents. We all want to do well in a slew of areas of our lives, but if there's one thing we really don't want to mess up in, it's raising our kids.
(At my funeral, feel free to declare that I didn't clean my kitchen floor often enough or that I couldn't hand write legibly to save my life, but if anyone says I was a lousy mom, I just might pull the casket lid shut and sob my rotting eyeballs out.)
We can't help but compare ourselves to other parents, so when we see someone doing something drastically differently than us, we want to justify why our way is right. I have to extricate myself all the time from this divisive little trap that is powered by nothing less than yucky old pride.
Education is a HUGE part of our kids' lives, so we want to do it right...but right doesn't always look the same.
Just as Shari sometimes feels disparaged by people who discover she homeschools, I have a few times felt looked down on for not homeschooling, as if I was lazy and not willing to put my kids first. One woman went so far as to say, "Aimee, I think you need to pray more about how to best educate your children."
I pasted on what was (at that moment) a very fake smile and assured her that I had prayed quite a bit about it and believed they were where they ought to be. Grrr...
Every family is different and every child is different, so there is no set rule on education that should be applied to everyone. What is best for one kid is disastrous for another.
So, why is it that for the last 10 + years, I've daily thrown my kids to the sharks? (Just a little passive-aggressive humor for those of you who like that sort of thing.)
Many reasons, really. Here are a few:
1) My kids are getting a great education. (With the exception of Tobias's present chemistry class) they have both excelled in virtually every area of academia since Kindergarten.
2) Out of the 44 + teachers that my kids have been taught by, there have only been about three with whom I was less than happy. Even those nameless few weren't horrible, just sort of difficult, but dealing with difficult people is a skill we need to learn in life. The others have been great people who I know care about my kids and they're good at what they do.
3) It keeps us in touch with our community. Obviously there are a lot of ways to do this besides having your kids attend a public school, but it automatically happens when they're going to the same place, day in and day out, investing in the lives of other students and the faculty.
4) (Okay, this one is a bit hard to summarize, but I'll try...) The public school system has allowed my kids a fairly safe place to learn very important life lessons.
Is there bad stuff at my kids' schools? Absolutely!
(Like the time Delaney came home from school with a pentagram on her forehead and said, "Look at what my teacher drew!"
JUST KIDDING! I hope no one fell for that. *hee hee*)
Have my kids always made the best decisions possible when faced with a choice? Absolutely not! But the opportunity to learn these things for themselves is priceless.
For example, when Tobias was in first grade, he buddied up with a kid whom we'll call Roger. After encountering Roger myself, I was less than charmed by the little darling, but didn't see any clear reason as to why I needed to interfere with the relationship. I just stayed aware and prayed. Tobias told me later that Roger liked to intimidate other kids and play unfunny pranks. Tobias knew this wasn't right, but refrained from speaking out against it.
One day, Tobias and Roger were in the bathroom and somehow Roger convinced Tobias it would be funny if Tobias climbed into the trashcan. Tobias did so, but as he was standing waist high in the discarded paper towels of others' post-potty-hand-washing, something clicked in his brain. (Brain clicks are vital!)
This isn't funny. This isn't funny at all.
And I'm the one who put myself here.
Tobias phased out his "friend"ship with Roger and learned a lot about avoiding association with people of less-than-stellar character.
Nine years later the lesson is still sticking. Several weeks ago, Tobias kept referring to a new group of friends at school, but suddenly it stopped. I noticed and asked, "Are you still hanging out with so and so and such and such?"
He paused for just a second and then responded, "No, I cut that off. They weren't good for my relationship with God."
Now, this is not a kid who ever says something to impress or even because he thinks it's the right thing to say. (He speaks his sometimes very critical and brassy mind so freely that I'm sure some hot head is going to punch him in the nose at some point in the future.) Therefore, hearing him utter the above words, I knew they were true...and they thrilled this mother's heart.
It was difficult to refrain from asking a million questions (Why? What were they doing? What did they want you to do?) but I kept my smiling mouth shut other than to say something like, "I'm so glad you could recognize that and that you backed away."
