Blogging with the girls

2008-08-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Splish-splash -- we took a surprise bath

(Warning: Crappy disposable waterproof camera images below)

Mom and dad pulled a fast one on the girls a couple Mondays ago when we planned an outing to a local water park without them finding out.

The mission: Take the girls to Splash Down, a fairly inexpensive, kick-in-the pants place in the Spokane Valley -- and the ideal spot to spend a hot summer day. While the girls were running around inside the house and out, mom was packing lunch and snacks into an ice chest and dad was quietly loading things into the car.

And then the girls were told the Big Fib: Grab your bathing suits and get ready to go swimming at the health club. We thought they'd catch on when we pulled onto the freeway, but when they were told there was road construction near the club, they bought in to the "taking the long way" excuse.

Next thing you know, we're pulling into the parking lot. "Splash Down?" Allie gasped. "We're going to SPLASH DOWN?"

"Oh my gosh!" screamed Gracie. "But I don't want an atomic wedgie!"

Allie had been twice. Gracie had never been, but heard the stories. The adventure was about to begin.

So a great time was had by all. The quality of our images is second-rate, but you get the idea. From top to bottom, there's an overall shot of part of the park; Gracie inside a fountain in the kids' slide area; and mom and Allie emerging from a ride nicknamed the Toilet Bowl.

2008-08-21T11:01:00.001-07:00

Summer puts on the brakes

Only a few days after a record-setting heat wave roasted the Inland Northwest, the girls found themselves playing indoors this morning.

The reason: How about 57 degrees and a threat of more rain? The shift in Mother Nature's attitude comes on the heels of a 103-degree weekend.

So while Allie saddled up to the computer to take on a couple games, Gracie stepped out of girly-girl mode, broke out the toy cars and took a few cracks at the loop-de-loop.

2008-08-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

The play's the thing ... to a point

So last night Allie and Gracie decided to put on a production of "Ella Enchanted," a sort-of Cinderella movie that has captured their imaginations -- and their hearts.

In an off-the-scale cute endeavor, they created props, rehearsed songs and manufactured invitations, which they placed all over the house for the 7:30 p.m. performance.

It was at precisely 7:35 p.m. that mom and dad realized this was no mini-play. The girls intended to act out ... the ... entire ... movie.

The curtain fell swiftly. And the girls learned that their next invitation needs to include a running time.

2008-08-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

A midday getaway

This weekend the girls conned mom into a trip to the health club. (Actually, begged, pleaded and bartered is more like it.)

The mission: Pool time.

And our timing couldn't have been better. Not another soul was in the pool for the duration of our stay, leaving the girls to their own devices.

Which meant only one thing: water noodle rodeo!

2008-08-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

Checkout time at the hive

It's no secret that Dad does not react well to bee stings, so we're always on the lookout for nests built by our sneaky wasp friends.

Well, Allie found a mother ship yesterday in a brick wall behind our storage shed. The nest, about the size of a child's fist, was crawling with several wasps when Dad saw it this morning. But a quick shot with the death ray blasted some of them straight backward and dropped a few others onto their backs.

Let's just say it's not crawling any more. Buh-bye ....

2008-08-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

So we're movin' on up ... to the East Side ....

Allie was more than engaged in the WebKinz Web site today, throwing a party, moving furniture, playing games and buying things for her virtual pets.

But her party plans grabbed Dad's attention.

"I moved the swimming pool to the front yard," Allie crowed. "And I put a couch out there. And a chair."

"Hey," Dad said to himself, "that sounds like our old neighbors."

2008-07-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

They call it a driveway for a reason

Allie had a hankering to shoot some hoops yesterday, so out the door we went to the girls' new adjustable basket.

There were two requirements:

1) All basketball outings must be done in uniform -- as in, the Upward Basketball uniform.

2) And we must use the official Upward ball Allie was given at the league awards ceremony last winter.

The scoring system, however, slowed the pace a bit. Gracie insisted on keeping score, which is great. But she also insisted on forming the numbers -- after every basket -- with twigs and sticks.

2008-07-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

So this is what it's like to be an empty-nester

The girls have been engaged the past few weeks by a family of robins in a plum tree just off our deck.

The activity heightened this week as mommy robin continuously brought food to her three hungry -- and boisterous -- babies. Yesterday morning, we saw one of the wee ones out of the nest, perched on a branch. Today, they're all gone.

