Gingerbread at Peabody Essex Museum

Saturday morning, we took a long drive in the morning. I fell asleep as usual, and when I woke up, we were at this big museum. 

There were a bunch of people working on a big house.

Giant gingerbread house.

The inside of the house.

After we admired the big house for awhile, the people gave us some gingerbread cookies to decorate. 

Daddy helped Owen make gingerbread men. 

Owen and the gingerbread men.

While we had lunch, daddy spotted a family with matching sweaters.

 

I think he's trying to hint that mama should knit us matching sweaters. I don't think I want a sweater that matches daddy and Owen.

Owen and mama also did some painting with watercolor and salt to make snowflakes.

Watercolor with salt.

I got to check out art with daddy.

Antarctic Explore - Darkness to Lightness by Nathalie Miebach.

We saw this giant origami penguin.

And I played with an Orca's tooth.

Maybe next time, I'll get to explore more of the museum on my own!

Aki Update

Lots of stuff going on for me this week...

I continue to love my rice

Met this red suited dude. I didn't notice his red eyes before mommy put me on his lap. I should have checked first!

But I got away with this fancy paper with a box inside it, so it was all good.

I had a good week!

Wedgits and Instant Blox

Last week we got presents from Grandma's hairdresser's assistant. What a nice lady to send us presents all the way here and not even know us!

Anyway, she sent Aki a stacking ring set and I got Instant Blox. They seemed kind of familiar...


Instant Blox (on the left) and Wedgits 

It turns out they fit together! Daddy was very happy about this.


I'm wearing a sleeve from a box and pretending it's my harmonica  Aki, as usual, is entertaining herself.

Thanks, Ms. Nancy!

Ecotarium in Woostah

Last weekend we went to the Ecotarium in a place called Woostah. It was kind of like a combo zoo, aquarium, and science museum, with a train ride! As far as I'm concerned, you can't get much better than this.


Daddy demonstrating how the sundial works. I don't know what time means (except for "5 more minutes!") so this wasn't that interesting.

We went out to buy train tickets but the booth wasn't open yet. We got to check out the train first though. Not quite as impressive as the one at Clark's Trading Post, but still pretty cool.


This was interesting. It looks like a real mini-engine, but it starts up like a car.


Back inside, I had to read some slides


Aki got into the action too. She's checking out the hermit crab and the sea star.


Mommy took this picture of a turtle. Daddy was very proud of how it turned out.

After a while, we consulted the sundial and found it was time for the train ride!


On the Explorer Express


It was really cold!

We had a great time at the Ecotarium, and there was still stuff we didn't get to see up close, like the polar bear. Daddy liked it because it wasn't crowded like all the Boston museums. Maybe we can go back next month? After all, Woostah's not that far away and gas is really cheap now...

Gingerbread People

Last week we went to make gingerbread cookies at a MOMS club party.


Here are "my" creations


This is daddy's one, all covered in sugar.


Aki found a baby that's even smaller than she is!

We ate the cookies after dinner that night. Yum a yum!

Letter to Santa

Last week I dictated to daddy to write letter to Santa Claus.

It says:

11/26/2008

Dear Santa,

Please I want a deer like in South, a big, big deer, ok?

Sincerely,

Owen

Hmmm... I hope this works! 

By the way, can you tell I've practiced writing my name at school? Daddy says I have to work on writing it forward next time. He thinks because I'm left-handed, I wrote my letters backwards. I'm not sure what he means.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Instead of running in a Turkey race like he did last year, daddy spent the whole day on Thanksgiving wrestling with this turkey.

Goodeats Turkey

Daddy also made spinach and cranberry salad, cornbread and sage stuffing, giblet gravy, and roasted butternut squash for Thanksgiving dinner. With all this yummy food, guess what I had?

Turkey dinner out of a jar

Maybe next year, I'll get to eat real turkey and see what all the rave is about.

Ah Gu Was Here

This weekend, Ah Gu came back to Boston for a conference on green buildings. I don't know why there's a whole conference on green buildings, but I do like the color...


Ah Gu and his buddy met up with us for dinner on Friday at Rod Dee 3. Mmm Penang...