If a kid isn't choosing to do wrong only because they haven't got the opportunity to do so, that's not an act of choosing right. If we choose for our kids all the time then they aren't exercising their own wills which is something they will have to do every day as adults. Yes, they will choose poorly at times and suffer for it. (That's why I've allowed my kids to buy some of the most worthless junk you can imagine--so that they'll at some point realize, "That lame whoopie cushion I spent my whole allowance on only lasted for three ba-gushes!") They need to learn how to make good choices instead of just having good choices made for them.
Having our kids in the schools they've attended has given them lots of opportunities to flex those good-choice-muscles.
(I don't deny that there are probably a lot of things that I don't know about my kids and their doings at school, but I don't need to know everything. God does and if something is of vital importance for Jeff and me to know then God can reveal it to us somehow, and He has on more than one occasion. Then we can pray through making decisions based on that new knowledge.)
5) We want our kids to be aware of what the world is throwing their way so that we can actively counteract it. This is actually in two parts.
First, we want our kids to see the stark contrast between wise living and unwise living. Our kids see on a daily basis that kids who make good decisions and whose parents make good decisions reap good consequences for those actions. They also see the converse of that.
Secondly, we want our kids to hear what theories and belief systems are running through the world so that we can address those ideas with them. They're going to be exposed to those things at some point, so why not now when we can discuss them and hopefully counteract them.
For example, Delaney was recently studying Darwin's theory of evolution in science class. I didn't just tell her, "Oh, don't believe that. It's bad." Rather, I sat with her and looked at different aspects of the theory, explaining why this part over here may be plausible but that part over there isn't and why. Then I asked her questions because I wanted her mind working so that she could own her opinions instead of just regurgitating what has been stuffed into her head by me or anyone else.
Shari wrote about wanting her kids to be critical thinkers. That's something I want for my kids, as well. Of course I'm hopeful that they will arrive at certain conclusions as they think things through (what parent doesn't?), but if they give the answers I want without the conviction of heart to back it up then those aren't genuinely their beliefs anyway.
In summary, I am not committed to public schooling. I am committed to my kids and so far, my husband and I have determined that public school is the best place for them. If at any point we discern that it no longer is, then we will yank them out immediately and figure out the new best for them.
Soooo...what about private schools? Years ago, I substitute taught at a number of private schools. Some of them were places where the kids were getting excellent educations and others were unfunny jokes to which I wouldn't dream of sending my kids or money. Just as every child is different, so is every school.
I hope this looooooong post didn't seem preachy. I'm just sharing my thoughts and experiences for whatever they're worth. :)
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Making of a Villainess
Hey, sweet girl.
Whatcha drinkin'?
Hold on...
*grabs the can*
What is this???
Delaney! This stuff is dangerous!
Oh, no! What's happening???
WHAT'S GOING ON???
Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooo...
...oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alright, enough silliness. In case you haven't figured it out, Delaney is playing Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty at the local community theater.
I don't know which is weirder, that Delaney is playing the villainess or that Tobias is playing Sleeping Beauty's love interest, the charming Prince Phillip.
I don't think Tobias would appreciate photos of him in his costume being published here, so you'll have to go see the play if you want to see him in his golden sateen cape. Nor will I tell you what he calls said-cape. It is decidedly un-PC. :)
Therefore, please enjoy the following shots from opening night in spite of Tobias's absence from them.
I love the shadow in this one:
Here she is, issuing a malevolent decree to her mindless minions:
Beware, Princess Aurora, for malice is afoot!
Even a nefarious sorceress can enjoy a little post-show, girl-talk with Snow White:
Awww...Daddy's little worker of iniquity:
One of the most amusing things about this whole situation is that Tobias's character ends up slaying Delaney's character. Sibling rivalry in the extreme! The kids laughed and laughed when they found that out.
If you want to come see the play, just contact me privately for the info. It really is a good production. That is, if you don't mind a little cheese, Disney-style. Okay, A LOT of cheese, Disney-style.
(Thanks, Jeff, for designing the Insta-Witch label. Oh, by the way, ladies, if you do get your hands on some Insta-Witch, be sure you limit yourself to just one can a month. ;) )
Whatcha drinkin'?Hold on...
*grabs the can*
What is this???
Delaney! This stuff is dangerous!
Oh, no! What's happening???
WHAT'S GOING ON???
Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooo...
...oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alright, enough silliness. In case you haven't figured it out, Delaney is playing Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty at the local community theater.
