"Kayaking" with Dave

After a wonderful day on Mt. Rainier, Kaeli and Dave took the kayaks out for a "spin" in Dave and Laurie's backyard! They had a good race, and saw sharks, according to Kaeli. MaMa and Laurie were told to swim to the beach (the patio) to be safe.

2nd Outfit of the Day

Kaeli fell into a mud puddle on the trail above the visitor's center on Mt. Rainier and scraped her leg and arm. We had to go buy a t-shirt and a first aid kit in the gift shop, and patched up our little girl. We put the muddy clothes into MaMa's backpack and used a carabiner from Laurie to clip together the straps in the back to keep the "dress" from falling off! Kaeli is standing on one of the rock supports for the visitor's center here, with bandaids on her knee and a smile on her face!

Mt. Rainier Snow Play

A Day at Mt. Ranier

Kaeli and Laurie sharing a laugh in front of Mt. Rainier on a beautiful sunny day!

Kaeli's 4th Birthday!!!!

Here is the birthday girl, holding her balloon from YeYe in one hand and "Sog" in the other, with a noisemaker in her mouth!

Kaeli started her 4th birthday by following yellow string through the house, finding birthday presents all along the way! YeYe laid them all out the night before, and Kaeli had a great time finding them all!












Here Kaeli is looking at the crocodile book, with the butterfly cage next to her, that Aunt Margie sent. We will have fun with them!











This is the birthday card that JioJio sent to her - a big green dinosaur!

On Father's Day, Kaeli entertained us by bending over and gathering all her hair together in one hand and then trumpeting like an elephant while lifting her "trunk" up and down in front of her face and giggling! She has us all laughing ....

Sprinkler fun in Laurie's backyard on a hot afternoon!

Arcadia Year-End Picnic

Kaeli's Montessori school, Arcadia, had a year-end picnic lunch at nearby Vassault Park. The teachers and students walked there and met all the parents there. We spread a quilt under a tree at the playground, which Kaeli spent very little time on! The first picture is her taking a moment to snuggle Sog before heading off again. She had a wonderful time that day!

Olympia Farmers Market

Kaeli and I went to the Olympia Farmers' Market with Laurie and Dave a few weekends ago. Kaeli asked for a cat balloon animal, but the first balloon popped while he was making it. So Kaeli decided it was safer to watch the next one being made from behind Laurie!

Kaeli discovering the way the piano makes music....

The Cool Miss K

Day at Owens Beach

Sundays are our "special days" for me and Kaeli. We spend the whole day together doing fun things and NOT cleaning, doing laundry, etc. (that is left for MaMa to do on Mondays!). Usually we head to Owens Beach near the zoo, where Kaeli loves to play on the beach. She looks for shells and throws rocks in the water, and people-watches.

Kaeli's "Special Day"

Kaeli's Montessori school assigns a particular date to each student as their "special day". This is Kaeli in the car on her way to school, looking at her "special day" book. She's pointing at the map of China where she was born. NaiNai and YeYe and MaMa helped Kaeli finish the three-page special day book the night before.

NaiNai and YeYe were able to be there at school with her and watch her celebration. We brought fruit trays and drinks for the class, and stayed for circle time.






Kaeli is working hard on her "special day" crown. She looks very nice in her "pretty dress" - her favorite type of clothes!






Kaeli and Miss Charity, her teacher, are reading the special day book to the class in circle time.

Kaeli & Elena at the Zoo

Kaeli's friend Elena (from Montessori and Chinese school) went with us to the zoo for the day recently. Kaeli loves riding on the carousel, and also seeing all of the different animals. The Tacoma zoo is small and on a steep hillside, but also a wonderful place to spend the day. YeYe and NaiNai gave us a zoo membership for Christmas, and we are making good use of it!

Visiing with Auntie Ann

I caught this wonderful exchange of looks when Kaeli and I were visiting Auntie Ann recently.

A drummer at heart

Kaeli is playing a Korean drum, with Elena as audience, at the Children's Museum of Tacoma. The girls, along with about another 20 children, were celebrating Elle's birthday. We had the museum all to ourselves - the party started two hours before the museum opened. The museum had a special Korean display to celebrate the Asian New Year.

Fiona, Kaeli and Elena posing for the group birthday photo.

Elle's Birthday

Fiona's mother, Shannon, helping Kaeli and Elle make a rubbing of a Korean New Year's message.

Elle's Birthday Party

Kaeli spent Sunday morning at the Children's Museum of Tacoma, helping her friend Elle celebrate her 4th birthday.