Violin Practice

Kobi is learning a new song in violin.
We made it past Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!

I am amazed with Kobi's concentration with
Anan in the background.

Anan's new favorite book.
From Uncle Kevin and Aunt Bethy.
Christmas 2008

Kevin and Beth came to visit for a couple of days.
They flew up on Wednesday with a dreaded 9 hour
layover in Juneau. This would have got them here at 11pm.
Pete looked into our local small plane company who informed
him they just happened to have a plane in Juneau. Within an
hour they were on a flight with just the pilot and them to Sitka.
The skies were clear wintery blue and the mountains capped with snow.
They arrived at 3pm and shaved 8 hours off the layover.

We ate some good food, went on walks, read at the library
stared at the kids, chopped wood -and toe-, faced our addiction
to sugar and then said good bye. As always, the time is not long enough.

Kobi figured out how to hoop. We can almost
join the circus with this talent.

This was the last day for the Trampoline in
2008. It was a dry day, so the kids jumped
and then we took it apart to store for the
winter.

We got it free this summer from a
friend whose teenage kid outgrew it. I don't
know how we lived without it before.

The summer was very wet and rainy so
sometimes we would jump in our wetsuits
or bathing suits. Anan always preferred to
be naked, even in 40 degree weather at the
end of November.
Yikes kid! However, refreshing...

Anan is excavating the river bank.
He sat here for 45 minutes digging.
I tried to bribe him to move with hot chocolate and
oreo cookies. He was just out of sight down here. Upriver about 25ft.
there was clearly a bear dining room with old fish carcasses everywhere.
He wouldn't budge, even with the bribes.

The kids and I participated in the
International Coastal Clean-up day.
Every year on September 20th groups gather to clean up
ocean, river and lake coasts.
This year was the first time Sitka participated.
We and 19 other people spent time on Razor Clam beach on Kruzof.
(For you locals, around the corner from Brent's Beach.)
Kobi is standing on about 1/3 of the pile collected.
Among the debris was two mini refrigerators,
buoys, tons of Styrofoam, a bazillion plastic bottles, tarps, and carpet.
Nasty.

Kobi picked up a lot of garbage. Anan picked up some, but he spent a lot
of time laying on his belly in the black sand. The sun came out off and on,
and not a drop of rain fell from the sky. It was great.

Kobi Scissor Mouth

WATCH HIS MOUTH.

Paddle Boarding
Summer 2008

Trampoline Jumping in a Rain Forrest

Kobi and Pete just got out of the ocean from
paddle boarding. A day of,
if you can't beat the rain, join it.

This is Kobi's Kindergarten Teacher,
Mrs. Loomis.
She's very inclusive of our participation.
Anan and I parent helped the other day.
Today we brought pluots, kiwis and almonds
for the classroom snack.

This is how Anan spends his time
when Kobi is at school.

We rode our bikes to the HPR Rec for
Esther's birthday party this summer.
Kobi is the happiest on his bike,
peddling on his own, long distances.

An day at the beach.
Sea Lion Cove, Kruzof Island

First day of school with buddy Fiona.

I Wanna Be a Cowboy

These are old pictures from the spring.
We picnicked on Kruzof Island at the end of March.
It snowed, sleeted, rained and finally the sun
came out for a 1/2 hour before heading home.
Both kids fell asleep on the way back.

In May we celebrated Uncle Kevin, Kobi and Anan's Birthdays.
Kevin and Beth came up for a long weekend.

Two Thumbs Up!
Kobi participated in his first triathlon at the age of 4...
six days before turning 5.
He was the youngest ever participate in the kids category.
The kids distance consists of a
2 mile run, 5 mile bike, and 500 yd swim!
Kevin rode a bike next to him for both metal and physical safety.
Way to go little buddy!
I think he takes after his Papa.
But, he wants me to include the message
"but Papa didn't win."

Anan counting his herring catch. We went fishing for bait with a throw net and caught bagfuls of fish. Anan was pretty interested in studying them. Kobi just played on the rocks and then went to our friend Anne's house to cook with her. Maybe Anan will be the fisherman.
If you listen closely, Anan says "Hi Fish..."

Just some pictures to share.

Winter Warming session on Joshua Tree National Monument Rocks.

There is nothing better than dry desert beneath our feet in the middle of January.

Well, there is one thing better than desert in January, it is visiting with
Great Grandma Bee and Great Grandpa Quinton.

...and eating ice cream with them.

Spaceman Spiff and his sidekick Sven.
Watching the snowy road get plowed.

Smash Face & Brother

If you turn your volume up you can hear Annan's belly laugh.

Smash Face

More Pictures.

Kobi was actually trying to help me get Annan to sleep.
It didn't work.

Ready for Swimming.
We asked him if he was okay, he said "Yeah."
"Do you want me to take it off," I asked "No."

New Years Day Hike up Verstovia mountain. 2008

I CAN!