The Mint Mansion

Using Utensils

2012-01-19T09:57:00.001-08:00

And now the fun begins! Meal blast radius just got bigger - my strategy is to only allow self-feeding at dinner time....right before bathtime!

Snow!

2012-01-19T09:49:00.001-08:00

The ground is covered with crispy whiteness - two days of grey winter, and it's lovely! Before those two days there were sunny winter days, even more lovely! Have a look

Snow!

2012-01-19T09:49:00.000-08:00

The ground is covered with crispy whiteness - two days of grey winter, and it's lovely! Before those two days there were sunny winter days, even more lovely! Have a look

First Dance Class

2012-01-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

izzy and little miss maika are ready for class. maika, the experienced student has dressed most appropriately for the session.

Checking out future career options...wow, those girls are really doing ballet!

What a treat for Izzy to meet a new teacher, meet other new girls, and enjoy an hour of noisemaking and movement with her friend Maika. Mama Adrienne and I and the boys wandered Granville Island looking for croissants. Mission accomplished. New routine for January and February established. Feels great! All four kids ran around the back of the island after class - boys finding their feet and practicing now on hills and boardwalks..fun!

Snazaroo

2011-12-27T22:02:00.001-08:00

This one's for you, Dante!

As 2011 Comes to a Close

2011-12-27T21:41:00.000-08:00

Max, the mover and shaker.
Logan, the screecher and chaos maker.

Izzy, the storyteller, gameplayer and baker...

Our days in the past six months have centred around nurturing sleep, weight gain/or not, "airing out the children" and connecting with those we love. 5-530 feed, 630 wake, 7 breakfast for kids, lattes for adults, 730 world-class kk omelettes for adults, 8 get all dressed, 9 boys nap, 1030 boys awake and eat, 11 family walk, 1230, boys/izzy lunches, 1 everyone naps, 2-230 everyone awakens and eats, 3 another walk, 4 prepare dinner and survive crazy hour, 530 dinner, 630 bath, 7 feed and bed, books for izzy, 730 adult time - exercise or videogaming, ha! rinse, repeat.

A few variations depending on the day of the week, or if anyone is crashing in the guest room. generally that's the program.

But Rinse, Repeat would suggest there is nothing new, nothing challenging happening through our days. And although we have come to treasure the simplicity and reliability of routine, we have to acknowledge that every day we lose control...in some way. And depending on the inner strength quotient when we wake up in the morning, we either access our zen acceptance of what is, or we fight like the dickens to try to make everything as it "should" be. WAY more fun when we go with this fire-hose like flow of demands, explorations, negotiations, menus, and cuddles.

So, here's to another one. Filled with snotty noses, bed-wetting, laundry folding, ... home cookin', date nightin', family skypin', book readin', bike ridin', pool swimmin', yoga posin', run trainin', photo takin', money savin', money spendin', mini-vannin', and lovely upcoming events like Gillian and Atila's first baby in March and Don and KaHay's wedding in September.... really. How does anyone work with all the livin' to do. Happy holidays everyone.

Health, happiness and prosperity to you in 2012.

It's Finally Christmas!

2011-12-27T21:33:00.001-08:00

This year was calm with visions of sugar plums dancing in children's heads...until they woke up at 530! KK and I fulfilled both Law and Clapperton christmas eve traditions with a quiet fondue for the two of us and a gift exchange so we could focus on the kids in the morning.

Izzy fell asleep reciting Santa's route - "First my house, then Paige's house, then Roma's house, then Maika's house, then Nigel's house, then Oskar and Henrik's house...."

And in the morning, she was found collapsed on the staircase crying because her stocking had disappeared (it was soon after found - filled up on the sofa)... "can I help Max and Logan open their stockings too? would you like help opening your stocking, Mama? Dada?"

Merry Christmas To One and All!

2011-12-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

Dapper Dans, our boys. Just your average day in the kitchen.
Izzy would like to say...."Happy Birthday Roma". Also, little people will enjoy eating a yummy house at Christmas. Yay for icing that dries hard as a rock!

KaHay and Izzy on the sleigh at the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Gardens.

'Tis the Season. Love to All.
Lots of action in the Mint Mansion these days - and christmas carols - hooray!

tofino nov 2011

2011-12-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

quick trip. good times. surf, yoga, hot tub, food, drink, and constant childproofing the cottage...

thanks all for fun in the storm and sun.

Why Shop Alone... when you can shop with three children?

2011-12-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

2 for 1 special on Kidlets that day. Way to wrangle, Izzy, way to wrangle.

Papa's Visit

2011-12-06T12:55:00.001-08:00

Zefferelli's night out - cold medicine or too many bottles of wine?

Average morning.

Max and Papa over a cup of joe.

Oh, will you be mine?

Too much coffee? Sugar? That's right - our daughter makes the grocery lists, finds the deals. She's had to grow up fast since her brothers came along.

Birthday Catchup

2011-12-06T12:41:00.001-08:00

Logan being reasonable while eating his chocolate whoopie pie that mama brought back from starbucks after watching the Twilight Breaking Dawn to honor their first birthday.

Max needs to practice eating chocolate a little bit more. Good thing November is full of birthdays!

Happy birthday my Scorpios! Izzy turned four while celebrating in the pool with her closest friends. KK's birthday was two days before the twins. Hooray!

