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About this Blog
Thus continue the lessons of Pinnockfamily.com, created by the parents of Allie and Grace for the friends and relatives of Allie and Grace.
So follow along as we wake up, smell the coffee and try to keep pace with the girls, whose adventures will take us -- and their toys, dishes, clothes and tempers -- down the staircase and back again, from breakfast until bedtime and every bath in between.
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Sunday, November 16, 2008
Right up their alley
We took the girls bowling today for Allie's birthday, and -- thanks to good ol' gutter guards -- the entertainment value was high.
But Allie launched the entertainment to a new level at one point when she missed the entire lane -- airmailing her ball over the gutter guard and watching in horror as it dropped straight down into the gutter. Thankfully, it was the gutter connected to our lane. Not easy, that.
In the end, everyone came away with at least one strike, which was good for at least four big smiles. Mission accomplished.
posted by Geoff 8:16 PM
Relocation, relocation, relocation
Hey folks -- Just for the record, our winning bid at the All Saints auction was for a week in a cabin in Long Beach, Wash., not Longview (that was the alcohol talking.)
Google it and you'll see why we are so darn tickled.
posted by Geoff 10:18 AM
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
In baseball lingo, it's called a basket catch
Gracie came up with an invention of sorts this morning while playing a game of mommy and baby.
For ease of transporting the wee one, Gracie formed a sling out of a shawl and draped it around her neck.
She then placed the baby in the shawl and -- voila! -- hands-free parenting.
Except she used her hands to hold a basket below the shawl -- just in case she dropped the baby.
posted by Geoff 9:30 AM
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Recipe for two quiet girls
- One swimming outing at the health club
- One filling Sunday dinner
- Two pairs of jammies
- One showing of The Amazing Race
posted by Geoff 8:06 PM
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Emerging from a slumber
Here endeth three weeks of static. A few updates from the Land of the Girls:
Report cards
The girls are in a nice groove at All Saints and are performing well. And that's an understatement in Allie's case. Her first graded report card showed seven A's and one B, and she wasn't happy about the B. Meanwhile, Gracie has been a steady performer -- all 2s on the number system for her grade -- with big leaps in reading and reading comprehension.
Youth basketball
The annual Upward evaluations (mandatory for all players) were two weeks ago. This will be Allie's second season of basketball and Gracie's first. (You may remember she was a cheerleader last year.) Both girls held up well during evaluations, especially in the shooting drills. It's clear that our purchase of an adjustable driveway hoop was a wise decision. (Allie's level plays on a 9-foot hoop, Gracie's at a 7-footer.) We'll hear next week from the girls' coaches, who will tell us when and where to be ready for the first practices of the season. Games begin in early January.
The election
The girls (and their parents) were beyond excited about Obama's victory. While Dad was proudly orchestrating the production of the first completely sold-out Spokesman-Review in his 16 years there, the girls and mom were filling in an electoral map and counting electoral votes with tiny M & Ms. In the end, the girls toasted the victory with sparkling cider. Dad and his colleagues toasted the newsroom's effort with drinks at the local bar after deadline.
Halloween
As always, the girls struck gold at the office trick-or-treating gig. Then they headed out into the neighborhood and added some icing to the cake. Grace dressed as a Barbie, complete with huge blonde wig. Allie was a black cat. Both costumes were off-the-scale cute.
And a bonus -- we got our pumpkins inside before they could be kidnapped and rolled down Freya hill.
Allie's braces
They'll be coming off within weeks -- but not before her birthday. Still, the kid's pretty excited, to say the least.
posted by Geoff 10:27 AM
Sunday, October 19, 2008
So that's why they call then lazy Sundays
Question: How can you tell when Allie is comfortable on the couch?
Answer: When she stretches out her leg to reach the remote on the table -- and hits the fast-forward button with her toe.
posted by Geoff 10:37 AM
Monday, October 13, 2008
Schoolgirl politics
Question: How do you know when the kids are engaged in election season?
Answer: When they give mom's zit a name: "McCain."
posted by Geoff 8:48 PM
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Shootin' for the stars
As we usher out September, the girls are squarely focused on autumnal activities -- and that doesn't mean raking up and jumping into leaves.
Allie and Gracie joined Dad in the driveway yesterday for what appears to be their budding passion: basketball. Both girls are demonstrating large improvements in skills -- in particular, putting the biscuit in the basket.
Even though she'll be playing a 7-foot hoop when Upward Basketball practice starts in November, Gracie showed she can handle the taller hoop (the fourth-graders' 9-footer) when shooting from close range.
And Allie? She couldn't wipe the smile off her face after making six consecutive baskets at the end of the evening.
Of course, Allie's biggest concern wasn't how many baskets she made, but what color the uniforms will be this year. Stay tuned ...
posted by Geoff 9:25 AM
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Ballard or bust
We took the girls to Seattle last week to enjoy a couple days with Mike and Margie.
From a trip to Ballard Locks to a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, the girls were consistently entertained.
But one of the big talk points of the weekend came during a visit to the publc library. Did the girls find a cool book? Nope. But a fire alarm went off. And the building was evacuated. And a fire truck came. It doesn't get much better than that.
Find some pix from the trip at right.
posted by Geoff 8:55 PM
Monday, September 01, 2008
Not quite ready to go the distance
Overheard as mom was looking through school documents:
Mom: "Girls, do either of you want to do cross country?"
Gracie: Ohhh ... how long does it take?
And there's your answer.
posted by Geoff 11:45 AM
Like sands through the hourglass ...
...These are the final hours of summer.
While the girls' cousins enjoyed their first week of school last week in Great Falls, Allie and Grace make their grand return tomorrow to All Saints Catholic School.
There are alternating feelings of excitement and angst in the house this morning, but one thing is certain: Summer vacation ends tonight at bedtime. And mom and dad are so ready ...
posted by Geoff 9:40 AM
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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.
posted by Geoff 10:38 AM
Thursday, August 21, 2008
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.
posted by Geoff 11:01 AM
Monday, August 11, 2008
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.
posted by Geoff 7:46 PM
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
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!
posted by Geoff 9:05 AM
Saturday, August 02, 2008
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 ....
posted by Geoff 11:10 AM
Friday, August 01, 2008
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."
posted by Geoff 12:35 PM
Thursday, July 31, 2008
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.
posted by Geoff 9:47 AM
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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.
posted by Geoff 8:49 AM
Monday, July 28, 2008
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."
posted by Geoff 2:36 PM
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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.
posted by Gina 8:56 PM
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."
posted by Geoff 6:37 PM
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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?
posted by Geoff 10:23 AM
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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.
posted by Geoff 8:53 AM
Thursday, May 08, 2008
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.
posted by Geoff 10:56 AM
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Visiting Uncle Monkey and Margie
Date: 09/18/2008 Views: 472
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That fenced-in feeling
Date: 09/12/2008 Views: 29