"Let me explain. No - there is too much. Let me sum up"

Bonus points to anyone that can identify the quote. 

So, to sum up:
Ethan's collar bone has healed quite nicely. 
Everyone got sick from some cold virus accidentally released from some secret government lab
Halloween came and went and the boys made out like bandits
Ethan discovered he *really* likes Christmas light displays
The boys were even more jazzed up about Christmas than last year (if that was possible)
Jonathan just had his 6th birthday - how the time flies! 
Jonathan is at 7 stripes on his Karate belt.  One more stripe and then after that - he's a yellow belt! 
Spent my 11th evening with Rush! 
Saw Roger Hodgson (of Supertramp)

So, to explain:
After 2 follow up x-rays, Ethan was cleared for all activities.  We stopped using the sling after about 10 days and stopped pain meds after only about 3 days. 

This Halloween, Ethan went as a red Angry Bird and Jonathan decided to reprise his roll as Thomas The Tank Engine.  Like last year, we went to Bellevue Square Mall to do trick or treating.  The mall has been getting better at this over the years with fewer and fewer stores running out of candy.  This year, we got there around the start time and stayed for about 1.5 hours and there were still stores handing out candy.  Contrast that with the first year we went where the stores generally ran out of candy before the first hour was up.  After that, we went to our church where they were running a sort of Trick and Treat thing - kids would play games (like ball toss, etc) to get their candy.  They also ran 2 bouncy houses which Jonathan enjoyed thoroughly. 

As Christmas drew closer, we made various pilgrimages to see various Christmas light displays.  Just to give an idea of how much the boys (especially Ethan) enjoy this - there are a few houses up the street from us that do a *very* nice job of put on a light display.  Every single night that we come home (from wherever we may be), we *have* to drive by those houses to see their lights before we go to our house.  Every time.  No exceptions.  We also go see various things around town that have become a sort of tradition for us now: Bellevue Square has a nightly performance of music, live drummers, and artificial snow, the Belleuve Botanical Gardens transform their entire grounds into a huge light display, the City of Redmond hosts a night where you walk from city hall to Redmond Town Center mall along the Burke Gillman bike/jogging trail where the entire distance is lined with lights and carolers - complete with family activities at both ends of the walk, and in downtown Seattle, there is the annual lighting of the huge Christmas tree down by Westlake Center mall and the lighting of the Macy's star. 

We alternate years where we spend Christmas in Seattle or Vancouver.  This year was our year to spend Christmas in Seattle.  We then headed up to Vancouver to spend time with my parents on Boxing day (and spend a few days there).  This leads to a little confusion for the boys because they get to open presents on Christmas Eve (at an annual extended family gathering at one of Dina's aunts), then more on Christmas Day, and then more again on Boxing day on the years we go up to Vancouver.  And on years where we go up to Vancouver for Christmas Day, there will be more presents for the boys to open when we come back to Seattle.  So Jonathan had some trouble understanding that Santa was only coming once not twice - once for our house and another time for my folk's house.  And on top of that, he always asks if there will be presents if we go to someone's house because there a just so many places where they open gifts! 

Jonathan, for his birthday, will have 2 parties this year.  His first one, on his actual birthday, was a Chuck E Cheese.  We invited only the immediate family and he got to pick one friend to come.  This is becoming a favorite place to go for both boys.  Ethan proclaimed that he wanted to come to Chuck E Cheese on his birthday too!  His second party will be at the ice rink close to  our house (the Kingsgate arena).  This is because Dina 'Liked' Kingsgate Arena on Facebook and then won a free ice skating birthday party!  Since we only have to supply the cake and pizza (and there is a pizza place in the same strip mall that has $5 pizzas) and $7/skater over 10 skaters we invited his entire class, a couple of his friends and immediate family.  Anyone attending the party but not skating don't need to pay. 

In other (what I deem) interesting news:
Yours truly saw Rush for the 11th time (and counting).  This was the tour supporting their new album Clockwork Angels and in my opinion, it is the best album they've put out in probably decades. 

I also had the good fortune to see Roger Hodgson (the voice of Supertramp) for the first time.  It was a fantastic show where he played a ton of old Supertramp. 

- bob

Yes, We're Still Here

Apologies are once again in order as we have been extremely lax in keeping this thing updated lately.  But you know how it goes - you get caught up in everyday life things like going to work, caring for two boys, vegging out in front of Big Bang Theory episodes, gardening, drumming, hockey, soccer, consuming copious amounts of Starbucks, reading Barron's - and the next thing you know months have gone by with nary a word blogged.