Prepping for Christmas

2011-12-06T12:29:00.001-08:00

Our little house elves

Our homemade advent calendar. yesterday morning izzy found an oreo cookie in her baby sock for Dec.5. Thanks papa, for all the sweet treats left in the pantry from your visit! Also, the lighting display in the den is very festive. you've got skills, papa.

izzy decorating our christmas tree. it adorns our mantle this year, since a real full size tree would be eaten and mauled by our two house elves.

Who Needs Halloween to Dress Up?

2011-11-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

See if you can guess which photos are from this Halloween? All others...found in the archives. Enjoy!

Zombie Kids Approaching

2011-10-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Beware the Mint Mansion...

You may be attacked by the resident evils that lurk...

Private time? What private time?

Turns out the guitar is a fabulous scheme to distract the boys from anything - the illicit dishwasher, the holes in the den wall, the fireplace...

Pied Piper Dad strums and the kids follow...

Also, when he needs to, Zombie Logan can pull a pretty good debonair look for the ladies.

Autumn Ramblin's

2011-10-28T20:34:00.000-07:00

Boys and I made it into the Endowment Lands for the first time, just the 3 of us. Fresh air, plenty of slugs and dogs and cheerios galore!

Me and Julio down at the schoolyard.

We can all learn a thing from how our little ones like to lounge...it's in their blood...eh, Big Papa?

Debbie and Malcolm strike a pose.

Friday mornings with Little Miss Maika (and momma Adrienne).

Highlights of Thanksgiving Weekend Visit

2011-10-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

Max in front.
Way to go, Daddy-o. First, the 10K....next, the world! Thanks to Mel for running as K-Dog Law and joining KK on the run in the rain.

Ah...the future looks bright for these avid learners!

Saturdays in the Park

2011-10-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Family, Don! Hooray for Ka-Hay!

2011-10-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

So...Thanksgiving was definitely a celebration! Don and HayHay got engaged, then travelled down to Wallaceburg to be with Ma and Ba, Ka-Yu and Janice, Kayden and Jada, then flew home to be with all the rest of us on Monday turkey dinner! This is a summer time pic, but you get the idea..

Lots more hugs ahead, DonDon.

Lots more mountains and thumbs up, DonDon.

Congratulations to the beautiful couple. We love you both.

Ah! Uh....are you sure 'bout this one, HayHay?

Of course. Open arms. Fun times ahead.

Night at the Aquarium

2011-10-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

Izzy took Gigi and I to the aquarium for a night of culture (Bobs and Lolo concert and Dora 4D movies) and science....(look, the octopus is sleeping! is that a baby dolphin? the belugas are so white at night!). Thanks, Izzy. We had a lot of fun.

love, mum.

Summer Moments

2011-09-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Cruisin'

2011-09-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

Sunny Days

2011-09-07T10:09:00.001-07:00

How great to meet the Great Grandparents!

2011-08-20T09:18:00.001-07:00

Nana and Max.
Papa and Logan.

Nana and Papa are visiting from Ontario - super weather, daily adventures around the city and good, goooooooood eats. Max and Logan and Izzy are behaving themselves pretty well, too.

Max and Logan are couch surfing - as infants, not deadbeats - and eating most of what's put in front of them, at all times of day. Fun times.

"Cabin" on the Lake

2011-08-20T09:01:00.001-07:00

Ka-Hay and Don invited us to Don's parents' (Bob and Jill) new cabin on Sproat Lake, near Port Alberni...the boys being 9 months now, we figured - sure! Don's sister Lindsay was also there and Izzy had lots of old and new playmates.

Izzy even tried watersports! here she is on Lindsay's lap on the "sweet, soft, bunny ride" that is perhaps going a bit too slow as Lindsay is submerged, and although not captured on film, Izzy is lifted up by Linds so that she doesn't get towed under...boat speeds up - Izzys face runs from hesitation, confusion to all out fear and bawling! Quick try, and looking back, Izzy thinks she had fun.

Trip day - our first adventure with a full minivan. KK and Don were so excited to respond to the question at the ferry - "How many people in the vehicle?" "7!" I had to remind kk that we didn't want to pay fares for 7 adults...that there were 3 under 3ish... gotta save pennies for more hot dogs and fancy wines, my friends.

Friday Nite Picnics

2011-08-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

When in town, we try to pack everything up and enjoy Trout Lake for picnic dinners. Fresh air, beachy, green grass parks...that the boys ignore for their laser-like focus on one thing: Cheerios!!

2011-07-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

Pictures of Easter... bright colors and happy neighbors helping the Easter bunny hide the eggs.

Love to the Wu.s!

8 Months - Fun!

2011-07-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Annabelle Shackleford enjoying the boys and remembering the days of raising Mike's siblings, her twins, Andrew and Christa. She loves seeing the boys every time and we welcome the advice and support...!

Logan on the left, Max on the right. That's my system and I'm sticking to it. If you can believe it, this was their outfit on July 26...arg! was a cold week. Sun has since made an appearance. Also, we think they will both be lefties...sucking thumbs in unison.

Max on left, Logan on right.

The boys have discovered spatulas. And have begun to explore the floors - moving quickly.

Our Girls Love the Water

2011-07-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mike and Michelle and Kathleen Shackleford for hosting us over the past few weekends. The girls - Kathleen, Izzy and Claire (from Seattle) have really been having a great time. I turned to Fiona and asked her, "Do you remember spending the whole day in your bathing suit?"

The Wheels

2011-07-30T09:53:00.001-07:00

We Did It!

