Hello from the sky!

Guess where I am writing from?  Yes, up above 34,000 feet to be exact, flying somewhere between Alaska and Russian Islands.  All I had to do was pay $30 and I have the access to WiFi during the entire 9 hours of flight.  It's tltally worth it, don't you think?

The girls and I are heading to Japan for a three-week vacation.  The airplane tickets this summer was reasonable, so we jumped on it.  It is exciting because we will be there for 23 days compared to the usual 14.  Mike was able to take three weeks off from work, so it all worked out very well.  Of course, he would like to visit Japan but he is happy to spend time with the boys.  I am hoping they will have a wonderful time together!

So, here we are about 4 hours into the flight.  The girls have been watching the in-flight entertainment TV and movies.  They are doing very well.  I think Alyson is watching her second show now and still awake.  Saya is hanging on but looks a bit sleepy.  It is almost midnight back in America, so they should be feeling tired.  All the excitement though.  I don't blame them.

Leaving Noah was hard for me.  I tried to explain to him that I will be gone for three weeks but will come back.  I wrote some simple pictures on post-it notes and he was listening to me intently.  I hope he understood.  Mommy has been always around and when I am suddenly gone, he might become upset.  With the escape incident still fresh in my mind, he worries me everyday.  I know Mihe will make sure he is safe, so I should relax.

We have about 5 hours left in flight but if we make it to 3 hours, then it goes quick after that.  So if I watch 2 more movies, it should be all set.  I wish someone invent a faster plane.  Being stuck in a small space with a bunch of people for a long time is uncomfortable!  I will suck it up though.  It will arrive eventually!

Well I just wanted to post because... I can!
I am amazed at the technology now days!

Happy 4th of July!

Look at us already in the month of July!  June went by so quickly since the kids had school until the last week.  Noah's summer program will start on July 6 and we are excited for him to have a school routine he craves.  Let's hope he adjust quickly to the new program and the teacher and the para educators are the same high quality as his regular school year staff.  It is with a sheer luck that we live in an area with a great education system, even for the special education department.  Most of the teachers' I met here are very professional and good at what they do.  To be able to trust Noah's teachers so far has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.  Someone who understands his needs and eagerly willing to work with me to make sure the learning continues at home.  I feel very fortunate every school year to work with the school and we both are on the same page!

Today was July 4th.  We had Jan over for dinner with yummy food.  Mike made an amazing barbecue ribs.  It was so good that I had two servings!  I made a big plate of beef enchiladas, authentic version from my days in Durango, Mexico.  I really regret that I didn't write down the recipes the families I knew in Mexico used because that is the flavor I want to duplicate.  I am having a hard time pin pointing, but I think I did a decent job.  I put chocolate in the sauce, kind of like in Mole.  The chocolate adds sweetness and creaminess to the sauce and it is just so delicious!  I was going to make deviled eggs, but I ran out of time.  I roasted zucchinis with lemon butter and they turned out pretty well.  Mike's rib though... I have to ask him to make it again sometime!!

The girls helped me make some cupcakes in the morning.  They did a lot on their own for the first time and I can see ourselves being baking buddies more often now.  They cracked the eggs, added ingredients to the bowl, and put the batter into the cupcake tins.  They did a very good job!  They were waiting for the cakes to bake right in front of the oven and it was so cute!  Soon, Noah joined and they sat in front of the oven looking inside.  The girls decorated the cupcakes with blue sprinkles and strawberries later on a white whipped cream.  Noah really enjoyed it and I am not exactly sure how many he ate! 

We watched some TV and basically lounged around all afternoon.  I was so tired from the beer and wine I had and was ready to fall asleep.  The three kids wanted to go see the fireworks though so I decided to take them to the downtown park.  Aly ended up not going because she was naughty, so I took Saya and Sean.  We found a spot at the park and Sean started to act nervous.  He thought it was going to be so loud and hurt his ears.  He took Mike's noise muffling headphones to make sure it won't hurt him too much.  I don't have problems with noises, but I know some Asperger people have noise sensitivity.  Saya asked me to put a ear plugs on, so I put them in her ears.  It was her first time, so she wasn't sure how it is going to be. 

