We got to drive to Phoenix for Thanksgiving to see Tutu and Lanndyn and Grandpa Lorenzo. The girls had fun visiting the Pueblo Grande Museum in downtown Phoenix. It is an archaeological museum which contains the remains of real Hohokam ballcourts (the Hohokam were the only group outside of Meso America who had such large ballcourts for a game they played). It just so happened that I wrote my senior thesis at UCSC on the Hohokam Ballcourts, so I like to visit them in real life.
The girls are standing above a ballcourt. Thousands of people would have been lined up along the edge of this court to watch the games.
Everyone loved spending time inside a reconstructed Hohokam apartment. In fact they said they'd prefer to live in that apartment than our condo! They are following after their mother's heart - I always wanted to go back in time and live in prehistoric conditions.
Me and my clan outside the Hohokam apartments.
Anu loved the Hohokam artifacts such as this bowl, but especially the gourd and seedpods.
If only we had some marshmallows, the girls would have wanted to make s'mores here.
Daddy and Anu standing in front of one of the ancient Hohokam irrigation canals. They had extensive and impressive irrigation system which allowed them to grow cotton among other things in this dry desert.
Uncle Lanndyn surrounded by some of the kids including little 6 month old cousin Blaze from Tacoma Washington.
Tutu with her 4 grandkids from SLO outside their house. And Tutu, your hair looks beautiful.
Kawai begged for cornrows, so I did them on thanksgiving day. Little did I know they would last over a week! It was worth the investment of time since no brushing was required for a whole week.
We made it to the Fresno Temple in December. The kids loved this life-sized nativity that was set up outside of it.
The girls are standing above a ballcourt. Thousands of people would have been lined up along the edge of this court to watch the games.
Everyone loved spending time inside a reconstructed Hohokam apartment. In fact they said they'd prefer to live in that apartment than our condo! They are following after their mother's heart - I always wanted to go back in time and live in prehistoric conditions.
Me and my clan outside the Hohokam apartments.
If only we had some marshmallows, the girls would have wanted to make s'mores here.
Daddy and Anu standing in front of one of the ancient Hohokam irrigation canals. They had extensive and impressive irrigation system which allowed them to grow cotton among other things in this dry desert.
Uncle Lanndyn surrounded by some of the kids including little 6 month old cousin Blaze from Tacoma Washington.
Tutu with her 4 grandkids from SLO outside their house. And Tutu, your hair looks beautiful.
Mana chose to be a pilgrim at the Thanksgiving feast in her kindergarten class. Isn't she the happiest pilgrim you've ever seen? The singing was so cute too. They sang This Land is Your Land, in both Spanish and English, along with some other songs. Mana had requested that we bring her favorite dish, mashed potatoes and gravy, to the feast. So, like a great daddy, Robb was able to make that in the morning and he cleverly packed the potatoes and gravy into little containers with lids. I could not have pulled that off as well as he did. The teacher said that the kids could go home early with their parents after the feast, and Robb was prepared to bring Mana home with him. But, of course, she chose to stay at school for the rest of the day. She loves school so much, she says it's funner than home!
WenWen Han
One of Anu's favorite thimgs: the slide all by himself
Robb's changing his look lately...
Funny how I didn't know Anu had a twin until he was one years old!
Anu got his learner's permit for his birthday, so we let him drive us to the pumpkin patch. He's a little short so he just climbs up the steering wheel so he can see better.
Alani wasn't too happy that she had to be in the pumpkin, but that was the only one she could reach.
Some nice stranger offered to take our picture. It was a guy that offered, but then his girlfriend was the one who ended up taking the photos. Funny.
Alani thought we were lost in the corn maze.
Keanu liked picking out his pumpkin, but mostly enjoyed teething on the wheelbarrow.
The girls always have to go in the "jail" even though they are a tiny bit scared to do it. This year they added some creepy rats to the outside and Anu was scared in there. It's always our youngest that is scared in that jail.
My cutie pies in the corn teepee.
