January Highlights

I feel like we got 2011 off to a good start with a busy and playful January...SO busy, and SO playful that I just plain didn't have time to blog.  But I can at least offer a photo summary of the month, if nothing else?

Let's begin with Mariner's Fan Fest 2011.  This was a 'Boys Only' event...for Clay and the kids anyway (I relished in some rare 'Erin time' while they were gone).  Koen and Finn had the opportunity to sit in the dugout, see the Mariner Moose, practice their batting and pitching skills on the field, and run the 360 foot stretch around the bases (even more impressive when your legs are only 12-18 inches long)!  They came home exhausted and as happy as too little boys and one big boy can be.

Finnie says, "In twenty years, look for me right here, in this very spot...in uniform!"

I took the boys on a nature walk one Sunday morning.  The air was crisp, the sky was mostly blue, and the mud was abundant.  Luckily, I thought to bring our rain boots, just in case....whew!  Koen charged the trails ahead of us.  With his hands grasping the pretend steering wheel of his pretend car, he rambled all over the rocks and logs.  Finn delighted in tossing pebbles into the slow moving creek.  One after the other, he shouted, "Pass!" (meaning splash!).

Teacher Sandi hosted an impromptu Take Your Sibling to School day.  Finn was beside himself with joy!  He always tags along when I pick Koen up from school.  We sit through ending circle time for songs and dismissal, but Finn always wishes for a little more.  On this day he finally got more!  The little kids had free reign of the climbing room, the play dough, the water table, the art station, and the bouncing stallions.  Koen also enjoyed the opportunity to show his little brother around his 'big kid' school.

Seriously...just look at the smile on his face 

as he discovered the mini-sofas in the reading loft!

Can you find the little Greenleafs in this photo?  

They both sat very still, not fully participating, but definitely taking it all in. 

Finn!  Lie down with the other kids!  

He wasn't sure he wanted the parachute coming down on top of him, 

but he wasn't willing to do anything to prevent it either.

That's all for now.  Just a peek into a few of last month's outings.  Hopefully, February will have even more to offer!

Go Hawks!

Are we lucky? Or are we LUCKY!

A friend from Koen's preschool invited us all to the Seahawks game a few Sundays ago. We were sooo excited! His mom (my friend) has a client/friend who owns a suite at Qwest Field...a SUITE! We were in shock from start to finish.

Our ticket package came complete with rock star parking. Literally, we drove all the way up to the top level of the parking garage (with our shiny little pass), and parked 30 feet from the entrance. We passed all of the people waiting in line for the elevators, and walked straight through the VIP side door. No joke, the couple that walked through before us was decked out in Rolex's and furs.

The suite level was low-lit, carpeted, warm, quiet, and had hosts smiling and waiting to assist at every turn....basically luxurious. We made our way to room #35 and scanned our tickets to unlock the door. A choir started singing as we entered the private quarters (just kidding, but almost). We weren't sure what to do right away, since we were the first to arrive. I guess we just spent the next five minutes trying to wipe the smiles off our faces. I was even tickled to see a private bathroom in the suite, complete with a fancy elevated sink.

Catered food of all kinds was set up on every surface in the room, even the popcorn was in a fancy basket with a napkin. The mini-fridge was stocked full, there was a full box of Top Pot Donuts waiting for us and a stack of new beanie hats in case our heads caught a chill as we sat near the window ledge. But we really didn't need them, as the overhead heater blowing warm air gently down on our seats was sufficient. :)

Koen planted himself down in the front row, and hardly moved for an hour. I don't even think he blinked through the entire opening ceremony...the fireworks, the giant American flag rolling over the field, the live sea hawk flying through the tunnel ahead of the players running onto the field, the Seagals (Yes, he watched the dancers for quite a while. Already a dude, I guess.) And even though the Hawks didn't win, we had such a fabulous and memorable time.

What A TREAT! I'll never forget it, especially the next time I find myself sitting in the freezing cold, nose-bleed seats with my binoculars. Football games will never be the same.

Shinta, Koen and Finn sittin' in the cushy seats like big boys.

The room next to us apparently belonged to the Hasselbecks (Seahawks quarterback)!

Please let the clock run slowly so this dream will never end!

Touchdown! Let 'em hear it, Finnie!

Here we are, just after the game ended. So much fun!

Thanks for a wonderful time, Shinta, Momoe and Josh!

Snowbird

Clay went snowboarding this weekend. Koen was very excited when he saw his Dad's gear all set out by the door Saturday morning. As any curious kid would, he pulled everything apart, inspecting it and trying it all on. It was so sad though, when he realized that he wasn't going with Dad. Koen watched longingly out the window while Clay loaded up the car. He was very concerned that Daddy might forget his sunglasses. We sat in the breakfast nook eating our cereal and Koen was quite melancholy. Every once in a while he'd return to staring out the window, saying, "Wish I could go snowbirding with daddy."

Even an hour or two after Clay had left, Koen came to me and said, "I wonder if Daddy's on the mountain right now?" He truly thought about it all day long, talking about 'someday, when he's bigger (or daddy's smaller...whichever comes first), they can go snowbirding together'. So sweet.

When Clay returned that evening, he had a cold surprise for the boys...snowballs! Koen smiled and laughed a little, but was more concerned about how Clay was going to get these snowballs back to the mountains? Finn wasn't so impressed. He held some snow for about 4 seconds, then started to cry.

Both kids were equally enthusiastic about donning Daddy's gear, however. Truth be told, Koen didn't take these goggles off for the rest of the night. He wore them on our daily walk, and even wanted to wear them to preschool this morning. While on our walk, he looked up at me and said, "I look good in these goggles!" And upon our return home, he said, "That was a hot journey!" (Huh?) "Do you mean a hard journey?" I asked. "No! My goggles made me hot on our journey!" Funny kid.

Here are just a few other random shots to share from our week.

This kid means business.

Batting practice isn't for sissies!

The trouble with learning to crawl, is that you usually start out going backwards. The only problem with this is that you always get farther from the object that you most desire, and you usually end up in the corner of the room, helplessly under a chair.

Koen's new favorite task is giving Finn his nightly bottle.

He's a very caring and loving big brother. Please let this last forever!