2011-07-28T06:55:00.001-07:00

Officially a minivan household.

But wait - observe the evolution....(refer to post from April 23, 2008).

KK's a pro at dealing with dealerships now..knows every trick in the book.

And instead of replacing the Jeep's wheels, we thought we might as well replace the whole car!

It's charcoal in color, so still has the menacing type feel to it.

I did originally ask for a white econoline van with unicorns and flames on it - thereby really creating a sense of belonging in the Law family household - but cooler heads prevailed.

Onward!

twins! rar!

2011-07-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

Max has a terrific growl right now. Couldn't help myself, when the outfits matched.

We love Birthdays!

2011-07-11T09:33:00.001-07:00

In Izzy's opinion - everyday is a birthday! Although this is 6 weeks old - Happy Birthday again, KaHay! Perhaps Izzy belongs at the Mad Hatter's where everyone celebrates their "very merry unbirthdays..."

First Visit to the Pool! 7 Months

2011-07-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

How do twins, and a toddler and parents all make it out on Saturday morning to the pool? With Auntie HayHay as a swimmate!

All went well. The boys have the benefit of a deep tub at home, that wasn't around for Izzy's first months - she bathed in the sink and in the shower. So, you'll notice Max and Logan have quite a laissez faire attitude about it all. "yeah, it's new. it's interesting. but i'm safe, and my thumb makes everything al-right.."

Mediation Required...the first of many

2011-05-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Four images below - in sequence, backwards. Start with the fourth and move up.

Brothers. Harrumph.

Try, try again...
Retaliation...
Outrage!
The plan is hatched.

Just Lion Around...

2011-05-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day!

2011-05-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

Fresh air in the forest with the ones we love...best gift of all.

Still reeling when we refer to our family of five.

Plenty of adventure ahead.

We Are All Canucks

2011-05-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Carmen, for ensuring the family represents!

Izzy will be a fan forever, growing into the shirt in one or two seasons..

Five Months at the Table

2011-04-20T19:31:00.001-07:00

You all must know by now how much we looooooove to eat. Although the boys haven't tried any solid food yet, they're rarin' to go...every day spending time with us at the table - cooking and eating many meals.

oh, and there's a quick pic of our very own Lara Croft in the middle of all the boy pics..

Occasions and Good Hair

2011-04-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some images from occasions - you can detect the story..

pretending to be a reindeer on your shirt, wishing your uncle a happy birthday on st. paddy's day, helping mama with her birthday cake and, well...

then there's the evenings where we remove the french braids and circa 1980, voila!

the crimper is back!

Skiing on Cypress Mountain

2011-04-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Don and Hay Hay for taking me skiing for the first time - it was so much fun!

My favorite move is holding my skis like a pizza, and moving slowly up the hill on the conveyor belt! Also, hot chocolates are yummy.

5.30 Dinners

2011-03-25T19:35:00.001-07:00

Well, our friends were marvelling recently at our commitment to the 5.30 dinnertime.

Honestly, we cannot imagine life if it wasn't.

Eat until 6. Distract the hungry twin boys for half and hour, usually by including them in some chasing game with their 3 year old sister or bouncing them silly while entertaining their sister with 2, no 3, no 4, no 5 books before bathtime....

Right, then bathtime for 3.

Then mealtime for boys, separately, then soothe, then (cross your fingers) babies asleep and one adult can focus on the 3 year old...

Add a dash of new adventure every week - untold secrets that reveal themselves to us:

Tonight's adventure - feed one and assemble a second crib in the master bedroom at the same time...lay him down, feed the second while configuring the room to move the rocking chair and set up an L-shape with the cribs... lay down the second baby because you realize you need both adults to lift cribs around, and move the crib with the sleeping baby around 'cuz it's backwards and you want easy access to it since you've lost your window seat which was the change table and now the cribs will be the change tables...ha - you still with me? All the while your naked 3year old is very excited about these changes and wanders in with nightgown and new ankle boots to show dad who is lifting things carefully to not strain an already strained back. Hi-larious. Once babies were asleep and I tidied up again I realized - our bedroom looks like an orphanage! When else do you see multiple cribs..but I digress. 530 dinners are imperative at our house.

Happy Birthday Dante!

2011-02-20T10:06:00.001-08:00

“I want to draw a sun with Dante, draw with him. And ride bikes. He leaved his helmet here. Where’s his baby brother?” – Izzy, on Dante turning 5 and his next visit to Vancouver. KH & Mel, get going on the baby brother thing!

Underwater Daughter

2011-02-20T09:45:00.001-08:00

Izzy loves the pool. She also loves the camera. See what happens when the 2 collide.

heeeeeeeeeey….that’s a Grade A butt back there!

3 months!

2011-02-20T09:22:00.001-08:00

Double Trouble indeed.

Still can’t tell who is who.

Not Max or Logan.

It’s Izzy Cat!

Words Cannot Express Our Gratitude

2011-02-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day.

How appropriate that today we reflect on the love that has surrounded this household for the first three months of the boys' life. Izzy, Ka-Kei and I are so grateful for our fortune to have such giving family members and friends.

Today we said goodbye, so long, to Grandma and Big Papa Clapperton after a 3 week stay by Grandma and a 1 week visit with Papa.

Max and Logan are 5 days away from turning 3 months old...their size, emotions, and sense of humour has matured over the past 3 months with the help from cuddles, soothing and conversations with Ama and Ayeh Law, aunties and uncles and play dates with their big sister's friends too.