I don't know which is weirder, that Delaney is playing the villainess or that Tobias is playing Sleeping Beauty's love interest, the charming Prince Phillip.
I don't think Tobias would appreciate photos of him in his costume being published here, so you'll have to go see the play if you want to see him in his golden sateen cape. Nor will I tell you what he calls said-cape. It is decidedly un-PC. :)
Therefore, please enjoy the following shots from opening night in spite of Tobias's absence from them.
I love the shadow in this one:
Here she is, issuing a malevolent decree to her mindless minions:
Beware, Princess Aurora, for malice is afoot!
Even a nefarious sorceress can enjoy a little post-show, girl-talk with Snow White:
Awww...Daddy's little worker of iniquity:
One of the most amusing things about this whole situation is that Tobias's character ends up slaying Delaney's character. Sibling rivalry in the extreme! The kids laughed and laughed when they found that out.If you want to come see the play, just contact me privately for the info. It really is a good production. That is, if you don't mind a little cheese, Disney-style. Okay, A LOT of cheese, Disney-style.
(Thanks, Jeff, for designing the Insta-Witch label. Oh, by the way, ladies, if you do get your hands on some Insta-Witch, be sure you limit yourself to just one can a month. ;) )
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Crass Commerciality
So I'm on my way out the door and I grab the latest copy of Reader's Digest that just arrived in the mail (in case I'm stuck in my car for some indefinite amount of time waiting for some kid to be done with some activity) and I see this on the back:
Which advertising executive okayed this ploy?
Yuck!
I guess I should be thankful that they didn't photograph the toilet-paper-flecked-butt of a real bear...
Which advertising executive okayed this ploy?
Yuck!
I guess I should be thankful that they didn't photograph the toilet-paper-flecked-butt of a real bear...
Friday, April 1, 2011
Getting What You Want
Hey, ladies--
Here's an idea: Instead of getting angry or hurt that your man didn't get you anything for your birthday or anniversary (or maybe he DID get you something but it's a far cry from what you'd like), follow this plan--
1) Decide what you want.
2) Three weeks before the big day (gotta give him time to make it happen), tell him what it is, where to get it, how much it'll cost, etc. In other words, SPELL IT OUT FOR HIM.
3) Joyously receive your gift with nary a word of negativity about how you made it super easy for him.
It's a win-win, really. He knows he's giving you something you genuinely want and you get something you truly like.
It works. :)
(I even bookmarked it on the computer.)
Disappointed that you need to walk him through the whole process? That he doesn't know you so well that words are unnecessary?
Give the guy a break. We don't always give our husbands what they want without being encouraged. I mean, when's the last time you greeted him at the front door in lingerie?
If it was recently, I applaud you.
Here's an idea: Instead of getting angry or hurt that your man didn't get you anything for your birthday or anniversary (or maybe he DID get you something but it's a far cry from what you'd like), follow this plan--
1) Decide what you want.
2) Three weeks before the big day (gotta give him time to make it happen), tell him what it is, where to get it, how much it'll cost, etc. In other words, SPELL IT OUT FOR HIM.
3) Joyously receive your gift with nary a word of negativity about how you made it super easy for him.
It's a win-win, really. He knows he's giving you something you genuinely want and you get something you truly like.
It works. :)
(I even bookmarked it on the computer.)
Disappointed that you need to walk him through the whole process? That he doesn't know you so well that words are unnecessary?
Give the guy a break. We don't always give our husbands what they want without being encouraged. I mean, when's the last time you greeted him at the front door in lingerie?
If it was recently, I applaud you.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Confession
Hello there.
I have a confession to make.
You know that whole surprise-summer-vacation-thing that I do for my family every year and that tons of you have told me you love reading about because you enjoy being surprised too?
Well, we're not going to do it this summer.
No, no, please don't cry.
You see, the reason we're not going to do it this summer is because...
...we did it over Spring Break instead!
That's right! Any anticipation that you felt building up over the issue is about to dissipate. Any curiosity shall now be quelled.
Why did we do it now instead of later? A combination of reasons, really. First of all, it's difficult for Jeff to get time off of work in July and August because that's when everyone wants time off. Also, between the kids having summer camps, Tobias wanting to go on a mission trip and have a job, it looked like it might be difficult for us to all have a week together when we could go.
Thus...the timing.
