Kenzie and Mason

20 years

2010-01-31T21:11:00.001-08:00

Today is Cindy and my 20th anniversary. We had a fabulous weekend. Mike and Mary took Kenzie and Mason and a bunch of our friends treated us to a very special night on the town.

Before he went to bed tonight Mason came down with this card. He also took a treasure box of his, wrapped it up and gave it to us. He can be such a sweetheart.

Here’s a picture from the archives…

Gymnastics performance

2010-01-31T20:59:00.000-08:00

Finally!

2010-01-31T20:57:00.001-08:00

She finally lost her tooth. She was so proud. And worried. Worried that the tooth ferry wouldn’t come, that she would scare the cat, that she might think that Kenzie would wake up and get spooked herself, and that she might get confused because she lost the tooth over at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.

Luckily, the tooth fairy spotted the note that Kenzie left her. It says, “Dear Tooth Fairy, Please take very good care of my tooth. I tried very hard to get rid of it. Sincerely, MacKenzie. Look on back.”

Then on the back she wrote, “Write yes or no. Will I get $2.00? P.S., I lost my tooth at Grandmas. You are awesome. I promise I will sleep soundly at 12:00PM. No alarm clocks!”

Soft landing

2010-01-31T17:43:00.000-08:00

Warning: This one hurts to watch. But it’s quick and worth seeing at least twice.

Karate class

2010-01-31T17:33:00.000-08:00

Mason's karate class has finished up. He loves it. Here is his final performance.

His karate class meets at the Little Gym, same place as Kenzie's gymnastics. They had free play after the performances.

on the beam...

and the high bars...

Bedtime, by Mason

2010-01-30T10:11:00.001-08:00

This came home from his school.

I go to bed at 8:30. My parents told me so when I was a baby so I know when to do it. I get ready by myself.Sometimes someone reads to me but I usually read to myself. It is hard for me to get to sleep. My night lights aren’t always on. I don’t dream. I stay in my own bed till morning when I tiptoe to Mommie’s bed. I get rats in my hair at night so it is hard to comb it out in the morning.

Top tooth

2010-01-26T21:50:00.002-08:00

All of Kenzie's friends have lost about 8 teeth, she has lost 2. This third one has been loose for about a year. It looks like it won't be long now. She was worried tonight that she would lose it and the Tooth Fairy would scare her cat Izzy in the night. She said that she would leave a note...I think it was a request for the TF to be careful and quiet. (Nope, no control freaks here.)

Cat

2010-01-26T21:50:00.001-08:00

Perhaps we need a pet psychic to explain why the cat, presumably George, sneaks into Mason’s closet (only Mason’s closet), fetches a pair of socks, and drops them into Jordan’s old water bowl. Every day I fish out a clean pair of socks.

Holland (Amsterdam!)…by Mason

2010-01-20T21:38:00.001-08:00

(notes taken by Mason’s teachers)

We’re getting back on the plane again and this time it’s Mason who is our tour guide!

Hi, my name is Mason! I’m going to tell you a little bit about Amsterdam. It looks like it is little on the map, but it really is a big place! (Mason showed us on the globe.)

Most of our tulips come from there and I drew these tulips.

There are lots of windmills. I drew this picture. The windmill collects the wind and gives it to us.

I also drew a bicycle because they usually get around with bikes. You can rent a bike too!

This is a boat that rides on a canal, which is like a river. Right in Amsterdam!

The weather is cold like ours. They get a little bit of snow in the winter. It is really cold in the winter.

My mommy’s cousin lives in Amsterdam. I want to go there someday.

Amsterdam is the name of a city in a country called Holland or the Netherlands.

These are Amsterdam flags. Some my mom made at work. There is one for everyone in class.

They have a lot of water in Holland. These wooden shoes would not keep your feet very dry.

This is my clock that has a picture of a windmill on it.

This is Holland chocolate that I will be passing out too! Does anyone have a question?

Debbie: What language do they speak?
Mason: I don’t know, but I will find out.

Maddie: How did you make those flags?
Mason: I don’t know. I didn’t stay up as long as they did. [editor’s note: busted]

Bonnie: What happens to the windmill?
Mason: It collects wind and keeps it down here (in the base).

Bryn: Why are the tulips different colors?
Mason: Oh! There are lots of colors!

