December 2015

In which Mimi and Boppa come calling, Darth Maul guards the tree, stuffed animals are enumerated, Aunt Lolo shows Alice make-up, and much sitting and reading takes place.

November 2015

In which we visit family in Portland (including new cousin/niece Lucy), Nathan makes pancakes in San Francisco, Nanna and Dar Dar come for Thanksgiving, and Alice get's a tree in her room.

October 2015

In which Nathan makes a woodcut print, Gryphon and Alice paint skeletons, Uncle Butch comes for a visit, Alice turns five, Gryphon goes to the barber, Alice gets tubes in her eardrums, and the Alexanders visit on Halloween.

Here's Laura's birthday video

September 2015

In which Zach and Sal come to visit, first grade and preschool start up, we add a fence for a new garden, Gryphon tries gymnastics, we take a first trip to Disneyland, Gryphon postpones homework until the plane ride home, Alice tries ballet, vegetables grow.

August 2015

July 2015

La Push reunion 2015

June 2015

May 2015

Alice is a bagel fan.

The kids helped me with some visuals for a video series for PBS Parents.
 
We made some pancakes outside
 
Gryphon set up his carrot garden
 
Alice is interested in writing because she sees Gryphon doing it.  This message took about 20 minutes to create:
 

We tried to keep track of the vegetables coming out of the garden this year.  It was tough.
 
 
   

Meowmers got sick (we suspect songbird fever) and used up another of his lives. We doubt he has many left. 
  
 
The kids had fun at a luau across the street.

Here’s how the workshop looks – I added a wood rack.  And a second table saw, for some reason.



On the 18th we did a short hike to a hidden cove near Striped Peak.
 
 
 

 
  


For being good hikers, the kids got to play on the playground and go to the bookstore.


“What’s that book about, Gryphon?” “World War 2.” “I see.”  We finished the day at the Thai restaurant.
 
 
Gryphon had a great year in first grade with Mrs. Peterson.
 
I went to New York again to make pancakes, this time for Nickelodeon.  I met some nice people, and even ran into someone I knew from America’s Got Talent.
 
 
From there it was a short jump to Boston, where I found the art museum was offering free admission for Memorial Day.  I quickly located the musical instruments and Hokusai woodcut exhibits.
 
A friend invited me to dinner and to meet his new baby.
 
The shoot went well – it was a promo for AMC (part 1)(part 2).  Upon returning home, I was playing “Don’t Try to Escape” with Alice, accidently tripped her, and she hit her eyebrow on some molding in our living room.  She ended up with five stitches but was pretty tough about it.
    
 


Nanna and Dar Dar came for a visit at the end of the month.  We looked for four-leaf clovers, planted Christmas trees, and hung out at the beach at the mouth of the Elwha river.




 
Dar Dar removed Alice’s stitches under Meowmers’ supervision, then bestowed a unicorn horn on Lullaby (the horse formerly known as Thunder Browns).


We’re adding a fenced garden between the house and the garage, to keep various animals in their proper places.