There was one other difference this year about the whole surprise trip: Jeff knew the "where", or at least one of them. Although most years, neither he nor the kids have any idea where we're going, how we're getting there, who we'll see or what we're going to do, there was some reason (which I can't even remember now!) that I felt compelled to discuss the destination with him a few months back when I bought the tickets.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you this year's surprise vacation:
Read the next post, silly. :)
I have a confession to make.
You know that whole surprise-summer-vacation-thing that I do for my family every year and that tons of you have told me you love reading about because you enjoy being surprised too?
Well, we're not going to do it this summer.
No, no, please don't cry.
You see, the reason we're not going to do it this summer is because...
...we did it over Spring Break instead!
That's right! Any anticipation that you felt building up over the issue is about to dissipate. Any curiosity shall now be quelled.
Why did we do it now instead of later? A combination of reasons, really. First of all, it's difficult for Jeff to get time off of work in July and August because that's when everyone wants time off. Also, between the kids having summer camps, Tobias wanting to go on a mission trip and have a job, it looked like it might be difficult for us to all have a week together when we could go.
Thus...the timing.
There was one other difference this year about the whole surprise trip: Jeff knew the "where", or at least one of them. Although most years, neither he nor the kids have any idea where we're going, how we're getting there, who we'll see or what we're going to do, there was some reason (which I can't even remember now!) that I felt compelled to discuss the destination with him a few months back when I bought the tickets.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you this year's surprise vacation:
Read the next post, silly. :)
Day 1
Here's our yearly we're-about-to-pull-out-of-the-garage-and-begin-our-merry-tale shot:
The very first stop we made was not by my choice.
If you don't know how I feel about doughnuts, click HERE.
The kids did not share my hesitation at beginning the day with such confections.
Chunky waistlines and jiggling thighs come in all shapes and sizes:
The first one's free:
Once those empty calories were consumed and on their way to fortify our lipid cells (and yes, I did have several bites), we set out for the long term airport parking.
In the past, this has meant either one of two things to my waiting-to-be-surprised family: A) We're about to get on a plane or B) We're going to park our car, go rent another car to drive somewhere and then fly back home.
This time around the kids had no idea which of the two was the case as they rode on the shuttle to the terminal.
I LOVE these quadruplets. Aren't they handsome?
Air time:
The following shot wasn't actually taken on this trip, but it's just too cool to not include with all of these from-the-air pics. Have you ever seen an aerial of Yosemite?
Well, now you have. That's the backside of El Capitan in the high center and Half-Dome to the left of the center.
Once we landed in WASHINGTON (that was the big reveal in case you didn't catch it) we headed straight for the first of MANY beauty spots.
I know it's hard to believe, but this place is within city limits. Amazing, no?
Suddenly, something began to pull at our stomach-strings, so we heeded the call and went to...
Does that say Man Pies? Why, yes it does.
This, my friends...
...is a Man Pie, a seasoned veggie Man Pie to be precise.
In England, savory pies are a staple food. Some guy wanted to bring the delectable experience to the great northwest so he opened Man Pies, and we are so glad he did. To this date, I've tried the lamb, roast chicken, beef and veggie and they are all excellent, especially the chicken and veggie.
The fillings are delightfully filling and the crust is scrumptious.
It seems that only cute girls work there. After Tobias's first visit, he concurred.
Here's a pretty young woman with a pie:
Here's another one who is actually in the process of making a pie:
She fills pastry with an undeniable eclat that few could muster.
Mm, mm, mm...I heart Man Pies.
That evening saw us visiting with our Washingtonian friends who prefer to remain unnamed.
My kids were invited to join their daughters (henceforth known as: the Elder and the Younger) at a martial arts class that night. Delaney declined, but Tobias donned his most appropriate garments and got ready to sweat.
I know he looks like Harry Potter casting a spell, but it really was a martial arts move.
He also got to step into a harness with the help of the Elder and attempt a back flip:
A full day, no? We slept well which was good because we needed lots of rest for Day 2.
The very first stop we made was not by my choice.
If you don't know how I feel about doughnuts, click HERE.
The kids did not share my hesitation at beginning the day with such confections.
Chunky waistlines and jiggling thighs come in all shapes and sizes:
The first one's free:
Once those empty calories were consumed and on their way to fortify our lipid cells (and yes, I did have several bites), we set out for the long term airport parking.In the past, this has meant either one of two things to my waiting-to-be-surprised family: A) We're about to get on a plane or B) We're going to park our car, go rent another car to drive somewhere and then fly back home.