Sean did just fine though.  Soon he forgot all about it when the show started.  It was beautiful!  Bellevue must have one of the longest shows around.  It was one after another for nearly 30 minutes.  Fireworks remind me of summer in Japan as my family and I went to see many shows during summer.  I used to know the differences in styles between American and Japanese firework shows, but I can't recall anymore.  Hopefully, I can see some of them in Japan when I visit next week.  Yes, in four days, the girls and I will be in Japan for three weeks!! Yippee!!  I have to start packing and make sure I am ready by Wednesday.  I am excited but worried about the boys I leave behind in the U.S. with Mike.  I know they will have a fabulous time together but I hope they won't miss me too much!  (I am sure they will have a relaxed guy time without the nagging Mom...)

Noah Boah Escapes

Well, our little Noah gave us a big scare last weekend when he decided to open the front door which was accidentally unlatched and go on a door to door house invasion and free roaming adventure for an hour.   Mike and I were upstairs doing something and totally did not hear him open the door.  We have a voice alert system installed on doors so that we know when the doors are opened.  We also have a latch high on the door so that kids cannot open the door.  Somehow the latch was not in correctly and Noah was able to open the door!   When Mike discovered the front door wide open, I knew what had happened. 

I was still in PJ, so I asked Mike to go ahead and look for him while I get dressed.  I quickly put on my sneakers and ran looking for him.  Mike went to our neighbor's house in the back, but he was not there.  I asked our neighbors walking by if they have seen a little boy running and they said no.  I ran as fast as I could on our street and beyond looking for him, but there was no sign of him.  Sean helped, although I asked him to stay at home, on his bike.  He wanted to help because he was very worried about Noah.   I asked Sean to go look for him towards the school and the playground.  I ran and ran, but there was no Noah.  I then went back home and decided to drive around to cover areas more quickly.  I asked Mike to do the same.  I started to panic a bit, but I knew I had to stay calm and focus.  It was very terrifying to see something on the road because I thought it could be Noah.  Noah does not check for cars.  He darts across the street without even stopping.  There was a possibility he could get hit by a car and get injured. 

I finally called Mike and asked him to call police.  The time was ticking and every minute counted.  He would be in more danger as the time passed.  I focused and thought of all the places he might want to visit.  I knew that he wanted take a path out of school on the other side when I took him to play at the school playground the other day, so I drove to the back of the school and looked for him.  He was not there.  My neighbor whom I saw earlier posted a missing boy post on our neighborhood website.  I appreciated her swift action because that was what I wanted to do if I had time.  I was at loss to where to look for him.  I drove around slowly since he might jump in front of my car.  Every car I passed I prayed they won't hit my son.  It was just a horrible feeling.

The day before this incident, Noah and I hugged each other for a long time on the couch.  A terrible thought crossed my mind.  What if that was our last hug?  What if we never see him again?  I did not cry though.  I knew I had an important mission to accomplish.  I kept my calm the whole time and I was proud of how I was handling this situation.  I knew I was made tough and I am.  I drove around some more but I could not find him.  Mike called me then and found out that he was ok.  My heart just became a jelly.  Noah was all well in the police cruiser.  Apparently, he was on a busy street visiting homes on that street going in and out of people's homes scaring the residents.  One of the homeowners kept him and contacted police.  The nice person even put him in a fresh underwear since his diaper was full. 

The thought of this happening again is scary.  I almost want to build a cage around my house so that he cannot escape anymore.  It worries me that he has no fear when it comes to running away from home.  He tries hard everyday to break out from the house and I guess I am having a hard time understating why he wants to do that.  Is he feeling like a super bouncy ball that needs to be set free to bounce away to a bigger place?  He is very active in the house and is constantly moving around.  I know he is hyperactive and impulsive, which are the main traits of having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  Are his energy and impulsivity ruling his brain?  If so, it's time to book an appointment with Sean's psychiatrist.

So, the big-eyed boy scared the heck out of Mom and Dad, but he is as happy and energetic as usual everyday.  He still fiddles with the lock and he even tried to open the door getting the key from our key cabinet the other day.  Our escape artist in training.  Maybe he could become those performers who escape for a show.   He could escape and wow the audience but then he will keep running past the crowds, into the sunset.  AND I will mumble "there he goes again..." under my breath and chase after him with well toned legs for being a senior. 

Shasha and Grandpa's Visit

Shasha and Grandpa visited us with Archie, their new puppy a couple weeks ago.  Kids were very excited to meet Archie and of course, spend time with their grandparents from Idaho.  I got the house ready just in time.  I was warned that Archie is good at stealing things that are not tucked away.  I told the kids to keep their doors closed since there are many potential victims laying around in their rooms.  They are very easy guests, so no stress at all.  I picked up few things like wine and beer from the store and it was all good. 

