Preschool Fun

We are trying preschool this fall...only on Tuesdays for 1 1/2 hours. That is all that I am ready for! Clara is really enjoying it, and is making new friends.

She brings home a neat art project each week and told me today that she likes going to school "to learn new things". I'll remind her of that in a few years:)
It's been really fun for me to have some one-on-one time with Hannah while Clara is in school. I'd forgotten how easy running errands is with just one child, and Hannah and I have some great conversations. When we go to pick Clara up, Hannah peers through the glass door calling for her to "come out"! I can tell that she really misses her during school time, but is hopefully enjoying some time with Mommy too.
Hannah told Clara that we go to the park each day after we drop her off at school, so I think Clara felt like she was missing out. She wanted to go too, so Hannah and I picked up lunch on the way back to get Clara today and took it across the street for a picnic in the park. We were blessed with warm sunshine after the past few soggy days.

Our beginning ballerina

Clara had her first dance class this week. She picked out her dance outfit and put it on as soon as we got home to start practicing!

Hannah was practicing too!
She learned a few dance moves, but mostly got to slide, leap, and jump around the room doing the motions to a lot of fun songs. It was 45 minutes of constant movement. I was glad to be an observer and not a participant!
Joe was able to be there for her first class too. He would start to clap each time Clara took her turn. I'm not sure that ballet is really a cheering type of sport, but we were so proud of her!

Clara would wave to us and call out "Hi Mommy, Hi Daddy" each time she would circle past us.

Hannah waited so patiently right at the edge of the dance floor watching the class, but you could tell that she can't wait for her turn to get out there. I'm thinking maybe tumbling class will suit her better, though!

All Aboard!

We enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine Sunday afternoon by taking a boat cruise on Lake Union. Clara shouted "All aboard!" as we made our way down the ramp to the Fremont Ice Cream Cruise ferry boat.

The girls loved being out on the water.....

but I think they loved the ice cream sandwiches even more!

After the boat cruise, we hung out in the park and played tag and watched the seaplanes land on the water right in front of us. Hannah kept saying "airplane splash in water" each time one would land. I think we were there near closing time, as seaplanes were landing about every 2 minutes!

We are enjoying the sunshine while we can, as the forecast is calling for rain by mid-week :(

Circus, Circus!

The circus souveniers are conveniently placed at each entrance;) This was our first stop, with Grandma leading the way!

Can I have this one please????
I really love it!
Thank you, Grandma, for the baby white tigers in the purple purses!!!
Both girls sat mesmerized for the entire show. I think the adults were just as impressed.
See what I learned at the circus??

We had a GREAT vacation week!!!!

Vacation Fun!

Joe headed back to work today after 9 wonderful days on vacation with us. We packed a lot of fun into our week, beginning with family jump night at Pump It Up. I'm always amazed at the energy kids have-running and jumping non-stop for hours! Although, on Clara's last climb up to the top of the huge bouncy slide she said, "I'm exhausted Mommy!"

We played at the Children's museum the next day and then headed to Seattle's zoo to see the animals and ride the carousel the following day. Then, we were off to Portland, and had dinner on Labor Day with our good friends, Jen and Mitch, who are expecting their first baby next week!
Our tummys are disturbingly similar in size.....5 months pregnant and 8 1/2 months pregnant! I guess this is what a 3rd baby does!

We made it to the Portland zoo Tuesday morning, and had fun riding the zoo train and playing with the Nance cousins. Between our two families, we have a 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 year old right now:)

Then it was on to the Oregon coast for a few days in Lincoln City and playing on the beach!
We were blessed with beautiful weather, although the winds kept it fairly cool still. Clara didn't seem to mind, and felt it necessary to strip down to her swimsuit as soon as her feet hit the sand!


Clara loved the waves and the water-which meant that either Joe or I had to brave the cold water with her.....usually it was Joe! Clara and Joe making discoveries in the tide pools at low tide.Hannah preferred to get close to the waves and then turn and run from them. She also loved digging in the sand and making sand birthday cakes with sticks for candles. I think we celebrated each of our birthdays at least 10 times!
My sister-in-law was kind enough to be 10 days overdue with her first baby so that we were able to be in Bend when he was born:) We drove to Bend from the beach and anxiously awaited his birth. She endured 18 hours of labor and Boden Thomas Hackenbruck was born at 2 am on Sept. 5th, weighing 9 lbs!!!

My brother, Tommy, with his newborn son:)
Diaper duty!
We got back to Seattle this past weekend just in time for the circus!!!

What we've been up to...

This post is a bit delayed, as we were without a camera for a couple of weeks and have been on vacation this past week. I mostly wanted to write some of these things down so that I don't forget them.

Joe was out-of-town for the first couple nights of the Olympics, so I let Clara stay up with me to watch. Those first few nights were full of swimming races, and we soon realized that Clara had developed a huge crush on Michael Phelps!! She would get giddy and dance around when he came on the TV (which seemed to be any time we turned it on) and she could pick his mom out of the crowd. She was asking if she could go visit him at his house when he got back from China! That led to a little lesson in geography, and the long distance between our house and his. She even got out our map so that I could show her which state Michael lived in! Clara renamed one of her favorite dogs Michael Phelps, so the legend will live on in our house! I guess he is a step up from her last crush on the little boy "Steven" in the Barney video.....

Clara and Michael Phelps :)

Today, as we were walking into church, Clara was asking me if she could get a dog and a cat when she gets married. (I've pretty much told her that she won't own a pet in our home!) She then went on to tell me that she doesn't know who she is going to marry yet, but that she will wear a beautiful white dress! This girl has some big ideas beyond her years!!

Hannah's talking has exploded in the past month, and it is so fun to see even more personality come out with her words. Some of her common expressions lately have been:

"Mommy, I DO IT!"
"I'm real, real thirsty-I want juice" and when I tell her that she already had enough juice today, her response is, "Just a little bit".....already negotiating!
"Clara, I did it!" She is so proud of every new thing that she can do. She insists on putting her own socks and shoes on, zipping her own coat or pajamas, and drinking from a cup without a lid "like a big girl"
"Hey guys, what you doing?"
And if she sees any member of the family is missing, she will ask, "Clara is?" "Daddy is?"

Hannah usually starts the day by putting her favorite Clifford movie on the TV, watching about 5 minutes of it, and then coming into the kitchen to climb up on the counter and help me make "panpakes". She loves helping me scoop, pour, and stir anything she can get her hands on. Her other new discovery is climbing out of her crib! She called me after one of her naps this week, and when I walked in, she was hanging on for dear life from the outside of the crib, not quite sure if she could make the drop to the floor. We put a big rubbermaid bin next to the crib, and she is getting pretty good at climbing in and out!

It's another GIRL!!!!!

My talented and creative friend, Emily, came up with this cute photo to announce our third little Nance girl! I think weddings and shopping trips are all Joe can think about today-he'll probably be applying for a second job tonight ;) We're thrilled to welcome another sweet girl in January!!