Thanksgiving in Chicago

This Thanksgiving, Per and Elsa dedicated some serious time to catching up with cousins, Jack and Gus. Part of the festivities were spent at the Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago. What else but beluga whales could transfix four kids under the age of 5 for more than 10 seconds?

Free to be you and me

One morning last week when I went in to wake up Elsa:

Jacinta: Oh Elsa, you are so pretty!

Elsa (grumpy): Don wanna be pwetty...

Jacinta: But Elsa, you are. You're so beautiful!

Elsa (still grumpy): Don wanna be byoo-tee-foh.

(long pause)

Elsa: Jus wanna be Elsa.

Per's lyin' in which wardrobe?

Last night we finished reading the last chapter of "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe". This morning Per would not come out of the living room cabinet. His reason for NOT disappearing to a far-off land? The adults in the house are killing the magic. Too true. Too true.

Fall activities!

In an effort to catch up on nearly a year, here is a Halloween photo dump. 

Per and Elsa in a haunted straw maze (momma was too scared to make it all the way through the maze...)

Momma just can't seem to remember to wear a more appropriate color for photos of pumpkins and leaves (yikes!)

 And, speaking of leaves...

Guess who picked the pumpkin theme this year?

A knight and "his" dragon. Elsa wanted to be "Puff", but Per insisted on a fire-breathing dragon, "Smaug" (and, no, this is not Per's T-rex costume from last year recycled...check the blog post, you'll see).

Superfriends!

The Sunday before Halloween...

Despite their mother’s protests, Per AND Elsa decided to go to a Halloween party dressed as Superman (well, Superman and Supergirl). Upon arrival, their two friends (and brothers) ripped open their coats to reveal two more supermen. I guess some things were just made to last...

Per loves sharks!

Shocking, really, that Per would prefer sharks to dolphins...

With jellyfish coming in a close second...

Elsa loves dolphins!

Grandma Jane comes for a visit and we go to the Veracruz Acquarium, where Elsa falls in love with dolphins.

Elsa getting her first looks at these gentle creatures.

 Elsa, less impressed by the other fish.

Playa La Barra

Apologies for the delay in posts - technical difficulties prevented the writers of "Prickly Pair" from their daily blog entries. As writers are now back within internet access again, a few trailing posts will come. First, a day at the beach with some friends.

The view from Per and Elsa's palapa...

Per starts digging to China...

Elsa points out the logistic difficulties of such a feat...

Per opts for burying himself instead...

Elsa opts out entirely...

 

Gulf coast surf and turf

A nice afternoon at Playa Montépio

Per points to his dad out riding the waves...

Blue-skinned Elsa, forgetting her shirt, opted for swimming old fashioned style (plus puddle jumpers, of course)

Out with howler monkeys...

Can you spot the howler monkey in this photo? 

Okay. How about now? 

No? 

(Tune in next month when we'll be able to show you some real monkeys. Ones you don't have to squint to see.)

Per and Elsa, looking particularly hobbit-like.

Elsa, tired of looking up.

Per, doing what all boys seem to do. Breaking branches and whacking trees.

Dr. Livingstone, I presume?

Per and Elsa's album cover: Losing Teeth

Elsa, not one to miss a nap, causes all howler work to stop. 

Fortunately, the howlers had the same idea and were overhead the whole time.

Not another beautiful day in Mexico!

Yep.

Per and Elsa, off the deep end (as per usual).

 Lakeside beach, hot tub, rock-climbing wall for kids, waterslides into the pools - and Per and Elsa just want to play with the sprinkler. The exact same sprinkler we have at home. That they never play with.

Location, location, location

The food wasn't great (and may have made some of us ill the next day), but you can't beat the view from the restaurante Mirador - on the slopes of a volcanic hill on Laguna Catemaco.

1,279 days later...

Our first full day (since Sep 8, 2008) without changing a diaper. For once, Elsa wanting to do everything Per does, was a good thing - with a little help from warm weather and tile floors. She's a long way from being fully potty-trained but the end is in sight (literally):

Swimsuit issue

Per and Elsa, weary of their local digs, set out across the lake to the pool of the rich and famous. Here's Per, getting ready to wax his surf board.

 And, Elsa, a centerfold to make all the guests jealous.

Later, swimsuit olympics take center stage...

And now for some comments from the crowd - Boos from this one.

My god, put some clothes on that girl!

Learning her letters

After a rainy morning, Per and Elsa had to get some of their energy out. Per decided to use local political ads to teach Elsa her letters.