ZTP in the Bay Area

Lavay and Zuzu

Lavay Smith!

Mom, z and lavay

My latest musical obsession is with a local jazz singer named Lavay Smith (her band are the Red Hot Skillet Lickers).  She gave a free performance in Union Square, SF on 8/19 and I took Zuzu to see her sing.  Z and I began the evening shopping on Grant St. in Chinatown.  We got to Union Square and Zuzu walked directly to the front of the stage and sat down in a big open area - a few seconds later we realized it was the "dance floor" and she was surrounded by 15 swing dancing couples who all danced around her. 

Watching the show

She then moved to a better spot, directly below Lavay and the guys

Loving the show

Uncle James got her up and dancing

Dancng with Uncle James

Dance lesson

She did solo dancing the rest of the night

Fan dance

My new fan

Z, Yasmin, Julie

Gang - remember this redhead from Enrico's?  She led a marching line around Union Square

Rabid Lavay fan

Lavay

Summer pictures

Darin came for a fine visit in early July.

A rite of passage finally comes for Zuzu

one tooth

2 teeth

got to love the tooth fairy

Not sure what to say about these next two.  There's a lot going on - sword tucked into the pink princess pull-ups, helmet, fuzzy green backpack.  I think the socks are my personal favorite.  Thanks Peer.

wow

peer

I have boys -

arsenal

And then sometimes they wear dresses.  It's all about balance. 

our sister dressed us

My birthday spent in Napa/Sonoma wine country (with a side stop at Chick-Fil-A for our designated driver).  Thanks to Uncles Mark and James for making this kid-free outing possible.

On our way!

Christopher

Our first stop

yuck

As Kyle likes to say "it doesn't suck".

in the vineyard

The gang

Preschool Summer Camp 2010

Day One - well behaved boys according to the teachers!

 

First day of camp

 

camp boys

 

Brisbane Dance Workshop 2010 performance

head shot

Z and her dance classmates were tiny Louisiana bog creatures...moss and all.

dance

 

BDW 2010

Summer Tide Pooling

summer on the coast

Julie joined us for an outing to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, which is a great spot for tide pooling and seal spotting.  The notorious summer fog never quite lifted so we made sure to bundle up.  Just another summer day in the Bay Area!

 

harbour seals

 

 

Aprons of our very own!

The boys are coming into their own as bakers and have earned Pirate Aprons!

 

pirate aprons

 

And when properly aproned, masterpieces of baking abound -

rolling snickerdoodles

 

You wanna know what the best thing is about baking?

The Girls

3 generations

Z Punk

Zuzu, her pink hair and matching attitude (it was "crazy hair day" at school)

 

Punk

Pigs

So Uncle Mark gave the kids some pig noses, which look like this:

 

Uncle Mark's nose job

 

Pig nose

This reminded Gary of his favorite party trick involving noses and scotch tape. 

Which created this:

 

3 little pigs

And this:

 

Z

 

till

 

Peer the Wild Boar

I'm not proud.  I'm just blogging as it happens, folks.