Fun day at the Children's Museum

Had a really fun time this morning/afternoon playing at the Childrens' Museum. Here are some pictures:


Gid the fireman


Boys driving the firetruck


One of my all time favorite pictures!



The postman is a person in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your nei-bor-hood!



A person that you meet each day!


The mailman taking a ride on the bus that is being driven by the fire chief


Building a house

MLK Day of Service

I really love that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has taken on this spirit of service and volunteerism within our communities. What better way to remember the life and memory of such an incredible individual, who fought so hard and so courageously for freedom, for goodness, and for love toward one another? His quote of "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" is what, I believe, inspired and brought about the idea of honoring this holiday by going out and doing some sort of service.

Anyway, for MLK Day, we went out and did some service in our community. It was great. It felt so good to be with like-minded people who had taken their "day off" to do something good. We helped pull out weeds and invasive plants at a restoration site near Discovery Park. I met some really, really neat people and made some neat connections too!

I started this nature preschool thing for Jasper and Gid and a group of their friends back in the fall. Well, some of these people at this service project want to help teach the kiddos! It's so neat! I'm really excited about. They want us to come out to some of their restoration sites and show us around and teach us about the birds and animals that live there. One of the ladies just emailed me and said she wants the kids to come to backyard where they'll have a good view of some heron nests and she'll even feed them a snack! Isn't that the most heart warming, sweetest thing ever! It brought tears to my eyes.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is this idea of reaching out to others, and when you do others reach out to you. I really believe Martin Luther King Jr. wanted us to see people for people and to love one another. He is such an example of Christ to me. That's exactly what Christ taught us while he was on earth too. We spend way, way, way too much time just thinking about ourselves. Seriously. I think the #1 problem with the world is people not reaching out and trying to do something good for someone else. So, thank you Martin Luther King Jr. for helping me get out and do something good for someone else!

Snow and Trains

We had a fun Saturday today. Rob had a basketball and I took the boys to watch. This wasn't my favorite part of the day because Gideon was screaming/crying for Rob almost the entire time... He kept saying "basketball, daddy? Basketball, daddy?" Regardless, it was fun to watch Rob play. After the game, the boys ran onto the court and threw the ball around with Rob. That part was good.

After the basketball game, we got some delicious brunch at the Grand Central Baking company and then headed down to Seward Park for a special family activity called the Science of Snow. It was great. The kids did a couple of craft projects and read some books about winter. There is also a brand new playground at Seward park which Jasper and Gid loved!







Afterward, we drove to the Pacific Science Center for the 37th annual model train show. It was the best train show I've ever been to! Every single exhibit hall had model trains set up. Rob, the boys, and I could spend all day staring at those tiny scenes they set up along the tracks of people sitting on their farmhouse porch, a little person looking under the roof of their car, an outhouse, railroad stations with crowds of people, junkyards, a motorcycle gang outside a pub, etc. They take so much time to make. These old guys who make these models and run these shows are so interesting to talk to. They are in a little word of their own. This one guy has his son totally hooked on it too and they had this huge model train they had assembled together. This train show had a few tables that the kids got to operate, which was really great for Gid and Jasper. The best part, by far, though, was the playmobile train exhibit they set up. It was really, really neat.

Jasper the Sunbeam

Jasper started primary this year! In our church there are different classes for children depending on their age. The "babies" have a nursery class which is pretty much playtime, with a snack, a short lesson, and music time. If a child is 3 come January 1, then he/she moves up to Primary which is much more structured and focused. The first primary class is Sunbeams. Jasper is in a class with two other adorable little girls named Dot and Sydney and two really nice teachers. I'm so glad he has a small class and he won't be getting away with any mischief ;) He did really well last week from what the other leaders and teachers told me. Yay Jasper!!! Our church is now from 1 pm to 4 pm. It is during that time frame that Jasper and Gid take a nap each day (usually from 1:30-3:00), so I've been super nervous about Jasper starting primary and being able to focus and behave. Let's hope and pray that he does well tomorrow!!

Here are a couple of pictures I took of Jasper on his first day of primary: