Cathy's Postal Jeep...for now...but not for long 4/30/2011

4/30/2011 - Kathy's own jeep which she uses for work to deliver the US Mail.  Soon however, the US Postal Service will be forcing her to get a US Postal Mail truck.  She said that she did try to do everything she could to continue to use her own vehicle.  However, the postal service says that it costs too much to reimburse their workers to use their own vehicles (or something like that...I'm trying to remember what she said).  She loves her jeep and it is so good in the snow and surely she wouldn't be able to get up our driveway in the winter with a regular postal truck.  Sigh.  I asked if there was someone I could write to or contact to speak on her behalf and she said that it was already a done deal.  She will be selling her jeep when she is required to begin using her new truck.  This doesn't seem fair!  If her jeep protects her better in the winter weather, esp here in Maine, and if she is able to do more for customers with her jeep (like come up a steep, icy driveway to deliver mail), then shouldn't she be allowed to keep it?  Does it really cost that much more?  Can you put a price on safety?  Come on!  Jeeps are way safer than uniform postal trucks!

The Helm for ice cream and Li playing baseball in the backyard with Kanoa

4/29/2011 - No Snow!  Green ground cover - yes, grass and weeds!  And I am okay with weeds!

4/29/2011 - Our traditional welcoming of spring...a trip to The Helm for soft serve ice cream!  (Although I think this was our second trip this year already.)  Kanoa is diggin' it!

The nice lady who gave us the ice cream!  Nice to see her every year!



Need I write anything?



Surprised?  Shocked?  What?  Hey....they had Round Top!



Li loving his cone...he is very into food and tasty snacks!



Love the expression on Kanoa's face...concentration!

Kids being silly at The Helm....



Li playing "bat/ball" with Kanoa.  That is what Kanoa called it for a while.  And when you play baseball with him....it is not him trying to hit the ball so much as the pitcher trying to hit his bat which may move around and be held differently each time.  It is challenging!  If the pitcher doesn't quite hit the target (the bat) and if Kanoa is tired, he gets upset!  4/29/2011

4/23/2011, 4/24/2011 (Easter), 4/28/2011 (Makana Lost First Tooth!)



4/28/2011 - Kana bought a new pink umbrella today and then shared her other one with Kanoa.  They loved using them indoors.



4/23/2011 - Kana sets up colorful flowers with the Sequence chips.




4/24/2011 - Easter - Makana looking for eggs on Easter morning/afternoon.





Easter - Li and Kanoa






Kanoa ate the cheerios inside his eggs.



Golden bunnies!  And a wee one too!




Chalk bunnies!  Thanks Grandma!!!  (They've already played with them!)



Makana lost her first tooth tonight (4/28/2011 - Age 5)!  She had the string from her pants in her mouth and was pulling it and out popped her tooth!



Makana goes horseback riding! Yippee!!!

Makana wanted to go horseback riding very much.  Our mail carrier suggested a couple people, but especially liked a certain instructor named Wendy Jacobson at Apple Ridge Farms in Appleton, Maine.  We made an appointment for a lesson and went on 4/22/2011!  The drive to and from Appleton was beautiful!  Spring was in the air!! 



Makana upon arrival at the farm.



Pirate the Pony - 19 years old.

Kana was EXCITED!!!  And silly!  Her personality showing here!!

Soooo happy to be riding!

Kana watched instructor Wendy clean one hoof.  Then she got to clean the other hoof!

Hearing about the importance of sitting up straight.

A view of Apple Ridge Farm in Appleton, Maine.

Wendy and Makana and Pirate the pony posed for a photo.  What a wonderful first riding experience!

View of barn on the way home from Appleton.

Another beautiful view.  Notice the little camps along the edge of the lake.

Another view of the same lake.

And one more...it was so lovely.

Lost gloves and shoes that Laurie from Hope Orchards hangs on the wall.

Apples are growing....they are growing....looking forward to pick here later in the year.

Stopped by True Park in Hope (across from Hope Orchards) to play.  Li met another family playing baseball and joined in.  Makana, Kanoa and I played on the equipment.  We all had a great time!

When we got home. Makana made this drawing!  So glad she had such a great time!

4/21/2011 - The Inspiration of A Two Year Old Artist - Let's Get Into Painting!

Kanoa was sitting on my lap while one evening while I was scrolling through a friend's facebook pictures of her child painting.  He said, "Me paint!"  We got out the paints and he began creating his own art.   



I wonder what he is thinking.....maybe "What happens when I stick my hands in here???"



He likes this!

Serious concentration!

Mixing in some more color...

Ta Daaa!

Kanoa likes this picture most of all!  When he sees it, he happily yells!

Kanoa loves to dump water!  Like he does with cups of drinking water, he dumped it when we weren't paying attention and we cleaned it up.  No big deal.  Easy enough to clean - gives me clean spots on the floor too! ;) -   But will be glad when he starts dumping in the sink instead!  :)

Li and Makana doing Puzzlemania Together

Li and Makana share another moment doing Puzzlemania together.  4/21/2011

No School This Week - Learning Happens Anyway!

4/19/2011 - Katie had a week off of school in mid-April.  She told me some tidbits of interesting facts she learned.  I had forgotten that she didn't have school and then was relieved that we didn't have to hear the 5am alarm go off the next day! 

I was inspired to write some of the things that came to my mind about what a person could do if their life didn't include school.  Notice they still learn!!!!  The best part is that they are motivated to learn on their own because they are interested and want to! 

Makana and Kanoa at their special camp in the woods

4/18/2011 - Makana and Kanoa have a special "camp" out in the woods.  Makana was sure to bring snacks and drinks for herself and for Kanoa too.

Kanoa truly looks up to Makana.  He often tries to do what she is doing.  She is his buddy!

They share a moment of laughter.

They enjoy their fruit!