Newborn Ava

Welcome Ava Joy! She is one day old here.

Stella, Lincoln and Ava

Isaac and Ava

Earth Science K/2nd grade

Homeschool Science
Isaac waits with apprehension and Stella waits with excitement for the baking soda/vinegar volcano to erupt. Isaac may have a career with OSHA in the future. He was SURE that we all needed to be at least 5 feet away from the "exploding" volcano. Only after much assurance would he come close to the table. After the first eruption, we had to continue until all the baking soda and vinegar were gone.

Stella and Isaac display their models of the earth's layers.

Science with Daddy! Everyone was amazed as we added vinegar to baking soda and watched the ballon expand! Lincoln is the class helper.

After reading about caves, we did a science experiment with epsom salts. We grew stalagtites from the string.

Ava 8 weeks old

Here is Ava's first professional photo for her passport at age 8 weeks.

Ava Smiles!

Ava is smiling big for Auntie Shannon.

Lincoln kissing Ava

Lincoln, age 2 1/2, giving Ava a loving little smooch. He brings her little toys as gifts and places them at her feet.

Ava Joy 1 week old

Here is Ava at 1 week old with her eyes open! She did alot of sleeping, so photos with her eyes open were a treat.

Ava Joy Siebelink 7 weeks old

Ava Joy Siebelink was born on April 15, 2008. She is 7 weeks old in this photo.

Test

Test post for more consistent updates. June 21 @4:37 pm.

Violin Recital

Andantino, played by Isaac Siebelink (The family Virtuoso).

Key's Style Christmas

It's different here, in the Keys. That's why we come here: the weather is guaranteed warm, palm trees and water everywhere, and the pace forces you to slow down. I've noticed that I walk much slower here - a good sign.

Stella says, "Look, I see Christmas!" when seeing decorations of any kind but especially lit. The public corner on Key Colony Beach has many decorations that Stella comments on every one of the 40-50 times we have passed on this vacation. Her favorite is the penguin that moves
in and out of his igloo. She calls him Pablo, after the book "Pablo - the Penguin That Hated the Cold", very fitting. My personal favorite is the banner in the middle of everything that reads, "Let it Snow". Lisa's favorites are the palm tree light wraps.

Lisa and I have never stayed away from celebrating holidays and institutions in non-traditional ways: Vegas wedding, Thanksgiving in NYC, Christmas in KCB. This year the contrast from a white Christmas seems more dramatic, maybe because of the Bowen visit over Christmas time.

This year, Christmas Eve / Day activities consisted of the following:

- Watching the Key Colony Beach Christmas Eve Parade (fire
trucks with lights and carolers)

- Opening presents with family and with Bowens

- Touring the lights, including Pablo

- Fishing in the canal with Bowens

- Hanging out at Sombrero Beach

Accomplishments

Accomplishments are goals achieved or newly achieved acts. Here is the accumulation of accomplishments over the past 2weeks:

Isaac & Stella: Learning and enjoying chess, yes chess
Isaac: Swimming the full length of the pool (12ft to 3ft) via combo (forward doggy paddle and back waddle)
Lincoln: Full-on walking, becoming a walker-squawker
Lincoln: High-fives with big laughs, especially after he walks
Rob: Relieving months of stress via warm weather and quality/quantity time with family
Rob: Learning first kite trick with the help of the abundant wind in the Keys
Stella: Confident bike riding (with training wheels)
Stella: Being 5 years old
Lisa: Beach and sun time

I'm Walking !!!

Lincoln is off to the races.

He's been flirting with taking solo steps for a couple weeks now, but his first official steps were on Christmas Day. Since his crawling speed and style transports him everywhere he wants to go, he hasn't realized much value in walking. When he takes a break from all his other busyness and with much encouragement from both Lisa and Rob, he takes a few token steps for us.

Today at the park, during our last adventure with the Bowen girls, Lincoln took ~4-5 steps [2] separate times. He seems to be starting to understand his accomplishment, but has not fully embraced this new style of transport.

Cousins & Family Fun

We just saw the Bowen family off on their adventure back home to NC, with many hugs. All the cousins enjoyed their time together: in the swimming pool, over [2] cuban dinners, park toys, catching fish, exchanging christmas gifts, and don't forget golf. Even Lincoln was extra excited when Sadie and Grace were present.

It was added fun to meet friends at the pool in the afternoons or build sand castles with on the beach on Christmas Day.

Our combined adventures included Key West, where we scored some free parking, took in the sights on Duval street, met Mozart, bought some Key West memorabilia, and watched some fun street performers.