Awana

2010 Awana headcount:  2 Sparks & 1 Cubbie

Alzheimers

We're starting our third year (older photos here and here) volunteering at the nearby Senior home Alzheimer's Wing Residents.  We just love these folks.  

You can see here we're even on the daily schedule for 9:30am, right between the Sittercize and the Brain Teasers.  That makes us official entertainers and all.  

Rachel times two.  I love this photo... our Rachel (7 months) is enjoying sitting with the older Rachel.  Since our Rachel was born, we come in, and without fail the elder Rachel lights up when sees our baby and asks what her name is.  I explain that her name is Rachel, "just like you!"  This has happened at least three times so far.

Makin' Ice Cream

Sarah gave a demonstration speech to her 2nd grade workshop class last week.  One of Sarah's favorite things to do at home is make homemade vanilla ice cream, so that's exactly what she chose to demonstrate.

Action shot:  Sarah pours the half and half, milk, sugar and vanilla mixture into the ice cream maker.  I love how her friend Michael is standing up to see... such excitement.  We got our maker earlier this summer and have been using it almost weekly ever since we got it.  Love it.

Sarah did a great job and needless to say, it was a hit with the kids... especially the homemade ice cream samples she handed out to her classmates afterwards.  Also, Sarah's mom really enjoyed the many, many speech practice sessions at home.  It's hard work eating lots of ice cream, but someone had to do it.

BTW, students in costume were dressed up for "favorite book character day."  Sarah was Violet the Pilot.  It's one of our favorite books.

Volcano

We're studying "the earth" for science (inner core, outer core, mantle, crust - you get the idea).  So of course we had to build, and explode, our own volcano.  We made our own play dough, followed this tutorial and it was a complete success.

The volcano went this high!

The unsuspecting townspeople and townsdinosaurs didn't know what hit them.  


It was a blast (pun intended).

Face Paint

Josh and his friend Jonah at church, looking scary.

ZAC:  "Roooooooaaaaaaaarrrrrrr!"

Yuko and Rachel.

3 boys.

Josh, Zac and Brody (neighbor friend) with loaded squirt guns.

Snacking on popcorn and peanut butter-topped banana slices.

Life's tough being a kid.

Baby Food.

Rachel is now 7 months old (she has her first 2 teeth!) and that means pureed food.  I buy a few jars of baby food at the store to have as back-up but  for the most part, all of our kids have had baby food prepared by moi and our handy dandy food processor.  It's actually very easy, just takes time.  I like to prepare a big batch of food (oatmeal, beans/peas, beef stew) and freeze it into cubes (see ice cube trays in photo) and then pop out the cubes and have handy bags of frozen food cubes ready and waiting in the freezer. I'll be honest, the baby food stage is hard because I really have two meals to prepare, 3 times a day... one for the fam, and a separate one for the baby.  It's not my favorite but it is what it is and it'll be over way too soon.

And yes, I'll miss it someday.

Phamily Day at Philips

The devoted Mr. Garland has worked for Philips for 3 years now, and this summer they hosted the first "Family Day BBQ" at the office.  Jeff helps design parts for ventilators that Philips (formerly Respironics) makes and sells.  Philips did such a great job making the day family friendly and fun for the kids.  A wonderful BBQ picnic lunch, demonstrations and videos, a very one-of-a-kind (and I'll be honest, kinda weird) ventilator photo frame, and a tour of the facilities.  They even set out an old ventilator and let the kids put crazy fluorescent paint all over it.  What a sight.

They had a employee drawing while we were there and one of the most prized raffle prizes was a "paid vacation day" for the employees.  And guess who won?  Yup, that would be my man.  And a day off for my man... translates into a day off for me!  Ahhhhh.  So yeah, I won big time.

Zac tried to resuscitate this guy back to life, but I'd say he was already pretty much a goner.

"How teach a baby to Surf" by Zac Garland

The unsuspecting, sand-eating, blinking little sister.



The big brother.

ZAC:  "Rachel, I'm going to show you how to surf.  Just watch me."

ZAC:  "You put the board just like this."

ZAC:  "And then you push off!"



"There you go, Rachel.  Now it's your turn."  Zac says.


Rachel is otherwise distracted licking sand and salt water from her fist.

Rachel by the Bay

It almost looks like she's praying.  She's so spiritual already.

How do kids sleep like this?

Ouch.

School Bus

8 seats.  8 peeps.

Labor Day

We spent the day with our dear friends, Jim & Robbin Howey.  Jim has been friends with the devoted Mr. Garland since high school, and he was also a groomsman in our wedding.  The Howey's 6 (six!) kids plus our 4 made for a good looking crew and we basically filled up the beach.  Lots of fun sand hot tubs, water squirt guns, surf and boogie boards and the row boat.  

What a marvelous family!  We love the Howeys.

Wordless Wednesday

Helpers

Sarah and Josh have workshop school days twice a week now, and it's so much fun to spend time with my two younger helpers, Rachel and Zac.  Good times.

Costco, our home away from home.  Milk, fruit, veggies and bread.  Lots of it.  

And the monthly food bill is only going to grow.

Beachtime

As far as the weather goes, we didn't have an amazing summer this year... it was cool and overcast most mornings.  But we did make time to hit the waves a few times.  The kids found a new favorite spot which included a ramped ledge that they loved to climb up and jump off of.  One thing is for sure... there's always plenty of sand to clean up after a trip to the beach.

Uhm, Zac?  You've got a little sand on your face.