Flashback to February

The Sanchini-Gorchini cousins had a clandestine playdate on Valentine's 2010 at a previously unknown park somewhere halfway between Santa Rosa and Richmond.


Uncle Chris, as he often is, was a source of stability for the young ones as they carried out their usual antics.

Sparrow was the daredevil of the crowd and conquered several twisty slides while the rest of us just gawked in astonishment (see Uncle Chris in the background gnashing his teeth with nerves? Maybe not such a stable force after all...)

Her Daddy, however, sucked it up and gave it a go on the tamer version of the inclined diversion. After nearly losing more than a few brain cells, he abandoned the mission to scope out a suitable locale for family portraits.

Crazy cousins nestled in the nooks of a tremendous tree. Sequoia is gleeful as the younger cousins are stupefied at the thought of having to pose for longer than 10 seconds. I mean, those of us in the under 2 crowd just don't ever stay put for that long!

Lucas looks adoringly at his older cousin while Sparrow plans her escape.



The dads get in on the action, desperately hoping they can squeeze out just one photo in which everyone is seated and smiling.

It was too much to hope for. Lucas went hog wild and tried to slide right out of Chris's firm fatherly grasp. Sparrow tried to pick up a few pointers, while Sequoia mildly melted away.

Freedom!!

Girls in a Box

Sequoia laments having such a spacious abode and no one to share it with.

Nothing like the joy of a box made for two!

Look at this versatility! It even works for a mid-afternoon snooze!

Joyriding and making fun of the poor saps who are still riding in the size 4 diaper boxes.

It's all fun and games until....

A wayward pirate jumps off her scooter and starts looking for a boxier ride! Beware!

Holiday Retrospective

St. Patrick's Day Breakfast




Valentine's Day 2010

Sequoia smiles ever so sweetly in her favorite heart shirt, all ready to go to the Valentine's party (of course, this was also her "gingerbread" shirt that she wore to several Christmas events!).

Sparrow is ready to go, too!

The girls got LOTS of special Valentines and spent a while sorting through their loot!

Nothing like a Tonka truck sippy cup to complete your image as a sweet pink little Valentine's girl! But that milk was key in helping to wash down the delicious valentines cupcakes!

Sequoia and mommy smile for the camera while Sparrow contemplates which treat to grab for next.

Christmas 2009

Another attempt at a holiday family photo (note the color coordination- kind of.)

Sequoia sees something the rest of us don't catch (an approaching UFO, perhaps?) as we innocently say our line: "Cheese!"

She busts out some of her crazy karate moves and a signature Sequoia scream while Sparrow gently pats her father reassuring him that her sister's got it handled.

A disastrous alien takeover is averted, and the sisters sit back to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. They truly are the sweetest sisters in the world!

On the Road Again

Try as I might, I just can't get this thing going! Is my problem that there's a set of knees gumming up the works? Thank goodness my dear cousin Lucas has come to the rescue! Turns out a nonchalant tweak to the hood ornament was all this baby needed!

I'm back in business!

Family Beach Day!

Daddy discusses the finer points of seashell hunting with little Sparrow.

But she'd rather be chasing the birds.

Then she does the "robot" for a while, though the pink mushroom hate shatters the image a bit.

Sequoia works steadily to build a sandcastle to rival all sandcastles.

Time for lunch!



Cracker sandwiches-mmmmMMMmmmm!

Nothing like some vitamin C to go with your vitamin D!

Easter!

All of the kids love Grandma Iris's new rocking chair! Sparrow rocked away, waiting for a reason to get up.

Sequoia was super excited about egg hunting, and she was quite skilled at it! Maybe it was those super xray egg-finding glasses she got from Aunt Jean!

Sparrow took a more forceful approach.

The cousins sat down to examine their loot.

Lucas got a little grabby with the baskets, while Sparrow worked on counting up all the coins she would carry around for the remainder of the day.

Yahhoooooooiee!!! I'm going to be rich, rich, rich!

Sequoia was quite content with the dessert offerings- look at that sweet smile!

Sparrow was pretty excited to get her basket back from cousin Lucas!

Sequoia is already asking when Easter will come again! The girls loved it!

Parents and Grandparents

When in doubt at a family function, pull out the silly faces!

If mom and dad get boring on you with those canned smiles, just slip on down and look for a grandparent to hang with.

Grandma Iris is always good for a cozy lap and a good book!

Grandmama and Aunt Jean, however, will try to steal your hard-earned quarters.

Grandpa Jim shines a smile while surreptitiously hiding something behind his back- could it be my missing black licorice jelly beans?????

Aaaaahhhhh.... Grandma Karen has enough hands to hold me and my basket so I can almost take a snooze- what an exciting and exhausting day!

Dyeing for Easter

The Sanchini girls had lots of fun dying Easter eggs (and their hands!). We had a few casualties and a few sacrifices to the snack gods, but a good time was had by all!

The Fairy Chef, Her Hungry Little Sister, and Their Very Special Daddy

The Fairy Chef agreed to make a special appearance at our house a while ago...

She was alarmed when she found the Little Fairy Sister so ravenous she almost consumed her favorite airy fairy skirt!



Unsatisfied by the sheer garment, Little Sister Fairy turns her curls to search out a more satisfying smackerel...



She eyes the toy bins, but can't make up her mind where to start.

They Fairy Chef recommends a rainbow ribbon snack, and Little Sister Fairy considers it an amusing choice.

They head together to the table, but decide to get started on their Valentines rather than continue the hunt for a fairy snack. Fairies are very loving creatures, you know, and they love making Valentines.



Sequoia's first Valentine was for Daddy.





Someday I promise I'll learn how to take videos in the correct orientation! For now, please bear with me!



The finished product- straight from the fairy chef to her very SPECIAL Daddy.