We are back

Last post, day of surgery, I said something to the effect of I'd be walking in a couple days or so, fully recovered in a month.   Not so much.  Long story short, my surgeon seems to do so many of these that he forgets to really distinguish between a true meniscus repair and a meniscus "clean-up".  I had the "repair", which is better long term, but has a longer recovery period.  As such, I just ditched the crutches this weekend.  Should be jogging again in another 6 weeks or so.  Happy to just be comfortable and fully mobile again.  Once again, everyone was awesome helping me with the recovery and keeping my spirits up:)

Post surgery... thanks to Nate and Shelly for the get well jersey!  Love it;)

Faithful Kenzie keeps me company

A lot has gone on since the last post, so I'll get caught up over a series of posts.

Fortunately, my state of inactivity coincided with the worst spring ever.  Every year Seattle sets some kind of new weather record: most days in a row of rain..., most days where the high stays below fifty... , most total days with rain...  This year we set 2 new records!  Fewest days before June where the high reached at least 70 degrees (1 day, high of exactly 70), and "latest in season for strawberries to ripen", current prediction of July 4th.  You have to like the creativity.  I don't remember ever setting any good records.  If we ever do it will be something like "most not too cold" days in a summer.  Or something.

Anyway, here are some pics from a recent boat outing.  We went on what was supposed to be the hottest day of the year.  Good thing we brought extra blankets!

Little boat people

The kids like it up front with the wind in their faces

Blankets and an extendable heat duct really are a must for Seattle boating

I have this under control

Spring happenings

Just a quick update on our goings on.  I am trying to catch up in advance of my knee surgery which is scheduled for this afternoon.  The quick recap is I turned a page back in time and joined a co-ed soccer team.  Only problem is that my right knee also turned back the clock, repeating a torn meniscus I had in high school.

As such, we are in the process of delaying Hawaii plans from May to August while I recover, so that I can be 100% and chasing the kids around instead of watching them from a lounge chair.

Recovery should be around a month, but I should be walking in a brace within a day or two.  Two hundred years ago I would have been walking with a limp for life.   Things could definitely be worse, life is still good, in spite of this short term set back.  Steph has been awesome through it all, taking care of all the back end business stuff of adjusting our families' schedules and plans around my knee, all with a smile:)   My mom is coming to help out as well, and she has experience, having taken care of me the first time this happened.  I asked the kids if they were mad at me for the Hawaii postponement and they both just laughed at me and said of course not!  Great family:)

Spring has continued to be about worms & snails, baseball, and backyard barbeques.  Nothing too much has changed.   We got a boat, but we're still waiting on good weather (and a good knee).  Mother's Day was great.  We had a nice breakfast and then hung out at home.  Steph filled in for me playing catch with Jackson and loved it.  Jackson told me "wow, she's actually pretty good!!"  Kenzie found another snail yesterday (good), and shoveled dirt onto Smokey (bad).

Dressing up with friends before dinner

Movie time!

Kenzie loves that dog!!!

Kenzie and Sam look inspect a snail that Jackson found for Kenzie

Kenzie and Abby extreme closeup

Making a "nest" for their snail

Steph and Jackson playing catch on Mother's Day

This picture sums up our kids!!

Easter 2011

One of the most rewarding things about raising the kids is watching their growth and development.  At the same time, "growing" also often means "growing out of" things we found so adorable when they were toddlers.  Both of our kids were little songbirds when they were 2 and 3, but have moved on, and these days it is nearly impossible to get them to sing on demand.

Easter was so fun for me and Steph this year, as we got to see Jackson and Mackenzie grow personally, as they were better able to understand the meaning of Easter, while at the same time taking a page out of their songbird pasts in preparing to sing at Easter Service.  For the past 4 weeks or so, they diligently practiced their songs each Sunday after church, and then rehearsed over and over in the car throughout the week, singing along to the practice cd given out to the kids. 

