Zoo Day

                             The budding photographers are trying to get a smile out of the brothers.

What to do on a cold but clear day with no school? We went to the zoo of course. With several thousand of our friends who had the same idea. Yeah, it was a wee bit crowded. 

But- where else can you go to be outside and walk and see interesting creatures that also has lots of benches for snack breaks and a gift shop in which to blow your allowance money? Yeah, nothing else like it. 

a sunny free-day Friday

Apparently our local school board doesn't think highly of February either. Or at least they don't think the kids will learn much in such a short month. Why not give them an early dismissal? Or two. And hey why not throw in a "mid-winter break" while your at it. Um, excuse me, a what? Oh and this is my favorite, we got a day off called "the day between semesters." Because how else can you honor that deep and pernicious transition than by taking a day off to recover from all of the many decisions and travails of the previous semester before steeling your mind to begin again. 

But I'm not complaining really because we had sun, we had friends and we had a long and lovely afternoon at the zoo. (Brixton was not so lucky. The preschool does not hold mid-winter break in such high regard.)

So we had this gaggle of girls, two sets of sisters and my Unity, and set them loose to gawk at animals both exotic and mundane. It went well. They have the kind of overlapping relationships that so often happen here: Unity is friends with B from preschool and R from her current school. R and B live near each other and their parents are tight from way back working on neighborhood council stuff. R and B both have big sisters that Unity likes and admires. 

It all works.

Maybe I do need a mid-winter break after all. 

Best Fathers Day Ever?

Father's Day, by Unity

First we let Papa sleep in. Then he opened his presents. Me and Bricky made him cards and Mama had a card too. Mama made a shirt that said "Face forward and sit on your bottom!" Papa always has to tell us that at dinner. This is his stern face.

After Meeting, we went to the zoo. Caspar Babypants was playing a show.

He played the Googly Eyes song. It's my favorite.

This is my dance.

                                We saw Sadie and Quinn. I like them. They go to a different school now
                                 but we are still friends.

                                                    Brixton is flying.

                                        Can you find me and Sadie dancing?

                                  We were cold at the end but we had a blanket. Also I got a Not-Its T-shirt.
                                   I like them because I like their tutus.

Then when we had dinner, we saw another one of my friends.

I am happy that Papa had a good day.

zoo!

Friday was sunny so Brix and I went to the zoo, along with half of Seattle. After waiting in line for half an hour (!) we met up with Desi and Joey and their mamas. These freshly minted toddlers just want to run...and grab...and sit in the middle of a busy walkway. Good times. Thanks to Oma and Anya for sharing their photos.