School Daze

My angelitos are two and a half years old today! They are so cute and so good. Here are a few photos of us in action taken by the teachers at the ELC.

Nathan caught on the blue couch:

Henry playing quietly:Jessie & Nathan making a book of family photos:

Henry, Jessie & Nathan working on the book:

B Ball

Nathan playing some basketball in the sunshine:

or

Nathan running away from Henry who thinks he's the only one who can play with the basketball:

Pengy takes the heat

Penguins have a special place in Henry and Nathan's hearts, and they get to do lots of the same things as the boys.

They sit in high chairs at the table:

They get rides in the wheel barrow:

They rest under a blankie:

And they go to the naughty spot:

Easter

We had a wonderful Easter celebration at our friends' house this year. They hosted an egg hunt and then we ate a delicious meal.

Nate and Henry at the kids' table:

Serving dinner to the young 'uns:

Nathan with his egg booty:

Henry gathering eggs in the snow:

N&H finding easter eggs:

The next day we took our first trike rides of the season. I didn't expect to have so much snow at this time of year. H&N liked riding through the big puddles.

Nathan on his bike:

Joe guiding H&N on their bikes:

Henry:

Henry:

More loot from the Easter bunny:

Fun with the fam

Henry and Nathan were spoiled with lots of extra attention while the Carr Family was here. Below are some shots from zoo and sledding adventures.

Henry with Grandpa at the zoo:

Nate and Grandpa at the zoo:

Watching brown bears (in the lower left corner):

Eagles:

Climbing like a Dall sheep while watching Dall sheep:

H&N eyeing the tiger:

While the tiger eyes them:

Nathan preparing for a sledding run:

Henry going solo:

Whee!

Shreddin' the pow

Caitlin (in purple) and Marie (in red) really improved their snowboarding skills while they were here. Check out these action shots.

They made it!

After two flights that made it over half way to Anchorage before being diverted back to Seattle due to erruptions from Redoubt volcano, my dad, Cathleen, Caitlin and Marie finally arrived in Anchorage for a week long visit. The days we missed on the front side were made up on the back side when their departing flight was cancelled. Stupid volcano! We were so happy that they made it up here and had lots of fun.

Henry and Nathan with Grandpa:

Marie with cat ears:

N&H get horseback rides from Joe and Caitlin who are disguised as rabid beasts:

Caitlin and Nathan:

Marie, Cathleen and Caitlin at the Space Needle in Seattle (between first and second flight attempts):

Didn't get Joe's car inside in time to avoid the ashfall:

At Bouncin' Bears:

Nathan at Bouncin' Bears:

Mandatory moose sighting in the front yard:

Thar She Blows!

For any volcano aficionados out there, here are a few cool pictures of Redoubt taken by the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

April 5, 2009: Photograph taken during observation and gas collection overflight:

March 31, 2009: Steam and ash plume at Redoubt volcano as viewed from the east. Note ash covered snow on slopes in the foreground:
March 30, 2009: Photograph of Redoubt Volcano in eruption taken during observation and gas data collection flight. Continuous emission of volcanic gas, water vapor, and ash is producing a plume rising to about 15,000 feet above sea level. The haze at left below the drifting cloud is a region of active ash fall. AVO scientists observed ash falling up to 25 miles downwind:

Ski Train to Curry

"I hear the train a comin'; it's rollin' 'round the bend,

And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when."

Winters in Alaska ... so true, so true. We went on an adventure to Curry, a little stop north of Talkeetna, for some snowshoeing. We got up early and boarded the train in Anchorage. "We ride on the train. Big one!" says Nathan. I must admit that I was a bit worried about this trip when Henry and Nathan insisted they were "all done" with the train before it had even left Anchorage! But all went well.

Group shot:

The Mountain:

The train "rollin' 'round the bend":

Jessie & Hache (new nickname is H in Spanish):