Their absence -- and the accompanying silence -- are noticeable. But before they went out on their own, we were able to snap some quick photos. And below, check out video of mom feeding her family.

2008-07-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

Birds of a feather

Overheard when Mom and Allie were cleaning Georgie's birdcage.

Mom: "He's almost as messy as you."

Allie: "Hey! At least I don't miss the toilet."

2008-06-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

A summer visitor

The girls were thrilled and amazed yesterday when dad pointed out a backyard intruder.

The deer calmly wandered across the grass, looked around but disturbed nothing. And within minutes of us sneaking out the door for a closer look, he soared over the fence and onto the neighbor's property.

Of course, the girls immediately went to work on a warning system -- hanging a small bell from a tree. Because, you know, he'll ring the bell next time he stops by.

2008-06-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Another exciting day on 15th Avenue

Dad was working at the downstairs computer Wednesday when he heard a noise coming from the back room.

Dad: "Allie, what are you doing back there?"

Allie: "Watching paint dry."

2008-06-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

From the mind of our little girl

With the end of the school year drawing ever closer, the girls have been bringing home projects, journals and the like -- transporting a fine mess from their classrooms to their bedrooms, as it were.

As evidence that Gracie must have a secret life, we submit this journal entry dated April 29 and titled "My family:"

"I love my sister. We play Polly Pocket and we play Barbies. The thing I love most is the trampoline. My dad is a hunter and a worker. My mom is a barber and works at the Spokesman-Review, too. ... I love my family."

The question is, which family?

2008-05-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

A giant step for mobility

So it came to pass that Gracie learned how to ride a bike.

In a Sunday afternoon session that was much less stressful than anticipated, Dad took the girls to their school, home of a nice big, flat blacktop. While Allie took off on a ride around the playground, Dad instructed Gracie to ride across the blacktop with her training wheels on, as fast as she could go. He met her on the other side and removed the training wheels.

And lo, the little one didn't spin her wheels one bit in the learning process. In a matter of minutes -- seriously, less than five -- Gracie was doing laps on the playground with Dad jogging alongside.

When they got home, just to make it official, Dad looked at the girls and said: "Everyone who can ride a bike, raise your hand." Gracie's was the first to go up.

2008-05-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

Color that girl elated

How do you turn a frown upside down? Well, with unexpected good news, of course..

In the wide world of Webkinz -- those cute, fluffy animals which also exist in an Internet universe -- Allie is perched upon Cloud 9.

Our little brainiac came home from school yesterday, utterly and tearfully disappointed that she would not be attending an engagement with one of her friends.

Enter the local Hallmark store, which recently sponsored a Webkinz coloring contest. Imagine Allie's surprise when she listened to a phone message announcing she had won the contest.

The personality shift was so sudden, she could have been Sybil.

Mom took her up to Hallmark to collect her booty: some cute figurines and cool bookmarks.

And at least one kid's day ended on a happy note.

2008-05-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

She's a pickin', and we're a grinnin'

The girls had their day in the spotlight today after an all-school Mass honoring Mary.

As part of "Grandparents/Special Friends Day," students, parents and guests in a packed Saint Peter's church looked on as the girls participated with their All Saints classmates in a well-orchestrated (i.e., short) school concert.

But the big moment for Allie came afterward, when she was among five third- and fourth-graders who took turns sitting alone in front of the congregation to perform guitar solos.

Allie played the Servant Song, which she learned at home without the benefit of sheet music. She taught herself the tune from memory and wrote down the notes as she went.

She performed her solo flawlessly, deftly strumming twice through the song before exiting to a warm round of applause and a few hoots and hollers.

Watch the video.

2008-05-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Clearing out a little room

After much pushing, pulling, twisting and angst, Gracie has one fewer teeth in her mouth today.

The renowned All Saints loose-tooth puller, Miss Vogel (who also happens to be her teacher), did the dirty deed yesterday afternoon. For her patience and pain, Gracie came home with a lovely tooth necklace. The little chopper was safely tucked inside a small molar-shaped box.

And to add a little frosting to the cake, Gracie woke up this morning to a gift from the tooth fairy.

All we can say is .... cha-ching.

2008-04-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

No language barrier here ...

While attending Take Your Daughter or Son to Work Day last week at the newspaper, Gracie met a little boy who spoke with a southern accent.

She wasn't sure how to react when he started talking to her.

So when she responded, she talked with a southern accent, too.