Izzy has weathered the storm of change and emerged more vocal, more sensitive and more cheeky - we know who's gonna rule the Kids room in the years to come. Her strength comes from her father who has been by her side over the past 3 months to help her transition into the supportive, helpful big sister she is and will continue to be.

And Mama is healthy, has showered AND had a coffee this morning and will be emerging ready to keep growing these boys from their estimated 13 pounds each...and enjoy our newfound time as a party of five in the Mint Mansion.

So, you've all been waiting for images that capture our lives. The blog is back in action.

Love to you all - we feel ready to tackle the next 3 months and beyond!

Long time, no Post! Happy New Year Everyone!

2011-02-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

Back Post: Tofino New Year’s 2010

2010-04-19T20:59:00.001-07:00

Somehow I missed this writing about this little adventure in December, our annual jaunt to the west coast of the island to catch some winter waves and ring in the New Year in style. It was a big crew this year and marked the first of many changes to come over the next few years as our families grow.

Izzy’s New Year’s crush was Nicolai. It was probably his dark brooding teenage angst that got her. Or maybe that he shared his video games and snacks with her.

It took her some weeks to get over him.

Kathleen, the Beach Penguin.

Uncle Yoshi showing the Iza how to ride a Tofino swell.

No one quite had the heart to tell Claire that she was still inside. Really, really inside.

An hour later, still waiting. So sad. Fynns, you need to teach this kid how to read a break.

Hillbillies

2010-04-19T20:22:00.001-07:00

What do you do when life hands you a mound of dirt and a few rolls of vapour barrier? You don’t complain about it, you make a slide!

Jada goes first, no shoes.

Then Kayden, no shoes. Nice to feel the earth under your feet.

Then Dante, no shoes and on his stomach…steppin’ it up!

Of course, Jada has to one up him but K-Dog says uh-uh.

Finally, the City Girl gets in on the action but there’s no way she’s steppin out of the cottage without her designer Crocs (well…nice fakes). Verdict? “Too yucky.” and back into the cottage she goes.

“What?! You get used to a certain standard of living and well, let’s just say in the city dirt is for the organic soy bean patch, not for slides. We have parks for that sort of thing. Hurumph!”

Pyros

2010-04-18T18:54:00.001-07:00

What’s a cottage on a lake without fireworks? You can either shoot them out of a wheelbarrow or a sandbox, it really doesn’t matter. Either way still involves some risky maneuvering in the dark, wrestling with flimsy matches and jumping over rocks and toy trucks.

Then, when you run out of fireworks, just burn a christmas tree and throw the spent fireworks from the night before into the flames. It’s perfectly safe, there won’t be any leftover gunpowder in them.

I really need to clean this lens.

The Clan

2010-04-13T18:41:00.001-07:00

Incredibly, this is pretty much the individual personalities of each of the kids.

Thanks to KH and Mel for hosting such a great weekend! The cottage looks incredible and we’re glad you chose to share it with us.

Bon Appetit!

2010-04-13T15:51:00.001-07:00

4-Eyes

2010-04-13T15:47:00.001-07:00

Droop.

Role Models

2010-04-13T15:43:00.001-07:00

Izzy is lucky to have so many wonderful influences in her life.

Spring

2010-04-13T15:35:00.001-07:00

Opening Ceremonies

2010-04-10T15:50:00.001-07:00

We snagged some opening ceremony tickets to the Olympic party. w00t!

True Olympians…

Ch-ch-ch-china!

I tease Big Poppa Bill a lot but the bald truth of it is that he sets a shining example for everyone else of how to be the head of a family in a smooth, no-nonsense way.

We’re back!

2010-04-10T15:23:00.001-07:00

Apologies for the long absence…it’s been busy to say the least. Lots of catching up to do, but for now…cousins!

Belated Birthday Post

2009-11-29T14:58:00.001-08:00

Izzy recently turned 2 and she got a new artboard/easel for her birthday. Dad volunteered to put it together. Between him, our neighbour Stephen, their daughter Rebecca and our Rebecca, they eventually got it together.

Iz took full advantage of the distracted adults and chugged juice.

Mom gave me flashbacks to my childhood when she threatened me with her bamboo spatula.

We have so many photos of this kid eating food, it’s unreal. This time around…breakfast sausage!

Then, since we have a few friend who are preggers, Mom decided to pull out her ancient chinese secrets and predict whether Cam and Kerry were having a boy or girl. 60% of the time, it works 90% of the time.

Kerry’s result…girl!

Josh, not buying my mother’s claims of scientific accuracy.

Meghan’s result: boy! with a bit of girl mixed in. So probably twins.

Circus camp

2009-11-29T14:28:00.001-08:00

We had visitors a few weeks back from Seattle and Port Moody. An impromptu acrobat training session ensued.

Izzy practicing her high wire act, Claire practicing her nose mining act. Go for gold Claire!

BoBo the Contemplative basks in her duvet ocean…

…only to have her sea of tran-Quilt-lity destroyed by 2 screaming monsters.

Claire the Seal doing underwater flips.

Peace…

Lamb Chop

2009-11-29T14:00:00.001-08:00

El Izza has recently discovered that she likes things that come with a bone handle, in particular lamb popsicles. Here she demonstrates the proper way to eat it.

“Don’t look at me! I’m HIDEOUS!!!!!!”

“murffle…furffle…mmmm…mmm…snurffle!”

Deeeeeeeee-licious!

