Easter weekend 2012

Roadtripping, plugged in. Heading East to Palm Desert with a traditional rest stop at Del Taco.

After cautiously sitting on the steps of the pool at Granny's house the first day and a half, Felix was coaxed into getting all the way into the water by Ella and now he's jumping in by himself. He first plunged in while he was sitting on a blue floating chair which was perched on the edge. Ella was using it as a water slide, then he wanted to try and he slid right in underwater. After he came up and recovered from the shock, he realized it was actually quite fun, and then we couldn't keep him out. He came running up to me, shaking with excitement, saying "You know what makes me special? I can jump all the way into the water now!" The security of having goggles also helps, of course.

Felix: "You're a good sister!"

We had brunch with Grandpa at the del (Sherman's Deli).

When we got back, Julie, Rachel and baby Molly were there too! We drove back to see them again the following day so we could get to know the famous and adorable Molly a bit better, before they had to leave.

 Getting ready to try some mashed banana! What a photogenic baby.

Felix had to act like the monkey he is and climb the Meyer lemon tree (no lemons this time of year).

On Saturday evening, Granny & the kids dyed boiled eggs which Ella was an old hand at because she'd done it at school every year, but Felix had never done before. It was a bit confusing for him, he had only ever seen candy-filled eggs before and he asked, "Oh so this is where the plastic eggs come from?" Sunday morning, the kids swam in the pool again and then did the egg hunt (both "real" and plastic) and afterwards, we had a delicious brunch (I got the dress that Ella has on at the consignment sale!).

Halloween 2011

Felix and Ella went to their school's Halloween Carnival dressed as an 80s Girl and Spiderman, and on Halloween night went trick or treating as Bumble Bee (Transformers) and Minnie Mouse.

Good Halloween for them! They ended up with something like five pounds of candy!

Felix Dance Show

Here is Felix performing four songs in the end-of-school-year dance presentation. He was focused and super energetic.



This video is about 6 1/2 minutes long. The songs are:
- I Gotta Feeling
- Baby, Baby
- Calle Ocho
- Born This Way
If you REALLY liked it and want to see more, the full-length 15-minute version is here: http://youtu.be/Wk6TjUbjdGA

Broccoli

Felix wanted me to make a movie of him eating broccoli. It is his favorite, the way Jim makes it: sautéed in a little soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. He is smacking his lips on purpose, for sound effect.

Kids Being Kids

Just a couple of video of the kids, doing what they do.

One Saturday, I was playing some records (yes, the ones made of vinyl) and the kids started dancing to Willie Nelson's "You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)":



Last weekend I made a tree swing for Felix made of a wooden dowel I got cheap at the hardware store and some strong nylon rope, and he immediately went to town on it:



That's all.

Just a couple of monkeys

When I tell you the kids have been climbing the walls, I'm not kidding.

It's the first time that Felix is able to do to this; you can see that he is super proud of himself.

Opa Hartogh would be proud. :)

Happy 4 1/2 Felix!!!

A little bit late, sorry. Had done this as a draft and forgot to post it. Felix was SUPER happy to be 4 1/2 years old finally! His 1/2 birthday present was a new Spider-Man bike helmet and a Batman shirt with cape.

And here they are, clean and shiny after their bath, in their new towels (Spider-Man and Hello Kitty of course) and wearing my turbi-twists.