2008-04-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the numbers game

It was snacktime in the household, and the girls had a hankering for a cookie.

"You can each have a couple," Dad told them, acknowledging the goodies' small size.

"A couple means three," Gracie said matter-of-factly.

"Oh?" Dad said. "Then we have a couple loads of laundry for you to fold."

Gracie took two cookies.

2008-04-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

Not your average speed bump

Allie was buzzing around on her scooter today when she zeroed in on a target -- there appeared to be a banana peel in the carport.

It never had a chance. Allie made quick work of the obstacle, neatly pressing it into the concrete.

It was grand fun, she thought, until ...

... she realized it wasn't a banana peel after all.

It was a hunk of cat poop.

2008-04-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

We know who's in charge

Dad recently uncovered Allie's homespun newspaper, which she created a couple months ago on several pages of construction paper.

Most revealing, other than the normal scandalous, racy tabloid-type stuff, were the credits:

Editor: Allie Pinnock
Co-editor: Allie Pinnock
Photo editor: Allie Pinnock
Headline editor: Allie Pinnock
Photo taker: Allie Pinnock
Comicer: Gracie Pinnock
Boss: Allie Pinnock
Crossword editor: Allie Pinnock
Crossword maker: Allie Pinnock

2008-04-07T12:51:00.001-07:00

Library Dad has navigational issues

Mom is tied up in some specialized work training today, so Allie was hopeful that Dad could fulfill the duties of a Library Mom.

Shouldn't be a problem, Dad said this morning -- other than he'd never ventured into the All Saints library.

So Allie made things simple: She drew him a map of the school.

2008-04-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

Melting snow, hyperactive kids and The Hobbit

And if that makes no sense at all, allow us to explain:

1) We can see our entire backyard again, thanks to a steady rain on a 47-degree day.

2) The girls are bouncing off the walls because it's a bit too sloppy to go outdoors. Thank goodness school resumes tomorrow.

3) Allie claims she has run out of things to read, so we're introducing her to J.R.R. Tolkien. She polished off all seven Harry Potter books in a little more than a month, and read the rest of her Lemony Snicket books during spring break. It's a bit scary.

2008-04-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

Pacific Coast Highway goes both ways

And we traveled in both directions Thursday, first heading 20 miles south to the fishing town of Newport, then turning around at the end of the day and beginning the long trip home.

Among the highlight stops on the way to Newport: the gift shop at Cape Foulweather, the first named cape on the Oregon coast. (It was named in 1778 by Captain James Cook, the British navigator.) The girls later marveled at -- and posed in front of -- the 135-year-old Yaquina Head lighthouse, perched on an amazing lookout near Newport. While at the lighthouse the girls took an enjoyable trip through an interpretive center, watched thousands of screeching birds crowded onto a cliff above the angry bay, and checked out a small group of college students collecting whale-watching data for Oregon State University.

Further down the coast in Newport, the girls loaded up on memories. They could only describe as "totally awesome" the Undersea Gardens aquarium; the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum; and the Wax Works museum.

Mom and Dad agreed the museums were beyond cheesy. And Dad noted that the Undersea Gardens hadn't changed since he first watched the deep-sea show -- complete with a diver holding various sealife up to the many windows -- about 40 years ago. But the girls were stunned and amazed, and that was the whole point. And mom would second the motion that her lunch alone was worth the drive.

View vacation pictures: March 31 | April 1 | April 2 | April 3

2008-04-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Back at the beach

Day 3 in Lincoln City was a busy one. The girls were up early and down to the beach before the winds kicked up.

The highlights of the day: Another visit to an amazing starfish habitat at low tide, where the girls today saw hundreds (seriously) of huge starfish on the rocks and in the water; a trip to a way cool kite store; and a visit to a Lincoln City candy store that Dad visited many times as a child.

We're happy to report that the girls played in the sand for hours without suffering the indignity of a dog lifting his leg on their efforts. (See yesterday's entry.)

Coming up: A trek south to Newport and the Undersea Gardens -- another of Dad's favorite spots as a boy.

2008-04-01T16:23:00.001-07:00

Day 2 in Lincoln City: Everyone's a critic

Allie used her new beach bucket this morning to build a sand castle.

Pedestrian traffic was light and the tide was going out, so her carefully crafted project seemed reasonably safe.

Until, that is, a Yorkshire terrier pranced up, made a quick inspection, lifted his leg and marked his territory.

View vacation pictures: March 31 | April 1.