Bonnie: Is it flat or mountains?
Mason: I think it is fla.

Feedback…I like the tulips (Toby), I like the boat (Bryn), I like the windmill (Maddie) and I like how you speaked out. It was easy to hear. (Hayden)

Mason spoke so clearly and obviously took so much time with his poster and his drawings, nice work Mason! (Teachers)

bliss

2010-01-20T21:29:00.001-08:00

Kenzie spent Saturday night with Grammy and Grampy, so Mason got special attention. At his request we went for ice cream. Big Surprise. Triple X burgers treated him right with the marshmallow sundae. Total Bliss.

Our first school project

2010-01-18T21:58:00.001-08:00

Mason (yes, he’s in preschool) has his first school report due. Tomorrow he stands up in front of the entire class and reports on what he’s learned about Amsterdam.

We’re so proud of our, er, I mean his, work. This seems like bad precedence, but…all the parents are doing it. He drew the letters and pictures, and picked the photos. But he got sent to bed early and the rest of us finished it. It’s a one-time only deal, I swear. But I did have glimpses into what the future could look like as I yawned over my cup of tea gluing paper to sticks.

He has a container of tulips to give the teachers and a flag to give each student. It pays to have a teacher as a mom.

Chinese New Year Tiger

2010-01-18T21:51:00.001-08:00

Kenzie went over to our friend Gloria’s house today to learn how to paint with water colors. This is one of her masterpieces. She had a great time..and I think all of them are beautiful. (The symbol says “tiger”.)

Gold grill

2010-01-13T21:14:00.001-08:00

We spent New Year’s Eve serving dinner at Tent City, a homeless camp currently in Bellevue. Kenzie served pies. She took her job very seriously. I didn’t even have to check on her. This is her third or fourth dinner at Tent City, so I just knew she was doing what needed to be done.

This was Mason’s first time. We were a little nervous. Not him, however…Mr. Social was quite at ease. He stepped up to the front of the line, literally, and handed out silverware and napkins to each person as they approached. One of the first guys thanked him and, as he did, revealed a row of gold teeth. Mason casually and loudly, very loudly, said, “You have gold teeth. You eat too much sugar?” I was quite embarrassed, but luckily, the guy—and everyone else within shouting distance—were of good humor and enjoyed the five year old spunk.

Coffee-berry

2010-01-13T21:00:00.001-08:00

I was all ready for work. Called the kids to say goodbye, as I stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for them. Kenzie arrived first, gently hugged me, and wished me a good day. Mason was waiting on the fifth stair up. Rather than walking the rest of the way, he leaped like a bat on a high branch. Did I mention that I was holding both my Blackberry and a cup of coffee in my right hand? Somehow every drop of coffee flew out of the cup that I never lost grip of, completely drowning my phone, and rending it useless. He looked and said, “I’m sorry Mommy. I didn’t know that would happen.” I thought the same thing.

New trick

2010-01-10T21:54:00.001-08:00

Mason’s news

2010-01-10T21:50:00.001-08:00

I stayed up until 10 o’clock at night and watched four movies with my friends Luke and Josh for New Year’s. I yelled, “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” to the whole neighborhood! And I heard fireworks!

MacKenzie

2010-01-10T21:23:00.001-08:00

When MacKenzie was six she was clever as clever,

Now that she’s seven, she’s smarter than ever.

She sings so well, she reads so well, her voice is so clear

That everyone listening is able to hear.

She’s thoughtful and helpful, she’s really just great.

I wonder what Kenzie will be like when she’s eight!

~ Dorothy White

(s)no(w) boarding

2010-01-10T16:45:00.001-08:00

We went to Snoqualmie yesterday to go snowboarding. Lauren volunteered to teach Kenzie, Mason & me. We geared up, got in the car, drove up there and parked. Immediately people started warning us that conditions were horrible. It was a skating rink, not a fun way to begin. There was about a solid inch of ice on top of the snow. In this picture, Mason’s holding an iceberg in the parking lot.

We decided to go tubing instead.

No luck there either – they were sold out. So, we killed about half an hour in the parking lot, throwing ice cubes at each other and climbing the brown snow bank, trying to make the most of it. The ride home was not fun. The kids were completely annoying, so we called it a night and vowed to thoroughly check conditions before trying it again.