They arrived in the late afternoon by which time the kids asked when they are arriving for the 100th time.  When they rolled in, the girls were jumping.  They couldn't contain themselves to meet the new puppy.  Archie is not exactly a puppy-looking anymore as he is 10 month old.  He is practically a kid in an adult dog body. He wasn't sure of us when we first met, but they were soon bouncing around together getting all hyper.  I would say, they got along great!

 It was a beautiful weekend in high 70s and they enjoyed a tad cooler weather from where they are from.  Us Seattleites are still getting used to the summery temperatures and it felt a bit too hot for us under the sun.  The three kids and I took Shasha to the farmer's market in Issaquah and had a lunch there.  Kids ate wood-fired pizzas and adults shared a Pad Thai dish.  I picked up a box of fresh strawberries.  I hadn't been to Issaquah market for a long time and was surprised to see variety of booths with arts, fresh produce and delicious looking meals. 

The Cougar Mountain Zoo is a small zoo with more animal statues than actual animals.  Kids and I go there maybe once a year because it is very close to our house and the small size is nice for adults.  Zoos, I think, is extremely tiring to adults usually.  Kids are all excited to explore and observe the animals, but us parents are usually chasing the children around in an ever lasting maze of exhibitions and become a step stool for kids to see the animals.  Maybe because I am over 40?  I used to like zoos.  Hmmm...

Mike and Grandpa went for dinner at I Love Sushi for Father's Day and Grandpa kindly paid for the dinner.  Thank you, Bob!  The rest of us had dinner at home and it was delicious.  I usually don't drink but I had some wine and beer while they were staying.  Ever since, I have been drinking a bit here and there.  It must be the summer.  Kids being home all the time makes me more hyper and active during the day.  I need something to relax, right?  So, thank you Grandpa and Shasha to remind me there is always alcohol to get through summer!  Thanks for making a trip over the mountain even though you are so tired from all the driving you have been doing.  We truly had fun and I am looking forward to seeing you at Samantha's wedding!  You will have all the grandkids there with you and that is definitely a photography moment!

P.s.  Grace was glad when Archie left.  Our cat, Grace, was hiding in my room when the doggy was here.  A brief encounter they had didn't look so promising, so it was good that they were apart!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Daddy's birthday ends the birthday rush in my family starting from February.  Mike was only 22 years old when we first met.  I was sitting at the college cafeteria, eating my lunch with some Chinese friends.  They lived in the same dorm with me and we sat together sometimes at meal times.  I didn't know them very well and they all spoke in Chinese while we ate, so it wasn't so much fun for me.  I didn't have any friends then since I just moved from another city in Idaho, so I really didn't have much choice.  So, there I was eating my cafeteria meal when I saw a tall guy holding a tray walking towards our direction.  One of the Chinese friends waved at him and invited him to sit down. He sat down next to me as it was empty.  The Chinese friend introduced me to him and told him my name and where I came from.  I had just gotten back from working in Mexico, so she'd mentioned that I speak Spanish fluently.

I was very fluent in Spanish then.  I had lived in Mexico for nearly eight months teaching Japanese and English at a language school.  Some Mexican students at the dorm did a double take when they heard me speaking in Spanish.  People mistook me as a Mexican in the dark since I didn't have any accent.  Anyway, the Chinese friend explained to me that Mike had just gotten back from Hong Kong and he speaks fluent Chinese and Japanese.  At first, I didn't think much of it since I have met many American who speak Japanese.  When he spoke though, I was quite impressed that he spoke without much buttery American accent.  He looked at my eyes and I looked at his.  I thought something clicked but later found out that he was thinking that I have many pimples.

He asked me to teach him Japanese to keep his skill level.  I said yes since I didn't have anything better to do and I loved teaching.  I had stacks of teaching materials since I was a teacher anyway.  I was in fact excited because I was feeling a tad depressed for not having much to do other than studying.  I was an older student, 24, and living in the dorm at more "matured" age was not easy.   I lived in the dorm when I was 18 and then 20 to 21.  I didn't mind the communal bathroom and shower then and seeing party people acting crazy on weekends.  But like a solo sober guy at the bar, things that were fun in late teen aren't so much fun anymore.  In fact, I changed my dorm from a bigger double occupancy room to a single more quiet one.  My dorm life didn't last long though as I moved out after a year. 

