Westside Elementary, meet Izzy dog

Today Ethan had the joy of having his turn with Show & Tell at school. He wanted to show his class his dog so I had the honors of delivering the pooch to school.

Izzy's always up for anything, although she probably didn't expect to have 20+ five year olds grabbing at her in a classroom. However, she did fine and Ethan did an excellent job at getting up in front of all his classmates and answering questions. I found out that 5 year olds don't ask typical questions. One that made me chuckle was "Does she lick your face to wake you up in the morning?" Something I wouldn't think to ask any friend of mine but I guess that's the difference between old fuddy duds liek myself and vibrant 5 year olds.

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You should see the other guy, part 3

One of Ethan's front teeth finally fell out a couple of days ago. It's his 3rd tooth he's lost so far but he's just as excited as if it were his first. I think every tooth that comes out is a big deal when you're a kid, (probably a big deal too when you're an adult but that's just bad hygiene), and should be celebrated as such.

Ethan wanted a picture taken of his somewhat toothless grin, then he wanted to take his own pics. Every time I let him have the camera I end up with about 10-50 shots of randomness and, of course, self portraits of our 5 year old. I have to admit though, some of them are classic.

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Easter/Spring '09 Post

This is a bit late in posting but Easter has come and gone. Britt and I decided to forgo the Easter Egg Hunting Madness this year, (and for good), due to last years event that left a sour taste in our mouths. People are truly crazy.

Anyway, the kids had fun in the morning plowing through their booty of toys and candy. The weather was ideal that weekend so we planted our vegetable garden as well. Peas, carrots, string beans, and radishes are now in the ground waiting for the damn sun to come out and warm things up. The tender veggies will go in as soon as the frosty nights cease for the season.

Madeline is still going through potty training. She is a bit reluctant sometimes but knows what she needs to do. We thought she'd be a breeze to get her out of daipers but alas, every kid is unique and we have to just remind ourselves that she will learn when she's ready, we just need to keep trying and be patient. Did I mention that she is fiercely independent? She HAS to do everything herself and won't take no for an answer. Ahh, you gotta love that girl!

Ethan had tubes put in his ears again about 2 weeks ago. This is the 3rd set of tubes he's gone through since age 2. It seems his eardrums are retracted and his eustation(?) tubes are having a bit if difficulty developing. He shouldn't have any permenent hearing damage or loss when he's older but we have to monitor his ears really close as he grows. He is almost finished with his kindergarten class and his progress reports are show that he is amoung the top in his class…pretty cool!

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Spring in the Tetons

This weekend the westside TeNgaio's took advantage of the awesome weather on Sunday and headed to Teton Park – with our bikes.

For the month of April the park allows only bicycles, foot traffic, etc. on the road in the park. As long as the sun is out and there is no wind, riding bikes up there in April is really cool. There's still about 2-3 feet on the flats but the road is bone dry.

The kids had a good time; Madeline just chilled in the bike trailer while Ethan got his groove back on his bicycle skills. He just learned how to ride sans training wheels last summer so he took a bit getting used to riding again – at first he forgot about his brakes and would just crash into the snowbanks on the sides of the road. Classic.

We only rode about 2 miles in until the kids had enough and just wanted to play in the snow, so not a physically demanding day. Fun though, and certainly good for the winter blahs.

The Tetons are a special place that we feel privileged to live so close to and we want the kids to learn to appreciate as well. All kids should have a connection with the natural world and what a better place than the Tetons to start at.

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Spring Break 2009

We spent the week of Ethan's sping break down in the land of (g)litter, glam and gale-force winds – Las Vegas.

Britt and I had ever taken the kids on such a long drive before (roughly 630 mi.) and were a bit curious to see how they would handle it. We figure that if we want to see all these places that we have in mind then we need to just load the kids up and go. They'll get used to it. Anyway, the kids did great and there were only a couple of meltdowns.

Highlights of the trip were:
• Playing at the Adventuredome in Circus Circus. A full-on indoor theme park including a roller coaster (which Ethan could not get enough of), water slide, merry-go-round (which Madeline could not get enough of) and tons of other goodies. Oh yeah, and we got lost trying to find our damn car afterward.
• A day spent hiking outside at Valley of Fire. A state park that hosts a natural playground of red rocks sculpted by the wind. Caves, gullies, petroglyphs, boulders, etc. that the kids and adults had a blast playing in.
• A day of dad, Ethan and Mike bouldering (climbing big rocks w/o ropes) near Red Rocks. Oodles of fun just a stones throw from town. Unfortunately, we didn't see any wild burros though (they reside there).
• Fremont St. in the old part of the strip. You have to see it to apreciate it. Madeline put on a performace for this group of small, elderly japanese ladies who just could not get eough of her dancing. It was classic! Plus, I ran into my cousin Greg and his wife Ericka who now live in Grand Junction, CO. A pleasat surprise, yes!
• Eating at the Rainforest Cafe in the MGM resort.
• Swimming outside in the hotel's heated swimming pool in the afternoon sun.
• Madi's Care Bear taking a flying leap for freedom out the car window.

It was a good time had by all and I hope the kids learned a few things about what lays outside of our small little white-bread town. I know it always makes me appreciate living in this smallish town whenever I return from Vegas – the downtown/Strip area is just crazy and I would shoot myself if I had to endure that environment on a daily basis. Fun place to visit but…

More pics from the trip can be viewed here.

Oh, and if anyone happens to find a blue Care Bear along the interstate in St. George, make sure to give it a good home.

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February 2009 Wrap Up

Well, it's been a whole month since our last blog. It's not that we were busier than any other time, just plain slacking. Yup, gettin' old and flakey I guess.

