Canada: One province down, 12 to go (if you count the Territories)

Kat visited a new country and thus a new province today! We went to White Rock, the southern-most part of BC, for lunch with Wendy and her parents and sister. No one gave Kat's green card/passport a second glance. Which was good.

Though we did wait for 2 HOURS to come back into the US. You Buffalonians have no idea that not all border crossings are like what you're used to. It's six booths, IF they're all open. Metro areas of probably 6 million people within 100 mile radius and they have 6 booths. Two entries though, so that's 12 booths, if they're all open. I pity Americans who think they'll be going to the Olympics, as there is serious construction going on at one entry of 6 booths and IT WON'T BE DONE BEFORE THE OLYMPICS. It's not like they've known for at least six years that there would be Olympics in Vancouver next year.

The cutest RCMP officer ever.....

Sitting on Heather's lap.

Wendy giving her a drink.

Wendy, Kat, Heather, Doris and Keith (Wendy's folks) and Dan.

On another note, though we took the Highlander, the RAV is home and appears to be fine. They fixed the oil line, went through three jars of cleaner to clean the oil off of everything under the hood, replaced the serpentine belt. The engine, so far has been fine, it was not replaced. The oil in the driveway has been soaked up with kitty litter, though the trail down the street has not. I feel an environmental twinge every time I leave the house.

Our week

After a trip to the dog park today, I see this in the driveway (backing out, I hadn't noticed it or we wouldn't have gone). I should add, after hearing all sorts of weird noises on the way home up the hills. And, on the last hill, seen just behind the car, the oil light came on. I'm no mechanic, but it all made sense when I saw the driveway. CRAP! It's been two decades since I blew an engine. I haven't missed it. I guess I'm glad that we made it home: me, a screaming Kat, and the idiot twins. Glad to not have to walk part/all the way home.

I imagine we'll be sharing a car next week. I was pretty cranky about the lack of an engine, but at least it's only 2.5 years old and under warranty (and extended warranty), so I'm not worried about the cost. I hope not to be surprised.

At the Seattle Guatemala adoptive meetup- Kat disrupting 2 unsupervised and eventually really annoying kids' attempt at the game of LIFE. I think she wanted to be the banker. Normally I'd intervene, but they had it coming and I warned them. The game was short lived.

Kat on our hike the other day at Lake Washington. We couldn't find our moms group hike, so wound up at Juantita Bay Park on our own. It worked- there were lots of birds to look at.

Guess who learned the joy of puddle jumping? This was a wimpy puddle, but nonetheless....it needed to be stomped.

This is what happens when I give her the clam chowder to feed herself.....silly me.

Lunch with Heidi's co-workers and snow

Now that tax season is officially here and there are no vacas, I'll take more pics of daily stuff so poor Dan can see what we're up to.

Lunch last week with Heidi's former co-workers.

A little blurry.....time for a new camera? Mike, Mike, Heidi, Tim, Kat and Janet

Kat putting a matchbox car through the handhold on the diaper box. It's the little blur next to the blocks.

We woke up to snow, though it's 50 degrees now and going fast. We hurried out to play in it to see if Kat enjoyed it more this time. I think she did. She still didn't care for it in her bare hands (nor would she wear mittens), but she enjoyed getting pulled around in her little sled.

Pointing out a plane.

I was running (alright, jogging) with the sled and taking pics on continuous shoot.... I think they came out great.

Possibly my fave....

A heads up to anyone reading and possibly interested in meeting up/running....at this point, providing all hell stops breaking loose in the financial world, we're planning on being in Orlando next January for the marathon. The half is 1/9 (Sat) and the whole is 1/10 (Sun). I would be doing the 1/2 (I'm sure I won't walk at all....) and Dan the whole. Lexie, the crazy, is doing both. Last time, we rented a giant house with 5 bedrooms for about $100/night and met up with Derek & Liza, John, Flo, Chris, my folks and Leslie and Bruce. Then we headed south, did the keys, Everglades and Miami beach. No travel plans are being finalized yet, nor housing, I just wanted to make sure that y'all know the very rough plans, in case you'll be in the neighborhood and can meet up for a day or a week. http://disneyworldsports.disney.go.com/dwws/en_US/proSports/proSportDetail/detail2?name=wdwMarathonWeekendFeatureDetailPage&bhcp=1

CALIFORNIA- Monterey and Big Sur- three different posts

Scenery pics from the big Sur drive. We saw tons of wildlife: CA condors, CA gray whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, elephant seals, deer, monarch butterflies, a sea otter, probably more.

Some of the wildlife- sea lions

Dolphins from our whale watch tour (we saw lots of parts of whales too)

Trying to entertain a very sleepy little girl- she did eventually pass out

Harbor seals by Fisherman's wharf in Monterey

A seal swimming underwater

Our pace has slowed a great deal for some reason.....

We didn't eat there, but now must always take a pic in Forrest Gump's shoes wherever we find them.

An elephant seal

Little silhouette

Hundreds and hundreds of elephant seals

Golden Gate Bridge and the beach

Not complaining, but we weren't prepared for 70 and sunny.....

You can see that she hated this playing in the water and sand stuff

At the English Pub- we're starting to see caution around strangers

At the beach at sunset in Carmel-by-the-sea (it is as ritzy as you might imagine....we were escorted to the county line promptly).

Someone was in the car....not sleeping, of course.

You can't see them, but there are lots of monarch butterflies on the trees, back for their annual migration. It was pretty cool, but the volume of butterflies that I was hoping for wasn't there.

The deer showed up much better on camera than the b'flies.

First time at the beach- she resorts to baby yoga

The Golden Gate Bridge

Apparently this is a popular spot for leaping.....