Max was wearing a jacket that got pushed up around his arm. It made some red indentations there. I was explaining to him what the marks were from, and he was intently staring at his arm. Suddenly, he said “Mommy, I see Buzz Lightyear’s face on my arm!”
Max had a little twelve hour bug, starting last night. He took a nap, woke up with a fever, and barfed a couple of times. One of our neighbor friends had it too.
I make note of it so that next time he gets sick and I wonder how long it’s been, I can look it up!
We love Pirate Park Beach.


These were taken by my friend Jennifer Bermudez on our recent whale watching trip. Thanks, Jennifer!
No one managed to get a really awesome dolphin shot though, which is so funny, because there were dolphins jumping everywhere! Of course they’re super fast, though.
Jennifer and Cruz, Sara and Colin, Max and I, Koreen and Trevor
Max and Cruz, stoked to be on the boat
Scanning for spouts
Seals on Anacapa Island
We spent the most beautiful, clear morning with friends today in Santa Barbara at “Turtle Park”. It is actually two parks, one with a huge fort play structure, and the other a garden area with a large pond, filled with turtles, ducks and enormous koi. It really was so fun. The kids played for a few hours, and we all had a picnic. After working up a hearty appetite, we went to a darling little cupcake shop and had the best cupcake I’ve ever eaten in my life.




Da Boyz: Kody, Hank, Landon, Max and Cruz


Carl was out of town at a conference all weekend. My hats off to the single parents out there! What a lot of work a little person is.
Anyway, we tried to keep busy. We went to the toy/ craft store, out to lunch, and to the park. We gave the dogs baths. Then Sunday we got a phone call from our dear friend and doula, Renee, who lives in nearby Ojai. We made the the trek up on Sunday afternoon to visit, and had such a blast. They have a drumming and hula hoop-dancing circle in a park downtown, which also has a super fun fountain. The fountain is raised up, and you can run all around it, throw leaves into it, and nearly fall in 100,000 times, so that was awesome. Playground, toy store, ice cream… really, you can’t beat it.


Renee showing Max how it’s done.
by Kim on February 27, 2010
“You eat food and it goes in your mouth, and in your stomach, and in your digestines, and then it comes out as pee and poop! And it’s all digested!”
by Kim on February 26, 2010
Max and I went whale watching today! My moms’ club went as a group, and the rates were too good to pass up. We didn’t actually see any whales (sigh), but we did see hundreds of dolphins, seals, and a mola mola fish– weird! When the boat first started really moving, Max was totally grabbing on to me for dear life, but by the end, he loved it, and was totally comfortable. Seeing the dolphin babies jumping with their moms was a huge highlight. I hope to go again soon!
My little flip camera just can’t capture that kind of action, but some friends with big fancy cameras have promised to send pictures. If those materialize, I’ll pass them on!
Sailor Max
Anacapa Island
Five minutes of rocking while speeding across the channel, and he was out
This was the only whale we saw today
We made this dolphin craft to remember the day
by Kim on February 24, 2010
If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
he learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
He learns to find love in the world.
~Amanda Carter
by Kim on February 23, 2010
We had a great time visiting Grandma and Grandpa this weekend, as well as extended family and dear friends.
Great Grandma, Uncle Joe, Aunt Nancy and Grandpa, at brunch
Grandma Janet is celebrating her 90th birthday this week!
Viking men
Walking around the lake after a morning of snow showers