Rock n Roca

We like to rock out at our house so I was excited to take the kids to their first concert today. Technically, they had seen this band play before at the library but this was a real show, and one where the kids would be a part of the next album (there's not much that annoys me more than kids music where kids are actually singing the songs but kids have a very minor role in these songs so it's okay). Ben would have loved to have go but had to work so I was happy that Sarah A. was also husbandless for the weekend and wanted to go. The band is Recess Monkey (made up of three Seattle elementary school teachers) and I recommend their album Field Trip (you can listen to samples here on Amazon or watch a not so good recording taken by yours truly) if you are looking for fun kids music that doesn't suck.

We hit up Randy's Restaurant on the way home - the diner I had planned on visiting the week previous with my mom. It was about what was to be expected. Sassy service, kitschy aviation decor, okay food. Not a bad place to take kids though or if you want a cheap but good pancake (with fake syrup) served 24/7.

If we hadn't had enough fun already, Sarah led us to the Almond Roca Factory/Outlet, which is a local treasure I had heard of but never visited. I ended up scoring a large assortment of Roca's (macadamia, almond, cashew, candy cane, sugar free) some nuts and some other chocolate for $5.

TCI - The Lost Footage

Due March 2010.

Sky-High Santa

photo credit "Scott Beale / Laughing Squid"

The Space Needle is perhaps the most famous Seattle landmark and one I had resigned to never going up because they charge you $15/person to go to the top (for a ride that is not nearly as cool as say the St. Louis arch) but a local home builder was giving passes for four to anyone who donated food to their drive. I donated three times (or rather broke up one large donation into three smaller ones) in case we had time to go up when Ben's family was in town for Thanksgiving. We didn't so we were able to share some passes with friends and even a few strangers.

We have had unusually sunny winter weather here (freezing, but sunny - a fair trade as far as I'm concerned) so we knew we would have good views and we wanted to catch the sunset (which is pretty much 4:15 this time of year) to maximize our visual pleasure. A bonus was that Santa and his Space Elves were at the top ready to hear the kids secret desires for Christmas. I brought two cameras with me but batteries were out on both (I thought this might be the case so I even had at least a dozen batteries in my case and I'm sure I looked idiotic trying one combo of batteries after another to no avail. Santa can bring me a new pack of rechargeable batteries if he is listening) so I missed the most precious picture in the world of the kids beaming while sitting in Santa's Spaceship. Trust me, it was darling. But not darling enough for me to pay $20 to pay for it. Or even darling enough for Ben to let us stand in line to even view it (Santa can bring him patience). Avery told Santa that she wanted a Barbie (I was really really hoping it wasn't $150 Biscuit the Dog again this year because it would be a shame to not get what you wanted two years in a row. A Barbie we can swing.) Miles asked for socks. Done.



They also got to decorate little spaceship sugar cookies with frosting and candies so we defiantly got our money's worth on this adventure.

photos of family, city and sunset by Meka Manchak.

"Top Shep". Or, Why my children play with knives.

We like to cook. And I just happen to have two very talented sous chefs who love to pull up a chair and lend a hand. They can trim, chop and peel (garlic is Avery's specialty), stir and measure.

She also washes dishes and sets a mean table:

I'm gonna have to make that plaid dress into an apron one day because she seems to like to wear it when she's helping (these pictures were taken in different months in 2008 - back when we were all still tan)

Miles, on the other hand, is still in training. This is what happens when he tries to make breakfast (two separate occasions):

---

Explanation for the knives in apple picture below. I was around the corner, about 12 ft away, watching "Top Shep" as Miles calls it (Top Chef) . Usually we watch it as a family affair (What? Bravo bleeps out all the bad words) but this time he was taking the opportunity to hone his knife skills in the kitchen. There would be no plastic knife for him this time! I kept hearing him say - "It's a king!", so I think he thought he was making a crown for the apple. Poor defenseless apple half. Part of me was horrified (a very very small part) , part of me giggled and part of me was amazed that he could get all those knives in there, climb down off the counter and bring it to me. I figured that the photo would horrify some and make others laugh, or like me, maybe a little of both.

Latest Installment.

My newest nephew has made it into the world in record time. Well under two hours from initial contraction to very first breath. Introducing...

Jack River Westbrook

For details and more pictures go here.