Sailing...

Growing up in Maine winters were freezing cold and snowy. By spring the snow had stopped falling and what was left on the ground turned into a giant block of ice. Slowly the sun would warm the ice, breaking it up with small streams running to big puddles at the end of the yard. My brothers and sisters and I would make boats out of Cool whip lids and sticks and sail them down the streams.

Winters in California are a little different. For months on end the sky opens up and rain pelts down day and night. This winter has been fantastically rainy, Lorien and Wyatt have loved every minute of it. A few days ago we decided to go sailing. I cut up empty milk jugs and the kids made sails with blue paper. Lorien and Wyatt had a great time running down the side walk (through shin deep puddles) after their sail boats. It was freezing and raining cats and dogs but it was great!

The Aquarium...

Nothing makes me sweat faster than the idea of a big outing. I've got three kids, maybe you didn't know, and I am a pretty young mother. So whether I am at Costco or the zoo I hear the same comment from passer-bys: "Wow, you've got your hands full!". I am always very polite and keep the snarky reply that jumps to mind to myself. These priceless observations from strangers are not the cause of my sweat, nor is it the behavior from my kids causing the remark. What has me all sweaty you may ask? It is only the idea of driving by myself with three kids screaming in the car. I am confident that I will get lost and while trying to read signs and maps I'll be distracted by my chirping children and drive us into another car, building or telephone pole. This is all very much within the scope of my driving abilities.

In spite of my traveling fears, I loaded the kids into the car on MLK day and drove up to the city to go to the Aquarium. The weather was rainy and miserable but the Aquarium was small, dry and really cool. The best part was riding around on a moving side walk through glass tunnels under all the fish. Wyatt and Lorien had too much fun seeking out the biggest fish (sharks!) and Clare had fun repeating every word she heard us say.

me: "Look and that orange fish!'

Clare: "ish!"

Wyatt: "A starfish with one, two, three, four, five, six legs instead of five!"

Clare: "fooor, ive, siss"

Lorien: "A leopard shark!"

Clare: "sh-ARK!"

Fun stuff, I am telling you!

The kids and their favorite fish, well the sharks were their favorite to see but they swam out of the picture too quickly. (Clare is my favorite fish, check out her jack-o-lantern teeth).

Lorien also liked watching the thousands of sardines swimming around in a circle.

Sisters, sisters...

In our house, we are all grateful for sisters. If you need some one to play dolls with, find a sister. If you want company in the bath tub, ask a sister. Need some one to harmonize with while belting out the Spongebob song, have we got the girl for you. If you are looking to fight, laugh, cry or shout with joy, a sister will always be a willing participant. And, if you want to play air hockey naked but for a pink winter hat, a sister is always happy to help you strip down, find said hat and be your opponent.

Argh, tighten the rigging mates...

Lorien wants to go to Hawaii and Wyatt wants to go to Disneyland. We've been talking a lot about saving our money so we can make it to one or both of these fantastic destinations. Today, Wyatt and I were having another money talk. He helped me put the clean dishes away so I gave him a quarter. "Do we have enough to go to Hawaii now?" he asked. "Not yet, remember, we have to save for a long time to buy enough plane tickets for the whole family." This was followed by more discussion of other ways to save money and a long pause from Wyatt. A minute later he said "Momma, if we are going to be rich, we are going to have to be pirates."
"I think you are right but first we'll need a boat."
"Like one from Daddy's office?"
"Yep, that would work."
Will's office is next to a marina where lots of sail boats are moored for the winter. So I guess piracy is the next logical step to our future success. I'll keep you posted on our progress.

Little girls...

I love all of my children. I really feel so blessed that we have girls and a boy. I am always surprised at their similarities and differences. They are wonderful and exhausting all at the same time. Both Lorien and Clare love to put on make-up. Lorien has covered her face in lipstick and blush many times. When we got Lorien a little tube of lipsmakers chapstick one day as a treat, Lorien used the whole tube as eye shadow, blush and lipstick. It was very charming... Clare took a cue from her big sister one day and dove into my make up bag. (Maybe I own some blame for leaving the bag open on the top of the toilet. A toilet is a natural magnet for any child who can walk.) Thankfully I own a harmless shade of pale pink blush and this is what she managed to get open. I don't know how long she sat covering her right cheek in blush but she was very proud of herself when I did find her. That is smug satisfaction you see on her face in the picture on the left.

What can a four-year-old boy do with bubble gum?