Studio Build Update – Day 13 (ish)

2009-11-20T22:24:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the low res quality of this video, but distilling 13 days of time lapse into one 3GB video and then downsampling it to 40MB for uploading and then having YouTube do it’s thing kind of takes a toll on image fidelity. If you want to see the HD version, come by for a coffee.

I think I have pretty much all the days captured here so far, except for a couple of days where I shovelled sand and gravel and stripped the forms…trust me, you not missing out on anything.

Hopefully we’ll have a water resistant roof on tomorrow! woohoo!

Ah Yeh and Ah Mah

2009-11-09T21:27:00.001-08:00

She loves going to the airport or as she says it, “Arrrrrr-paarrrrt!”. Maybe it’s the totems or maybe it’s just that it always means we bring home interesting people.

She ran right up to Ah Yeh for hugs…

…then over to Ah Mah, who actually never did say hi to me at all because she was so busy trying to take pictures of the Izza.

Booo!

2009-11-09T21:21:00.001-08:00

Trick or Treat

2009-11-09T21:20:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Carmen and Stephen for the awesome costume! Me-ow!

Visiting Cam and Kerry. It’s a long climb up those stairs but the treats at the top were totally worth it.

High fives with Matt and then the cat caught sight of the peacock.

Apparently at this house, they hand out kids!

Kyra and Christian’s new house. It’s beautiful.

The prettiest flower in the garden.

Only in a real Italian household would you find a pot of tomato sauce, boiling water for gnocchi, salume and fresh buffalo mozzarella on Halloween night.

Studio Build – Day 1

2009-11-03T16:49:00.001-08:00

We got the permit approval last week for the new studio in the back and the digger started digging today! Very exciting.

Bye bye death-trap backyard!

Hello fresh dirt! Thinking about forgoing the studio and digging a pool instead.

For those interested, the footage is shot with G9 running Canon CHDK and one of the time lapse scripts. Fun stuff…loads more to come.

Calamari

2009-09-29T11:13:00.001-07:00

We went for a walk on Sunday morning and came upon a dead squid beached on the sand.

Then we saw another one. And another . And another. There were about a hundred of them just on Mackenzie Beach and reports were that there were more on Chesterman and Long Beach as well.

Apparently they were all juvenile Humboldt squids that had beached overnight. They were all about 2-3 feet in length, bigger than any that I have ever seen but apparently the adults grow up to 6-7 feet in lenght. Nobody really knows why this happens but some speculate that they get caught up in a weird warm current and get disoriented. It was kind of sad to see so many dead animals on the sand but when you see the birds feeding you feel at least they’re going back into the cycle. But still, something isn’t right here.

I Do

2009-09-29T10:55:00.001-07:00

The weather at Tin Wis was perfect this weekend.

This is not the person I married.

First evening.

Second evening.

Becca was in charge of wardrobe here.

All this nature and the one thing that really makes Izzy laugh is my phone. Sigh.

“The internet is a bunch of TUBES?!?!”

Stamp Falls

2009-09-29T10:42:00.001-07:00

For our 4 year anniversary, Becca and I decided to make a return trip to the Tin Wis in Tofino, this time with one more guest.

We stopped at Stamp Falls to see the salmon running. What a sight. It’s so primal to see these fish on auto pilot, making their way to their birth place to spawn and die. Such an obvious display of the circle of life; you live, you die but in between is so much beauty, struggle, achievement, joy. Another reason why fall is my favourite time of year.

Sasquatch

2009-09-21T22:54:00.001-07:00

Eerily the same, no?

Spent Saturday morning strolling through the Endowment Lands at UBC. This time of year is always my favourite; the shade is cold and crisp, the sun is warm and yellow and the leaves are starting to change colors.

Don’t even think about it.

Becca is pretty creative in dealing with a tired kid. Too tired to walk? How about…flying! Works every time.

At first, Izzy was super excited about the slug. Until she decided to pet it and realized it’s not like a dog at all.

Besides green slugs, there are lots of other green things in the woods.

Master of the Obvious.

Bye bye summer, hello fall.

Eat Market

2009-09-15T23:44:00.001-07:00

Going to the Richmond Night Market has become a bit of a tradition whenever KH and his bandidos come to town. This year we brought along an Italian and his fam to open his eyes to the ancient secrets of Chinese cuisine. The following are some tips on how to get the most out of the RNM.

First, skip dinner. You have to go hungry. Maybe park a bit further away in a lot where some shady dude is charging you $5 to park in a Home Depot parking lot. The walk will whet your appetite.

Next, strap your child to you in a way that is conducive to eating.

Similar to the O2 masks in airplanes, it is required that you first feed yourself so that you have the strength to shovel food into the mouth of your child.

A variation of this if you don’t have a kid harness is to put your kid on your shoulders. A bit easier to maneuver but the downside is he will use your head as a plate/napkin.

Avoid the Rainy Cow. It is highly addictive. Head for the smoke. Where there’s smoke, there’s flavor.

General rule: the more appendages, the tastier it will probably be.

Don’t forget your vegetables.

Feel free to just stop in the middle of the path to eat. Literally every person there is doing it and nobody really notices if you accidentally spill sweet soy sauce into their purse. Well, until later but you’re long gone by then.

Periodically scoop food into the mouth of the creature that is hanging off your front. She gets angry when she’s ignored and hungry.

Avoid the stalls that don’t have a line up. There’s a reason no one is buying food that this guy is promising to serve up. You don’t really want to find out why.

