Santa Cruz

We drove to the Santa Cruz boardwalk over spring break.

Silas was pleased to meet the height restriction on certain rides.

Rosemary -- not so pleased.

But Rosemary did love riding the carousel with Meredith.

The water was cold, but all three kids hit the beach.

Easter

Grandpa Ray and Grandma Charlotte hosted us for Easter dinner and a pre-dinner egg hunt.

More photos are here.

School Days

Spring break is this week. 

With Silas and Rosemary missing their classrooms, it seemed like a good time to post some recent school photos.

At left: Singing "And the Green Grass Grows All Around."  (Rosemary was the Nest.)

 

Rosemary loves "The Fig" (Transfiguration Nursery). 

We appreciate the preschool's focus on play time.   Good to see Rosemary here putting out fires rather than fanning the flames.

The head teacher told us that Rosemary is hilarious, has a big personality the other kids love, and doesn't think the rules are for her. 

We said: Yup, sounds like we're talking about the same person.

Here is Silas reading his story for the class "publishing party." 

Sweetly, he wrote about a visit from Grandpa and Grandma Keithley.

Having grown up in a rainy place, I still can't get over the school's outdoor cafeteria.

Spring Flowers

Back in mid-December, Grandpa Ray and Grandma Charlotte helped the kids plant flowers along the side of our house.

Those flowers are blooming now, thanks in part to Tess' watering efforts.

The Barn

Grandpa Ray and Grandma Charlotte took Silas and Rosemary out to the barn recently.

The kids had fun feeding the horses, though both declined to sit in the saddle.

Ye shall find the kid wrapped in Superman-themed clothes, sitting in a manger.

Or something like that.

Spring on the Early Side

After freezing in New York, we returned to glorious spring weather in San Mateo: flowers blooming, trees blossoming, and breezy days perfect for kites.

Return to Inwood

Silas had a couple days off from school, so we made a brief visit to our Inwood friends.

And gave the kids a dose of winter.

Silas and Rosemary were thrilled by the snow and were outside multiple times each day.

Tess could take it or leave it.

Ulysses, Miranda, Silas and Rosemary hurled frozen snow in Inwood Hill Park.

In twelve degree weather, Silas and Quinn were the only ones at the Anne Loftus Playground.

Here's Silas joking around with some of the P.S. 278 gang -- Daichi and Teun.

Many more pictures from our trip (including indoor photos) are here.

Valentines

Valentine's Day did not go unnoticed in our house.

Silas wrote out valentines for all of his classmates.

Rosemary made this valentine for Grandma Charlotte -- because what grandma doesn't love the Incredible Hulk?

Rain

As you probably know, California is facing one of the most severe droughts on record, which may just be the new normal.

So when it rained today, I got the kids outside to enjoy it.

We raced origami boats...

 played in the drainpipes...

 and collected worms.

Silas built a "worm house" out of mud.

Tess did not want to go inside.