Bloopers

I just wanted some nice pictures for our Christmas card....

Spheres

Seattle is, in some ways, a quirky town. For example: Amazon built two glass spheres and filled them with plants from the Amazonian rain forest and then opened them up on the weekends to the public.  I am sucker for that kind of thing and Jason committed back when it wasn't as cold outside.

Ha! Ha!

It was chilly, more so because we left home early to make the drive to Seattle.  The boys are still working on the concept of weather-appropriate clothing when it comes to the winter and shivered a bit in their hoodies. Of course, inside the spheres was warm and humid, so everyone survived.

To pass the time (we were early), we dropped in at the Amazon Go store.  I've read about it online and the boys were unnecessarily excited to shop at a place where you just stick whatever you want to buy in your pocket and walk out of the store...and that is not considered stealing.  Ok, that is kind of cool.  But even more cool for them, since their purchases were charged to my Amazon account.  It's a pricey little store, so we let the kids each pick one treat and then we headed out.

It was time to head into the spheres.  So we were about 20 minutes from the house this morning when I realized that I had forgotten my good camera.  It was too late to head back, so I had to resign myself to the following blurry pictures.

It was an interesting experience and some of the boys are now convinced that they want to work for Amazon.  Not precisely what I was hoping they would get out of this, but I'll take it.

Veterans Day

All About The Bass

Last week there was this little thing called a parent-teacher conference.  Historically, this has usually involved a parent...and a teacher.  But in our area, this also involves the child. 

In this case, the child is now enrolled in two band classes - 6th and 7th.  And he is super excited.

Band teacher + excited student = a new instrument in our home

We've done recorder, ukulele, clarinet, saxophone...now introducing the BASS CLARINET.

I actually had to Google bass clarinet because I didn't know it was a thing.  It turns out it is a thing. A big thing. 

So big that he gets to keep one at home and use a different one at school.  I went to the school to pick him up and we brought it home.  He was so excited that he put his sax reed on it and brought out his clarinet book from last year and started playing.

Seriously people, I think this kid will be able to accompany himself.

And be so happy doing so.

Happy Halloween!

Our little caboose sometimes gets the short end of the stick.  Once upon a time we had three small children and we did all the stuff.  All the holiday stuff.  And now that the older boys have moved on from a lot of that, we don't do as much.  When Isaac asked for a pumpkin to decorate, I couldn't say no and felt a little guilty at the same time.  Luckily, with sharpies and stickers, we still had a happy child.

Of course, the older boys are still interested in the part of the holiday where they get free candy. We may not have carved pumpkins or gone crazy decorating or gone to local holiday activities, but we did get costumes.

Darth I, featuring a voice altering mask

Death, complete with raspy moans

Blackbeard himself

Darth II

 After a successful, if slightly soggy, night in the neighborhood, the boys got down to the real business of Halloween: trading candy.  I may or may not have grabbed a few pieces in all the confusion.

Wet and Wild Soccer

Another great season of soccer on the books.

Bottoms On

Josh's journey to the dark side is complete. 

Braces on top AND on bottom.