Sunday's garden.

Sunday, Mali and I built her garden. Before 11:00 we had moved two huge rocks, and I had put a hole in my backyard sprinkler main. We went off to Home Depot to buy repair equipment and plants and dirt for the garden. Yesterday after school, Mali added the birdbath, seen below. Click to see the garden.

First Track Meet of 2006

Saturday was sunny but windy for Andrew's track meet at nearby Sherwood High School. It was a long meet, partly because it was the first one, so they explained how to start to every athlete for every race. Here's a photo of Andrew receiving instruction. Click it to see the actual race start.



Susy met us there to watch the 400m (1:11.66). He also ran the 100m (14.xx?) We all got a little sun on our faces - everything else was covered because of the wind.
Andrew and I were gone from 9:00 to 3:00. I came home and took a nap, and Andrew embedded himself into the couch with his book. I slept until 4:00, then worked in the yard a bit with Mali. She found Pablo and Matias walking next to the house, so we talked across the fence until I invited myself over to their house for Mate'. The rest of my family followed me over. Rocio is painting, so I helped a little, drank some mate', and looked at some photos from their trip to Italy. Then they had a dinner date with some friends (which we made them late for), so we came home and finished watching The Fellowship of the Ring. Two more movies to go. The two I haven't seen yet, so that is exciting. Mali is less then thrilled by them (they're scary) but she's watching - ensconced firmly between Susy and me.

Oliver

I wanted something different, so I dragged the kids, kicking and groaning, to see Oliver at Beaverton High School last night.

(Kicking and groaning - too flip. Delaying and moaning. I got up from dinner and cruelly announced we would be leaving in two minutes whether they were done or not, and went upstairs to change. Andrew's lament followed us upstairs: "You mean I ate all these soybeans for nothing!" He had amassed quite a pile of empty husks. Mali is the queen of delay or disappear. She began industriously delaying before dinner even started, taking forever finding condiments - honey that would pour - before even starting her dinner. Honey (really!) being the crucial ingredient in her secret sauce of tartar and ketchup, used for french fries and fish sticks.)

It was probably fairly typical of large High School plays: Their new sound system was good, but it was work to hear/understand the dialogue. A couple of the singers were very good. Oliver and The Artful Dodger were played by girls. Fagin (Aidan Beers) was my favorite, both acting and singing, and the girl playing Nancy had fun beautifully singing what seemed like every other song. I think because so many of the other numbers were forgettable. (Wow, I could be a mean critic.) Actually, I think it was very good for a high school show. The girl playing Oliver had a decent enough voice, but she disappeared on the stage, and the Dodger was barely there too. Fagin was great though.
The house was full for the final night. The parents, grandparents, teachers, and students in the audience were very enthusiastic. Andrew and Mali's reaction was mixed. They liked some of it, but it was long - Two and a half hours. There was candy and popcorn for sale before and during intermission, but it was not allowed in the theater. I'm sure that would have helped. Still, why can't the show be enough? They would have rather stayed home and watched TV. Stuffing experiences into children never seems to work out at the time. I remember reading across the country, and the billboard that announced we were in Gettysburg. We'll see what they remember five years from now.

Oysters!

Last night I grilled oysters for the first time. Very exciting. Grandpa Del harvested them for me on Easter. (Stock Photo of similar, but messier event)
Pablo came over to help me eat them. They turned out really good, except for the handful that didn't open soon enough and turned into carbon. We got enough, and Andrew even ate one!
Afterwards, Pablo and I went to Paul's to play scrabble with his friend Phil, who stopped by on his way to Davis, CA from Canada. Paul crushed us.

Toe Update

Andrew has antibiotics for his very slight toe infection. The doctor very gently pulled the toenail away from the skin. Hopefully it will stay that way, and there will be no cutting involved.

Toe Problems

Andrew has a slightly ingrown toenail, which he noticed at track practice last night. It may be infected. We're taking it, and the rest of him, to the doctor this afternoon.

Easter

Fun at Grandma and Grandpa's. All the brothers and families and Mary and Amy = 12 adults and 6 kids. More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregondad/
Here's Andrew and Mali with our freshly colored eggs, Easter Eve.

Susy finds a new baby to hold: Cooper!

Back from class

I've been away in Bellevue at an Oracle class by the brilliant Jonathan Lewis. I met some interesting people with interesting jobs (Starbucks, Amazon, Seattle Times). I stayed with David and Susan and Dalton and Rylin, and actually got to have some fun with the kids this time around. Rylin and I played "Easter Pinecone Hunt," making the Momma and Baby pinecones happy by rescuing them from the yard and sending them into their forest home. After each batch she would jump around screaming "I win! I win!" Dalton was a happy kid, building and rebuilding a paper pirate ship.
I'm home now, and dealing with a crisis in San Jose. Except for possible crisis management, I'm on vacation Friday, since the kids are out of school. Saturday we head up to G&G's place for Easter Sunday!

Kidless Saturday Night

Sleepovers!
Mali at at Natalie's birthday party.
Andrew at Kyle's.

Freedom found us using a two year old gift certificate at Stanford's, and going to see V for Vendetta. We liked it.

Andrew's home now. Mali's gone to see Zoë's baptism.

Science Fair

Here's a photo of Mali with her project "Plant Survivors" at the science fair. She planted three sets of beans and used cold, room-temp, and hot water to water them.

Thursday conflicts

Tonight we have Mali's science fair and Andrew's Track meeting, both starting at 6:00. I will dash around madly to attend both. I just need to swing by the track meeting to pick up the schedule and uniform. I can't miss the science fair, since we haven't yet seen Mali's exhibit, other than the bits of it she made at home.

Wednesday Night

After a thrilling dinner of a Costco pork roast, green beans, and toast, Susy, Andrew, and I played cribbage while Mali whipped up a cream cheese brownie. Andrew won the game after being behind the entire time. Then I destroyed my diet with three helpings of Mali's delicious brownie with whipped cream while Susy made a sugar free chocolate pudding that I should have held out for.

Spring Break Summary

Hi Irene!
The kids had a great time in Washington with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Grandpa gave them an education in pouring cement and card playing, and the weekend saw all the cousins visiting.
Las Vegas was good to Susy and me. We saw Cirque du Soleil's Ka on Thursday night and absolutely loved it. I swear I watched half of it with my mouth wide open. More than worth the $150 ticket price. Friday we went to the buffet at the Wynn, which was delicious. Friday night we gambled: I won a very quick $115 playing craps, then Susy and I stretched out blackjack for a couple of hours, ending up $150 ahead for the evening (so one ticket to Ka.) Saturday we saw the Blue Man Group, which was fascinating and Very different. The days were filled with some serious napping.
Now we're home, and back to work. Mali went on a field trip to the Bonneville Dam today. Other than that, life has returned to normal here.