Sunday, December 19, 2010
December mornings...
Making "G charms" for Margaret's fellow "Mother G" girls. They turned out quite cute.
Decorating the tree...
Decorating the tree...
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Nutcracker mania takes over...
Our life seems to pretty much revolve around the Nutcracker these days. Between rehearsals, costume fittings, and now all the performances, it's basically our life... Looking back through the fall, here are a few of the points along the way that got us to where we are...
Caroline (in pink, with Santa hat), at rehearsal
Margaret posing with her fellow "Mother G Children" before the costume fitting
Working on the grand finale in rehearsal
Posing backstage with her fellow Mother Gs
Our little mouseketeer! Isn't she cute? And she's only partially costumed!
In full mouse gear, posing with a new friend she's made along the way.
Several mice mousing around on the props back stage waiting to go out for their final bows at the last dress rehearsal before opening night!
Margaret & Caroline sharing a hug back stage. One of the many bummers about having the girls in two separate Acts is that Caroline is out of her costume before Margaret is into hers--how am I ever going to get a picture of both of them together in their costumes? Haven't solved this dilema yet...
Margaret killing time back stage with an Angel friend.
We were fortunate to have Jennie come down and take some better pictures of the girls during their final dress rehearsal. I can't wait to see them! For now, I just keep snapping away with my phone camera...
Caroline (in pink, with Santa hat), at rehearsal
Margaret posing with her fellow "Mother G Children" before the costume fitting
Working on the grand finale in rehearsal
Posing backstage with her fellow Mother Gs
Our little mouseketeer! Isn't she cute? And she's only partially costumed!
In full mouse gear, posing with a new friend she's made along the way.
Several mice mousing around on the props back stage waiting to go out for their final bows at the last dress rehearsal before opening night!
Margaret & Caroline sharing a hug back stage. One of the many bummers about having the girls in two separate Acts is that Caroline is out of her costume before Margaret is into hers--how am I ever going to get a picture of both of them together in their costumes? Haven't solved this dilema yet...
Margaret killing time back stage with an Angel friend.
We were fortunate to have Jennie come down and take some better pictures of the girls during their final dress rehearsal. I can't wait to see them! For now, I just keep snapping away with my phone camera...
Next stop: Portland
In keeping with our usual crazy-busy pace, we made our 3rd annual post-Thanksgiving visit down to Portland for the weekend with our friends the Barrettes. This has come to be a highlight of the year, with the kids asking for WEEKS ahead of time, "When are we going to Portland?"
The hotel lobby makes a great backdrop for a family photo shoot...
The kids writing their letters to Santa at the Macy's Santa Christmas display.
Margaret and Peter deep in thought over some Nintendo DS game (at least I think that's what they were doing...)
The girls and Anne savoring the confectionary highlight of the weekend---a trip to Voodoo doughnuts!
The hotel lobby makes a great backdrop for a family photo shoot...
The kids writing their letters to Santa at the Macy's Santa Christmas display.
Margaret and Peter deep in thought over some Nintendo DS game (at least I think that's what they were doing...)
The girls and Anne savoring the confectionary highlight of the weekend---a trip to Voodoo doughnuts!
Harry Potter Mania sweeps home
The girls caught the Harry Potter bug pretty bad this summer/fall. They have now each read all 7 books and seen every movie, including the latest that came out a few weeks ago. They absolutely can't get enough of all things Harry Potter. Having read all the books and watched all the movies right along with them, I confess I'm a fan now too. Poor Jeff, it's hard to keep up with all the inside talk about characters, magic spells, etc... He's a good sport, and even decided to come with us when we went to the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Seattle Science Center.
Caroline's souvenir was a pair of Harry Potter glasses...
Caroline's souvenir was a pair of Harry Potter glasses...
Halloween
How pathetic that it's almost Christmas and I'm just getting the Halloween pictures posted? This year we had a mad scientist and a Hermoine Granger (the heroine from Harry Potter). The girls got to trick-or-treat at my office a couple days before Halloween, then Caroline and her buddy Kat (another mad scientist) took part in the annual Halloween parade at school.
Finally, on Halloween itself, Margaret escorted Jameson around the Farmer's Market in the afternoon (while Caroline was at Nutcracker rehearsal), then the girls trick-or-treated in the neighborhood with their friend Maggie who lives up the street.
Finally, on Halloween itself, Margaret escorted Jameson around the Farmer's Market in the afternoon (while Caroline was at Nutcracker rehearsal), then the girls trick-or-treated in the neighborhood with their friend Maggie who lives up the street.
