Soul's 2nd Birthday!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to Soul!!!

You are a joy to our lives.  I love this age of discovery that makes me and all of us appreciate the tiniest things in our everyday experiences that really merit awe and wonder.

What a fun 2 years it's been!

We had our neighborhood friends, Leslie, Tabitha, and Eliza, Jackie, Joe and Pueo, and the Clarks over for an evening dinner and cake and ice cream.  Then we talked and the kids played all evening.  It was loud and so much fun.  I love our friends!

 Then the kids put on a play for us.

And for your gifts you got… a potty!  And a box of 2 year old clothes from the closet.  But Walter and Irene knew what you really wanted, and got you a motorized truck.  You love it.

*And please excuse the silly "Sir Lancelot" haircut.... it's a work in progress :)

At Tutu and Me preschool, you were so excited to get a birthday crown!  You usually try to snag a crown from another birthday recipient, so you were excited that this one really was for you!

October Happenings

October started out with Nate’s birthday.  We went to the circus for his birthday.  Nate’s best friend growing up married into a circus performing family and we were able to get tickets from his friend who was in this circus.  It was small, and full of stunts.  A lot of fun.  And we got to take along a friend for each of the girls, which made it extra cool.  

Nate grew out a goatie.  I thought he looked pretty good.  But it didn’t last long.  And he still looks pretty good. :)

Kezia was AMAZING at our latest Fro Baby event.  She was professional, and needed no help taking orders and doing the money math.  Totally proud of her. 

And Nate and I came up with an ingenious way to unscrew the tow hitch on the new truck we bought.  Thank you, Physics 101!

Soul – Man is a bundle of joy.   

One day as we were out at the beach with our friends, he pulled me toward a surf board and pointed to the water.  We happily went to the water’s edge, and then he froze and ran back to the sand.  After a bit of coaxing, he laid down on his board and we “rode” the surf break.  He got to the point where he really relaxed and enjoyed it.  

Elysse is doing really well in school, especially with her reading and writing.  I am really surprised at some of the things she says, where she is able to problem solve or come up with some really complex thoughts.  She loves her new friend Abby, and apparently plays with her all during school. 

Kezia and Nate went to Santa Cruz for Brad and Amy's wedding.  This was a miracle, really.  I really felt like she should go, but we didn't know how it was going to happen financially.  But I felt so strongly that she needed to go with her daddy that we said we would do it anyway.  

It was a Sunday when I said, "Nate, we've got to order the tickets NOW."  He suggested we wait one more day.  That Monday Nate's Dad called and said he has connections with someone at Hawaiian Airlines and could get us a steep discount on tickets.  Then later that week he said he would like to purchase the tickets for us. 

Shortly before they left, she had some trouble with her friends at school.  It was now very clear that she needed to get away, enjoy time with Grandma and her cousins and family that love her, and enjoy time away.  Nate and Kezia ended up extending their trip by 2 days.  Guess they had fun!

And while Nate and Kezia were in California, I cleaned Nate's office for a surprise!  This was a big project -  about 5 days worth.

April Fools Day

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Happy April Fool's Day!

Soul gave everyone at preschool a good scare when he came in with red marks all over 

 

and a sign posted to his back that read:

His teacher turned white and told me he MAY NOT be there, and she is sorry, but we HAVE TO leave.  I explained that I put a sign on him to warn the other parents (ha ha -- acting as a dumb parent ;)  and then turned the sign around that read, "APRIL FOOLS!!"  She thought it was hiLARious and we all had a good laugh.

November Happenings

 Nate ran a marathon!

The night before Veterans' Day, Nate told me, "I'm gonna get up at 4:00am and do a long run in the morning.  8:00am comes around and he's still not home.  He comes back near 8:15 to tell me he's not going to the exercise class we usually go to because he's "still not done running."  Even with my asking, he still wouldn't tell me what was going on!  What was up with this unusual excitement about running, a sport he used to despise?  I passed him on my way to exercise class and he finally told me he was running a marathon -- solo.  He just up and wanted to see if he could do it.  Well, at 10:30, he called me and asked me to pick him up -- he finished, and got first place!!

 Soul has discovered the joy of placing small objects in a container.  Here he is placing pebbles in a roll of twine.

 I don't know what he is doing here, some sort of ostrich move, but he had a great time doing it!

 

I love how the girls love each other!

3.  We went to the Valley of the Temples, a cemetary which hosts a large Buddhist temple.  Beautiful, but after seeing so many in Taiwan, probably not worth a drive over just to see one.  But the girls loved feeding the koi and even the birds fed right out of Ivy's hand!

 

 Voter spirit!

We all got into the patriotism spirit this year.  We were strong Romney fans.  Here are the girls making a sign for Romney

 Elysse and Soul at Preschool

 This made me laugh:  You see how much pancake is left on Elysse's plate?  Well, she brought the plate to me at the end of breakfast and said, "I just can't handle any more".  Really?

 Elysse and friends

At the Triple Crown contest this weekend (a big surf contest at the beach across the street) Elysse met a mermaid with her friends.  She happened to be there when she was being interviewed, so got to be on the webcast of the contest. 

Soul being sung to at Tutu and Me preschool

Happy 1st birthday, Kalani Soul!

We invited the Clark family over for dinner and cake and ice cream.  I attempted a chocolate pie made with avocado, but my avocados weren't ripe yet, so I experimented with sour cream and avocado and eventually created a pie that was actually quite good.  At least Soul ate it!

I had been wanting to get a swing for Soul, and happened upon a swing being given away on facebook.  The owner brought it over just in time for the party, and Soul LOVES it!!

Grandma had also made her famous chocolate cake, and we all had a great time eating and chatting and celebrating Soul.

Soul is such a joy in all of our lives.  He lights up a room when he's in it with his winning smile and mellow mood.  We love you, Soul!

Fun in the Mud

Our family Circus

To most onlookers, it may look like another beautiful, calm day at the beach...

But take another look and you'll find the

 Bodacious Burgoynes 

pulling tricks that will blow your mind!!

 The Amazing Elysse Defies gravity and floats ABOVE water!

Supernatural Soul catches satellite reception -- through his HAIR!!!

 Zooming Kezia ZIPS at 75mph-ish down a plastic tarp straight into the salty water! 

Indomitable Ivy tackles WILD 100lb logs -- and lives to tell the tale!