Meeting new friends and building life were not as easy as before, so I was happy that I met a new tall guy named Mike and glad to give him a Japanese lesson.  I was ready to teach him with enthusiasm, but I noticed that he didn't want to be "instructed" much.  I would explain to him about grammar but he would change the subject.  Maybe he doesn't really want to learn, I thought.  Later, he told me that he just wanted to get to know me.  As a former teacher, I really had a serious commitment to purely teach him.  As we spent more time together though, I started to look forward to our meetings. 

Our first "date" was the International Student Association's Halloween (ISA) party.  I casually invited Mike to go to the party and he said he wanted to go.  It was a costume party, so I dressed up as a Native American girl and invited another Japanese friend to come with me.  This Japanese girl was a sneaky girl and it turns out she had a soft crush on Mike.  She was jealous that things were going well between Mike and I, so she wanted to steal him from me (an eye roll).  I know she played the sexy wink and helpless puppy eyes on Mike and I witnessed them myself, but Mike being so clueless had no idea about her very obvious advances!  Gotta love poor Mike!  I invited Mike to the party as a friend but he thought it was a date.  He still thinks it was a date so I will call it a first date.  The reason why he wasn't happy during our first date was because I was quite a popular dancing partner from many Mexican students.  I went to clubs every weekend in Mexico and I knew the latest and the greatest of the Mexican style dance moves.  They thought it was amusing that a Japanese girl was dancing and talking like a Mexican.  Being jealous, he took me out of the venue and we spent some time talking.

I really don't know when we started to officially date but we got a lot closer after I came back from Japan after the winter break.  He picked me up at the airport and looked very excited to see me.  He told me that he missed me a lot and realized how important I was to him.  He was very sweet.  I told him that I liked him, too, and we spent more time together then on.  We were that annoying love birds at our first Valentine's Day date at a Japanese restaurant.  We sat next to each other despite having a seat across the table and just stared at each other's eye's holding hands the entire time.  We giggled and kissed and if my kids saw it, they would be grossed out.  The dinner date left a big impression on me though and I still remember it clearly.  I always think, I must always remember and make that day a goal when I feel detached from romance world being swallowed by the day to day chores. 

We broke up once when Mike told me he could not promise the future together.  It was a very sad day for me and I cried and cried and ran to my friend's house and bawled some more.  It was hard to explain.  I knew that we were meant to be together, but things were not lining up.  Mike came over the next day and we decided to date again.  We thought there is no reason to break up for the future.  We should enjoy time together and decide things later.  Youth is a funny thing because I was also planning to move to Seattle to study computer.  I think I still was not ready to commit myself.  When you are young and single, you don't think you are a part of an unit.  Free as a bird and I was as happy to fly away when a right opportunity came even though I had a boyfriend.  However, I was accepted to a graduate program at the same university.  So, no Seattle for me, I thought and decided to stay and nurture our relationship.

After three years of dating, there came a time one night when we were waiting for a red light in my car, Mike said to me "Kimi, I love you".  I was caught off guard and didn't know what to say.  His parents should be proud because Mike never uttered the word "love" before that to me.  He takes the world very seriously and I felt the significance of the phrase he said that night.  Things happened very fast after that.  Mike came with me to Japan and asked my parents for the permission.  As a parent now, I both dread and dream of the day my children's partner ask for my permission.  What would I say?  My Dad handled it well and told him yes in a very long lecture like way, explaining what he hoped for us.  He must have been sad and proud that his little daughter had reached a big milestone.  When my little girls brings a guy home... I might as well bawl.

Honestly, I don't know why I wrote about our love story.  I think I thought about Mike's soft pink cheeks (he used to have a triangle shaped red cheek.marks that lights up whenever he was warm) when I think of his youthful days.  He is not 22 any more, but he will always be the sweet tall guy I spent my last college days with.  Happy Birthday, Mike!  We are both aging nicely, with expected success and failures.  We are learning from our experiences and feel like we are on a great path to feel a great satisfaction in our senior life together.  We will work hard and prosper. 

Ok, so on his birthday, we had a nice dinner at home with his Mom and the whole family.  I made some copper river salmon ala cedar plank with roasted lettuce and quinoa salad.  They turned out great, I think.  We finished off with a chocolate ice cream cake from Cold Stone and sang him the birthday song.  For gifts, he received a Seahawks clock from kids, Seahawks preseason game tickets from his Mom, and an inversion table from me.  Oh and (drum roll please) he bought himself a new car!!  A brand new Toyota Highlander Hybrid!  I will write about it in my future post, but it's a really nice ride.  I am afraid to drive it though since it's just so pretty, but I will get used to the idea real soon! 

