Andrew and spelling

Drew has really gotten into spelling things lately.  He has gone from hardly reading to all of a sudden reading and spelling everything.  Here is a cute video where he spells out about 20 different car names.  (of course!)

 

The Serpentarium

Today, we ventured to a new and crazy place:  the Serpentarium in Monroe, WA.  (Is that word? Could I use that in Scrabble?)  This is basically a Reptile Zoo with a ton of snakes, lizards, spiders, tortoises, iguanas, frogs, and more.  They boast that they have the ten deadliest snakes on display, plus an albino alligator, and a two-headed turtle!  What more could one want!!!??

After bravely spending one hour in the Reptile Zoo, we washed our hands three times, and then headed to the other side of town to have brunch at the Hitching Post Cafe.... definitely more my style than looking at gross enormous vipers!  It was a fun and entertaining morning -the kids loved it.  (Monroe is a cute little town about 30 minutes from Bellevue - think Hayward, WI!)

We are on mid-winter break this week, so I am stretching to find a fun educational activity each day.... this one was definitely outside my comfort zone!

The Reptile Zoo in Monroe, WA.... Open 365 days a year, just in case you are sick of your family next Thanksgiving or Xmas!

Boa constrictors!

A two-headed turtle!  Do you think they get along?  What happens if they want to go different directions?

30-year old tortoises that the kids were brave enough to pet...

A 21-foot (gag), um, black python.. (eek, scream, ugh)

Greta hangs out with a black mamba, the world's deadliest snake!

Anyone care to own a Green Anaconda? 

Hails gets snuggly with the boa constrictor

Ahhh... a tad more relaxing... brunch at the Hitching Post Cafe!

Zoo pancakes for the kiddos!

Greg in China!



I (Greg) went to China for business last week. I visited Shanghai and Beijing. I also added on an extra day to see a few sites.  Made it to the top of the Great Wall (at least the section I visited).



 Climbing the Great Wall

Greg with his friends Mike and Aaron

Nice view!

View from Forbidden City - this hill is man made using dirt from the moat they dug.

Some buildings are gleaming glass and steel, and others not so much.

Downtown Beijing

Mao's picture is everywhere. This is the entrance to the Forbidden City.

Wow! It was cold and the wind was whipping.

Flag standing tall

Recent Happenings

Here we are on the train ride at Fox Hollow Farm last weekend .... our favorite local farm.

Feeding the bunnies!

The kids love to drive the motorized toy tractors at Fox Hollow.  Greta is ready for her drivers' license!

"Um, Mom... I don't really think I like ten little piggies nipping at my toes!  Help!"

Last week, we were at our place in Whistler again.  I had a delightful day teaching Hailey how to ski!! It was a precious memory, and she did great!



"Ready for the Magic Carpet, Mom!"

Another highlight last week was going ice skating with Daddy!  The girls loved it!

"Yes, that IS my Tinkerbell dress underneath my coat.  A girl has to have principles, ya know!"

We had our friends, the Lindstroms, up to Whistler with us for a weekend.  It was great!  Jeff was a groomsman in our wedding, so we had a nice time hanging out with them again.  Their two girls fit right into our clan!

On our favorite slide in Whistler:  "The Bumpy Slide!"

The Lindstroms offered to cook dinner one night, and well, they did it up!  We had Hawaiian night!  The kids loved the grass skirts, leis, and other decor... and the grown-ups loved the pineapple Hawaiian burgers!

With our new friend, Sonja!

The week before we headed to Whistler, we had Nana and Grampa Charlie in town with us - we had a delightful, wonderful week, as usual!