[day 161 ... june 10]

It's been so warm this month - actually going back into May as well. Something like three weeks with no rain! Here Cory's getting a refreshing drink from a water bottle (always keep a bunch of those in the car) before we head home from school.

[day 160 ... june 9]

Almost the end of the school year (last week!), and Joyce and I just finally managed to arrange a time for our parent-teacher conference for Niall. In the nick of time, but we did it. Niall took me on a tour of his classroom, including showing me how much money they'd collected for the program to prevent summer hunger. He was delighted that someone gave a $2 bill. He thinks those are so cool!

Joyce has a number line along the top of the walls around the classroom, marking how many days of school have passed and notable occasions on different days: kids' birthdays (with an actual Polaroid picture - I didn't know they still made film for those cameras!), tallies for food bank collections or bread tabs, special events, etc. Last year she had something on every single day but this year it looks like just the highlights are captured.

[day 159 ... june 8]

I arrived at school early for pickup today, and Niall and his class were on the Big Field with Ellen playing a kind of tag game called Spy and Assassin. Niall loves games that involve running and mystique, and this is his favorite right now.

[day 158 ... june 7]

Niall, Cory and I went to the Woodland Park Zoo today to check out the new penguin exihibit. It was fabulous! The penguins have a great pool and rocky area, and they're so energetic: diving and swimming and paddling about, and occasionally climbing out to waddle on the rocks. There's a big wave that bursts in periodically, that the penguins seem to really enjoy. At the same time, a small fountain that kids can get to and climb around erupts sporadically. Great fun! The boys also enjoyed the "bubble" observation spots where the penguins literally swim around you as the bubble windows push out into the water.

There's a lot more to the exhibit too, including desert plants, a big anchor, a boat to play it, penguin nests cut into rock walls that kids can climb into (they make baby penguin noises too) - lots of great fun, exploring the whole area.

Other spots we particularly enjoyed on this trip were the bird atrium, where cockatiels climb along your arm and over your head, and (with kids anyway) even peck at crumbs of food right off your face, if you let them! Niall thought it was hilarious, even when the bird pecked at his nose! Cory wanted a bird on his arm, but got a little freaked out as it climbed up toward his face. Fortunately they were quite amenable to going off to anothoer person (like Mom :-).

This kookaburra came right up to the glass to look the boys right in the face. So funny!

And finally, our very favorite spot at the zoo: the burrows in the habitats play area. Lots of running around as scary monsters (or prey) and saying "Boo!" Good times!

[day 157 ... june 6]

Niall and I played Monopoly Jr tonight for special playtime. He's a cutthroat competitor, this one. Working on the "losing gracefully" part of things. Though honestly, he usually wins at Monopoly when we play with no concessions from Mom!

[day 156 ... june 5]

This is Cory's pet rock from the TLS Art Festival, perched on our deck railing. Just so cute, and he was so funny about treating it just like a pet. One that does just what he wants it to, and doesn't need food, water, or walking!

[day 155 ... june 4]

I don't take enough bathtub photos! Well - Cory is the only one who will let me take them these days, but I have few even of him. Here he is being adorable as ever, and...putting his ears in the water! This is a brand new skill, developed during swim lessons. Makes it so much easier to wash his hair now!

The musical dolphin floating by his head is part of a set given to us by Grandma Frances many years ago. She was enchanted by the idea of a set of bath toys that you could make music with. Each dolphin floats in its own plastic "inner tube" which you can link one to another, and as they float, you can bop them on the head and each makes a different musical note. It's pretty amusing.