Book Worm

I love our library days...it's always so quite around the house when we get home.

The Julius Jaguars

Baseball season has officially started!  This year Timo is playing for the SF Park & Rec, the Julius Jaguars, which is AMAZING!  Last year he played on his school's teeball team and had a private coaching system.  That was great for his first year but little parent involvement and seemed more about socializing than the kids.  But this year, with Parks & Rec, it's 99% parent involvement and so much fun!  I don't have that many pictures from the first game because I was so busy!

Young was the first base coach and I was in the batting dugout keeping batters in order, fitting with batting helmets and bats and making sure there was a little batter at home plate after each play.  Young got these pics of Timo playing first base while he was being the first base coach.

I was so nervous about Timo's first "up to bat", afraid he wouldn't be able to hit the coach pitched ball.  It's his first year for pitch ball, he just squeaked in for his age and is the youngest on the team.  But he hit the ball on the 3rd pitch!  So proud of him!!  The mom I was working with in the batting area was so nervous for her son too so it's nice to know I'm not alone!  I love getting to know the other parents and how we all pull together to make the games and practices happen.  And the cheering is out of control, ha, ha!  Here is Timo on 3rd base about to run home...that's about all the action play I got that day but it was a great game.

The game is somewhat like Teeball in that everyone gets a chance to hit, there are no outs and they only play 3 innings...but it takes along time to play 3 long innings.  I love their coach, Coach Logan, how he gathers them together, makes the yell "Go Jaguars...Grrrr!" (imagine growling like a jaguar) and teaching good sportsmanship.  We're looking forward to our season ahead with the Julius Jaguars!

The Parks & Rec have a huge Opening Day celebartion that we missed this year, but we're marking our calenders for next year. It's a big party/picnic, team photos and an Opening Day Parade of all the teams! The parade only is worth saving the date...I already can't wait till next year!

Coit Tower

Timo has been asking to go to Coit Tower for a while now. We see it from several different views of the city and he has always wanted to go to the top and, in his words, "see the whole world!" So we had an afternoon free one Saturday and decided to play the tourist and head to Coit Tower.

I had been preparing them for the long climb to the top...lots of stairs, only big kids can do it, you need strong strong legs, etc.  Both Tim and Cameron were ready for the challenge.  We get there and the only way to the top is by elevator!  And you had to pay to take the elevator!!  I was not paying $7 per person to stand in line for an hour to ride to the top, sorry Timo.  He seemed fine with us walking down and back up the Telegraph Hill Stairs.  We didn't tackle all 400 of them, but we did a big chunk of them.  We took our time, stopping along the way to see some pretty gardens and doorways and be a little silly!

The walk back up was, as I expected, challenging.  The stairs are steep and petty narrow.  Timo kinda ran all the way to the top but Cameron needed a few extra stops.  At one point she asked me to carry her...so we sat and rested until she was read to climb again. (thank goodness because I was struggling too1) We all finally made it...

We walked all around the observation area so Timo could feel like he was "on top of the world."  Now I'm on the search for someplace we can climb to the top and "see the world!"

Cameron and Aidan

This year Cameron has a new friend in school named Aidan.  He is such a sweet little boy who is extremely shy and was having trouble adjusting to school the first few weeks.  Somehow, during this difficult transition, he was drawn to Cameron. I'm not sure what he saw in her because she tends to be content playing by herself...but in short, he became her constant shadow.  He would always be at her side when I picked the kids up and he would hold her hand, telling her "don't forget to say goodbye to me Camrun."  According to their teacher, Cameron always took her time with Aidan, played with him gently and unknowing found a way to start drawing him out of his shell. 

The principle takes random pictures of the kids each week and post them to the parents website and I think it's funny that with almost every picture of Cameron, Aidan is right at her side...whether it be playing cheetahs on the playground or art time, they are certainly two peas in a pod.

We love Aidan and have been so blessed by him being in our class this year!  I really like this picture of her reading to Aidan, dinosaurs of course.  I think Aidan helps Cameron as much as she does him.  Timo tends to be the "dominant' one in their relationship so I think having someone depend on her gives her a sense of purpose and confidence. 

