My Helpers

Swedish Pancakes for Breakfast.

This was Eleanor's first solo attempt, she did great!Oscar making "waffles" on peanut butter cookies, our first batch.

He's my Cookie Monster: I think he ate more batter & sugar than actual cookies!

And here is the proof!

Martin Luther King Weekend

Deer Mountain as seen from the Tongass dock.M/V COLUMBIA moored at the Ketchikan cruise ship dock for the winter.Eleanor in the "breathing hole" of the Snow Fort.Mikayla & Eleanor did a great job digging out the Snow Fort & even made a "bedroom!"

Big enough for Momma Bear to fit!Snow much fun!Cold winter sunrise

Oscar moving snow with his dumptruck.

Jasmine attempting to get in on the sledding action.

Winter Wonderland

Snowy Afternoon facing southwest from our driveway.Jasmine loves the snow! She could sit & sniff for hours.Oscar playing on the front deck.

Dance Recital

All smiles after her first StudioMax Recital!Grandma Judi & the girls Mom, can we please stop with the paparazzi already?The 2nd & 3rd grade group did a wonderful job dancing to Take me to Rio. Their costumes had feathers & they made flying motions with their arms.

Madisen & Eleanor are both in the 2nd row, 2nd & 3rd from the left respectively.

Eleanor's Bling

Eleanor asked for a feather in her hair all fall & I decided it would be a good Christmas present & reward for swim lesson willingness & attitude.

Snowfall

The 110' Coast Guard Cutter NAUSHON passes in front of the house on the morn of a freshly fallen snow.Jasmine out on the deck to greet the sun.

Swim Lessons

Both children took swim lessons over Christmas Break.

It was an intense daily 45-minute lesson for two weeks. Initially Eleanor was quite upset that I had signed her up but did come around to the idea that taking lessons to refresh ones memory was a good iead. Especially living on an island & knowing that boating will occur this summer.

They both did well & progressed to the next level. Eleanor is swimming & diving independently & learning strokes. Oscar is doing well jumping in by himself & can go underwater. One of his favorite games learned at lessons was swimming through ("blasting off!") a hula hoop on its side partially submerged in the water. He also was a pokey little puppy in the locker room, always the last child in the shower & hiding in the lockers.

Oscar is seen here with his instructor. Yes, those are pink goggles. I was so proud of him as we misplaced his green ones and couldn't find them in time for lessons. He borrowed an extra pair from big sister & didn't put up a fuss that they were pink! Eleanor can be seen in the upper right hand corner, second from the right, her instructor has a black swim shirt on.