Grammy is getting better

2009-12-30T16:48:00.000-08:00

Kenzie did not enjoy her Grammy being in the hospital! Well, the rest of us didn’t really like it either, but I’m happy to report that she is back home and regaining strength quickly.

I spent a couple of overnights at Harborview with Grammy, and Kenzie really, really wanted to stay with us. She might have been more help, as she is a lighter sleeper and might have actually woke up when the phone rang, for example. She had a hard time leaving Grammy in her hospital room. Yesterday, though, when we all got to visit Grammy in her natural habitat (home) she was ecstatic.

I think this picture she drew of herself is priceless: the worry on the face, the shrugged shoulders, and the depressing blue outfit. So sad!

The other picture is Grampy. He’s nice and comfortable in the hospital chair.

A Christmas like no other…thankfully

2009-12-25T23:56:00.001-08:00

Christmas is always a time to look back, be thankful for what we have, take stock of what has changed since last year, and look forward to the next. Somehow, that’s all a little harder at the moment. This week has been pretty rough. My mom went into the hospital on the 22nd for a 5-way vertebra fusion. The surgery was a success and she believes that most of the intolerable pain has gone away. Still, she has had a rough time coming out of the surgery and isn’t rebounding quite as quickly as we optimists had expected. Even though the doctor told her she wouldn’t be feeling like doing much for at least three months, somehow three days seems long enough for her to be in a compromised state. So, we’re praying for patience all around. This morning we realized that she need some help from the rest of us to rest, and that meant that we had to stay away. So, it’s the first Christmas I’ve spent without seeing both of my parents. Thankfully Dad came over and we carried the tradition of Eggs Benedict, but it wasn’t the same without Mom here.

Kenzie is particularly sensitive to her Grammy’s condition. She doesn’t like seeing her in the hospital and is worried about her. Mason is concerned too, but doesn’t understand the gravity of it. He needs to be reminded to be gentle and calm. (Over and over.)

I do have to update on the Santa conspiracy. Last year I reported in good conscience that the conspiracy was exposed: Kenzie was no longer a believer. However, I think the last 11 months have given her some time away to rethink the situation and she has, once again, bought the red velvet suit theory hook, line and sinker. Not just playing, but seriously…even in her hyper-logical, pragmatic little overachieving brain, she has carved out space to keep alive a dream of Santa, the reindeer, elves, the whole bit. She even told Grampy that Santa will bring her things that her moms will not (perhaps the collar for the cat…sorry Izzy). I don’t quite understand it, but she has asked no questions this year, other than a couple of innocent “do you believe in Santa” probes to a trusted few. She doesn’t seem open to dismissing the dream, more that she is looking for fellow believers to help her justify it. It’s actually very sweet.

We don’t even have our Christmas cards out yet. Nor have we made the calendars that Mom usually starts reminding me to make in October. Things just aren’t the same. Heck, we didn’t even get through opening all the presents. There’s always tomorrow…

Also, June and Bob have been so anxious to move into their house. I’m so happy to report that it’s completely ready for them. Tomorrow is move-in day. Tonight is the last night that they have to live in their 10x12 box that we refer to as our guest room.

Christmas Eve we went out to dinner with Carol, Clyde, Mike, Mary and my Dad in downtown Seattle. Then we went to visit Mom at Harborview. Tonight we had some dear friends over for a prime rib dinner, Christmas carols, and presents. It was a lovely night, and gave us a chance to look ahead. For me, I look forward to my mom’s full recovery (as speedy as possible) and happiness for June and Bob in their new home.

I hope this finds all of you well, and I wish you a Merry Christmas.

Lego

2009-12-21T19:02:00.001-08:00

Mason confessed to me tonight that he swallowed a Lego piece this afternoon. I asked him how big it was, so he got me a similar piece. It’s a cute little face of a Lego person. Kenzie said that he went into the bathroom gagging, but took some water. It’s small, but I called the nurse anyway, mostly as a lesson to him.

I asked him, “why in the world did you--at FIVE years old--decide to swallow a Lego?”

He said, “because I wanted him to have a wet head.”

We now have to sift through his poop for the next three days until it is discovered. Maybe he’ll have to do that part, just to reinforce the lesson.

