Happy New Year!

ringing in the new year with NYC- at 9PM

At The Nutcracker

Grammy has been waiting about 4 years to take her Granddaughter to see The Nutcracker.
Tonight, we went. Zoe wore her new Christmas dress and princess shoes and we went downtown to the theater. Grammy has a great love for the performing arts (among other arts) so to accompany Zoe for this rite of passage was very special for her. It was the first time I've been to the ballet since I was very young, and I was mesmerized by the dancers and costumes, the live familiar music, and especially the children dancing. We all talked about the story of the Rat King and the nutcracker beforehand so that Zoe could follow along with the production. She watched, curious and excited, scared and bored, thrilled and awed- right along with the rest of us. She was a great member of the audience, a new patron of the arts, ready for another production.

Grampa Ted's Tour for Boys

Today we decided to divide and conquer. Nico took Zoe to the pool and Grampa Ted and Grammy took Jujie and I on a tour, with a precisely planned itinerary, created just for Julian.
We started by parking across from the pacific train station and hopping the Sky Train (Vancouver's BART) at Science World. Ted knew exactly which ones were the good trains, that have a seat right in front (there are no drivers) so that the front seat rider can peer down the center of the tracks. Grampy Ted planned the perfect route that had the best views for short attention spans. The Sky Train is elevated as opposed to underground in this section, so on this sunny day the mountains were lit up above Vancouver and the water beyond. Juju loved the train and the escalators. Next we drove to a park next to the water that looks over the busy harbour. Julian could've stayed all day watching pontoon planes take off and land, tug boats working, ferries leaving and coming, and even a barge bringing in a gasoline tanker truck into the harbour that was full of cranes loading and unloading containers. All with this incredible view that speaks for itself. When we finally started getting cold, we headed to Yaletown to the Roundhouse for one more date with the old engine and a few slices of wood oven baked pizza at our favorite Italian cafe.

Morning, Sunshine!

Down at the waterfront, for a brief runaround after DeDutch pancake breakfast.

Powder and Sunshine

The snow literally glittered in the late afternoon sunlight.
Earlier, we loaded up the toboggans and tons of mittens, scarves, hats and boots and headed over the bridge towards the mountains. From the drive-thru at Starbucks (our first outing upon rising) we could see the mountains just across the harbor and the Burrard Straight- they were dusted with snow, and the snow line was much lower than it had been recently. The clouds were clearing from behind them and the fog rose in tufts from the green lower forests. The forecast promised little rain and possible sun for Vancouver, so we knew it would be a good day at the mountain. Half an hour beyond the bridge we climbed through the forest into the snow. Little piles by the road at first, then more, then the trees were lightly dusted and it became foggy, and the trees were weighted by more snow until it clung to all sides of the tree, not just the tops but underneath, and the very tops of the trees bent over with the weight of it, all of them leaning together. We reached the top of the mountain in the Provincial park, and parked the car. The sun was shining, it was clear and just about 0 degrees (C). We wandered down a path into the forest to a little clearing with a snow house that someone had begun building. We tried to mold snowballs from the foot and a half of fresh powder all around us. I discovered that you can break through the thin, hard crust of the outer snow, and the fluffy, light snow that lied beneath was so soft and dry, it barely stuck together enough to make a snowball. We scooped, packed and tossed with abandon. Fluffy white snow flying everywhere. After a walk back through the woods, we gathered our toboggans and headed for the hill. Zoe took some solo rides, shrieking and giggling the whole way down. We all took turns riding the wooden toboggan, sometimes all four of us piled in a row, bumping over the lumps, hurtling toward the snow bank. We climbed the hill over and over, the kids never complaining about the walk. They slid down the banks with other kids, landing in little piles, like puppies at the bottom. As the clouds continued to clear over Vancouver, we could see the City far below, the tall glass towers gleaming golden in the welcome sunlight.

Fur

Before and after pictures of Juju's Grandeville Island haircut (Yes, Zoe too, but hers is just thicker and lovlier than before), and last, our little neighborhood coyote.

Let it Snow!

Christmas walk on the seawall

It's a warm and rainy Christmas here in Vancouver. It's too rainy to do much outside, but warm enough that the rain is also falling in the mountains foiling our plans for snowy toboggan rides. So we drove to Stanley Park and with a bit of Christmas luck, it stopped raining just as we resigned ourselves to a quick walk in the rain. The rain dissipated, and we had a great walk along the seawall. We spotted sea birds, clam shells, cargo ships, and tall mountains, just clearing in the distance above us.