Once again - the requisite promise that pictures will be forthcoming.

And with that, on to the few newsworthy events of the last couple of months...

In the waning days of summer, we made a trip out to Remlinger Farms (just outside of Carnation).  Dina had bought a Living Social coupon for this.  It is essentially a huge farm with lots of things for families to do such as children's midway rides, pony rides, a small passenger train, food, etc.  We (of course) rode the train. The boys also enjoyed a 'canoe ride', a small kinda-Ferris-wheel ride, and their first pony rides.

We also went to the coast to Ocean Shores.  Dina's uncle's family owns a small cabin out there that he lets family members use.  Dina's brother booked a weekend and invited all of us to join them.  This was the first time at the ocean for the boys as well as myself.  (Yes - I've lived here for almost 1/2 my life now and this was my first time to the ocean - go figure (Puget Sound is technically not the ocean)).  Jonathan and Ethan both really enjoyed playing in the sand, walking along the shore/water, and playing with their cousin Amanda.  It was *extremely* relaxing to just sit on the beach and do *nothing* and simply listen to the roar of the ocean.

Ethan broke his collarbone back in September.  He was at speech therapy when it happened.  At their offices, they conduct various kinds of therapy for children.  As such, they have quite an assortment of different kinds of equipment that, from a child's point of view, appears like a huge playground of toys, climbing equipment, etc.

During speech therapy, Ethan is allowed from time to time to play on various equipment (like a ball pit, say). This particular week, he wanted to try out a hammock.  Since Jonathan's school schedule has changed to a PM class, he has to go to Ethan's appointment as well, as it is scheduled in the mornings.  Jonathan wanted to also try out the hammock and when Ethan's therapist went to go help Jonathan get on, Ethan fell off.  Now, the fall itself was only about 2-3 feet.  It was most likely the way he landed that broke his collarbone.  As was related to me from Dina, he was inconsolable (whereas he normally recovers after little accidents after only a few minutes) and kept crying/whimpering for the next hour as well as favoring that arm.  She then took him to the ER where an x-ray revealed the true nature of the injury.

Amazingly, all they did was put his arm in a sling and give him pain medication.  Apparently at this age, even a break like that will simply heal on it's own after 6-8 weeks.  No surgery, no cast, no splint - just a sling to immobilize the arm.

Ethan has had 2 successive x-rays and as of now it has healed quite nicely and he is cleared for all activities.

In other family news, Dina's mom has just had hip replacement surgery.  She is home now recuperating.

Jonathan continues with ice skating, soccer, and Karate (now having earned 4 black stripes on his belt).  Ethan is still in Gymboree.  Both are now in school (Jonathan is in 1/2 day PM kindergarten 4 days a week and Ethan is in 1/2 day PM preschool for 2 days a week).

Halloween is just around the corner and as such, trips to the pumpkin patch are requisite.  Ethan already had his trip at school last week and Jonathan will have his just a few days before Halloween.  Pictures will be posted - one day.

- bob

First Trick Or Treat

We took Jonathan and Ethan to Bellevue Square Mall for trick or treating today. We went to the mall not only because it's a safe environment (can't really be too careful these days) but also because our neighborhood is pretty dead.

This was the first time they had been trick or treating. Well, Ethan was in costume and he did get candy - but since he was asleep for just about all of it (we put him in the stroller), I guess while technically it was his first time, it doesn't really count.

Jonathan was Thomas The Tank Engine and Ethan was a baby kangaroo.

While Jonathan got a fairly good haul of candy (he loved going through his stash at home afterward and seeing what he got) and had a good time, the highlight of the evening for him was going into one of the toy stores in the mall to look at toys and play on the train table.

The mall was packed. The event started at 4PM and was to last until 7PM but we were advised by some people we knew to show up early or run the risk of running out of candy. Traffic getting to the mall was as bad as I have ever seen it. We arrived at 4:45 and found that while only 45 minutes into it - some stores had already run out of candy! Way to plan that out guys. However, being only 45 minutes into the event, that was the exception and not the norm and we trick or treated for the better part of an hour before Jonathan said he was done (and wanted to go to the toy store).

One of the photography studios in the mall was giving away free Halloween portraits of kids so Dina lined up for that (with a still sleeping Ethan) while I took Jonathan to the toy store. Pick up date for the photos is in a few days so we'll have to wait and see how they turn out.

- bob