Only when you’re absolutely stuffed do you go and take a look at the “deals” that can be had in the rest of the market. Costco has a stall at the RNM? WTF? Oh wait, that says Castco.

Maybe catch a bit of thai pugilism to go with the side of beef or pig that you just devoured.

Finally, pile onto a plane and fall asleep by counting siu mai and har gao in your head.

Cousins

2009-09-15T23:10:00.001-07:00

Cooking

2009-09-15T23:08:00.001-07:00

My oldest bro KH came out to visit with his family this summer and it was cooking, cooking and more cooking from the moment he stepped in the door. The days were filled with leafing through foodie mags, talking menus and making shopping lists, grocery hunting, cooking and then eating/drinking/sleeping. Rinse and repeat.

There was some wine tasting. Yes, we have a lot of glasses and no, none of them match.

And of course, it’s not really a food adventure until some animal is ground up and put inside another animal. In this case, pork sausage into squid. And then some Southern smoked pork ribs. Followed by some Morrocan spiced ribs. And some pork tenderloin to wrap things up.

Wait, there’s more: cedar planked trout with mushroom risotto.

And orzo with sausages from Oyama. Oh Yama.

I’m hungry now.

Pretty Ladies

2009-09-15T22:48:00.001-07:00

Captain Bubbles

2009-08-12T21:52:00.001-07:00

A while ago, we spent the day at Buntzen Lake eating treats, taking naps and floating around the lake in a canoe. Izzy was dubbed Captain Bubbles and together with her buddy E-Bubbles, a good time was had by all.

If you can’t start a fire with Funana’s shoes…

…you might as well try em on then pass out with E-Bubbles in the shade.

Sour grapes anyone?

Buds for life.

Pool This Way

2009-08-12T21:44:00.001-07:00

We spend a lot of time at Mike’s pool, but we still get lost sometimes. So Izzy decided to make sure we all knew how to get there. BUSTED!!!

As punishment, we put her in the paddy wagon. Droop.

These 2 are up to no good.

Eric long distance cheersing, then dodging the not so stealthy Mike to avoid a second accidental drowning of his beloved iPhone.

There’s something about a fire and meat that gets guys all revved up and industrious. So primitive.

Kathleen, as usual, is not impressed.

All Izza, All the Time

2009-08-12T21:31:00.001-07:00

Got a call today from an avid Izza fan who was complaining about the lack of Mint Mansion updates. To make up for the absence, here’s what she’s been up to.

Safety first, Nigel!

2009-07-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

One can't be too careful out there in the big wide world, Nigel. I do recommend wearing your bike helmet all day - it enhances balance, adds to your fashion and and generally tells your parents you're ready to go anywhere, anytime.

Ooooo! Found a good one!

2009-07-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Yup - pretty good.

Bet you think this photo was taken after the fun in the sun?
Actually, they fell asleep 5 minute before arriving - of course.

Filling little Bellies with filling little Berries

2009-07-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Maika leaning on her mum Adrienne for support after eating her way through the strawberry patch!

Caught! red-handed... Strawberry pickin' with the girls

2009-07-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

No rain, no rainbows

2009-06-27T21:36:00.001-07:00

Eric called a few minutes ago with a heads-up about a rainbow they were watching as the sun was going down. I didn’t realize it was a double until I looked at the shots afterwards. It was quite refreshing to stand outside in the cool mist, breathing deep breaths of wet earth while staring at that bright arc in the sky. I think we really needed this rain, I could almost hear the plants growing around me in the garden. Thanks Eric!

Thank You Corkers!

2009-06-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

We took part in our first Critical Mass yesterday with a group of friends. What an adventure! It was very surreal to share the road with thousands of other cyclists as we cruised through the city on bikes. Amazingly, we were able to stay together and not lose anyone!

Meghan, Nigel and later on, Yoshi crossing the Granville Bridge.

It was such a festive atmosphere; some people brought music in the form of portable radios strapped to their bikes while others just shouted jubilantly at random intervals throughout the ride. Usually, people just yelled “Thank You Corkers!” at the volunteers who were holding back traffic at the intersections.

One of the highlights for me was when we looped back into the downtown core on Burrard Bridge after crossing over the Granville Bridge and we could still see the tail end of the rally on the Granville Bridge! Considering that we weren’t anywhere near the front of the group, that’s a LOT of people on bikes.

From Burrard Bridge looking back onto Granville Bridge.

Here’s one more of us going back into the downtown through what would normally be a pretty gridlocked Friday evening. Not that it wasn’t gridlocked for the drivers (sorry dudes), but it was pretty good for the cyclists…:) And yes, the song you hear in the background is “Are You Jimmy Ray?”, starring the one and only, Andrew Rowat.

The event sparked an interesting discussion this morning about what good this sort of event really does for cycling in general, as there were a lot of pissed off drivers I’m sure who were stuck in traffic for a long time last night, hating cyclists and vowing to run each and every one of them off the road. At the same time it was pretty fun to ride around the city without worrying about getting sideswiped by a car. The line gets blurrier from there: a cyclist at the coffee shop this morning was pretty pissed off about the whole thing, saying it gave “regular” cyclists a bad name.

To each his own I guess because at the end of the day, people who really want to drive are going to drive and people who really want to bike will bike, regardless of how long they were stuck in traffic that one day or what an irate driver yelled at them that one time. People aren’t going to change lifestyles just because of this one evening of inconvenience just like you’re not going to save the environment by going to a concert.

