Pender island in summer

 Uncle Steve has moved to Pender Island in the South Gulf islands off the

coast of Vancouver. After a gorgeous 2h ferry ride from Tsawwassen you

arrive in a very beautiful and slow moving island world.

 Breakfast on board and lots of wild life spotting opportunities.

 Being on a ferry with two kids with tons of energy means

non-stop running around the top deck.

 Well, this is pretty much what you can do on the island.

 And of course to watch Orca wales swim by,

 This pod, that included a baby whale came very close to shore.

 Exactly right beneath the deck,

 The occasional seal stirred up the surface now and then.

 Is this face of stress on Pender, No, that is day three of relaxation

and the face of inner bliss and tranquility.

 Ava offering a pose from ground level.

 ..and a murderous look while in a grumpy mood.

 A tired Jack sometimes means a very snuggly Jack.

 Hey. That's me. I'm actually IN a photo. Woohooo.

 

Pender sunset from the deck.

Summer time

 Running in the fountain at South Lake Union.

 Brother sister moment.

 Deception Pass camping with "Dada".

 Beach art

 Morning inspection. "Atteeen hut."

 Lots of exploring the forrest.

 It was a long hot summer.

 4th of July.

 I'm a confident young man.,..sometimes.

 Loved the reflection and the stillness at this point.

 Dinosaurs rule. In books, on T shirts, underwear, hats, toys...you name it.

 Crystal clear waters but oh so cold.

 Good morning dada.

 Tired. Need "Cold fresh milk in an orange cup with a blue lid, filled

to the top, please dada". How many times have we heard that request.

 4th of July. Kids parade around the block.

 We almost got Ava to bike on two wheels this summer. Almost.

Looking forward,

Camping and end of Swedish school year

 Camping around Mt. Rainier. Kids are getting quite good at it.

Parents could deal with slightly more sleep.

 Jack does not like to wear socks and takes every opportunity

to walk around barefoot.

 Some borrowed REI gear such as a Hammock provided some hang time 

opportunity, with the aid of a brew...or two.

 Pondering his next move.

 Live fire, grilling hot dogs and going on adventure hikes

was very popular.

 Last day of the Swedish class school year with the traditional

singing and lots of strawberry cake with whipped cream,

Jack had a bit of a hard time with the words. 3 years old is not always easy

but he is slowly improving his Swedish language skills.

Mexico vacation

 We stayed in a fantastic hotel N of Puerto Vallarta. My first experience

at an all inclusive hotel. Did we ever score. It was great. Food was 

amazing and well above average hotel food. While the sister hotel had 

all the drunks and not-so-nice people, we lived like royals. Kate is quite the

vacation planner.

 Jack and Ava love the beach. Who doesn't.

 This girl is very photogenic.

 Sun hats on for us pale faces from the Pacific Northwest.

 Hot tub was a favorite.

 Chillaxing after a long day at the pool.

 Playing in the sand, making sand castles. You never get too old for that.

 A week is much too short, but the winding down with a glass of fino vino

works for this guy.

 Naps are necessary.

 Wassup everyone.

 An outdoor fountain next to the dining area at night was a perfect

playground for the kids. Nothing like eating dinner soaking wet.

 Jack especially could run around the fountain for hours.

 A playground nearby provided an outlet for restless legs.

 Loooooong beaches.

 Jack's best brooding boyband look.

 It was great to see Kate relaxed and ejoying herself.

 Daddy loved splashing around these waves too.

We did not parasail. Looking closer at the equipment it was well

beyond well worn. Makes for a colorful image though.