DISNEY!

Warning: This entry may include more photos than you care to view. :)

We just returned from a fabulous week in Disney World with my parents. The boys LOVED it and were sad to leave. At the airport in Orlando, Kaj asked, "Why can't we stay in Disney World for the rest of our lives?" 

 

Our first stop in the Magic Kingdom  

They realized very quickly that shades take the edge off the Florida sun

Getting ready for Dumbo!

Wanna come, Grandma? 

Peas in a pod... or an elephant

Bring out the hats and the water bottles - This is BANGKOK hot!!!

You mean they'll sign my book? Cool!

Jungle Cruise, anyone?

Snuggles on the boat between Wilderness Lodge and the Magic Kingdom

All smiles when it's light...

...and not so happy in the dark.

Loving Tomorrow Land!

You may be having fun, Mom, but I'm ready for bed!

The winners! 

These were a hit! 

Really, Mom? We're STILL here? 

Animal Kingdom

Can Kaj really be this grown up? 

The silly shot

The less silly shot

We had to get this one...

Grandma loves shots with both boys smiling and looking at the camera. 

This happens maybe 1% of the time. 

Florida or Nepal?  

Love these boys

EPCOT!

We ate lunch in Morocco in honor of Melanie and Taoufik - loved it!

Science Museum

We were fascinated by the battle scar on this guy's skull. Ouch!

Whee!

Hi, Grandma!

Kaj loved making waves. 

No photos allowed, but both boys loved the King Tut exhibit. Kaj is now obsessed with hieroglyphs and has made two original books about Tut's adventures with construction paper, crayons and a stapler. What a hoot! 

Great Harvest

When Tom and I were first married and lived at 39th & France, we loved to walk to Great Harvest Bakery to buy a loaf of bread for the week. I decided it was the perfect place to stop before a Home Depot run to buy tomato plants with Grandma Hawley.   

Cinnamon twists - I should have known they'd want the sweetest option. 

We tried the "one silly/scary photo, then one smiling photo" method. 

Needless to say, it didn't work this time. 

Leif tries so hard to make scary faces, but I'm afraid he doesn't have it in him! 

Steve, the Funny Man

Q: How do you get five preschool kids to laugh this hard?

A: Pretend there are farm animals trying to push their way out of the refrigerator and freezer, of course. (After the rest of the kids moved on, I saw Kaj cross the kitchen and sneak a peek. 

I could see the wheels spinning...logic tells me no, but better safe than sorry.)

"Hey, you talkin' to me?" 

"Yeah, I'm talkin' to you." 

Not quite sure what this was all about, but it was darn cute

FISHING!

Summer 2011

What a wonderful opening week to Summer 2011!

A week ago today I was organizing and cleaning my classroom at Roosevelt and saying goodbye to the 2010-11 school year. As I reflect on this first week of summer, I think there may be some making up for lost time happening here. It's been busy, but so much fun! 

Last Friday evening included a tasty meal made by Tom and water play at the fountain in downtown Iowa City. This was one of the few times that I actually had them in swimsuits BEFORE they got soaked. Leif's timid beginnings that evening certainly paved the way for bolder water play to come.  

On Saturday morning, after a spin through the country exhibits geared for kids at the Iowa Arts Festival (Sawatdee Kha!), the kids and I packed the car and headed north for a week at Grandma and Grandpa Hawley's, leaving Tom a week to complete lingering projects before joining us next week in WI. He has been missed by his favorite boys, let me tell you! Our first night in Mpls, nine hours after we said goodbye, Kaj said, "Can I jump through the i-chat to be with dad?" 

That evening we bypassed Point Drive and headed directly to our good friend Annie's preschool for a family-friendly fundraiser called "Rock the Barn." Music, dancing (little kid style), wagon rides, ice cream - it was a beautiful evening. 

On Sunday we had a birthday to celebrate! What two-year-old wouldn't love a worm cake? 

Prettiest bucket 'o worms I've ever seen (or tasted)

Earnest Leif wishing Siri a happy birthday - clearly this is serious business

The boys were happy to offer their gift management services free of charge. 

Did I mention we like hot dogs?

Cute babes

Two things come to mind...

"I come in peace"

"I am a robot from Planet Snurp" (thank you, Knuffle Bunny)

Jack

to be continued...