School plus some fun activities

Cups practiced blowing into the mouth piece of the clarinet. (It's not easy. I tried, and I couldn't make a sound.)

This girl loves slime. (This had a frog and "frog eggs" in it.)

The family enjoyed many popsicles this summer.

See how he treats his dad and me differently! (And this popsicle was mine even!)

Gofres started his second round of swim lessons.

Apple picking has been a side benefit of going up north to celebrate Agong or Ama's birthday in September over the past few years.

Uh. . .something in this picture reflects Gofres' latest obsession?!

Baby and puppy accompanied me to the West Seattle Farmers' Market this past Sunday.

I was not kidding about the popsicles. 

Gae had the no sugar added Strawberry Banana popsicle.

 Don had the Pineapple Jalapeno~

@ Seattle Pops

The tragedy before school one day. . .

Gofres accompanied me to school to count out milk for each class and shelf books every Monday last year. I thought he would get bored, but he managed to stay happily occupied most of the time. I thought I would keep an eye out for him when I saw little people in the library this Monday, and he was not surprised to see me in a familiar setting.

A week in school

How well did Gofres manage to photo bomb?

Gofres knew the drill. Without prompting he got his folder out and was insistent about zipping up his bag.

Upon entering the classroom he went to the back wall and lined up to check himself in by swiping his name from the top to the bottom of the line on the smart board.

Then he sat down, took out his pencil case and started working on his morning work: writing his name kindergarten style.

Big smiles at the end of the day. . .

He learned to write his name well and still has to work on the h. 

 Miss Rainbowdash has had math homework everyday of the second week.

Gofres wanted to bring a flower for his eighth grade buddy on her birthday. When Cups found a new sprig of peppermint in the yard the next day, he said, "We could have brought that and wouldn't have to spend money."

Two of the besties Cups and Eva at pancake breakfast, hosted for kids who read for at least 15 minutes everyday of the summer - and allowed to miss up to 8 days.

Gofres and Dino, one of G's best friends and Eva's little brother, were happy to see each other. The Kumon teacher encouraged the kids to read at least five days each week - 20 minutes for kids under 10 and 30 minutes for kids 10 and above. Cups and Gofres - a student by association - have been well motivated all summer and collected prizes every week.

Every year each student gets a poster, a book and a goodie bag. Gofres pulled out a Batman poster from seeing the corner of it. A new student in Cups' grade saw that Gofres was all Batman from his backpack to poster and gave Gofres his Batman book.

Summer vacation fun~

Time with Daddy~

Heron posed with Gofres.

Cousins Winter and Everett flew in from Atlanta to spend time on the Oregon Coast.

 

 Family time is always precious!

 Gofres had a blast riding in a bumper car for the first time in Seaside.

 Chillin' with Grandma at the Manzanita farmers' market

 Cups likes to help in the kitchen.

 Cooling down behind a produce stand on the way to Chelan

Cups' classmate's family invited us to join them in Chelan. 

Cups enjoyed playing in the pools, and the dads and kids really enjoyed the water park.

A produce stand had goats and vegetables and fruits for customers to feed them.

 One of our favorite treats~

 During low tide one day someone at the beach spotted a baby Red Octopus, and stewards from the aquarium put it back in the ocean after people had a chance to check it out.

 We always enjoy time with Auntie Angela, Sarah, Laura and Jonah 

- and Uncle Steve when he's not working. :)

 

 And we were lucky to also have had Auntie JO and her boys 

(sadly minus Uncle James) at the beach one afternoon - Goldfish made it all better.

 Gofres and some of his friends at daycare

We had "sunset dinner" with Auntie Evelyne one evening.

And there were bubble blowers at the beach that night.

It's that time of the year!

Cups was excited about her rewards, including her first free dress pass for the year, from her reading teacher for having done some reading comprehension exercises over the summer. The kids continued a previous conversation about the much anticipated candy as soon as Cups got in the car.

John towed the kids in the trailer on his bike one evening. I think Gofres will outgrow it in no time, too.

First time in a corn maze! And the corn is used in the corn cannons for entertainment.

A tractor pulls apple pickers in apple crates to the orchard at Bellewood Acres. This has become a family tradition when we visit for Ama's birthday.

Honeycrisp! And the kids loved the bubbling apple cidar made with these apples, too.

John and Cups picked. Gofres and I munched.

We got to fill up the bag and all the apples we could eat for one price.

Cups was invited over to play with Harper, and the rest of us invited ourselves.

Embracing another beautiful sunset. . .

I looked and looked before I found Cups' on a wall at school. I knew her favorite winter activity did not involve skiing, sledding and such. I was surprised by her answer nonetheless.

Answer inside.

John had to work from home the week I was gone, and on the day I left John had biked with Cups to school and home.

I saw Cups long enough for a hug and to take this picture at Westfest upon my return. I didn't see her again until it was time to go home. Gofres enjoyed himself much last year and was comfortable enough to roam around himself this time around.

The kids wrapped something that came in the mail as a surprise for me, haha.

Cups and I tried out the mud mask with Amazonian clay and doTERRA essential oils. I've never had a facial, and I loved how soft my face felt afterwards.

Cups met new friends at Target. (Hugs are free.)