Kids n Animals

What a Difference a Year Makes

2008-07-31T12:07:00.000-07:00

Both of these photos were taken on July 14th, but a year apart. In the lower photo, Rowena (age 10 months) sits on her first riding toy. In the photo to the left, Rowena (age 22 months) is ready to ride her first bike. And to complete the "oh my goodness they grow up so fast", check out the previous post with pics of newborn Ro.

2007-04-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Rowena, 2 hours old.

Our midwives give Rowena her first physical (1 hour old).

(Back row, L to R) Katie, Bela, Thelma, Irene, John III, John IV
(Middle row) Sandy, Rowena, Lavera
(Front) Nadya

Daysi, Thelma, Irene, John III, John IV
Sandy holding Rowena, Lavera, Nadya, Bela holding Katie (Tina)

2007-04-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

Grandma Thelma holds Rowena (age one week).

Nadya takes good care of Dolly.

Grandma Lavera holds Rowena (age one week).

Bela holds Katie (Tina) who holds Rowena (almost a day old).

2007-04-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

About a week before Rowena's birth, I really could use my stomach as a table.

Tina (Katie) and Nadya get to know baby Rowena.

Little John will be fully baked in about an hour :)

Irene, Kouzia, John III, John IV and Sandy.

2007-04-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Nadya experimenting at the Exploratorium, September 2006.
Sandy and Tina blowing bubbles at the Exploratorium.

Daysi and Hugh.

Two Foot Two meets Seven Foot Two. Dave, Nadya and Sandy. (2002)

2007-04-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Nadya, Daysi and Tina romp in the snow at South Lake Tahoe.

Nadya in front of her new school She's a big kindergartener now.

2005-12-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

Katie's birthday dinner: Nadya, Katie, Filbo, Earl, Grandma Lavera, Aunt Janet, Wendy

Halloween Happenings

2005-11-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for pumpkin carving, Nadya practices using a knife to cut cheese.

2005-11-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

Nadya supervises the pumpkin carving. She said that she wanted to carve the pumpkin herself, but when it was time she actually just wanted to watch.

2005-11-01T10:34:00.001-08:00

Nadya told Filbo just how to carve her pumpkin. Doesn't it look just like her (except for her nose not being on her forehead)?

2005-11-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

Katie decorates her pumpkin.

2005-11-01T10:32:00.000-08:00

My pumpkin turned out to be a horse :)

2005-11-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

Filbo attempts to light the candle with a match held in chopsticks. It was hard, but he did manage.

2005-11-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

Aw, come on, smile, please...

2005-11-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

Nadya loves her jack-o'lantern.

2005-11-01T10:27:00.000-08:00

Picking up Filbo at the office for Trick-or-Treating.

2005-10-31T22:10:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to Trick-or-Treat on the Santa Cruz Wharf. This is the second year in a row, so it seems like it's becoming a family tradition. It's really nice to see all the sea lions at least once a year.

2005-10-31T22:07:00.000-08:00

Katie Trick-or-Treating. She remembered to say "Thank you" more than she remembered to say "Trick or treat" so I'm pretty proud of her.

2005-10-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

I decided there were too many photos of our barn raising to put here, so look for them at the link to the right. (I've tried putting the link here, but I can't get it to accept it.) Also, I don't have everybody's name. I apologize for forgetting names, and I will correct them as soon as I can.

2005-10-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

Drumming and singing at the Simcha (preschool) Sukkot party.

2005-10-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Nadya's sunflower patch a couple months ago. It looks pretty bedraggled now, but produced a bumper crop of delicious sunflower seeds.

2005-10-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

I found some more gymnastics pictures. Yesterday Nadya told me she was tired of doing gymnastics. Today she was telling me what she's going to do the next time we go to gymnastics. I've already signed them up for the next term, so we'll probably stick with it at least through the rainy season. Here's Katie on the balance beam.

2005-10-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

Nadya loves the balance beam. She walks along curbs the same way. I used to do that, too. Come to think of it, I still do sometimes.

2005-10-18T10:57:00.001-07:00

Katie does a handstand. I just missed getting a picture of all of them doing handstands.

