Griffin's brain

Today we had an argument about leaving the park to get home in time to take a bath and get ready for bed, nothing too unusual. On the drive home I made a comment about how he was feeling or thinking (I can't remember too clearly because I've already blocked out the bad moments to save my sanity). Griffin said forcefully, "You don't know, you aren't inside my brain!" and I had to agree with him. Then a few minutes later he said, "I know everything!" and I just had to try not to laugh. Can't wait for the teenage years!

Summer vacation, Part 1

Griffin and I have been very busy the past week and a half, since school got out. He took a multi-sports class last week in the mornings (baseball, soccer, and basketball for three hours a day for 5-8 year olds), and decided he liked them all. He is going to take a baseball class next week just for fun!

This week he is taking an art class in the mornings, the theme is Safari Explorers. He is having an art show tomorrow and I'll post photos after that.

After each class last week we went exploring around Seattle, going to the zoo, the Pacific Science Center (they have animatronic dinosaurs!), and strawberry picking at a local farm. We also baked cookies, played some Super Mario Kart on the Wii, and basically forgot to relax.

This week we went to the Seattle Art Museum downtown, where Griffin was very interested in the Andy Warhol and Kurt Cobain exhibits, as well as the African masks and Native American art. I think he's ready for the Louvre!

Here are a few photos from the craziness the past week or so!

Photos taken by Griffin of exhibits at the Seattle Art Museum:




Aboriginal war shields from Australia:


Ladybug in our pea patch garden. We had lettuce from our garden as our dinner salad twice this week. We're going back to get the one ripe strawberry tomorrow.


Cookies! What's better than licking the beater?


Seven pounds of strawberries picked by Griffin and me. They were soon pureed, sliced or eaten. Strawberry jam to come soon.

Museum of Flight

We visited the Museum of Flight next to Boeing Field during our spring break. Griffin loved being up close to all the planes, and walking through Air Force One and the Concorde. When I asked him what his favorite part was, he said, "Everything!"

California Trip, Part 2

Here are a few more photos taken by Griffin, or taken of Griffin, during our trip.

Cousins Nadja, Lisa and Emma and Aunt Jan on the train at Traintown in Sonoma.

Griffin and Emma on the train

Griffin and Emma playing bocce at Nadja and Greg's house.

Griffin at the NASA/Snoopy exhibit at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa

Charlie Brown and Griffin

Griffin's photo of the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge

Daddy and Griffin playing happy tourists at Fisherman's Wharf

Griffin and a cable car!

Daddy and Griffin on the Powell & Hyde cable car

The artist at work

Griffin's first California trip pictures

Griffin has taken over 200 photos on his camera so far, approximately 167 of them are from his seat in the car, trying to catch a passing truck going the other way. Needless to say, that is not very successful. However, he has captured a few nice shots and many of the scenery beyond the freeway. Here is the first set!

Mommy and Daddy at the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center

flowers at Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center

Mt. St. Helens (in the clouds between the trees - see it?)

lilypads

tractor-trailer

cows (in the lower left corner)

three-trailer big rig

End of Summer

We've had a fun summer with lots of adventures. Taking a three-year-old around is definitely easier than a two-year-old! We took a lot of field trips and explored Seattle and the surrounding area. Some of the fun places we went:

• A farm
• The zoo
• Many parks (City Park in Edmonds is a favorite, but there are lots of others)
• Saturna Island in Canada
• Spokane (twice!)
• Odyssey Maritime Museum
• The aquarium
• The waterfront
• Mommy's school
• Foster Island

We did more, but we just can't remember because there were so many things to do! We still have some things on our list for the fall, including the Pacific Science Center, the Imagine Children's Museum, Jetty Island, taking a ferry to Kingston, and the Ballard locks. There's never enough time to do it all! We'll post some photos of Saturna Island very soon.