Monday, February 21, 2011

So this morning as I put the finishing touches on his birthday video Ollie got a star of the week award from Pre-K (picture). Congrats Ollie, we're proud of you.

The real reason for the post is to mention what happened last Wednesday. Ollie had some friends over to celebrate his fifth birthday. Everything was going well and people were having fun but then an evil villain (the DarkShark) broke into our house and of all the low down dirty things....stole his birthday cake! Ollie and his friends went through a gauntlet of tests and before anyone realized turned themselves into SuperHeroes! They found the clues that led to the cake and a major crisis was averted. Enjoy:




In other, unrelated news...Ollie continues to work really hard twice a week in his art classes and I wanted to share some of the work he's produced in his dinosaur collection:

Thursday, February 03, 2011

So i know i always start this way, talking about how behind i am, but this one is particularly rough. I really have no idea what to say. I was almost done the summer video (in October) when my computer crashed. Sifting through so much great footage of time with family, friends, their new babies, weddings (on both sides of the continent) allowed me to relive a summer that was incredibly fun! As great as it was to go through these digital memories it involved an enormous amount of time and losing all this work was painful. I tried to re-start a couple of times but there was so much...I just felt buried.

I still want to re-do the summer video as well as to share some of our fall fun & adventures but i blinked, and months had passed. The number of images were growing - we continue to be blessed with a wonderful life - and now it is 2011. So i am using the whole holiday update bit to push the reset button with the hope that i will get to the videos from an epic summer and wonderful autumn one day.

So enough with my drivel (more below). This video is of our holiday season, disfrutalo:


(There are many stories that could be told about these images, and they are all valuable in my selphish opinion, here are a few more details then could fit in the captions)

The mariachi is a Mexican icon that few would fail to recognize. Our new house shares a wall
with a beautiful boutique hotel. The restaurant of this hotel has a band of mariachi that play monday thru Sunday. They are truly incredible musicians, and I hope that Ollie and Ella will remember the soundtrack to their bedtime stories in the future. I won't lie; it would be nice to see some variance to their setlist - but i have nothing to complain about. Its beautiful, its Mexican, and listening to their nightly gift is a major part of this incredible dream that is our life. Back to the icon piece though, they dress - differently then many people, Karli and I have become obsessed with mariachi doing regular things. (more mexicanisms)

Hard to believe but in November Karli and I celebrated 5 years of
wedded bliss. Of so many incredible things I have to be thankful for, she is definitely numero uno. Thanks babe. Also, thanks to Granny & Boppy who took care of the kids so we could have a wonderful long weekend to celebrate.

Our new house defies description it is so beautiful, i really often think i am living in a dream. You should really come and see it.

In November Karli became an official Yogi. We are very very proud of her. It was an experience that has been life changing for her and indeed all of us. She was snapped up immediately and is now an instructor at Davanna Yoga just up the street. A huge thanks to Anna, Karli's fellow classmates, and all of her students.

The video is already very long, but really should be longer. We were very blessed to have visits from Granny, Bobby, Aba, Karl, Geoff, and Bryan this fall.

Fiestas de Guadalupe. The original clip (with the bells) goes on like that for four minutes! Living right behind the church we heard them from dawn long into the night, we were certainly not too sad when the celebration was done - but it was
beautifully rich in so many ways and we were treated to the street festival daily. I can honestly say I am looking forward to next year's festival - or at least the first few days of it.

Ollie continues to progress through school. I am so proud to say that his Spanish is very good (he regularly corrects his parents - no joke) and we are again blessed and thankful to have a wonderful group of teachers guiding him as he navigates through the treacherous waters of Pre-Kinder. He has produced some incredible things this year, loves going to school, and demonstrates new knowledge daily. Miss Katie, Miss Mary, and all the other caring teachers - we truly could never thank you enough.

Ella has worked hard at potty training, Yoga, in art classes, swimming and remains a kind, sweet, animal obsessed, ball of love & laughter. Who picks up her numbers, letters, all types of food (and lots of it), and relationships of all types staggeringly quick. She can melt you with a smile - and i have great fear for when she fully figures out how hopelessly wrapped around her finger we all all.

Both kids love to sleep together, although there isn't a whole lot of sleeping going on - but the giggling and stories they tell each other are some of the most hilarious moments in our day to day life. They are
definitely a dynamic duo who love, stick up for, and cover for each other all the time - Karli and i are in a great deal of trouble!

I started my winter holiday by jumping on the private plane (of one of my 7th graders) and flying to Baja, a land of incredible beauty for three days of kiting in the mecca of La Ventana. The wind didn't cooperate but I had some great mountain bikes through the desert and i don't think there was a better place on earth for watching the lunar eclipse on the solstice; actually flying the plane for 45 minutes was something I will never forget, nor was watching the full moonrise through the crowds as we flew over the sea of cortez. Despite not kiting for a minute, it was a great trip, and I hope to return with the family next year. Thank you to the Tron family for the invitation and opportunity.

We continue to enjoy the beauty (human, manmade & natural) of Puerto Vallarta. We go the beach a lot and have regular meetings with whales, dolphin, rays, turtles, crocodiles, beautiful birds, and much more.

So this is a lot longer than it was meant to be, but i suppose it is kinda my version of a holiday letter. We have so much to be thankful for and wish you and yours a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2011.

KOEm


(if you actually made it here you deserve a medal)