Fun Times with the Ladies at the Aquarium

We took advantage of a rainy day to go to the Vancouver Aquarium with our wonderful friends and neighbors Lindsay and Shelby and Lisa and Zoe. I also had a little neighbor that I watch twice a week, Greta, but fortunately for me, she preferred riding in the stroller, so I only had one toddler to chase most of the time.

It was so fun to see the girls running around together and getting excited by the same things.

Lisa and Zoe

Aurora in awe of some of the BC Coast collection.

Shelby checking out the floor-to-ceiling tropical aquarium.

There's an Amazon area with bats (Aurora was psyched), giant fish, some piranha, and then a walk-through area with trees, birds, and turtles. There were two blue parrots that kept saying "Hello. Hi. Hi."

The girls were completely facinated. A few minutes later we found several turtles near the fence and Shelby walked right up to them and waved and said "Hi! Hi!"

Aquarium, Aquarium....

Climbing as usual. Aurora loves all the fake rocks and piers in the BC Coast section.

Aurora and Greta, in the discoteque-style kids area. They've got these incredible clear archways that are tanks with starfish and crabs, etc. If I was a kid winning the "make a wish" program, I would want a room designed and maintained by the aqaurium folks. In fact, I'd be psyched to have one as a grown up.

Zoe, Shelby and Aurora in front of one of the amazing jellyfish tanks. Several of the varieties they have at the Aquarium remind me of Japanese ink drawings, these included. I really need to get back to the Aquarium when Aurora is either asleep in the stroller or with someone else so I can just stop and gawk at all the amazing sights and read all the information they have posted about the animals-without having to dash off after a toddler.

December and Our First Bike Ride of the New Year

Well, here we are! Finally posting in the New Year, or as Stephen Colbert calls it, '010.

We had a great Christmas break. We were able to attend my cousin Seth's wedding reception and see many Castleton cousins. We spent time with our beloved friend Aparna, flew down and spent a week in St. George with my family, saw some good friends, and even managed to lure Abe's brother Dallin down to stay with us for a few days.

Aurora had a great time with "Namma," "Nampy/Nampa" and Auntie Erin, Uncle "Taut" and Uncle Dallin. Unfortunately, our camera didn't make it out much, but here's a few photos.

Abe and good friend Brian Poulsen made it out for some climbing, as did Dallin. I only made it out on Christmas Eve unfortunately.

It's really convenient that Abe and BP have in-laws in the St. George area, right by year-round climbing.... :)

Aurora definitely learned what presents are! She had a great time and loves her new toys, crayons and beloved hair clips.

First real bike ride of the year! We biked around the Stanley Park seawall with our friends McKay, Julianne and Banyon. It was the first bluebird day in a while, so of course, the seawall was in high use.

Looking due west (our house and UBC are somewhere on that distant dark area on the far left).

It was pretty fantastic to be able to enjoy such a sunny day in January, but Julianne and I were pretty frozen afterwards!