Dole whip.

There is a place in Sydney with Dole whip.  Just like in Disneyland.  We've been trying to get there for months. Hard to get all of us together.  The girls had no piano tonight so we had a night free and rushed after work to Fish on 5th.  The place was a dive.  I questioned the cleanliness.  We all agreed the food wasn't great.  Service was friendly and for dessert we all had Dole whip in a cup.  It is the same as Disneyland.  Yay.  Luk still doesn't care for it.  He's not keen on any fruit flavor.  The rest of us loved it but agree it's way better in the Tikki room with the birds singing :)

Knot tying at the tables.

And trivia.

Spring break week one.

Lili went to see her friends play.  She doesn't have her N so needed me to drive with her. I stayed for the play.  Good show.  

Oliver is 10 months now.  Much adored baby around here.

Driving lessons have started for Miss Lili. 

Hugs.

Every night.

The snow is finally melted in the front yard.

Birds and bugs and butterflies oh my.

It's too cold for me to be camping.  So we're home for spring break.  I thought visiting Butterfly Garden would be a fun warm spring time thing to do.  It wasn't a big hit for our crew.  Lili had to work so she missed our adventure day.  There is an insectarium there.  Which was creepy but interesting. On the way in Kai found a water fountain he could reach and operate on his own.  He moaned all through the gardens that he was thirsty in an effort to get back to the fountain.  Jia was not impressed with the 1000 blue morphos that were released that morning.  She was seeing them as giant bugs.  Her horror freaked out Luk who was doing high pitched girl screams when one got close.  Which was often because - 1000 large butterflies in a small space.  I had budgeted three hours.  We didn't make one.  Eric took the littles out so Fei and I could enjoy a few minutes of peace in the garden, watching the koi, turtles, flamingos and of course the butterflies.

We took the kids to a playground after.  Which they loved way more than the garden!  Eric stayed with them.  Fei watched a movie in the car and I napped.  We had planned to do Chinese buffet but that felt like a lot of work so we went to Spaghetti Factory instead.  Late night.  We were just in time to get Lili on the way home.

Ant farm...extremely cool...could have watched them for hours.  Or at least longer than the two minutes I was allowed.  

A bird eater.  Biggest spider we've seen outside of cartoons!  

Not sure what he was mad about.

She was soooo excited to be there...until we were in and the big bugs were flying.  She has loved butterflies (Jiaflies) for so long.  This was a sad ending for her.  

The many faces of Kai.  I normally cull the wild face ones out but I didn't get many pictures at all.

I was having fun.

This crane is in front of the Spaghetti Factory.

It garnered WAY more excitement than the butterflies!

Lili is 17!

Time whips by.  Lili had a nice day celebrating with friends at home.  It was a last minute plan so pretty cool she got so many to come on a Wed.

Fei has her "L".

Fei and Hanna decided to do their learners test together.  They made the plan.  Penny and I obliged.  They were so cute.  Only $15 to register and another $10 after they passed.  We had so much fun in there and it cost way less than I expected.  I wasn't there for Lili, so had no clue what the process was. When they came out they both pretended they failed.  Totally fooled us.  Then they cracked and grinned.  So proud.

Very happy girls!

Here we go again.

They just came home the other day...how can they be driving already?!

March 3.

The anniversary date of Dad's passing.  Dwayne and I decided to do something that Dad liked to do.  We went to the BC Royal museum and saw the wildlife photography exhibit.  Which was great.  Lots to see and talk about.  Kids always love the rest of the museum.  Lili drove over the Malahat for the first time. Proud moment.  Her year with her L is up and it's time to get serious about getting her N. She starts driving lessons during spring break. We ended our day at Lotus Pond.  Food was fabulous.

In order to steer the submarine you must stick your butt out and wiggle.

Iconic.

Kai wanted his picture taken by himself.  Partly because he loves the museum, mostly because there is a sticker on the floor with one set of foot prints.

Homework

The boys have nightly reading.  Luk moves forward and loves to read.  Kai is willing, he moves up levels because they're out of books and then he starts from the beginning again.  Luk is reading quietly to himself.  We've recently discovered that Luk is willing to read Kai's books to him and then walk through the pages talking about the pictures, the colors, the story.  I have to admit after reading the same books over and over again through five kids is awfully boring.  Luk however loves helping Kai.  Kai loves their time together.  They cuddle and laugh.  Too cute.