PaliTutor

We spent a cold day coloring Easter eggs.

Dunking eggs

“A blue egg! My favorite color.”

“Whobody wants this egg?” That’s what Logan said about Marlo’s egg.

Marlo cracking her egg before she painted it

Logan’s egg

The color specialists

Marlo loved hearing the sound of her footsteps as she walked across the bridges at Los Liones.

Footsteps

“Up so high!”

This Sunday Grammie hosted a petite bithday party combined with an Easter egg hunt for our one year old baby girl.

Tiny steps

Marlo and Me

“I found one!”

A pink egg for Olivia

Toting her own basket

Counting eight shiny stickers on his card from Grandma

The best photo we could get of three kids collecting jelly beans

My sister and mom laughing at our silly kids

Birthday girl

“I’m the leader,” Logan declared on our hike through Topanga Canyon this morning.  “I want to protect Marlo from dangerous animals.”  Logan lead a 2-mile hike, selected a great spot for a picnic, and kept count of deer (5), ladybugs (2), bugs (1) and lizards (lots).  Marlo hung in there and taste-tested a few ants during the picnic.  Logan discovered a ”Pippi” tree with a hollow area for “hiding things” (no chilled lemonade found hidden inside; we left a few goldfish crackers for squirrels), decided he wants a camera for his birthday, and carried Marlo’s bare feet off the crackly Oak leaves.

Logan took this photo of Marlo and me at the start of our hike.

The “Pippi” tree

Deer 1

Picnic spot

Saving Marlo from prickly Oak leaves

Nature’s candy

“Sticks for fighting lions, bears and peacocks”

Logan, me and Marlo

A few photos of Marlo as she pounced on pillows after an afternoon bath.

The last day of cooking class involved a lot of chocolate fun.  After Ms. Dede read the kids a story about the layers of Earth and described the colors and texture of the layers, the kids made an Earth cup with chocolate pudding, Oreo Cookies and Graham Crackers and topped it with wiggly sour worms.  “Try it mom. It’s sooooo yummy.”  Indeed, it was.  And with a few rolos and pretzels they made chocolate turtles, too. 

Earth Cup

Ms. Dede and the class

When I walked into preschool this note of quotes was posted to the door.  I couldn’t resist snapping a memory.

Chocolate turtles fresh out of the oven

It looks like Marlo found the chocolate turtles (and a mini toy buffalo).

Yep, she was caught.

With a streak of heat we had to hit the beach for some boogie boarding and swimming.  Logan raced right into the water but as I was watching Marlo and juggling the camera alone I told him to wait until Alden returned from his swim.  Logan quickly replied “I can watch myself in the water.  I have to swim.  I have to practice!”  When I warned him about sharks he said, “Don’t worry I already know to punch him in the nose.”  So I guess he is a kid with a plan.

Boogie Boarding

Swimming

Body Surfing (waiting for a wave)

Beach Babe

Little girl, big shovel

Cutie pie

Yep, every weekend is a sports weekend and this one was nothing short.  Logan started his morning off with a run along the beach and a sprint up Temescal.  A few of my students- long-distance cross country and track runners joined us for a 14-mile run along the beach and hike through Temescal Canyon.  Soccer followed and so did an evening hike through Topanga Canyon.

Logan keeping up with the fast guys

Marlo and me with the runners after they finished a grueling 14-mile run

Soccer buds

Driving it in

Logan

Picture Day

Nothing like Topanga Canyon after a few days of rain- fresh air, deer and lots of mud to trudge through. 

Hiking along Dead Horse Trail

Checking out the view

Self-titled “Warrior” stance before an attempt to jump into a large muddy puddle

Rubbing his hands on sage

Relaxing after a long hike

Getting the mud off

Three goals in the first ten minutes.

Andreas and Logan

Logan and Louie

Stopping in the middle of the game to give Marlo a smooch

Marlo
Almost 11 months old