Poetry with Dorothy

2009-12-21T18:55:00.001-08:00

Kenzie and Cindy spent time with our friend Dorothy today. Here is Kenzie’s account:

Dorothy taught me how to write poems today. And she said that it was good for me to write poems because I am able to illustrate them. She made me a deal. She said that if I wrote a poem (because I drew her two pictures) then she would draw a cat because i was trying to teach her how to draw a cat. She said I had written a fabulous poem. And I was like, “Dorothy, now you have to draw a cat.” And she was like, “oh my! I forgot that I did promise you.”

The air is so fresh

The fairy likes fresh air

So she is fair

She likes the fresh air

To run through her hair

The fairy is so pretty

Though she looks so wealthy

And wise

What a nice surprise

Dorothy’s cat and Kenzie’s cat

Izzy is a silly kitten

She always wants to play

She always goes ‘meow, meow’

She always wants to play all day

Christmas pageant

2009-12-20T16:42:00.000-08:00

Our church Christmas pageant was today. Kenzie was Shepard 2 (of 3) and Mason was, once again, the talking cow. Last year Kenzie was Shepard 3, so she feels that she got a promotion this year. (Cindy is the director, but I can assure you that no favors were granted.) Kenzie has everybody's lines memorized anyway.

Lauren, who was the angel Gabriel, has many, many lines, and feared a repeat of last year when Kenzie corrected her in the middle of the play when she took some verbal liberties. So, yesterday Lauren mentioned that I might want to let Kenzie know that she was "making some changes to the words," and Kenzie should expect it to not be verbatem. Kenzie replied, "that's okay, just let me know her changes so I can be prepared." Lauren was well on point, but Shepard Three needed just a bit of prompting. This time, though, Kenzie was quite subtle and helpful. In this video, Kenzie is the middle shepard.

Mason, AKA the Talking Cow, had just one line, but it was long. But, he knew it inside and out. So well, perhaps, that he was able to do some impromptu adapation. Like when his "we were quite moooooved" line got a laugh, he repeated it to see if he could get two. His buddy Luke was trying to share the microphone with him, but the cow was rather focused and, best of all, he did it!

In this scene Lauren (Gabriel) starts to sing, then is interrupted by the Talking Cow, who speaks on behalf of all the animals that are usually left out of the story.

Christmas festivities

2009-12-19T14:05:00.001-08:00

It’s six days before Christmas and we are almost done with the family gatherings. We always do the Bolam family early, but this year we moved up the Averill gathering too. The Bolams were here last weekend for a Saturday morning brunch. Mason showed off his new truck to Carter.

Then, yesterday, the Averills gathered. Grammy is going in for a 5-way vertebra fusion on Tuesday, so she will be in the hospital over Christmas, and we all wanted to celebrate. The “cousins” had fun playing upstairs and otherwise tearing up the house.

The kids gave special performances. Kenzie sang Silent Night, then she and Devan sang Rudolf. David and Daniel showed off their Pledge of Allegiance. Finally, Kenzie and Mason both gave previews of their pageant performances...but you'll have to wait for tomorrow for that one. :)

Kings and Queens

2009-12-13T18:56:00.000-08:00

Mason's school held the annual Winter Celebration today. Each age group--the 3's, 4's and 5's--danced. The teachers said they were just happy that the 3's left their parents to come to the middle. The 4's danced in a circle with the teachers. The 5's took it to a new level with independent partner dances.

Mason's dance partner was Maddie (who he frequently refers to as his "girlfriend"). She was wearing an off-white dress. He's in a blue argyle vest with a white shirt underneath. He was being such a stinker to the girl next to him, Emily, who was in the red shirt to his left. You can see that he did not want to hold her hand. It probably as a good draw that Maddie was his partner, as he was very cooperative with her. The first half of the dance went well (the first clip below). (I can look past the flaunting of his muscles at 1:41.)

In the second half of the dance, the devious side became stronger with each sashay, shimmy and spin. Looking at it positively, he only showed her his muscles one more time, but the tongue was displayed a few times.

Luckily, we ended on a positive note. For the final dance the teachers wisely paired him with two older girls (not in his class...I don't know where they came from). They whipped him around and he could think about nothing other than what his feet and arms needed to do.