We can attest that their singing voices are as beautiful as ever!  They sang before the church at three separate services, and were poised and prepared each time.   They were each rewarded with a gift of a polished stone marked with a cross from the church.  They have yet to throw them at each other.

The rest of the day was spent indulging on candy from their Easter baskets, blowing bubbles, playing catch, digging for worms (Mackenzie, obviously) and just hanging with Mom, Dad, and Grandma and Grandad Werner. 

 

Ready Freddie!

 

Gettin' some quick Bible in before we get started



Kenzie lives for wearing pretty dresses





They told her to put on a big smile, and she is extra obedient on Easter



Alleluia!



A new trophy for their stone collections





Ears first... obviously!!



Bubble time!!

 

Back to his craft!

 

The only thing that could possible get Mackenzie to change out of her Easter dress is digging for worms!!



Spring Training

Jackson's 2nd year of Little League Tee Ball is underway!  He plays for the Orioles this year, a team of 6 year olds that all attend the same school as Jackson.  We are through our first practices, and the team is really gelling.  All the kids get along great and are ready for their first game on Tuesday!  Our coach is no nonsense and is teaching the kids what it means to be a ballplayer, including their first experience chewing sunflower seeds.

I wondered if the long winter layoff might dull the shine on Jackson's passion for baseball.  He had started saying a couple months back that he wanted to be a basketball player when he grew up, but sure enough, the first time we went out back to play catch, he picked up right where he left off, returning to his first love!

He watches every Mariner game up until bedtime (which is saying something, given how dreadful they have been to start the season).  He counts the days down until his next practice.  And he will stay out back with me as long as I let him, playing catch and practicing fielding.  He has a rocket arm and unbelievable hands.  And he really does look like a big league shortstop when fielding grounders (at least to the trained eye of a proud dad:)    Right now he is particularly into catching pop flies!

Opening Day Ceremonies

Learning the fine art of chewing sunflower seeds after a good practice!

The Crane Fly Incident

(Note: this is a very rare Steph blog post!  Originally written in cursive on a sheet of paper... very old fashioned like)

Today as I walked toward Kenzie's classroom to pick her up from school, her teacher (trying hard not to laugh) said "ask Mackenzie what she has in her pocket."  I did as I was instructed, resulting in a devious little grin.  Teacher Cathy said "Mackenzie, tell your Mom what you have in your pocket!".  I knelt down to Kenzie's response: "A CRANE FLY!!"

Our sweet little ballerina has a HUGE love for all creatures, big and small.  Not just butterflies, but slugs, snails, beetles, snakes... all of it!  So, when I began to explain to her that we needed to release the crane fly when we got outside, she burst into tears before I could finish.  "No, no, noooo!"

When I finally convinced her that the crane fly would have a better life outside her pocket than death inside her pocket, we walked outside and slowly unzipped her jacket pocket to find: 3 pieces of bark, a few rocks, a leaf, some grass and dirt, and finally a crane fly came tumbling out.  We couldn't find him, so he must have "flown away", right?

Snowpocalypse 2011

Snow finally came!  After our early Thanksgiving snowstorm, the kids have been sorely disappointed in old man winter.  Finally, snow arrived...  5 inches to be exact.  Just enough to do some sledding, build a snowman, and go on a nice winter hike on our neighborhood trail.  I took the day off and played in the snow all day with the kids, Steph, and Smokey.  Once again, Jackson and Kenzie both declared it the funnest day ever.  This is becoming a frequent phrase, so I guess we are doing something right:)

Catching snowflakes

Jackson quote: "What are we going to do about THIS?!?"

Ready for a big day!

Backyard snowscape 

Our snowy house 

Kenzie's best effort at a snowball

The kids with Frosty the Snowman

Steph and I with Snowy the Frostman.  We agreed to disagree on his name with the kids.  Jackson was the photographer here.  Nice work buddy!

The unimpressed expression notwithstanding, Smokey had a great time playing in the snow. 

Lovely snow hike on the neighborhood trail

Snow queen