This time around the kids had no idea which of the two was the case as they rode on the shuttle to the terminal.
I LOVE these quadruplets. Aren't they handsome?
Air time:
The following shot wasn't actually taken on this trip, but it's just too cool to not include with all of these from-the-air pics. Have you ever seen an aerial of Yosemite?
Well, now you have. That's the backside of El Capitan in the high center and Half-Dome to the left of the center.Once we landed in WASHINGTON (that was the big reveal in case you didn't catch it) we headed straight for the first of MANY beauty spots.
I know it's hard to believe, but this place is within city limits. Amazing, no?
Suddenly, something began to pull at our stomach-strings, so we heeded the call and went to...
Does that say Man Pies? Why, yes it does.This, my friends...
...is a Man Pie, a seasoned veggie Man Pie to be precise.
In England, savory pies are a staple food. Some guy wanted to bring the delectable experience to the great northwest so he opened Man Pies, and we are so glad he did. To this date, I've tried the lamb, roast chicken, beef and veggie and they are all excellent, especially the chicken and veggie.
The fillings are delightfully filling and the crust is scrumptious.
It seems that only cute girls work there. After Tobias's first visit, he concurred.
Here's a pretty young woman with a pie:
Here's another one who is actually in the process of making a pie:
She fills pastry with an undeniable eclat that few could muster.
Mm, mm, mm...I heart Man Pies.
That evening saw us visiting with our Washingtonian friends who prefer to remain unnamed.
My kids were invited to join their daughters (henceforth known as: the Elder and the Younger) at a martial arts class that night. Delaney declined, but Tobias donned his most appropriate garments and got ready to sweat.
I know he looks like Harry Potter casting a spell, but it really was a martial arts move.
He also got to step into a harness with the help of the Elder and attempt a back flip:
A full day, no? We slept well which was good because we needed lots of rest for Day 2.
Day 2
Our second day started quite early because we had a border to cross...
...and a ferry to catch.
The ferry is an amazing form of transportation. Somehow, those cagey Canadians figured out a way to pack hundreds of cars onto one ship.
Our passage took about an hour and a half, so we left our car down below and got comfortable on the cushy passenger deck:
We took the time to go out on the open deck and feel the invigorating (AKA freezing) wind:
Okay, geography lesson time: Just as the country of the United States has states, the country of Canada has provinces. We drove from the U.S. state of Washington into the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Canadian city called Vancouver (not to be confused with the U.S. city of Vancouver in Washington) in British Columbia is on the mainland, but there is an island which is also part of British Columbia that is called Vancouver Island.
That island was our destination.
Once we landed there we drove to a place that my grandmother (remember Pretty Hazel?) said was the most beautiful place she had ever been.
I won't regale you with the 1oo year old history of this place. I'll just show you the pics we took:
I love me some trees:
...and some flowers:
...and some other plants, too:
Doesn't that second one look like a tree of rabbit feet?
What a crazy looking hedge, huh?
My little beauty amongst the beauty:
My family was particularly impressed with this fountain. If you look closely, you'll see the boar is "drooling":
We actually visited the Butchart Gardens a bit early in the year. When Spring has thoroughly invaded the place it is bursting with color, but I wasn't disappointed. As you can see, it was gorgeous enough.
When we had had our fill of flora for the day, we continued south to the city of Victoria where we would be spending the night.
I'm not much of one for cities but I must say that Victoria is probably the nicest city I've ever visited. It is beautiful, clean, easy to investigate, safe and the people are friendly.
This is the famous Empress Hotel:
...and these are the parliament buildings:
One funny thing about Canada are the "washrooms":
I guess it actually makes more sense than when we Americans refer to them as "restrooms" or "bathrooms" since we visit them neither to rest nor bathe. You truly do "wash" in them...or at least you should.
And, yes, we heard a lot of people ending sentences with "ay?". I chuckled every time which probably didn't do much for international relations.
I had to include this picture Jeff took at dinner because it's one of the very few in which Tobias is actually smiling!