On Saturday Ronak got us together for a band practice.


Ronak on tabla, Aki on shaker and me on drums. Notice my guitar jacket, which mommy was nice enough to show me in the store and then buy it when I would not stop talking about it.

After practice we went to dinner with Ah Gu again. We went to the Dogwood Cafe, and they had a guitar player to entertain us for dinner!


Aki got tired from all the music.


The clan at dinner. Aki and I are practicing to be moody rock stars.

Too bad Ah Gu couldn't stay longer. He's always fun!

I Love the Real Mail

Last week I brought home some of my work from school. Mommy and daddy suggested that maybe I send some to my grandparents. I had to use something called the "mail."


I call this one "Trains"


I wonder which grandparents are going to get it?

Dinner at Julia's

Last week we had a dinner and a play date at Julia's house. Julia is a friend from my old school, and we both go to new schools now. She has lots of fun toys.


Aki likes the "Sit and Spin." I'm ringing her up at the cash register.


If you noticed the different clothes I'm wearing, I had a little mishap with my milk at dinner. Like the leggings? It's the hip new boys look for winter 2009.


Aki liked Julia's mommy. A lot!

We had lots of fun at Julia's house, and her big brother was nice to all of us. I hope we get to go back again soon! I have to give back the leggings!

We been busy...

My hair isn't always so styling
Originally uploaded by Mikenan1

Fixing Aki's hair!

Anyway, sorry it's been taking sooo long for us to post my adventures. I'm going to make my staff stay up all night tonight to get posts ready for this week...

Veteran's Day in Acton

Yesterday it was cold outside so we went to do some indoors stuff at the Discovery Museums out in Acton. That's the place where they made a house into a kid's exploring fun super-awesome play space and science museum.


It might have been cold, but I still needed to wear my shades.

Inside, they had added some new things since the last time I was there.


Like this bubble wall! Aki looks mad but she just wants to touch it.

There were some old things too...


Pulling the bell inside the train engine


Where is that bell anyway?


Mommy read me and Aki a train book. Aki looks interested but really is just trying to figure out how to eat the book.

We had lots of fun at the museums even if it was really crowded (you can't tell from the pictures, though). If you come visit, maybe we can go there together?


Is that a fallen tree with a "Live Wires" sign? Too bad daddy was too busy taking pictures to notice.

Ok, hope everyone had a happy middle of the week holiday!

Museum of Science Expedition

Since mommy and Aki went over to help Ms. Katrina with her baby yesterday, Daddy and I went out to the Museum of Science. I just wanted to ride the Green Line train, but then again, the museum is pretty fun too.


While we were waiting to go into the butterfly room, another daddy said that his daughter is scared of butterflies. I never thought of them that way before, but you know, they are kind of scary, all fluttery and unpredictable!


We hightailed it out of there to go play pachinko.

We roamed around all the exhibits I haven't seen in a long time. There were lots of new ones, but daddy was especially excited to see this one. An ear measuring camera!


2.6 inches.


This apparently shows that this shows he doesn't have tiny ears after all...


We saw this little windmill. When it's really going, it can power 25 light bulbs, or one big microwave. Hmm... doesn't sound like much.

After all that sciencing, it was time for some good old fashioned dress up fun...


Buzz buzz buzz


I'm Spyrtle the Turtle!


Wearing the geologist gear. Actually I'm looking for the fireman's coat. Do you think I could be a fireman geologist?

It was a fun day at the Museum, and we didn't even see the real new exhibits. Can we go back tomorrow, daddy?

Knitted baby gifts

Mama's been busy knitting away the last few weeks making baby gifts.

Hat for Ezra's baby brother, Milo

Basket-weave blanket for baby Milo

Baby booties for Emerson's baby sister, Reese

Here I am modeling the daisy hat mama made for baby Reese

I hope she makes another daisy hat for me since I love how it looks on me.

Happy Birthday, Mama!

Happy Birthday, Mama!
Originally uploaded by Mikenan1

It was last weekend, but you know, I'm a busy toddler. From me and Aki, happy birthday, mama! This is a picture from our surprise brunch out with some friends at the Fireplace...