Camping Trip PartII

The end of the school year is always busy.  I cannot believe the kids are out of school in less than 6 days!  Saya is graduating from kindergarten, Aly and Noah are going to be second graders and our big boy Sean is going to be a fourth grader!  In our school district, sixth grade is the start of the junior high, which means Sean will be graduating from elementary in two years.  Now I feel old.  The time is flying by faster than I'd like to admit. 

On my previous post, I wrote about the camping trip we had gone on the Memorial Day weekend.  I was going to log on the next day to write the next story, but I have been having a hard time at night to sit at my desk.  My desk lamp is broken! A thing as minor as that is enough for me to not get near my desk. 

So where do I begin?  I wrote about the first day at the camp, so I suppose I will write about the second day!

I just love waking up at the campsite in my tent.  The soft morning light filtering though the tent and listening to all the birds chirping, you feel like the richest person in the world.  We slowly get up and walk to the communal bathroom.  The campground is still quiet, some people are starting the fire for breakfast.  I like to take a peek at other people's campsites.  What are they making for breakfast,  I wondered. I was pretty sure that Jen's breakfast is going to be the best one at the whole campground.  She brought a mini oven to toast her croissant!

Kids started to play as soon as they got out of the tents.  They reluctantly ate their breakfast since they wanted to continue to play.  We took it easy enjoying our coffee and chatting by the camp fire.  It was a beautiful sunny day and the forest was soaking up the sun.  We decided to explore the beautiful island and see what it offers.  Sean had a minor meltdown since he wanted to go back to the beach he went on the first day.  We convinced him that there are many more beaches to explore and although he was skeptical the new beach would be as cool as the first beach, he finally agreed to get on the car. 

We drove around to find a public beach quite a bit as many of them are private.  It must be nice to "own" your own beach!  We finally found a peaceful beach at the southern end of the island.  It was like a cove surrounded by rocky hills with evergreens.  It was perfect because it was quiet and was a sandy beach where kids can dig and play.  Sean was pretty impressed with the new beach and forgot all about the drama he had.  The adults sat on the log and stared at the ocean.  Kevin and I took a lot of pictures simply because we were inspired.  Kevin was a professional photographer many years ago so he and I can talk photography for a long time.  He thought Alyson and Sean are good photo subjects.  I told him that is because I've been taking many pictures of them since they were little.  We spent a long time at the beach taking pictures, climbing some boulders, examining vegetation and feeling very happy to be in such a beautiful place.  I truly felt lucky that day.

The dinner was grilled chicken drumsticks and corn.  They were delicious!  I want a fire pit at home to duplicate all the yummy food we ate.  Must be the air, burning wood and the real roaring fire.  I understand why there are many camp fire songs out there.  You feel calm and happy looking at the warm glow and listening to the rhythmic crackle of burning wood.  It's like my mind is getting a massage and I feel more relaxed and cleansed after sitting by the campfire.  I slept better on the second night and felt sad that we have to leave the next day.

The last day was spent packing up.  It takes time to undo the comfortable home we built there.  We noticed that we were the only campers left on the big campsite when we drove off.  We left about 2 pm.  We soon found out why when we got near the ferry station.  There was a HUGE line to get on to the ferry.  Lopez island is the last stop before getting to the continent, therefore can't pick up too many cars as the ferry is already full.  The attendant walking by informed us that we are lucky if we are able to take the ferry at 10 pm.  My jaw dropped.  10 PM?  That is like 8 hours wait time in the car.  Kevin has to work the next day and so missing the ferry at 10 PM wasn't an option, either.  After trying to figure out how to get Kevin on the mainland with the transportation to Bellevue, we came up with an equally exhausting solution!  Kevin takes Sean, Aly and Parker with him and board the ferry on foot, takes the airport shuttle bus service to Seattle and have Mike pick them up.  It sounds crazy but doable.  We discovered that there is a ferry leaving in about 10 minutes, so I ran with three kids.  We ran like there was Godzilla chasing us while bored people lining up in the car watched.  There was a good mile to the ferry and kids and I were huffing and puffing but we pushed it.  I handed over kids to Kevin and ran back, this time an uphill to the car.  I gave my key to Jen in case the line moves.  If the line moves, Jen has to first move my car forward and then go back to her car and move hers.  She pleaded me to come back really fast, so I ran again like I am turning the last corner to win the gold.  The hill was big and again, those bored people in the car... I was such a cheap entertainment.

