Post-school Afternoon

What to do with the kiddos after a stimulating morning at preschool followed by no nap? Take them over to the neighborhood farm and let them be entertained by something other than irritating one another. We even managed to score a bit of time without the heavy rainfall...not that rain would've kept me from forcing encouraging them to go outside.

A Day in the Backyard...

being quite serious. Why my children rarely smile for the camera is beyond me. Suggestions?

Anders looking serious.



Jorja looking serious -- understandably, I suppose.

Back to the Roots...

of eating. Anders, Jorja, Isaiah, Grace, Joy, and I headed over to one of Western Washington's awesome, organic farms. The kiddos were even "enrolled" in a Farm Tots class. While the little ones were busy harassing the farm animals, climbing stacks of hay, and refusing to eat lunch I went shopping and walked away with an assortment of edible goodies -- peaches, pluots, tomatoes, spinach, basil, and decorative gourds.

Anders making friends, via food, with one of the pygmy goats.



Grace, Isaiah, and Anders inundating the food pellet machine -- if only they had a quarter.



Is this pygmy goat smiling? Maybe Jorja's entertaining her with an array of facial expressions, or singing, or...?



In midst of their first wagon hayride...



with a stylish 1950's tractor pulling strong.



Scarecrow explorations...and undressing.



Jorja and the gourd she selected.

Outside Pottying

Jorja prepping to potty outside.



Jorja feelin' proud of her accomplishments.

Trail Walkin'

This past Saturday found us about 90 minutes (60 minutes of driving + 30 minutes of pottying) south of home. We decided to spend the drizzly day tromping and tramming around a 724-acre park with lakes, trails, meadows, and animals galore. Other than a few special parenting moments on the hour long tram ride that carted us through a section of the park where an assortment of large mammals roam, it was a fantastic day. (i.e. Jorja thrusting herself against the bus window while screaming "No bus, no bus, no bus", Anders witnessing three bison defecating and continuing to talk loudly about "Poop, poo, poop, poo" for a solid 5 minutes, Jorja requesting to use the Bjorn travel potty in the bus, and Anders eating food bitlets off the floor of the bus.)

Poolside

Gailyn, the kiddos, and I have been hangin' out poolside in the backyard for the last month or so. "Poolside" involves one of those under $10, plastic, aquatic themed pools you can purchase at any major Target-type store. More recently, we've incorporated a variety of sprinklers and hoses.

Now all we need are fruity, alcoholic drinks with umbrellas and monkeys in 'em.

Festivities

Anders and Jorja are 2! Two! But before I get ahead of myself with the whole Anders and Jorja's 2nd B-day Bash topic, I want to share a few pics from our adventures last weekend. In the span of two days, the kiddos marched in a parade, acquired a set of tattoos, bounced in a large, inflatable castle, and rode Thomas the Train.

On Saturday, Anders, Jorja, Tasya, Scout and I met Gailyn and her Tae Kwon Do troupe. We snuck in as parade participants -- despite our lack of proper Tae Kwon Do garb.

On our way to the parade staging area -- where we spent a good 45 minutes waiting and waiting and waiting...for our marching debut.



Scout smiling (or something along those lines) in anticipation of her first parade participant experience.



Anders, with a mouth full of mango, relaxing in the wagon.



Jorja, also with a mouth full of mango, ready to roll.



Gailyn taking a moment to hang with the kiddos.



On Sunday, Gailyn, Anders, Jorja, Tiff, Joe, Jackson, Brain, Cashell and I headed to a Day Out with Thomas the Train adventure. 3 adults vs. 6 children (ages 6, 3, 2, 2, 20 months, and 3 months). All of that with 0 strollers. Whew.

Anders and his first tattoo.



Jorja and her first tattoo.



On the train: Gailyn, Jorja, Jackson, and Joe. Off the train: Me, Tiff, Anders, Brian, and Cashell. There were so many of us we had to ride this train in two installments.

Park Time

Gailyn, Anders, Jorja, Chloe, and I headed over to our just down the street park this morning -- a park in progress since June of 2008 -- but an expansive, exciting space that borders our neighborhood organic farm none-the-less.

Jorja and Chloe lookin' vaguely similar.



Lovin' Jorja.



Gailyn teaching Anders the ins and outs of the Chuckit! ball thrower.



Anders putting these ins and outs to use.



Inspecting (and eventually caving in) an ant-hill. Pay no attention to my hair.



The clan on their way to mowing over the photographer (that would be me).

What to do in 90+ Degree Weather?

I don't know about the rest of you, but here's what Anders and Jorja do.

Chew on drum sticks while standing on the drum.





Perfect rock-star facial expressions while pounding on the drum as HARD as possible.



Perfect rock-star hairdos while pounding on the drum as HARD as possible.



Dance on the dining room table.

Running on Dirt

Memorial Day weekend found the Perrin Clan in Portland for an extended visit with family and friends. Despite waking up at 5:30am, rarely napping, and refusing to eat vegetables and most fruit, the kiddos managed to enjoy several outings -- including a venture to Forest Park to manage my cheering squad as I (along with Annie, Denni, and Kari) participated in a 10k trail run. I'm not sure which I appreciated more -- the peacefulness of the forested trails or the stories about the kiddos zooming around (i.e. picking-up the course cones, climbing up and over picnic tables, engaging in "big kid" Frisbee play, etc.) while waiting for me to hurry up and finish.

Where's Mama?



Mama coming in First! (Alright, not first, but a close 33rd or whatever the website results claimed...)



Post-race weight lifting.