Most of the time, if you are talking about my four-year-old-boy, he will chew the gum until it looses all flavor and then use it like play dough. He will roll the now colorless gum into a ball, stretch it as far as he can between his hands, wrap it around his fingers or stick it to something near by...the TV, a toy, his sisters...
But, this time, the four-year-old-boy decided to try and blow a bubble. Maybe because one sister was at school and the other napping. After a couple of trys he had the art down enough for his proud and impressed Momma to snap a picture. Great job Wyatt!

Family Christmas Card

Merry Christmas and Happy 2008
This year we decided to share a few of our favorite things:
Will: Starting his own company. RAS (Risk Allocation Systems) was funded in April of this year. Will recruited his brother, David, and a few other co-founders to come along on the start-up ride. They moved out of our garage and into their own office space in May and have been steadily moving forward since.
Cassie: Children, glorious children! As a Mom of three superstars and second counselor in the Primary Presidency at church I cannot seem to get enough. With a child in a parent participation school, most of my participation involves teaching Art to the class and alternating between wonder and shock at what these kids can do. In Primary I am happy to be working with amazing women and watching all the children learn and grow.
Lorien: (six years old) Kindergarten! She is learning so much and has made some terrific friends. Will and I are impressed with what she knows; she can read, write and do simple math problems. She tells us about patterns, the surface of the Moon, punctuation and how to play toilet tag.
Wyatt: (four years old) Building and Baking! Ever the architect Wyatt added marble drops and Robotix toys to his list of building materials this year. He spends hours creating machines to do his imaginary bidding. He also loves to help out in the kitchen. Banana Muffins and Chocolate chip cookies are tops on his list of favorite things to make and eat.
Clare: (one and a half years old) Using her vocal chords! Clare loves to sing her heart out. ABC’s, Old McDonald and the SpongeBob Square Pants theme are a few of her favorites. She will sing along with what ever tune is playing. She has also picked up on most of our family phrases like; “my turn”, “watch this” and “add the cheese” referring to the packet of dehydrated dairy product that turns macaroni and cheese nuclear orange.
We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season in your homes and wish you a happy new year!
Love,
The Anderson Family

Learning about static electricity

That's right, we have a trampoline. And if any of you can reckon back to the days of yore when you used to jump on trampolines you might remember the vast amounts of static electricity your little bodies would generate from jumping and sliding all over the woven nylon surface. I am happy to report that in the fifteen years since I was a frequent trampoline user things have not changed. Especially if it is a winter afternoon with dry air and you are wearing very thick socks. Today was not the first time our oldest, Lorien, discovered the hair-raising effects of trampoline use. She has pointed out Clare's wild hair many times. Sadly, today was the first time both Lorien and Clare learned to be weary of the charge. After jumping until their hair stood on end Lorien asked me to take a picture. Then wanted to see the photo...when both girls touched the camera they got a jolt that will probably make Lorien's loose teeth fall out tomorrow. Clare wouldn't come near the camera again. Will says I am lucky the static didn't mess up the camera.

Christmas Morning 2007

We try not to go too crazy with presents for Christmas. Between Grandparents and other relatives the kids really get a lot. We try to stick to five gifts that we think the kids will really enjoy. This year we had a hit with each kid. Clare loves this giant teddy bear (as do her older brother and sister). Wyatt, the family builder, got a set of tinker toys. And Lorien got a new doll, different from a baby doll but not a Barbie (Mom is happy too). My favorite gift for them were the baby books. After six years for Lorien, four for Wyatt and almost two for Clare I finally got their first year in pictures and notes put in books. I have had a lot of fun sitting with them going over the story of the day they were born and all the fun memories from their first year of life.

Christmas Eve at the other Anderson's House

We enjoyed Christmas dinner at Uncle David and Aunt Angela's house this year. Thankfully for us, the live right around the corner. Super Dave and Wonder Angela went all out for this little get together. We had ham, potatoes, salad (jello and the leafy kind) vegetables and pie. We ate by candle light, which my kids thought the best idea ever. With so little light Mom and Dad could barely see if they had eaten all their dinner or not. To top the evening off Aunt Angela prepared dozens of cookies for the kids to decorate (or eat) for Santa. Will showed the kids how to track Santa on NORAD (a defence contractor who on Christmas eve abandons its normal web page for an animated tracking of the Jolly Old Elf). Grandpa Clay, Grandma Lizz and her son Daniel drove up from Soquel for the evening. We all had fun listening to Christmas music, eating way more than we should and watching the kids run around.

Pictures:
At the top we have Evan (wearing Lorien's shoes) Wyatt and Will (Dad) checking out the Santa tracker. The next picture is Wyatt, Dad, Lorien and Daniel.

Second row: Wyatt was really pleased with his cookies. He loves to bake and wants to be a "cookie and cake decorator" when he grows up. Lorien also enjoyed decorating cookies (and doughnuts).