Spray Park, Mt. Rainier

Tommy, Dad and I joined three of Mom and Dad's friends for a hike yesterday in the Mt. Rainier National Park.  It was SUCH a gorgeous hike, and Tommy hiked all six (plus) miles with no problem.  He is such a good hiker.  When we got up into the meadow, we stopped for lunch and guess who joined us??

When Dad spotted him and alerted the rest of us to his presence, we all looked for a moment and then turned to our packs and immediately started getting ready to go -- because he was walking toward us. By the time we were ready to leave, he had his back to us and was eating something on the ground.  He looked fat and happy, thank goodness.

Lincoln Park

Last week, while Grandpa was in Chicago, Grandma, Lizzie, Tommy and I went to Lincoln Park.  We found the perfect climbing tree, and just generally enjoyed being outside in a temperate climate.  Seattle is so lovely in summer.  

Ballet Recital

Lizzie had her first ballet recital in May. She was pretty adorbs, if I do say so myself.

Gymnastics

Parents were invited to attend Lizzie's gymnastics class on the day before we left Muscat. Eli, Tommy and I all went and while Tommy took around three thousand photos on my phone, I have selected these two as blog-worthy. She really seems to enjoy gymnastics and while it is tough to decide which activities she will continue in September - as we will need to cut down due to ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN - this one is probably a keeper.

The Grandparents

Grandma Sid and Grandpa Ollie left on Saturday (May 23 - my goodness this post is late!) after a ten day visit and the rest of the day Lizzie spent spontaneously crying, or sighing and saying "I wish Grandma and Grandpa were here."

Here are the things we did:

Swam in the ocean

Went out to lunch with Daddy and Miyu at the new mall

Went out to lunch in Sifah

Visited Jebal Akhdar

Watched Lizzie's ballet recital

Watched Lizzie's play (she starred as the little red hen in "The Little Red Hen")

Observed horrible parking at the mall

Watched silly youtube movies of animals (a hamster birthday party stands out as most memorable)

Read lots of stories

And at the end of all that fun, they left m and m's under the kids pillows! **

We celebrated Grandpa Ollie's birthday.

My photos are horrible and do not include any good ones of Grandma Sid!  I am unimpressed with my photography subject selection.  Speaking of Grandma Sid, TODAY (JUNE 23) is her birthday!!  Happy Birthday Grandma Sid!  We sure do love you.

Tooth travails

Tommy had a loose tooth when we arrived in Seattle. But a few nights ago at dinner, he realized that it was gone. He was terribly sad, even when I told him that the tooth fairy still comes for missing teeth.

He wrote this note:
Dear Tooth Fairy,
My tooth is long gone in my stomach.
I am so sorry.
Love, Tommy

Perhaps the sweetest part of this story is that his little sister whispered in my ear that I should put money under his pillow if the Tooth Fairy didn't actually come.  Luckily, it didn't come to that...

Rattlesnake Ridge Hike

Yesterday, we did a four mile hike.  Yes, you read that correctly.  All five of us did a four mile hike.  Guess which five year old did an amazing job hiking?  She barely grumbled but had one moment of really wishing to be at the top, so I gave her a lollipop.  It worked. 

Dad and Tommy beat the rest of us to the top and enjoyed sitting on terrifyingly high rocks until I got there and shut it all down.  But we did have lunch up there, all sitting on our bottoms, aways from the edge of the rock.

See the rock behind Tommy and Lizzie in this lower left photo? That's where we had lunch!

Last Days of EC2 and Second Grade

Hi Friends.  FIRST LET ME SAY:  I am so terribly behind on this blog!  I just saw that my post about Sid and Ollie's visit in May is still a draft!??!  I will try to do some catch up this week.

We have been in Seattle for a week and are really enjoying ourselves.  How have you been?  We have been in a frenzy of finishing up school (and being room mom for Tommy's class, YAY!!) and traveling but now we are in Seattle for a bit, and it is so green and gorgeous and we are so happy to be here.  (Apart from missing Eli very much, as usual.)

This is Lizzie's end of school party.  I have no idea why this photo is so crappy.  She gorged herself on ice cream and muffins and cookies -- right after they got out of the pool.

One of Lizzie's favorite friends is moving back to the US - and this group of three have been close since last year.

Last day of school!!

They both learned so much this year and Tommy at least is much taller!