Madeline moved on up to a toddler bed – no more crib in our house, (it's kind of weird). She's been sleeping fine in it and not wandering the house in the middle of the night, (as far as we can tell). It might help that it's a "Tinkerbell" bed, so maybe she's more stoked to actually stay in it.

Madi also started potty training recently and is faring well. There's been the typical accidents and the typical messes but she's getting the hang out pretty quickly. So long for supporting Huggies! Now if we can just figure out how not to support the daycare.

Madi's also been taking toddler gymnastics. How she loves to show us her tumbling skills.

Ethan has been enjoying basketball at the YMCA. He's the tallest kid out of the bunch and usually ends up making most of the baskets for his team. It's funny to watch 4-5 year olds learn the game, most of the time the kids run completely away from the court once they get the ball. It's akin to herding cats.

Mom and dad have begun praying to the summer gods to hasten their annual arrival and have even considering doing a sacraficial ritual, (there are a lot of neighborhood stray cats), if that's what it takes.

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Ethan Rewi TeNgaio vs. David Lee Roth

The title says it all.

To check out the raw power of Diamond Dave's vocal tracks, go here – you'll laugh your bum off.

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Bowl On…

Ethan doing the Kingpin jig

A bowler needs her energy

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Ethan giving Mom some pointers

Giving the birthday girl a kiss

Last Saturday we celebrated Tamera's birthday in Idaho Falls style – pizza and bowling!

Papa Tom's Pizza has THE best pizza this side of the Rocky Mtns…period. The place is like an institution to some. It's been around for generations and still kicks out the jams. This is the same establishment that Britt and I, along with our misfits of friends, used to hang out at before we had any responsibilities (kids) and bills (mortgage). It's also the same establishment where on my 27th birthday we got into a full-on bar room/pool hall fight with a group of other misfits. I won't go into details other than on that night I saw Britt show her true colors when she started nailing this thug that was punching the side of my head as I was trying to get up off the floor. Hell yeah, now that's love baby. Thank God there was none of that on Tamera's birthday.

Later we hit another I.F. insitution by the name of Bowl-ero. Clad in stylish bolwing shoes one can only appreciate in person (it must be so no one will want to steal them), we had a blast hurling 13 lb. balls down the hardwood floors. Ethan realized that real bowling is a lot harder than Wii bowling, but he still loved it. Madeline had fun just running around and munching on fries with Grandma as Brittany and I tried to bowl over 100 (I really suck).

The temperatures have been fridgid and cabin fever is starting to set in. This time of year Britt and I always talk about moving, but it never happens. I've been yearning to move back to the ocean. Going to New Zealand last spring really left a longing for the island lifestyle again. Brittany would like to as well but we both agree that right now our families are most importantto us and the kids. Idaho Falls is not a horrible place to live but I think it could be better. Since living here for 22 eyars now I've noticed that a lot of people here tend to be white and uptight. Oh well, your life is what you make of it no matter where you live I guess. I'm just glad we have suportive and loving family members and our close-knit friends to enjoy.

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Weekly Update

After a hard day of being a 2 year old

Ethan doing his thing

Ethan's kindergarten class performed an assortment of "train" songs this week. As you can see in the video clip he can be a bit animated while performing with the other kids but he does enjoy the singing too.



This week Madeline moved up a class at her daycare. She is now a full-on toddler who is starting potty training. We'll see if the old saying that "girls are easier than boys" really holds true when it comes to using the white throne. She is also getting very independent in her ways. She always insists on doing things herself (which I think she gets from following her big brother around so much).

She had a rough weekend last week and ended up with a nasty cut on her tongue and a fat lip from 2 separate incidents. Sometimes I think she forgets that she's not Ethan's age and overdoes it. But she's a tough cookie and can hold her own.

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Adios 2008…

The Westside TeNgaio's survived yet another holiday season. We managed to actually enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve without killing each other, (close, but no cigar).

Thanksgiving saw warm weather here in Idaho. We spent the day at Britt's grandparents in Pocatello. They do an annual Thanksgiving and a separate Christmas dinner...which the later is notoriously jammed packed in their humble abode. Thanksgiving however, is mellow and sees fewer folks, which in turn makes for a much more relaxing atmosphere. Good people + good food = good times.

Christmas, on the other hand, was a blur of blizzards and family/work parties. I like the holidays and all that they encompass but damn, after seeing Santa about 4 or 5 times it kind of losses it's appeal, although the kdis don't seem to mind. More Santa means more gifts. Right on. I know Britt is somewhat happy it is over too. She has the lovely assignment of coordinating her Christmas work party which is held at Dave Kingston's lavish estate outside of Rexburg. They need to pay her more. Plus, that fact that I was down for the count for a couple of days during Christmas only compounded all the work she toiled through. God bless that woman.

Christmas Eve for myself was spent in bed with the damn stomach flu. Brittany came back from my parents house with the kids that night telling me of all the tasty morsels I missed. Plus, to have the kitchen counter piled with holidays treats and none an appetite to enjoy them confirmed the fact that sometimes life can be cruel.

The kids had an awesome Christmas morning ransacking through their loot. Madeline got her baby dolls that she loves to play with, (it must be an instinctual-mother-thing that girls are born with or something), plus books and other goodies. Ethan got usual Christmas fare plus some sweet Hulk hands and a Wii game system. He's already bowling 200.

Winter dolldrums are starting to set in and we're already planning for a spring getaway to southern Utah to camp, hike, explore and be warm. Brittany and I haven't been back to Arches National Park/ Moab since we were engaged, (circa '98), so it's due time. Southern Utah has such a unique landscape, it's literally like a playground for kids and adults. Plus, Edward Abbey sure loved the hell out of it.

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