3.23.2009: family time

One of the best parts of spring break was hanging out with the Sanders West kids (as opposed to the Sanders East three, the Halpin Hunks, or the King Crowd). The state troopers in Olympia welcomed me on the way down as I was cruising at 75 mph in a 60 zone driving a rented, red Pathfinder. It was definitely worth $93 to meet them. I got an even warmer (and cheaper) welcome from Ava and Henry!

The weather was so gorgeous that I took the elder two on a walk to the park before Carl's cedar plank-grilled salmon dinner. On the way there, Ava braved a chat with a "cary dog" she could see through a hole in the fence (cary dog = scary dog - click here for video) and Henry took some really great creative photos.

We also danced to songs with questionable "booty-banging" lyrics (click here for video) and learned to skip (click here for video). I got to meet Elyse, too, which was a highlight.
What a sweetpea!!


Libby, as always, was a gracious hostess and took the gang to the riverside park before I left. We rode the carousel, walked to the big globe (check out Ava's little hands in her see-through pockets!), and headed back home as Henry very gently helped Elyse snuggle into her car seat. He is quite the hero to his two little sisters.


The kids were great and, of course, hilarious. Ava cracked me up by asking to sip my wine at dinner - I told her no, but that she could smell it. She took a deep whiff and, in response to my asking her "What do you think?" said in a low, husky voice, "I loovve it." Henry loved measuring himself compared to the chalk-drawn measured fish from his guidebook (and Ava joined in, too). Would you believe that it takes 6 Henrys to make one shark?

All in all, a great but quick visit.