School Pictures

This is me at the entrance to an abandoned gold mine - Maia is further in. You would think after losing her down a hole once, we would strive to keep her out of the ground.

Our ever gracious hosts

More from California

We went to California to visit Mark and Val and celebrate Evan's 40th b-day. The sun came out often enough for us to take some pictures. The rest of the time it rained - so we went slide-seeing and wine drinking. Seriously, the place we were staying at missed being cut off by a mud slide by a few hundred meters. My pictures never turned out though.

Rock climbing with Sydney and Liam - Maia isn't sure who is her favourite, she says, "it would be easier if I could tell them apart."

A merecat at the zoo

Maia and Jace romping in a field

On a ride with Val

California Trip

Relaxing after our hike

Enjoying the Santa Cruz boardwalk

Playing at Happy Hollow

Hanging out with Mark munching sour grass

I hope to write an email of our trip to Mark and Val's. Who knows if it will happen though because I'm swamped. These are some of our favourite pictures. Highlights that are not included are Maia's lemure and jaguar encounters, Maia falling in a deep hole while exploring Native Indian caves in Yosemite, Maia narrowly missing getting the full spray of a skunk - Jace the dog got that instead, and Maia out wine tasting and declaring a Zinfandel to be "pleasantly fruity, not heavy at all."

An Originals Only Art Exhibit

The Marsh Hawk Exhibit

The artists Maia and James

Grandpop's 74th Birthday

Maia and her beloved 'Cutie Pie'

Cutie Pie has been Maia's favourite doll for as long as we can remember. She is a great friend to Maia - even if a few limbs have been loved off over the years...

Music Night on Hollyburn

Enjoying the music

Climbing clear of the dark, tree-lined toboggan run (aka hiking trail). Don't tell Leighton's mum we let him toboggan in the dark!

Hollyburn lodge - One of our favourite places.
"Be of good cheer you're quite welcome here"

At the CBC Kids Show

We were lucky enough to get front row center seats - Ben and Maia had a blast. Super Ben was even 'discovered' after a great interaction with Super Patty.

Skiing up Cypress

A day with Stella

Driving a tug into Vancouver Harbour

When the sun does come out you don't miss a minute of it!

Maia insists she was once a pirate and this was her home

It has been a rainy winter...

Maia's photo of a mushroom

Maia's Art

A self portrait

Place cards from a dinner party - yup that's Travis

More Christmas Fun!

Maia is proud of her 1/2 American status - and being the supportive and diplomatic parents we are, we're staying silent on the topic...

A cool gift from Mark and Val - the homemade marble track should provide Ev and I with hours of amusement (oh - and Maia likes it too)

A tender teaching moment

While in the grocery store Maia asked me how babies get in their mummy's tummys.

Me "The baby grows from an egg that the daddy fertilizes."

Maia "How does the egg get fertilized way inside the mummy?"

Me "I think I told you this before - do you remember?"

Maia "You told me a ridiculous story about a penis. But I didn't believe you."

Me "Oh?"

Maia "Babies get in the mummy's tummy this way." Maia demonstrates by putting one hand on her chest and the other on the top of her pushed out tummy. "Then the mummy's friends ask her if she has noticed how big she is and tell her they think she might be pregnant. Then the mummy goes and sees her midwife who tests her for a baby and then she goes home and has her baby. That penis story is just stupid. How would families with two mummies and no daddies have a baby if you needed one of those."

Maybe the World could put me in charge...

While walking home from the park today Maia became concerned about two adults playing a game in the middle of a busy street. She commented that it seemed like a stupid thing to do. "Come to think of it," she added "it seems like most people in the world do stupid things. I'm relatively sensible though, and you, and Daddy, and my friends all seem pretty smart. How come the rest of the world is so stupid? Maybe if I suggested it, the World would put me in charge. I could fix stuff."

Through the woods to the sea

Christmas

Travis - the Christmas Elf

Maia the Christmas Elf

Maia's longed for nativity set