One less-than-stellar thing about Canada were the portion sizes. Behold:
Although the above meal was positively delicious, I left the restaurant quite hungry. (I think they gave me more tartar sauce than coleslaw.) I consoled myself with the promise of a few bites of an ice cream covered Belgian delight, but once we walked back to a place we'd spied earlier called Wanna Waffle? we saw that they were closed! But we wanna waffle! It was only about 6:15 pm! What was going on? It was like the Canadians were conspiring to keep us from gaining weight on vacation.
Honestly though, there must be something to their eating habits because I didn't see any obese people anywhere. Seriously. Us gluttonous Americans could learn a thing or two from our neighbors to the north.
A few times, Jeff has been told that he bears a recognizable likeness to Bert. Here they are, together at last:
A funny phenomenon I've noticed in motels, both Canadian and American, is the tendency for the interior decorators to put two copies of the same print up in one room.
I guess they get a good deal on a piece and just go with it. I had to wonder if every single room in the motel had two copies of this print in them. Depending on the size of the place, that could be about 1000 copies!
No, I didn't lose sleep over it. I just fell asleep to the sounds of The First 48 Hours which Jeff was watching.
...and a ferry to catch.
The ferry is an amazing form of transportation. Somehow, those cagey Canadians figured out a way to pack hundreds of cars onto one ship.
Our passage took about an hour and a half, so we left our car down below and got comfortable on the cushy passenger deck:
We took the time to go out on the open deck and feel the invigorating (AKA freezing) wind:
Okay, geography lesson time: Just as the country of the United States has states, the country of Canada has provinces. We drove from the U.S. state of Washington into the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Canadian city called Vancouver (not to be confused with the U.S. city of Vancouver in Washington) in British Columbia is on the mainland, but there is an island which is also part of British Columbia that is called Vancouver Island.
That island was our destination.
Once we landed there we drove to a place that my grandmother (remember Pretty Hazel?) said was the most beautiful place she had ever been.
I won't regale you with the 1oo year old history of this place. I'll just show you the pics we took:
I love me some trees:
...and some flowers:
...and some other plants, too:
Doesn't that second one look like a tree of rabbit feet?
What a crazy looking hedge, huh?My little beauty amongst the beauty:
My family was particularly impressed with this fountain. If you look closely, you'll see the boar is "drooling":
We actually visited the Butchart Gardens a bit early in the year. When Spring has thoroughly invaded the place it is bursting with color, but I wasn't disappointed. As you can see, it was gorgeous enough.When we had had our fill of flora for the day, we continued south to the city of Victoria where we would be spending the night.
I'm not much of one for cities but I must say that Victoria is probably the nicest city I've ever visited. It is beautiful, clean, easy to investigate, safe and the people are friendly.
This is the famous Empress Hotel:
...and these are the parliament buildings:
One funny thing about Canada are the "washrooms":
I guess it actually makes more sense than when we Americans refer to them as "restrooms" or "bathrooms" since we visit them neither to rest nor bathe. You truly do "wash" in them...or at least you should.
And, yes, we heard a lot of people ending sentences with "ay?". I chuckled every time which probably didn't do much for international relations.
I had to include this picture Jeff took at dinner because it's one of the very few in which Tobias is actually smiling!
One less-than-stellar thing about Canada were the portion sizes. Behold:
Although the above meal was positively delicious, I left the restaurant quite hungry. (I think they gave me more tartar sauce than coleslaw.) I consoled myself with the promise of a few bites of an ice cream covered Belgian delight, but once we walked back to a place we'd spied earlier called Wanna Waffle? we saw that they were closed! But we wanna waffle! It was only about 6:15 pm! What was going on? It was like the Canadians were conspiring to keep us from gaining weight on vacation.
Honestly though, there must be something to their eating habits because I didn't see any obese people anywhere. Seriously. Us gluttonous Americans could learn a thing or two from our neighbors to the north.
A few times, Jeff has been told that he bears a recognizable likeness to Bert. Here they are, together at last:
A funny phenomenon I've noticed in motels, both Canadian and American, is the tendency for the interior decorators to put two copies of the same print up in one room.
I guess they get a good deal on a piece and just go with it. I had to wonder if every single room in the motel had two copies of this print in them. Depending on the size of the place, that could be about 1000 copies!
No, I didn't lose sleep over it. I just fell asleep to the sounds of The First 48 Hours which Jeff was watching.
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