2005-10-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

The girls like climbing the little ladders. Going across is another story.

2005-10-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

Nadya crossing the ladder again. This time she made it all the way!

2005-10-18T10:55:00.002-07:00

Nadya walks the plank...

2005-10-18T10:55:00.001-07:00

... and jumps off at the end.

2005-10-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

Ben crosses the ladder.

2005-10-18T10:54:00.001-07:00

Nadya somersaults.

2005-10-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

I entered some of my yarn in the Santa Cruz County Fair this year. My wool yarn got a third place and some advice on how to improve (which was what I was hoping for) but my alpaca yarn got a first place. It's so soft! I've got a couple ideas of what to do with it. I have a lot more alpaca fleece to spin. It's so nice to work with.

2005-10-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Nadya saw me spinning and wanted to try it herself. She spun this lovely yarn on my spinning wheel during four or five sessions over a month or so. I entered it in the Santa Cruz County Fair. She got first prize which included a check for $5. The judge also wrote a sweet comment. After looking at the display, we stopped by the Spinners' Guild demonstration where they fawned over Nadya (and Katie, too), "Oh, you're the little girl who spun that beautiful yarn!"

2005-10-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

Johns at dinner. Little John is 10 months in this pic.

2005-10-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

Uncle John has the kids enthralled with air-in-a-can.

2005-10-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

Bela and the kids plant bulbils and seeds that they collected this year. If even a small percentage of them come up next year, our front hillside will be spectacular.

2005-10-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

Nadya and Katie help me show off the first completed wall frame. The doors will be higher on the new shed so I won't have to duck, but I will have to remember to lift my feet more.

2005-10-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

Katie took this picture. The tall (8') side is laying on the ground in the front.

2005-10-14T14:42:00.000-07:00

Teacher Rick helps Nadya face her fear and cross the ladder in gymnastics class. It's amazing watching him herd a dozen 3 year olds. He's great!

2005-10-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

Typical view of Katie: Everything is in focus except her - she's a blur.

2005-10-14T14:37:00.001-07:00

Hans wasn't very happy - I don't remember why.

2005-10-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

One of our hens hatched a family and paraded the chicks around in our neighbor's yard. I tried to catch them, but they ducked under the trailer. The next night, she brought them home to the barnyard and I was able to put them in the chick pen.

2005-10-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

Spinning while nursing at the farmers' market. It worked surprisingly well that day. Some days I can't manage to spin because the kids need held. Other days I'm able to do both.

2005-10-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

Dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant: Nadya, Thelma, Eli, Hans, John.

2005-10-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

My esteemed Father-in-law.

2005-10-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

Our feed delivery: a ton of chicken kibble, 1/4 ton of chick grower crumble, scratch grain, bran for the sheep, oyster shell, etc. The hay and pine shavings are in the carport. This was about 6 weeks feed.

2005-10-14T14:28:00.001-07:00

Bela gives Hans a new perspective.

2005-10-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

Nadya

2005-10-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Bela, Hans and Grandma Thelma take a break.

2005-10-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

Nadya loves playing in the sand - school, home, park, beach, doesn't matter where.

2005-10-14T14:25:00.001-07:00

Nadya climbing.

2005-10-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Eli holds Hans while Grandma Thelma pushes Katie on the swing.

2005-10-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

Grandma Thelma and Hans.

2005-10-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

Grandma Thelma and Nadya taking care of Hans at the park.

2005-10-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

I bought an 8lb CVM fleece at the Monterey County Fair Wool Auction. I still haven't started spinning it.

2005-10-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

Nadya pets the cutest miniature horse.

2005-09-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

Tough girl though she is, Katie likes to stop and smell the flowers.

2005-09-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Katie's favorite display at the fair. When she first saw this vehicle, she shouted, "Mine!" and started climbing all over it.

2005-09-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

I love the antique tractor parade. I wonder if this guy would come do our orchard and pasture?

2005-09-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Nadya learns how to milk a goat.

2005-09-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

The roller coaster was being worked on so Nadya went on the train first. When the ride was over, they had reopened the roller coaster.