Anna & Bella
This fall we were lucky enough to find a wonderful new afterschool sitter for the girls named Anna. She has a daughter Bella, who celebrated her 3rd birthday in October with a major "Alice in Wonderland" bash. The girls had a blast being the "big kids" of the party. For me it was fun to meet Anna and Bella's extended family, which seems to be a very large, close, and friendly crew. We're so thankful for the addition of them onto our team.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
I'm so far behind I don't know where to start...
Here's a bunch of random shots over the last month or so that will try and get us up to date...
We celebrated Grammy & Grampy Doyle's birthdays over Labor Day weekend by checking out the new kayak park along West Bay near downtown Olympia. The weather cooperated (mostly), and we all had fun taking turns in the kayak and savoring the steamed clams that Jeff prepared. Back at the house we finished the day with a burger bar and a homemade cake the girls decorated in honor of the occasion.
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Supermodels in the making... The girls had a great time at the park posing as supermodels and taking pictures of one another...
Another successful start to the school year...
This year Margaret has traffic safety patrol duty before school. She absolutely LOVES this job, even when it involves standing out in the rain. Something to do with getting to hang out with her friends and wielding power over others I think...
We attended Grandma Dorothy's birthday celebration a few weeks ago. It was so great to see her looking so good after the rough summer she's had. Margaret & Caroline renewed their bonds--instantly!--with Brian & Lisa's girls and had a marvelous time organizing parades and various pranks.
Jeff's good buddy Mike Swan from Texas was up for a weekend this month. He brought his son Matt with him and the three guys had a full sports weekend with the Husky game on Saturday and a Mariner's game (against Texas) on Sunday. Margaret & Caroline enjoyed getting to know them too. It was really great to have them here and we only wish they could have brought the whole family and stayed a little longer. Maybe next time!
Our busy little carpenters at work. Together they girls made a balance beam for their dolls, and generally just had fun sawing & hammering. I love that they're interested in using the tools--if only we could catch up on the mess in the garage to have space to work in there!
This weekend we started The Nutcracker season (already!). While Margaret is now an old pro at the auditions, this is the first year she's moved into the "intermediate" group, where they are auditioning for parts other than soldiers & mice in the fight scene. She has several possible roles, but we'll just have to wait and see!!!
Much to our surprise, Caroline decided she wanted to try being in the show this year, so she auditioned too. She's hoping to be a mouse, and has already made a little buddy who wants to be a soldier--they're looking forward to doing battle!
The cast list will be posted next Friday evening, so we'll know for sure then.
We celebrated Grammy & Grampy Doyle's birthdays over Labor Day weekend by checking out the new kayak park along West Bay near downtown Olympia. The weather cooperated (mostly), and we all had fun taking turns in the kayak and savoring the steamed clams that Jeff prepared. Back at the house we finished the day with a burger bar and a homemade cake the girls decorated in honor of the occasion.
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Supermodels in the making... The girls had a great time at the park posing as supermodels and taking pictures of one another...
Another successful start to the school year...
This year Margaret has traffic safety patrol duty before school. She absolutely LOVES this job, even when it involves standing out in the rain. Something to do with getting to hang out with her friends and wielding power over others I think...
We attended Grandma Dorothy's birthday celebration a few weeks ago. It was so great to see her looking so good after the rough summer she's had. Margaret & Caroline renewed their bonds--instantly!--with Brian & Lisa's girls and had a marvelous time organizing parades and various pranks.
Jeff's good buddy Mike Swan from Texas was up for a weekend this month. He brought his son Matt with him and the three guys had a full sports weekend with the Husky game on Saturday and a Mariner's game (against Texas) on Sunday. Margaret & Caroline enjoyed getting to know them too. It was really great to have them here and we only wish they could have brought the whole family and stayed a little longer. Maybe next time!
Our busy little carpenters at work. Together they girls made a balance beam for their dolls, and generally just had fun sawing & hammering. I love that they're interested in using the tools--if only we could catch up on the mess in the garage to have space to work in there!
This weekend we started The Nutcracker season (already!). While Margaret is now an old pro at the auditions, this is the first year she's moved into the "intermediate" group, where they are auditioning for parts other than soldiers & mice in the fight scene. She has several possible roles, but we'll just have to wait and see!!!
Much to our surprise, Caroline decided she wanted to try being in the show this year, so she auditioned too. She's hoping to be a mouse, and has already made a little buddy who wants to be a soldier--they're looking forward to doing battle!
The cast list will be posted next Friday evening, so we'll know for sure then.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
What I did on my summer vacation
Here's a little interview with the girls about their summer...
Q: Thinking back over the whole summer, what are some of your best memories of places you went?
Caroline: In Sunriver, I remember finding a birdnest under a tree on the way to Grammy & Grampy's condo. I also like playing at the swimming beach and the saltwater beach on Orcas islands.