At The Roundhouse

Rainy morning? Let's go to the Roundhouse! The Roundhouse is a semicircle of old brick buildings next to the waterfront that houses a really nice community center, a great Italian cafe and an old locomotive on one end, surrounded by glass windows. There is a large brick plaza in the middle that was once used to turn the traincars. Lots of room for running through puddles. Visiting the train at the Roundhouse was #1 on Julian's list of things to do here in Vancouver. Last time, he was almost too afraid of the big black train to go inside with it; this time he went inside, but was still a bit apprehensive about climbing up inside to ring the bell. But Zoe was happy to do it!

Little Goddess of Watercolors

Lantern Festival

Happy Solstice!
Tonight, we celebrated the shortest day of the year, the first day of winter, and the return of the sun. The hip, diverse, creative community of Vancouver provided the perfect atmosphere for such a celebration. Here, even more than at home in NorCal, the sun comes up late, is filtered by a gray sky, and then descends without ever really warming anything. It feels as if it's always a little too dark. I really feel that it is as dark as my world can be. But from a warm, light home we spent a lazy afternoon making lanterns from candy colored tissue paper and mason jars. Everyone pitched in, and we were as proud as we could be as we paraded through Chinatown, just a few blocks from Grammy & Grandpa Ted's house. We strolled past bakeries, produce stands and ginseng shops to the walled garden of Dr. Sun Yat Sen. The lovely garden was adorned with paper lanterns of natural designs. Some decorated with pressed leaves like many full moons hanging in the trees. Zoe was lured by promises of "tea and buns" read from the internet description. She settled for hanging lights, bridges over turtled waters, floating candles and a shared freshly baked cinnamon bun.

False Creek Waterfront

We took an afternoon run around along the waterfront at False Creek. This is a new area in Vancouver across the water from Science world, in the area where the Olympic Athletes stayed. Even in late December, people were out walking their dogs, bicycling, running along the path that circles False Creek. There are little squares with sculptures and parks, many of which we look forward to exploring more. Notice the snowy mountains in the background- everytime we're out and about, I can't take my eyes off of them. You can see the glow of the snow falling at the tops.

"Now can we go Julian?"

Boys will be boys. There was no dragging him away until they dug the hole, and slowly extracted whatever they were after.

Van Dusen Garden

Festival of Lights at the beautiful VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver.
Seriously, Holiday Lights on Steroids. However many you've seen- these are more. As far as the eye can see through an arboretum in the dark, it was blanketed in thousands of tiny colored lights. There was a choir singing festive songs, a waffle shack selling sausage stuffed waffles and Kettlecorn. A model train. And of course, Santa telling The Night Before Christmas in a cozy greenhouse. Zoe met him down the path, and they walked into the waiting crowd holding mittened hands.

Prepare for landing

I did it. The woman who can barely get herself alone through a flight, took the mini ones for a ride. Armed with two backpacks full of snacks, toys, books and diapers, we made it to Vancouver, nerves intact. Zoe is a total pro, pulling down her tray table in wait for the ginger ale that takes so long to reach us. She occupies herself, and doesn't seem to be bothered by turbulence. "Woah!" she grinned as the plane lurched and shuttered into the dark gray clouds. I clawed my armrests and breathed slowly, purposefully, humming along to the New Age music that United so graciously bestowed upon my frazzled being.

Rainy Friday in the Park

Portrait of a boy: Car- check. Stomping in puddle- check. Ignoring the rain in favor of stomping in a puddle with car in hand- check.


It's snowing inside the museum. Zoe loves this exhibit. The picture looks best up close... click on it.

Zoo Lights

Oakland Zoo's "Zoo Lights" is lit!
Our friends Liam, Casey and Kathleen braved the cold night air to check it out.
Being out at night with the Zoo all decorated was a fun way to pass the evening. The rides were open, while the animals slept. Unfortunately for Jujie, the only ride he has any interest in is the train. "Hoo- Hoooooooooo"!

Preciousness

There's nothing as precious as a baby sleeping. Especially when he sleeps with his tiger.

Weekend Warriors

Sunny and 70 in mid December?! We'll take it! Another gorgeous day at the beach, this time with Daddy in tow.

W.W .D. Rainy Day Version