A visit from Japan

We've been so busy that I haven't gotten a chance to update the blog in a while.

Herein the chronicle of our adventures to date.

First we went to Kalebs excellent birthday party. While there (with some of the oldest kids present) I saw parents trailing protectively after their little ones to avoid head to corner impacts and to intervene in various chewing up the environment incidents from the couch. Its the first time I have consciously noticed how much less attention and effort the kids are taking these days.

We went to daddy's works annual bowling.

We struck poses for the camera and ate pizza and had a good time.

We were hoping that Kiernan would get another crack and the under 12 title but they were taking a long time this year (or we were on time for once) and we left before it started

Then we got to see Kathryn and Erena.

I picked up some sleepy visitors (gracious that is a long flight).

The kids matched up pretty well again this time. They straight away started teaching each other their language of choice (Megan will be speaking Japanese in no time if we can ever get her there).

Valentines Day morning dawned and with it a reminder of how naturally romantic David is.

I made heart pancakes that were basically heart-ish.

He got chocolate and cards and balloons for everyone in the entire house!

I played with snapchat filters.

Kiernan passed his swimming test by going across the pool each way (front crawl forward and backstroke back.

It's not the worlds most elegant swim but man for the first time he can actually do it and I am very proud.

Erena got to meet the American tooth fairy.

For our first girls day out we went around to the archery range.

Erena really seemed to like it and Kathryn and I got a chance to chat about a story she had written and life in general

We also got her nails done.

That week there were several trips to the park and lots of nice sunny warm weather.

The Blue and Gold banquet happened. Kiernan managed to finish up his Super Nova Award requirements in time (look at this list of requirements!)

As you can see he was really happy.

Many of the requirements were met in summer camp but we did some in Den meetings and a few just in the living room and in the yard. He is the youngest pack member to ever receive this award.

Moms birthday and Davids birthday are on the same day/

For their birthday we went snow tubing.

It was nearly 70 degrees in mid February.

It was very crowded.

There was a fair amount of standing in line.

There was a cool set of inflateable tubes to ride on.

Also a moving magic carpet sort of thing for getting up the hill.

It was crowded enough that they let people walk up to save time so after the first run David and Kiernan went one way while Nana and Megan went another.

It was the first time tubing for everyone and despite the slow snow (slush!) I think everybody had a good time.

I had wanted to do at least one big winery thing while Kathryn was here and this was it.

The kids liked it for sure, not the least for having their parents close to hand and willing to play.

We took mom out for a birthday meal at Ayse where she was presented with flaming cheese.

Every birthday should contain flaming cheese.

We had a play-date with our friend Jessica (from High School) and her excellent daughter. We went ice skating and then played around the house on the trampoline and in Minecraft.

On another girls day out I presented the girls with a fun filled visit to the lab.

Then we went to Silver Spring for Lebanese food and a tiny amount of inline skating and the park.

It was really very warm.

Kathryn did not approve of having her picture taken.

We went to Chuck E. Cheese.

It was chaos as you might imagine.

We found a frightening Vampire!

We found a suave candy cigarette smoker.

Then suddenly we were at our last Starbucks stop of the trip.

And saying good bye at the airport.

It continued to be very warm.

The flowers came out.

We started our seeds.

Well mom and Megan started most of them.

Scheduling got a little weird as mom took a weekend off to drive down to Nashville to see Mike and Jessica and Shawn and Katie. I got to have a mommy and Megan day.

I really miss those.

I took her to a Mexican place and we ate chips and salsa and cheesy things.

The next day I started a Daniel diet/fast/lent thing with Kathryn.

I am still on it.

I miss cheese!!!

On last Saturday we went to the Jefferson Memorial.

It was very cold.

Kiernan has been reading a lot of biographies and asked to go to the Jefferson Memorial.

This was a little out of left field but I'm all for it

Megan was curious but mostly too cold and a little bored.

He was deeply impressed.

We will be going back once things warm up again to do more memorials.

We stopped by Scearce's to drop off some clothes for Japan and admire their beautiful garden in waiting.

I got off the water only day and started to eat vegetables like a starving soul.

I lead a Den meeting for the wolves at the lab.

They learned about germs. Above a mucus simulation in which my excellent friend Geoff taught them to make slime and then helped them test it for germ catching qualities.

Geoff is a wonderful human being.

I wanted to show the boys a male scientist and Geoff stepped in on his Sunday despite having a ton to do.

He wore a 'Stand back I'm going to do science' shirt and wowed the scouts with his star wars knowledge.

I really want to make science and scientists not a thing apart for these kids and their families. I know the world is becoming increasingly them vs us and I hate the way science is received in that world.

So we watched Myth Busters on sneezing and ran around the parking lot trying to get glitter on each other and visited a real science place.

I hope it works.

I made a lot of very healthy food and dreamed of cheese cake.

The eggplant thing was too spicy. I think I am over compensating with pepper for what I am lacking in msg and fat.

We got a drum kit.

It is a really fun thing to have.

Look at this girl go!

We now have the makings of a complete Kuehnert rock band.

We have plans!

The kids are pretty pleased.

They are also pretty sick just now.

I got a call at work that Kiernan was in the nurses station with a sore throat and a fever.

Then the vomiting and the buckets for all.

Well for the kids but that's enough.