Outsourcing

Leelee really wants this $13 transformer from Adventures Underground store so I told him he could make some extra money by:

1) teaching Olin how to tie his shoelaces
2) practicing piano without me asking
3) doing 'homework' without me asking
4) washing my car (with me)

I started to think about tying shoelaces when Olin mentioned that "he was going to be a full-day student next year but still didn't know how to tie his shoelaces". So I outsourced my labor to Leelee.

First lesson did not go so smoothly. Olin didn't do it right, got mad at Leelee, Leelee got frustrated and walked away from the table and started crying.

Then I told Leelee this is how teaching and learning goes, and they made up and started tying shoelaces again.

Pool day! Pool opened this past weekend so we went out yesterday and spent 2 glorious hours there. We got new floats from Costco that the kids enjoy.

Other news - Olin sings this song that goes like this:

Donny Donny, yes Papa
Eating Sugar, No Papa
Open your mouth, Ah Ah Ah

The first few times he sang it I thought he was singing in a foreign language until I made him slowly tell me what the words are. The song is so cute. I captured it on video but am not succeeding in uploading videos right now.

Sleepers

Olin has his 'badge' from the Capilano Park stuck to his head, and Leelee's foot resting on his back.

Like Father Like Son

Ummm, I seriously laugh so hard every time I look at these two unrelated, but related, photos. I happened to take this photo of Haraboji last week to capture his new teeth, and I happened to take this photo of Dae the other day in Seattle.

Memorial Day Weekend 2016: Seattle + Vancouver

This is the second year Dae has had a vascular conference in Seattle right before Memorial Day weekend, so both years we have taken the opportunity to tack on a trip to Vancouver - this year with our Nexus passes in tow. Nexus Pass has been really worthwhile! No lines at the airport or at the USA-Canada border.  Thanks to Megan for the tip!

Oh yes, Le Panier. We come every time. We always order a Raspberry Croissant, bag of choucettes, mochas for me and Dae, and then Dae goes over to Piroshky Piroshky to pick up a Beef & Onion piroshky.

We caught these guys at a high-fish-throwing time of day. They had this one fish that they kept throwing for show, and I am assuming it was not up for sale. At least I hope so!

While Dae was at conference I took the kids on the Monorail to the Pacific Science Center. The monorail was $6.50 round trip for one adult and two kids. Kinda pricey in my opinion, seeing as how it goes about 1 mile. But fun. The IMax show at the Pacific Science Center was really cool. 3D and filled with kids, and all the kids were putting out their hands thinking they could touch the stuff coming 'out' of the screen. haha.

We always eat so junky on trips. I curbed it at the science center and let them pick out one snack from only the fruit and vegetable section. Surprisingly, Olin picked carrots, and ate them. (Who would pick carrots over apples, or grapes? Not I)

Leelee always asks me to take a pic of him on the pig.

At the hotel.

Dae discovered this little urban garden on top of Pike Place Market. We got to this pig first thing in the morning so we got a free pass to write all over it.

More hotel action

Vancouver! Capilano Suspension Bridge, just north of Stanley Park.

The bridge itself. In action since 1889 I believe. It wasn't super scary, but it was a little unsettling. The bridge moved a lot. Mom, I would not recommend you visiting this site! haha

The forest here was so pretty, so green. I loved the lighting so I asked someone to take our family's photo.

Lots of mini suspension bridges and treehouses and such.  I had wondered why the entry fee was a little steep ($90 or so Canadian for our family) but the forest was so nice and the park area so well done I can see why it costs so much to maintain.

You won't see Olin in many photos. He still refuses about 90% of the time.

The Cliff Walk. Now THIS was scary. Leelee was not really scared at all. Olin was a little bit scared.

Anytime we're within sniffing distance of an Asian hair salon Dae is like a homing pigeon making a beeline for a cut.

Speaking of sniffing distance, our VRBO was across the street from the Robert Lee YMCA so I became a 5 day trial member for the lovely price of free. ha! I have taken a Zumba class and a Yoga class. Both were excellent! I love YMCA!

Dae read this article about a lady who did 4 straight days of Korean face masks and had some nice results in her skin quality, so when we saw these masks on sale at HMart Vancouver (6 for $9.99) I pounced all over them and purchased 12. My scientific results after one day is that my skin seems clearer. :)

We ran over to the bus stop for the Hop on/Hop off trolley but we were late, so we killed 25 minutes by taking a lot of selfies. Although Leelee took this one.

While at HMart, we got these Heel treatments. At $6.99 each, these were not quite the bargain that the face masks were. At least the Canadian exchange rate is highly in our favor! (.77 to $1)

It rained like crazy today. Kids loved carrying their own umbrellas.

Apparently, both Olin and the woman in back were equally uninspired by the Hop On/Hop Off Bus tour. As luck would have it, the bus driver basically said he didn't have a way of processing payment so he just let us on and we rode around for 5 stops and got off, for free. 

End of May Miscellanea

1) Christian is in to making 3-D anything right now. He'll ask what I want, and I will tell him something and he'll go away for 30 minutes to an hour and come back with a 3-D masterpiece.

Airplane

Choo Choo train with connectors

 2) I did an Insane Inflatables run with a couple people from work. It was hard! haha!

3) Favorite pasttime - hitting RV shows at the mall on Saturday after baseball

4) Another favorite pasttime - getting ears cleaned. Olin's outstretched hand is holding his ear wax.

5) Very proud. Christian's piano teacher texted me the following.

6) Haraboji and Olin playing "Chest". (Note haraboji's new pearly whites. These are his temporaries, but they are a somewhat long-lasting temporary.)

7) Last minute weekend overnighter to Walla Walla! Kelly and I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott and met up with Alaina and her friend Amber for wine tasting on Sunday. 

Saffron Mediterranean - delicious

There might be a problem when every girls' weekend for me ends up with a Grocery Outlet shopping experience...

Our version of spa day. $1.97 masks from Nordstrom Rack.

Wine tasting. We hit Va Piano, Longshadow, and Castillo De Feliciana