Given the current state of affairs in Iran, I love the fact that we have the option to participate in something like this. If for nothing else, that makes the whole thing a worthwhile endeavor.

Main Days

2009-06-19T14:32:00.001-07:00

Heading off to Main Street Days in the ol’ wagoneer!

Gotta stop to smell the roses first.

We stopped for coffee but before we could pick up our joe some guy ran into the shop yelling “Get out! Get out! There’s a gas leak! Get out!” . Apparently someone broke a gas main out back.

Who needs caffeine to wake up when you’ve got adrenaline?

Oh, the joys of walking down the middle of the street with no fear of getting run over. Actually, when you’re with Earic and Fiona, screw walking…wheeeeeeeee!

It’s a tough choice for lunch…the beefy beef or salty peppery chicken? mmmmm…beefy beef.

Quick stop for a bagel at Solly’s.

Where’s Izzy?

Making public art!

No, she did not draw the fish. She just liked smashing the chalk on the pavement.

Getting tired…

…and she’s down.

Fire in the Sky

2009-06-19T10:57:00.001-07:00

I was shooting the Convention Centre last night and as I was waiting for the sun to fully set I snapped this. It was a pretty magical sun set. If you’re looking for something to do on a summer evening, go down to the Thurlow entrance of the new convention centre and hang out.

Swimming at Shack’s

2009-06-18T23:06:00.001-07:00

Nuthin’ says summer like some Poulet Frit Kentucky and a big pool to wash your hands in after.

Get your own, Dad! This bucket o’ bird is mine.

After Izzy went through 3 pieces in 2 minutes, we decided to check and see where all the meat went.

Apparently, she was storing it all up in her cheeks and the roof of her mouth instead of ingesting it. Like a carnivorous chipmunk. Or like Fiona, who only eats the skin.

Kathleen, not impressed with the amount of chicken grease floating in her pool.

I think the bubba next to the bubbles is a great combo. Oh, and Eric is peeing in the pool.

Too…much…chicken…can’t…walk…straight…

Afternoon with Queen E

2009-06-05T07:38:00.001-07:00

Mike offering Kathleen up to the sun gods in exchange for a clean pool this year.

So dainty and graceful as opposed to ….

RAWRRRRR!!! DUM! DUM! DUM! DUM! DUM! DUM!

It’s a walk-off!

Izzy doesn’t get that Fifi is a whole person, she thinks it’s just what Fiona calls her elbow.

That’s pretty good form! Who cares that the disc is upside down?

up short dot com.

And the winner of Canada’s Next Top Model is…

wait! It’s a tie!

Mike studying how to save someone when they’ve dropped a hot piece of fois gras on their leg and they’ve been poisoned by a corked bottle of ‘45 Rothschild.

Ok…which one belongs to who?

Dim Summer

2009-06-04T09:49:00.001-07:00

The best way to start a Sunday morning with Seattle visitors is a handful of nursery rhymes on the couch and a nice coffee. Maybe a bit of thumb too.

Nothin’ says you’re a Chinese person like a glass of Diet Coke with your morning dim sum.

That’s 2 shui mai’s stuffed in her cheeks for later.

Ping Pong Q

2009-06-04T09:37:00.001-07:00

(featuring photography by guest contributor Debbie)

Whenever you see this combination of expressions in real life, it usually means that Dad needs to go and wash crap off his shorts.

Nigel working on his hand eye coordination. Needs more work.

Eric kept smashing shots into Nigel’s face until he cried. He’s such a ping pong bully.

On the surface, these are 2 guys eating burgers and talking about monster trucks and chicks…

…but underneath those gruff exteriors reveals that one is thinking more about going to the potty.

I think this is where our guest photographer Debbie started to get distracted by all the testosterone floating around the yard.

And then 10pm hit and Evil Debbie arrived.

Brisket Day

2009-05-13T10:27:00.001-07:00

To celebrate the completion (well, almost completion) of our recent spate of renos, we smoked a brisket and invited the crew over.

Integrity tests of the new deck went smoothly with no structural failures. Meat, coleslaw, beers and of course…

…corn! Not sure how things are done in the Lucas household but apparently they don’t believe in trash cans or compost…they just make their kids eat everything.

Cousins

2009-04-20T20:14:00.001-07:00

Kayden's 1st birthday! What a cutey...so laid back and easy going. This is one of the few photos we got with all the kids together. Notice ours is the only one who is bare feet and looking pretty drunk. You can take us out of East Van, but you can't take the East Van out of us.

Holy Asian Stereotypes Batman!!! Did you notice there isn't a single gwai muey holding a camera in this photo? And there are FIVE cameras being used, including mine! Every single Asian in this photo has a camera. That makes the stereotype 100% accurate. In fact, I believe my dad is fumbling with a camera just out of frame so that makes it 6 out of 5 Asians with a camera. That's 120% sucka fools! My math does not lie...and you know what they say about our math skillz. Very powerful. Very.

Learning to Fly

2009-04-20T20:04:00.001-07:00

My bro KH always loved airplanes. He built model airplanes, drew sketches of airplanes, read books about airplanes, made airplane sounds, even made a radio controlled airplane that crashed on it's maiden voyage. I don't remember what happened to it, but I remember pouring some of the leftover jet fuel out of a pop bottle onto a charcoal fire in the backyard. I did get my hearing back within a few hours as well as most of the feeling in my arm, but the grass took a few years.