2005-09-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Nadya totally adores the roller coaster. This one went forwards and backwards. It wasn't your usual totally tame kiddie coaster - and she loved it! Still waters run deep.

2005-09-15T10:59:00.001-07:00

Biker Girl Nadya cops an attitude.

2005-09-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Nadya pilots her first spacecraft.

2005-09-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

Katie was jealous of all the rides Nadya went on. We finally found a ride that Katie was big enough for: the carrousel. Here she gives the carnie her tickets.

2005-09-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

Katie wanted to go on a ride, until she was actually on it. She stayed just long enough for the picture, then insisted on leaving before the ride started.

2005-09-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

On the previous three events where Nadya tried this climbing and sliding contraption, she has had to be helped past the rope ladder. This time she just barrelled right up it without a pause! She's the light yellow blur.

2005-09-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Katie really made out at the fishing booth. Here she shows off her loot: a small fish, a large turtle and a small rubber alligator, just like Uncle Gordon had. Nadya got a medium sized snake.

2005-08-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Katie with boffer throwing stars. I think she'll be wanting to participate in boffer wars next year at Baycon.

2005-08-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

Katie helps out. The chickens don't know whether to run to her because she might have corn, or run away because she likes to chase them.

2005-08-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

Barnyard's done. Time to go home.

2005-08-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Nadya had her friend over one recent afternoon. They spent some time playing with toddler computers.

2005-08-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

Katie shows off her babies.

2005-08-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

The older kids play with balloons while Katie investigates the egg beater.

2005-08-20T11:29:00.001-07:00

Fishing time.

2005-08-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

These tubes are great fun.

2005-08-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

Ben was immediately drawn to the neccessity of mowing the lawn. If only I could have let him use a real mower!!!

2005-08-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

Nadya spent some time riding her various ride-on toys.

2005-08-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

The date ended with a lovely picnic. Everyone shared. It was really sweet.

2005-08-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ben at 3.5 years old.

2005-08-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

Nadya at 3.5 years old.

2005-08-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

Katie at 1.5 years old.

2005-08-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

We planted a few veggies in the front flower bed this year, and actually installed the drip irrigation that I've been threatening for years. This tomato is producing a few ripe tomatoes every week.

2005-08-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

This tomato plant didn't really like our yard. It quickly set 2 tomatoes, ripened them and then died.

2005-08-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

Nadya stands next to her sunflower patch. They're now blooming and very pretty. I hope we'll actually get sunflower seeds, too.

2005-08-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hans is getting interactive.

2005-08-13T17:10:00.001-07:00

Hop on Pop

2005-08-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

Looks like Katie's had another growth spurt. I need to get used to this view. I rather expect she'll be taller than me in a decade or so.

2005-08-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

Watch out! Katie's up to something.

2005-08-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

Can you see the duckling hiding behind Mama? She sat on 13 duck eggs for 28 days. (Chickens added 12 eggs during that time. One hatched, but didn't survive.)

2005-08-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Mama Duck is very protective of her kids. She hatched 6 ducklings, but the three black ones disappeared over the course of the first week.

2005-08-13T16:59:00.000-07:00

The geese supervise one of the goslings taking a swim.

2005-08-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors raise rabbits and goats. Some of the rabbits have gotten out, so we've got rabbits, too.

2005-08-13T16:57:00.001-07:00

On a hot day, the birds rest in the shade.

2005-08-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

Nadya is very flexible. She likes to practice.

2005-08-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

"Read this!" I hear this many times a day. Today I've already read "Go, Dog. Go!" more than 20 times for Katie. Nadya, fortunately for me, likes to hear a variety of books.

2005-08-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

Hans eating (squash, maybe?)

2005-08-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Taking the stragglers to safety for the night. I am the Crazy Chicken Lady.

2005-08-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

Rhode Island Red chicks under a red lamp.

2005-08-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

Winter Redflesh tree is coming along nicely. They're very tannic, which I don't like. But the tree is lovely at bloom time.

2005-08-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

This is our hazelnut bush. We got our first crop this year - 6 empty shells. We need to put in a pollinator!