Being Grandparents

Our newest grandson is now 4 weeks old.

Rostam has become quite adept at dismantling and reassembling his biplane with his "electric" tools.

Photos above and below were taken at an antique store in the town of Plymouth. You can imagine the delight of a two-year old when he got to play in the fire engine.

Visiting in Boston

On January 27 we arrived in Boston on the heels of a snowstorm. We are all snuggled cozily into Amelia and Jason's new home and are enjoying 2 year-old Rostam and his new baby brother Alden Edward.

Little Alden arrived three weeks early which is why we missed his birth. Although he was well over 6 pounds he still seemed small and at three weeks we are all still calling him "Tiny Baby", the name he had when Amelia was still carrying him.

He is pretty small especially when compared to the big hands of his grandfather who is holding him.

In addition to learning to share his mother with a new sibling, Rostam is learning how to manipulate the keypad on the computer.

Holiday Activities

Although Amelia and Rostam had to leave before Christmas, we had a good long visit from them with time for lots of fun activities. Here is Rostam with Yasent and Lucas.

Last year Anne won a buche de Noel from Mill Bay Coffee. We shared it for Christmas dinner and I was reminded that I used to make them regularly during the holiday season. But it was so long ago that not one of my children remembered. So I've started the tradition again and here is this year's effort.

For years the grandchildren have made gingerbread houses each Christmas. This year we did a variation and created sleighs complete with reindeer and decorated cookies to fill the sleighs. Doing four of them took about 3 days from beginning dough to the last one being secure enough to move. Here is Lucas with his sleigh. His reindeer were not yet ready when this was taken.

Yasent was very careful and elaborate with his creation.

Enjoying the Grandchildren

It is fall and school has started. Amelia and family came for a brief visit before their big move to Boston. Since they will not be here at Christmas we made a haunted spooky gingerbread house for Rostam.

Rostam was dressed for the holiday as a fuzzy-fronted bat. His cousin Maya opted out of her cheerleader costume for a lovely outfit brought to her from Vietnam by family friends.

Auntie Anne always jumps at the chance to read to her nieces and nephews. Maya is sporting the cheerleader outfit.

Yasent was here on picture-taking day so I was able to photograph him in the new shirt.

Maya's choice for an S item during alphabet week was an obvious one, a large snake made by my niece, Whitney.

Lucas is always making fantastic creatures out of legos.

Maya had a couple of sick days when her mother was out of town. She was a good patient and so sweet with her rosy pink cheeks.

Trying new Activities

Yasent produced an excellent pan of scones on Saturday, scones that he shared with his cousins and later with his Nana. Apparently the children discussed the possibility that they have innate cooking skills since their Nana's maiden name was Cook. I'm going to give a lot of credit to Lucas and Maya's dad who is a chef.


Lucas quite happily lost another front tooth during the tea party.

Through Alaskan Eyes

This past week we spent on the Kenai Peninsula. We took the ferry from Kodiak to Homer and were met by dear friends who live on the Kenai River. We spent the week at their lovely home and enjoyed drives, berry picking, playing cards, dominoes, good food, and lots of laughs. Old friends are such good friends.

Getting down to the Kenai River was easiest on a 4-wheeler.

This is the view from the deck.

Reflections on the road from Kenai to Seward.

Some of the magnificent views in Seward.

Part of the town of Seldovia as seen from the ferry.

What the folks of Seldovia see from their waterfront.

Kodiak's Bounty

Last night a dear friend brought a bucket of fresh blueberries to bridge club. She had picked them herself and brought along zip-lock bags so we could take some home. There were berries for everyone and I was reminded of how lucky we are to live in a place with such fantastic food and friends.

Last week another friend offered Bill a spot on a fishing charter.

The result was several filets of king salmon to smoke.

And some was even the most prized of all fish, the white king!

Efforts by Yasent and his cousin Jordan resulted in this salmonberry pie being enjoyed by Lucas.