We ended up waiting until 8:30 pm.  Suddenly the line kept moving and I was on the 8:30 pm ferry and Jen barely made it on the same boat.  She was the last one getting on!  While waiting, I pulled out my grill and we heated up some food for dinner.  Some people had their chairs out and were playing card games, reading etc... It was a strangely fun time we spent.  We waited for at least 6 hours, but it didn't feel like it was that long.  Jen has a special spell on me.  She has a power to make time goes really fast when we are together!

I had a GREAT time camping with the Collins.  The island was beautiful and even the mishaps at the end is a very good memory now.  I am looking forward to our next camping trip together.  Where might we go next?  We will avoid an island for sure :-)

Camping at Lopez Island Part I

Every Memorial Day weekend, the Collins and I go camping together in great out doors of Washington.  Since last year, I bought a 10-person tent and have been ready for the special weekend ever since.  This year, Jen picked an island destination off the city of Anacortes in the San Juan and kids and I were very excited to take a ferry to get there.

The reservation system of the ferry was a bit confusing and they released tickets in three stages.  We missed the first two release dates and were freaked out about not getting the tickets we needed.  The final release date was two days before the departure date, so we were ready up early to log on and snatch the ticket.  I was elated when I was able to secure the ferry ride.

We left somewhat on time and got to the ferry station an hour early which was perfect.  Kids played by the beach until the ferry time.  The ferry ride was quick and fun.  The weather on the first day was a cool and cloudy with some rain.  We wished for the sun, but we were glad it wasn't pouring. Things can be always worse so why wish for something better!?

It's interesting an island, big or small, has a distinctive island atmosphere.  It's a short ride (30 minutes) on the ferry but it's as if we came to New Zealand!  It was beautiful.  Grassy pastures, old barns and patches of green woods.  Our explorer spirit came out and we were keenly looking around.  We didn't know what the campground looks like, so we were very excited to get there.

I am glad the campsite had a long parking space so that we could park two cars.  The last campsite only allowed one and I had to drive in and drop off the gears then leave my car at a common parking area for two days.  We surveyed the site and the children started to clear the pine cones and other debris from the ground.  They already know what to do!  Since our tents are big and the campsite was narrow and long, we had to pick the right spot to accommodate both.  The adults got busy setting up the tents and unloading.  While I went to use the restroom with Aly, Kevin had already set up my tent!  He said it was the easiest tent he's ever done!

Once we were settled, I took the two big boys to the nearby beach.  The beach was a short walking distance away from our campsite and had rocks, seashells, sands, logs, seaweeds, and carcases of wild animals from eagle attacks.  The boys played on floating logs in the marsh until we realized the sign written "Do Not Enter the Marshland".  We walked around the beach admiring the rocks and different kinds of seashells.  Sean collected some pretty rocks and seashells for Saya, who decided she could not risk bear attacks and stayed home with Mike and Noah.  There was a small island short distance away in the bay and a vintage style red and white sail boat was floating peacefully.  I didn't take my camera then and I regretted it very much!  It would have been a great shot if not everyone else there were snapping :-)

It was my turn to cook on the first night so I heated up the prepared pasta and meatballs served with pan fried green beans.  I also grilled Shishito Peppers over the campfire sprinkled with sea salt.  I think they enjoyed it!  Eating out in the woods makes everything taste special and of course, the s'mores as dessert added a nice finishing touch.  Kevin is a self-claimed s'mores expert and I have to admit, his s'mores have nice puffy melted marshmallows instead of some burnt ones!

The first evening, I didn't sleep too well because I was cold.  I also was wedged between Aly and Sean who kept moving around.  I was worried of them being cold so kept waking up to cover them up with their blankets.  When I finally settled to sleep, Sean woke me up at 5:30 am with big smiles and big jitters.  Everyone else was asleep so I had to make sure he won't disturb others.  Writing about sleeping made me very sleepy as I write this.  Noah woke up super early this morning, so I woke up two hours earlier than my usual wakie time, too!  So, I will stop here and continue on tomorrow.  More to come about our exciting adventure on Lopez Island!