Life is Good, The Picnic

Shots from the Life is Good picnic on Monday, where we took over the big park in downtown Vancouver.

Light saber battles in the great lawn.



Discovering a mushroom patch.


More fountain play.


Effie found this beautiful and perfect rose, which had been picked and left at the fountain.


Effie and Ronnie.


Let the chalk walk begin.



Three boys chalking.


Looking for Emma's earring, which she had only just purchased and promptly lost in the grass. We didn't find it, but I really liked how so many people rallied together to look for it.



We met Craig and Gillian (and Effie and Fergus) on the last day of the Albuquerque Live and Learn conference, at the picnic. In those few minutes we made enough of a connection to begin correspondence via email, and now look at how close we all are. In a similar vein, I hope, we met another wonderful family in those last days, the Winklers from Wyoming. Here are both those lovely couples together at the picnic. Perhaps another wonderful friendship will unfold. We have a way of finding the people we really want to hang out with at the very end of the gathering.


Max and Fergus, off on another adventure.


The Rose Garden.



Dinner at Beaches, one of the highlights of the trip for the kids. We were happy to be joined by Beth and Emma for that meal (they finally decided to join our chaos, and we were so glad of it!). After dinner, the kids got to go off with the server to make their own ice cream sundaes (it was the first time our kids have ever just gone off with someone they don't know, which was really strange but also kind of cool at the same time.) Here they all are, choosing their toppings.



And here are the adults, left alone at the table while the server took them off again, this time to choose a toy from the treasure chest. We thought a group photo of us was in order.


Back at the room, we spent one last night with our Canadian friends, watching yet another movie with the kids, while Gillian and Craig packed up (sniff, sniff).

Life is Good, Day 4

The end is near. This was the last official day of the conference, and it was a bit of a quiet day, with only a few talks, a couple of long breaks, and a closing "Barefoot Boogie."

We also walked to the park, where there is a gigantic farmer's market, which was more like a street fair. The boys drove "Robo" around the park paths.


We had food on a stick (corn dogs) as well as some really good pulled pork and a fairly decent paella.


There were vendors selling jewelry, and one of them gave the boys their choice of stones from a basket of random rocks. Otto chose a Hematite, and Max chose an Agate.



Back at the hotel, I attended the final talk, while Martin and the boys made beaded bracelets.


I updated my blog and we sent Martin and Craig out to procure sustenance for us all.


The boys returned triumphant, and we celebrated by plunking down in the hall and having a small dinner party.



And then it was off to the Barefoot Boogie, where we didn't really boogie, but we did manage to run and spin so much that I still feel slightly unsettled.



We came back to the room and watched "Matilda" with Effie, and just as Otto fell asleep, and Martin and I thought we might get Max to bed before midnight, he had a food crisis which involved preparing a monkey plate (a whole bunch of different food options for him) and staying up well past midnight. But now, he's finally asleep and I want to do the same.

Tomorrow is a picnic for those of us who are still around. As luck would have it, the forecast is for rain, so we'll see what happens.

Life is Good, Day 3

We started off the morning with a little balloon sword fighting.



And breakfast in the restaurant, about which the only good thing we can really say is the view is terrific. And we had a really nice server today.




Max and Otto set up shop.


And sold almost everything.


Webkinz Funshop. We learned a whole bunch of things we didn't know that we are really excited to do. It was also so cute to see all these kids set up on their laptops together and running around sharing information about what games earn the most points, admiring the each other's pet's houses.


Impromptu "Build A Robot Funshop" on our hotel room balcony.



The boys entertain themselves at the talent show, which they were not thrilled to attend.



That is, until this act came on to sing a little duet (for four).



Finally tuckered out.

Life is Good, Day 2

A.K.A. Rachel's Birthday. Here's what my door looked like when I opened it (although admittedly this is a recreation, because I moved the signs into the room so I could see them better).



Funshop: Paper Bag Puppets.


Puppet Show.


At the podium.


More fun sights on the river.



There was an Amy Steinberg concert tonight on the stage where Max and Otto were playing puppets, but both boys had little interest, and in fact Otto fell asleep while we discussed going to it. We hung out in the room and made greeting cards with Max for him to sell at the UN-trepreneurial Fair.



I admired my birthday picture from Effie (who has become my very dear friend on this trip) and realized that my birthday is officially over for this year. It was a quiet and nice day to start my 40th year.

Life is Good, Day 1

Hot chocolate from the coffee maker.


Registration begins.



Boys on deck.




Otto wished for a broken gumball machine so he could pull out all the blue gumballs.



The sky looks foreboding, but this rescue mission was staged for our enjoyment. And it absolutely was enjoyed by a whole throng of unschoolers.


Dinner after a two hour deliberation...and at last everyone was smiling again.


Late night ukulele singalong.