May 25, 2016 - May 31, 2016 - 22 months and 2 weeks

Crazy busy and active and fun week!  Lots of pictures, which is just fine by me, especially since I'm finally caught up.

They are still alive and growing bigger and bigger!! 

We took my packraft down to my little pond to explore it a bit… 

Splash in the water, grab lily pads, watch the water strider bugs...

But as exciting as it was, when it's nap time, it's nap time! 

Exciting times for the Woodpecker clinic… running water, utility tub, and a washer and dryer!  Crazy. 

Finally warm enough for the baby pool!  Plus, with our hot water heater, I was able to add just a bit of hot water to take the icy edge off of it.

My new secretary in training!  I guess I still need to get him a uniform, huh?

Kadin wanted his own hammer and nails to play with… toy tools are just too dull.

On Tuesday, we hopped in the plane and headed out looking for a new patch of tundra.  Flew over some amazingly beautiful areas but ended up hiking in the Peters Hills, where we've been many times.  No less beautiful for being familiar though.

May 18, 2016 - May 24, 2016 - 22 months and 1 week

The frog eggs are now… tadpoles!  Here is one of the little mini pond/swamp aquariums I set up.

And here are two tadpoles!  The one on the left is from May 18th and the one on the right is from May 24th.  Growing fast… just like Kadin!  He is just starting to notice that something is squirming around in the tank.

Kadin does yoga with me!  Downward dog… 

It was Will's birthday so a great excuse for a party.  Kadin got to run around like crazy with Sky and Judy again and was fascinated by the balloon that sang "Happy Birthday".  

We biked around downtown and Kadin got to see the train pass by!  It was his first time noticing the train and afterwards, he loved pointing out the trains in his books and saying, "Chugga chugga, chugga chugga" over and over again. 

We went over to Trapper Creek for Rick Ernst's memorial and Kadin took the John Muir quote to heart and frolicked in the meadow, collecting dandelion tops for me.

This is a portion of the John Muir quote:  

"Let children walk with nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star…" 

May 11, 2016 - May 17, 2016 - 22 months

Frog eggs!  and now in our house!

The next night, after mucking through our pond for the frog eggs, we jumped in the plane and met up with a bunch of other out on a gravel bar of the Chulitna River.  4 or 5 planes, at least 10 adults, 3 dogs, and 2 wild and crazy kids.  Sky, the other kid, borrowed my camera and most of the pictures posted here are hers, so pardon the blurriness, but I loved seeing a 3 year old's perspective!

Maybe Sky covered half the frame on purpose… for privacy.

The photographer's self-portrait!

OK, I took this one… too cute!

Two nights later, I was inspired by Teresa and wanting to find a yummy way to hide broccoli, so I made my own little ravioli.  The dough was part whole wheat, white wheat, and rice flour, so I don't think I would have wanted Teresa there to judge them, but Kadin liked them, and that was the main goal!  Stuffed with ricotta, tofu, veggie sausage, and, of course, broccoli.

We enjoyed the ravioli outside, in the buff, with red wine, of course.  

(That's the Italian way, right Teresa?)

After dinner, Kadin wanted desert and spied 3 high-bush cranberries off in the forest.  So he took off after them, crashing through the shrubs barefoot and naked, until he found a prickly rose bush and then asked Mama to carry him the rest of the way.  

And, last but not least, we ended the week with a bike ride to the Flying Squirrel cafe, about 3/4 mile away, and Kadin biked the whole way!  He loves this balance bike!!

May 4, 2016 - May 10, 2016 - 21 months and 3 weeks

The week started with mellow outdoor fun around the house and XY Lakes...

Kadin was surprised to see me strip down and jump into the lake… He started to take his socks and shoes off but one foot in the water and he changed his mind!

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The next day was an early morning to day care, where I scooped him up asleep in the bed and needless to say, he wasn't too happy about it!  

(Although, of course, he had a blast playing all day at the day care center.)

And the following day was such a long day full of fun that I couldn't just pick 2-3 photos.  

Morning:  First we flew out to Polly Creek and headed out to the mud flats to go clamming.  It was a 4 plane outing and Kadin's best buddy Sky was there so she and Kadin played in the mud to their hearts content, getting as dirty and wet as they wanted.

Afternoon:  The tide started coming in quick, so we went back to the beach and had lunch.  As the tide came in faster and faster, it was time to get the planes off the beach and Kadin snuggled down in his seat for the flight.

Late afternoon:  We were having so much fun, we decided to keep it going and land on a sand bar by ourselves and play in the afternoon sun.  Kadin loved crawling and rolling in the warm sand and so did we!

Early Evening:  Keeping the momentum going, we got back to Talkeetna and had to clean the clams.  Meanwhile, Kadin snacked on his favorite – Popcorn!

Late evening:  And of course, once the clams were prepared, we all met up for an impromtu party and feasted on them.  Kadin and Sky were pretty wired by then (also, someone gave them icecream…) and were running around outside playing with anything and everything!   I love how just a small patch of woods can be a forest for a child.

April 27, 2016 - May 3, 2016 - 21 months and 2 weeks

This is actually the only good photo this week… but it sure is an awesome one!!!

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The rest of these photos were dated wrong and ended up in this week's folder by mistake -      but they are pretty sweet (and funny!) so I'm including them anyway.  

Leftovers from the Family Visit...

We'll keep the rest of this photo shoot private… ;-)