Monkeying Around

A few weeks ago Timo and Cameron participated in a Parents Night Out at a friend's preschool.  Our good friend's, the Hirzles, invited us to participate so we dropped all the children off and the adults got 3 whole hours to go out to dinner and get ice cream!!  When we picked the kids up later that evening their faces were all painted, stickers all over and were full of stories of monkeys, baboons, and snakes...eeeek!  We found out an animal handler had been part of the entertainment. I could tell a good time was had by all and didn't think much more of it..until yesterday when I received this picture in the mail from the school!  Look at my little monkeys with the baboon!  I loved that the school took pictures and then was thoughtful enough to mail it to us even though we don't attend there.  I showed it to Timo and Cameron after school yesterday and they started laughing and telling the silly stories all over again.  Now I have proof that a good time was had by all...including the baboon...

Little Big Puzzles

Cameron has always loved puzzles and is quite good at putting them together by herself. But anything over 48 pieces she typically needs a little help, until last week...she put her first 100 piece puzzle together all by herself! I so wanted to help her a few times because it was taking her a really, really long time, but she insisted on do it all herself and I'm so glad she didn't give in receive my help.  She had such a sense of accomplishment when she finish!  And the accomplishment was photo worthy.  Good job Cameron...now we'll move on to 1000piece puzzles!

I took a picture and then she wanted to take a picture of it herself.  I love her two little feet at the bottom of the picture :)

Tree Climbing

We are really into climbing trees these days. Cameron has always been a little monkey but Timo is a very cautious little boy so I was excited to see him want to reach new heights...no pun intended.

Moments

Just a lazy Sunday afternoon for a Father and Son outing to the Best Buy store...no other place Timo or Young would rather be!  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, huh?

Super Spy Timo

The kids got these super fun scopes as birthday gifts from a friend of theirs.  Needless to say, Timo loves his and has added it to his collection of "super spy" equipment.  So far he's been using it to spy on his sister in the upper bunk or around corners of doors but he moved it to a different level the other night. Young and I were on the sofa talking and noticed this little green scope popping up over the edge.  Someone was spying on us!

I peeked around the corner and found this guy trying to secretly see what we were doing!  Nevermind the fact that we heard his footsteps and heard him giggling...he thought he was being so sneaky.

Young told him he needed to crawl on the ground to really sneak up on someone so he ran down the hall and came back crawling, trying to sneak around the other corner. 

After a few minutes we spotted the scope rising up over the sofa and then over the coffee table trying to get a closer look.  We would act so surprised when he popped us and he got so tickled thinking he had out smarted us.  All he needs now is a pair of camo pjs and we might not see him at all!

Loving Life

I love this picture...to be a kid again and just enjoy the simple things like spinning around and around.  Cameron was spinning super fast and I happen to snap a picture of pure fun on her face.

Building

Timo has always been into building things with his toys...be it building blocks or Lincoln Logs, but lately he has reached new heights with his Legos. He is either, sleeping, eating, at school or building something.  Both Timo and Cameron got a few Lego sets for their birthday, which I'm sure has contributed to his newest obsession...lots of new pieces to create with.  But honestly, he comes home, puts his backpack down and starts building till dinner and bedtime.  I love to see what creations he comes up with...such attention to detail.  Some of the ones below are from kits but others are from his imagination!

Cameron built this cute boat and little house!  I can tell she really enjoys building as well but often times gets frustrated that the grand image in her head doesn't always translate to the building tools.

But as much as we love Legos, Tinker Toys are still their favorite medium.  Timo helped Cameron build her bow and arrow out of tinker toys so she would go fight the bad guys...complete with her head lamp to help her see.   Here are few of Timo's projects lately...double life sabers, jet plane, a bicycle helicopter, jackhammer and not sure what the bottom one is but I'm sure it has to do with the army.

And we recently got a bucket of hand me down K-NEX from the Lam family.  I'm not kidding when I say they played quietly and pleasantly for over 2 hours constructing all sorts of things.  It was a Sunday afternoon and I actually got to enjoy reading my Sunday paper uninterrupted!  Wow, you know that's a quality product. Whatever their medium, I love not only seeing the creations but hearing the "back story" behind it and what it's used for.  Build, create, use your imagination!