Margaret: My favorite place was when we were at Lake Chelan and went to the Chelan Waterslide Park. I also liked Camp River Ranch and all the different days we celebrated, like Halloween Day and Beach Day and Twin Day.
Q: Did you learn anything new this summer?
Margaret: I learned about memorizing scripts and blocking and acting.
Caroline: I learned how to eat stinging nettles, and I learned to watch where I am walking on a hike because I walked into stinging nettles on Orcas Island.
Q: Did you have any other favorite parts about the summer?
Margaret: Getting my new room because Caroline and I have been sharing for so long and she wouldn't let me paint my old room red. I liked meeting Robin [at the Borsct Bash]
Caroline: I remember having Kat over for playdates where we made movies, and seeing Molly Z. in the store.
Q: What was your favorite book you read this summer?
Margaret: I read alot, but Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire and The Wanderer, which I've read before so I knew what was going to happen but I liked it anyway.
Caroline: I liked Harry Potter too, but I also like Ella Enchanted as well, and Al Capone Does My Shirts, and a whole lot of others that I'm not going to mention because it would take too long.
Q: What was your least favorite part of the summer?
Margaret: The carpenter ants in my cabin at Camp River Ranch, because they were everywhere and everyone was screaming and freaking out and they were dropping sawdust onto our beds.
Caroline: One of my least favorite parts was getting my sealants [on my teeth at the dentist] because they sprayed some really yucky stuff in my mouth and left a little spike of sealant that scraped my tongue.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about going back to school?
Caroline: Getting into third grade and seeing all my friends again. Oh, and starting piano lessons again.
Margaret: I want to start band and use my new school supplies, and see my friends again. I'm excited to have my new teacher.
Q: Thinking back over the whole summer, what are some of your best memories of places you went?
Caroline: In Sunriver, I remember finding a birdnest under a tree on the way to Grammy & Grampy's condo. I also like playing at the swimming beach and the saltwater beach on Orcas islands.
Margaret: My favorite place was when we were at Lake Chelan and went to the Chelan Waterslide Park. I also liked Camp River Ranch and all the different days we celebrated, like Halloween Day and Beach Day and Twin Day.
Q: Did you learn anything new this summer?
Margaret: I learned about memorizing scripts and blocking and acting.
Caroline: I learned how to eat stinging nettles, and I learned to watch where I am walking on a hike because I walked into stinging nettles on Orcas Island.
Q: Did you have any other favorite parts about the summer?
Margaret: Getting my new room because Caroline and I have been sharing for so long and she wouldn't let me paint my old room red. I liked meeting Robin [at the Borsct Bash]
Caroline: I remember having Kat over for playdates where we made movies, and seeing Molly Z. in the store.
Q: What was your favorite book you read this summer?
Margaret: I read alot, but Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire and The Wanderer, which I've read before so I knew what was going to happen but I liked it anyway.
Caroline: I liked Harry Potter too, but I also like Ella Enchanted as well, and Al Capone Does My Shirts, and a whole lot of others that I'm not going to mention because it would take too long.
Q: What was your least favorite part of the summer?
Margaret: The carpenter ants in my cabin at Camp River Ranch, because they were everywhere and everyone was screaming and freaking out and they were dropping sawdust onto our beds.
Caroline: One of my least favorite parts was getting my sealants [on my teeth at the dentist] because they sprayed some really yucky stuff in my mouth and left a little spike of sealant that scraped my tongue.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about going back to school?
Caroline: Getting into third grade and seeing all my friends again. Oh, and starting piano lessons again.
Margaret: I want to start band and use my new school supplies, and see my friends again. I'm excited to have my new teacher.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs
Last night Margaret debuted in her first starring role of a theater performance. She was Pig #2 in a funny spoof of the Three Little Pigs, Billy Goats Gruff, and the Three Little Bears combined. She had a LOT of lines to memorize, which she handled no problem, and had a great time on stage (and back stage too).
If you have any interest in watching the video, you can find it at www.olydix.net
Considering the kids were all ages 7-13, and they only had 1 week to pull the whole thing together, it's remarkably good. Very entertaining!
If you have any interest in watching the video, you can find it at www.olydix.net
Considering the kids were all ages 7-13, and they only had 1 week to pull the whole thing together, it's remarkably good. Very entertaining!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Our very own wildlife refuge...
Would you believe we had a peacock and two deer in our yard this evening? For real. We've seen the peacock roaming around the neighborhood since we got home from vacation last night, and tonight when Jeff went to take the garbage out, guess who was in our garage?! As we followed it out the driveway, we came across two deer. The only thing missing were the two bald eagles that sometimes fly overhead...
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