Grammy and Grandad's Summer Visit

Grammy and Grandad came to Timber Cove while Stephen was in India. The big project for Grandad was getting Sulwen's play area leveled out with the backhoe. He did an awesome job and we have the beginnings of a great play yard for Sulwen. I can't believe we don't have a photo of him on the backhoe in the slideshow! 

Grandad also hooked up some rope on the stairs so Sulwen can have more independence coming down....and now she's comfortable using it and trying it out on her own. Grandad taught Sulwen how to throw balls "up high" and not "like a girl" (she is still reaching her arms up overhead and saying "up high, up high"). They also galloped together on home-made stick horses and read books.

Grammy and Sulwen laughed and laughed. Time with Grammy was super fun! Sulwen would call for "Mammy" in the morning before we headed downstairs. They threw balls, made the slide into a fort, played trains, drew and colored, read books, danced, and played "backhoe" in the sandbox that Grandad built and brought for her. 

We all loved the visit and can't wait to see Grammy and Grandad again in August in Oregon. Thanks for coming!

Grammy and Grandad's Summer Visit

(Sulwen picked out the music because she liked dancing to it.)

A Few Moments at Filoli

We had a very brief visit with the Boulder Drapkins who were out from Colorado earlier this week. Unfortunately, my camera battery died and I wasn't able to document the festivities properly but hopefully Hayley Drapkin will be so kind as to send me some of the awesome photos off of her new digital camera (that is, if she can wrest it away from her dad).

We went to Filoli and below are a few photos from the trip before the camera battery took its last breath.

Uncle Mike and Sulwen in the parking lot - sun hats and sunscreen were in order!

Nanny and Lindsay at the entrance to the gardens.

Fin stops at the ponds to look for tadpoles.

Jessica does her best frog legs to look for tadpoles too.

Hayley, Lindsay, and Sulwen smile for the camera.

Nanny and Sulwen head around the corner into another gorgeous part of Filoli.

The Drapkins - Finley, Sulwen, Lindsay, Hayley and Jessica (L ->R).

Washing the 850

As difficult as it is, Stephen has decided it's time to find the 1994 Volvo 850 Turbo Wagon a new home. It's been a great car for us - as Stephen puts it in his ad, "fast, fun, and functional." 

This afternoon when we got home from having the car smogged (it passed!) Stephen and Sulwen lovingly gave it a bath so those who come to look at it don't just see a mass of pine pollen slapped all over. 

We'll definitely miss this car when it goes and hope it goes to a good home. Stephen may pull a Dick Franke and take pictures of it as the new owner drives it away down the road with just the many fond memories left to have and hold.

Stephen helps Sulwen spray the hose. She was trying 

so hard to do it independently that she was shaking.

Soap it up good!

Time for a little oral investigation of the nozzle.

(Does this phase ever end????)

It got pretty cold out there, so Sulwen dons her 

whale sweater (Thanks Fiona!) and hat to 

take off the shivers and do some playdough.

All warmed up and definitely enjoying the new playdough set.

Out and About in Timber Cove

We've been a little slow on getting postings up these days. We are in the midst of preparing for a meditation program that will take place in June here and it has kept us very busy.

The recent good news we have to share is that Sulwen's labs from last week all came back normal. From the outside we felt they would be that way but sometimes you have to validate from the inside too.

Sulwen and I managed to get out for a fairly typical afternoon yesterday while Stephen worked. These days it involves pushing her "car," collecting gems in her rock bucket, and saying hello to the horses.

Sulwen pushes her car up the driveway.

On the lookout for interesting things to pick up along the way.

Where is she getting to now???

Oh, time to say hi to Taj, who is eating dinner.

Have some more Taj!

A little game of peek-a-boo around the pine tree.

Happily heading home (the downhill portion is fun!).

All that effort calls for some pear crisp with coconut cream - yum!