Lego Ninjago Movie

...has been on the kids' minds for months, ever since they saw the first commercial for the movie. They never (and I mean never!) want to go to the movies. Dae and I will be practically begging them to go see a movie. Because what kid doesn't want to go see a movie?

So we saw it in Seattle at the theater on 7th and Pike, a mere 5 block walk from our house! That was nice. The kids LOVED it. Dae and I thought Batman Lego movie was better.

$5 photo booth. I let the family go hog wild on spendings this movie night!

Popcorn and a pack of candy for each kid

I couldn't resist getting these Ninjago T-shirts when I saw them at Old Navy that day. Plus they were buy one get one 50% off, so that was enticing. I was clearly swept up in the Ninjago frenzy!

Leelee asked me to come sit on the couch, where I found this.

$5 for the beaut on the left, $10 for the beaut on the right

I think Gum Wall gets a cleaning every year. This time they left a nice remnant.

Exit clean-up

Saturday ASE soccer games at Claybell Field

Asleep with Misty on his chest. He wasn't reading it, just looking at it while I was reading them "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"

"You have plenty of time"

Olin really detests when I take him on errands in the 15 minutes of dead time between Christian's drop off and his. I usually try to hit the post office and Freddy's if time. Today I gave him the option of making a return with me at Freddy's or going to school early and reading with me. He said let's go read at the school and he said I could go do my stuff later.  And then, verbatim "Mom, when I'm at school you can do whatever you want. You have plenty of time until 3 o'clock" He sounded like a little adult!

They've been doing these shows lately in the basement. Christian rigged up this curtain to rotate open when they rotate the sofa on the right. It usually opens to reveal Olin in various hilarious positions and poses.

Blurry - captured from video

Another One Bites the Dust

He wiggled out tooth #F himself this morning. Tooth fairy has been very busy.

School photos tomorrow. Christian hand-picked this outfit and asked me to iron it. He then asked if he could shower before school so that he could 'style his hair'.

Out with the Old, In with the Not-Much-Better New

Dae and I never fully embraced Leelee's choice of Skechers from last year, but since kids are so limited in their ability to control or choose things in their life, I figure shoes are a very small compromise. In the meantime, his old Skechers had a faulty piece of Velcro, so his strap has been popping off for about 3 months. I have told him to deal with it for a while, but he wears his shoes very hard, and I decided it was time for a new pair. He picked out Skechers...again. He ignored all my good-intentioned suggestions of Nikes and Adidas. Was not interested. This guy likes flair and somehow he is really particular about wanting the 'memory foam' feature that Skechers advertises.

Old shoes. This photo makes them look like they are in decent condition but they're near the end of their life - fortunately.

New. Memory foam.

Fossil and the eclipse made a big impression on the kids.

Eclipse (more Christian work)

Interesting teaching methods. Makes sense. Black triangles are nouns, red circles are verbs,  large blue triangles are adjectives, and I have no idea what the names of the other things are (prepositions, etc). hahaha.  (more Christian work)

I really like Orange Theory. I have been going quite a bit and it's a lot of fun. The music is nice and loud, the environment is energetic, I feel like I get a REALLY good workout every time, it's different almost every time, and I feel like I am getting a little faster every time. Anyway, this was the row for relief - I think the rowing company donates $1 for every 1000m rowed, so I stayed after and did 1000m. Some people did 10,000m!

Pendleton Round-up!

Indian bareback Relay. As crazy and exciting as it always is.

Indian princesses. Their outfits and horses' attire were really nice.

These were "VIP" box seats we got upgraded to when our seats were double booked. We got to be right up front and see the exchange of horses during the relay and the princesses posing with the winners and stuff.

Early September Happenings

After a big break, Christian finally lost another tooth (his third). It's tooth #E. I pulled it for him with gauze. The next day, he lost tooth #N by wiggling it himself in the car in the ferry line.

Olin's first piano lesson! He was excited and nervous. 

Olin likes to make his own waffle. He puts on a oven mitt even before he has turned on the toaster.

Bainbridge ferry! Neither kid wanted to go - Leelee had said he was worried he'd get seasick - but the ferry was so fun. The cafeteria was cute, and Bainbridge island was cute.

Ferry food: tots, Sprite, popcorn

Departing Seattle

Two pigs, two gap-toothed boys

Waiting for a table at Kedai Makan Malaysian restaurant in Capitol Hill. We walked the 1 mile uphill and it was a good walk.

Nest-like bread appetizer with dipping sauce.

Stopped for hot cocoa on the way home at the Starbucks Reserve Store.

Leelee took this very artistic picture of the coffee beans

Pike Place particularly pretty this morning

Waiting for light link rail to Chinatown (Uwajimaya where I went to procure items to make homemade poke. Can't wait!)

Drinking fountain at fish market

Boys wanted us to time them running down to the gum wall and back

2nd Annual Lee Family RV Trip (Birthdays Edition)

2nd Annual Lee family RV trip

Where: Methow KOA near the town of Winthrop, WA
Who: Lees, Robertsons, Mom & Rong
When: Labor Day weekend 2017
Why: Olin turns 6! Mel turns 40!
Activities: Tubing down the Methow river, swimming in the pool, sitting and napping, roasting S'mores, eating a lot of BR ice cream cakes, opening gifts, walking in to Winthrop, miniature golf, tacos and steaks, lots of bagels and Jeff's breakfast burritos, 2 campfires in 97 degree heat, drinking margaritas in newly purchased Hydroflask wine coolers

Lovely signs from Robertsons

Didi turned 9 on August 29! 

Well done, please. Apparently Olin tried to pawn this s'more off on everyone.

Mom and Rong's cabin was about 100m away and was nice

40!

In the town of Winthrop. Sheri's Sweet Shop was so cute.

Everybody all up in the booth. Dae got me chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate cake. Next year I will learn from Olin's cake and will request Cookies 'N Cream ice cream with white cake. Not that I didn't appreciate my cake. haha.

In front of Sheri's Sweet Shop in Winthrop

Walking the daily walk to Winthrop, a mile away. My kids complained, and then when Olin realized he would get a Hi-Chew if he walked the mile he did it.

Mom and Cookie

Miniature golf at Sheri's. Basically Sheri's had everything.

Pedestrian bridge on the walk to Winthrop

Ninjas with their sticks. Olin in wide stance for every pose.

These three boys were obsessed with Lego building almost the entire trip

Olin opening presents!

Steak dinner....yummy

Lots of napping the first day

Napping, cont.

Tubing squad. Methow River was so clean, so cold, and felt so good. It was a mile long tubing trip and extremely pleasant.

"Couples tubing"

Didi and Leelee's faces. Ev and I unknowingly synced our hats and clothing. Eclipse hats come to the rescue again!

Night Swim!