He also loved space and I'm sure dreamed constantly of being an astronaut. I can still hum the tune to "The Right Stuff" because of him. I don't know what it was that drew him to the skies, but I think he's trying to pass that passion onto his son Dante. His first choice of transference was to huck him as hard and as high as possible on the swings. I'm not sure I agree with his methods but I sure do admire his commitment. "To infinity....AND BEYOND!!!!"

When Mel saw this photo, there was a long pause before she quietly said: "wow...he's really high up there." Ah Mel, so much patience.

The following photos indicate the reason why he shouldn't be piloting any sort of vehicle let alone a plane or space craft: severe lack of coordination:

At least it justifies the motorcycle jacket. Safety first!

Clapperton Dinner

2009-04-17T08:49:00.001-07:00

Hey Jack, I think those things in the nest are...feathers?

Careful Wayne! That's some nose beef you almost got there!

Thanks Bill and Judy for hosting such a delicious meal and bringing everyone together.

Egg Hunt

2009-04-17T08:42:00.001-07:00

What's Easter without an egg hunt?

Jada and Dante were ready for the big event.

Izzy had no idea what the hell was going on. "Is it Halloween again Dad?" Sort of honey, sort of. Just play along and you'll get candy.

Becca, showing Dante and Jada how Easter is done.

The Pink Marshmallow Monster wanted KH's slick motorcycle jacket and tried to sneak up on him but got foiled at the front step...by the front step.

"Nope, no eggs there Mom."

It was less of an egg "hunt" as it was an egg free-for-all. It was like a giant kid-powered vacuum cleaner that swept across the field of eggs leaving only pristine grass and the odd crying child in it's wake.

Izzy learned that eggs are filled with delicious chocolate. Breakfast will never be the same.

For Uncle Tilley: Chocolate = Peace.

Calamity Zam and the Izza.

Fallen Angel Cake

2009-04-17T08:20:00.001-07:00

So Mel's birthday was on Easter weekend, so KH decided to bake her an angel food cake. I think he did well until the cooling phase, when somehow he thought it would be a good idea to take the cake outside and turn it upside down over a bottle of St. Remy.

Does the 10 second rule still apply?

It was known as the Sidewalk cake until Mel took a look at it and dubbed it the Fallen Angel Cake. To KH's credit, the end result was quite pretty:

Crowd verdict: Very delicious and, according to Dad...sinewy? Something gets lost in translation there.

Easter in Newcastle

2009-04-17T07:59:00.001-07:00

Just came back from a great week in Ontario visiting the grandparents in Wallaceburg and Newcastle. The Burg photos are coming soon but I just had to put these ones up of Pappa and Bill carving Easter dinner.

Pappa, ever the professional, slowly peeled off wafer thin slices of succulent ham with a effortless swipe of a hand sharpened blade and then laid each piece gracefully on a china plate.

Bill on the other hand chose the electric slicer (the horror!!!) for the beef...

..all the while growling like a madman and snarfing down "tester" pieces when no one was looking...

...finally adding a bit of his own "special" flavour to the dish. Yes, that piece went back into the mix. I believe Aunt Jude ended up with it on her plate but with a bit of horseradish, she was none the wiser. Well, until now I guess...

2009-04-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

musical character? inability to speak coherently? ahhhh, kindred spirits.

House Update

2009-04-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

See the fridge on the right? That's right. No kitchen wall on the back. See the guy standing level to the kitchen floor? That's right. Back deck almost complete.

Old. New. We've been asked if we're going to repaint the whole place minty green again. mmmm....
Three and half weeks into our work, our neighbor decides he's got to keep up with kk - he's building his shed in the back there - in 4 days!

open concept redefined.
removing front window top to match front window bottom. shingles have all gotta come off! off!
it was a very mike holmes moment.

Fashionista

2009-03-13T08:47:00.001-07:00

Look ladies, fashion doesn’t have to be confusing. You just need to follow your heart and wear what feels right. Like:

…a onesie with Mary Janes as you waltz through international airports. Or…

…going TNB (Tops no bottoms) while you create art. ART!

How about a reverse bikini top? Which is a great way to start…

…PATAH (Pants Around The Ankles Hour!). Which inevitably leads to…

…violent encounters with the Papa-razzi. "Get that camera out of my face Dad! You’ll be hearing from my lawyer!!!”

Finally, the easiest way to dress yourself up is to start with the hair…

And then move to the face.

Choo choo

2009-03-13T08:01:00.001-07:00

Finally! We have an engineer in the family. "Back of the train Dad! We don't let dropout failure bums up here!"

Feeeeeesh

2009-03-13T07:52:00.001-07:00

LB had a pretty nice aquarium, small but nice. We touched sharks, rays, starfish and sea urchins. They had octopus (octopi?) and king crabs, which were the creepiest looking things in the world. Oh, and they killed a blue whale, stuffed it and hung it in the lobby. If only we had smell-o-vision...

This is not a trick photo. These fish are bigger than izzy. They're called giant sea bass and yes, they definitely kick ass. I'm not sure if Izzy actually saw any sea lions. They were so fast and she was so slow: we would yell "Hey Izzy! There's one!" and by the time she looked, they were gone.

They had a larakeet sanctuary which was pretty cool. These little birds were crazy mofos. They would do fly-bys past our heads, sometimes nicking our hair with their wings. Then, if you walked close enough to them, they would jump off the branches and onto you to just hang out.