Sick...

So early last week Roger discovered some lumps and bumps on my body. At first everyone had thought that they were various sebaceous cysts that I've been dealing with for the past year, but this was different. The main difference is that they are all over the body, with a rather large mass behind my neck. Roger and Tracey took me to the veterinarian for a biopsy. The results were in today and luckily the doctor said that the results were negative. Whew what a relief. Andrew and Deana were nice enough to let me stay at the house in Whistler while I was recovering. I was really happy to be with so many people. I went from room to room to say hello to everyone. They were all so kind. Here are some pictures from our trip.
Whistler 2013 from Obiwanhavanese on Vimeo.
A great time was had by all. Certainly the kids got along so well. It's actually nice to see. As we get older we can share more experiences and memories.

Spring Break trip to Seattle.

So the family spent a few days in Seattle during Malcolm's spring break. They stayed in a very nice hotel in downtown Seattle called the Maxwell Hotel. The hotel had a pool, was conveniently located, and even served cupcakes in the lobby. It was a nice trip for the family. The kids got some new shoes, they got to see their cousin Vincent and were able to spend some family time together in another city. It was a busy few days, the Seattle Outlets, Chihuly Museum, Space Needle, Science Center, shopping,  Top Pot Doughnuts, Pike Place Market and some other Seattle sites. Here are some pictures from their trip, if you want to see the whole set click the link. (I think Tracey has been cured of her need to travel, maybe in a few more months):

Disneyland 2012

It wasn't the best of starts for the trip to Disneyland. Roger and Tracey wanted the trip to be a surprise, but it was difficult to decide on when exactly they were going to tell the kids. On the day of departure, they sat the kids down on the couch and gave them the surprising news. Unfortunately, Malcolm didn't react the way they expected, he cried and cried exclaiming that Disneyland was no fun and that the PNE was much more fun. Melody on the other hand seemed truly excited, she asked whether she'd get a chance to see the princesses and meet Minnie Mouse. So suffice to say, the beginning of the trip was met with some drama and tears. I think as parents, it's questionable to feel whether it's worth it. With tantrums, mood swings, and less than exemplary behaviour all they really wanted is to share in an adventure with them.

I think all in all, the kids had a great time, but something that has reared its ugly head is the delayed onset of the terrible twos. Melody has had pretty much a tantrum a day all related to either her independence and or her resistance to do something. It can be something as simple as having a bath, putting on a jacket, changing her diaper or in the case of Disneyland, getting off the ride all by herself or not getting that special toy. Perhaps the high temperatures and fatigue were a factor, but Roger and Tracey have dealt with some very unreasonable behaviour over the past few days. Let's just hope that she outgrows it soon.

Despite all that, they do have to reflect on the good, that is, the kids did really enjoy themselves. Disneyland must be a pretty magical place in their eyes. A place where characters come to life and where fairy tales do come true. Pictures like this one below of Malcolm do make things worthwhile. This was Malcolm's first ride on Thunder Mountain, a less than tame roller coaster. As you can see from the expression on his face he was having a great time. The picture made it worthwhile for Roger to carry that beast of a lens (Nikkor 70-200VRII) around.


Here's Malcolm's second ride on the roller coaster the very next day. The look on his face is priceless.


The family also enjoyed a character lunch at Goofy's Kitchen, where they saw a total of 8 characters for a meet and greet. Here's a shot with Pluto.


No trip to Disneyland would be complete without a visit with the princesses. They managed to catch Belle one morning and snap a picture with her.


Roger was happy to spend some(albeit short) time with some family down south. Although he just saw cousin Connie, he hasn't seen the rest of the family in a long time, over 15 years to be exact.


Here's a shot with Tracey and the kids as well.


Here's a shot of David and me. Compared with the shot of David and me shot in 1999. Wow, things sure do change.



Their last day at Disneyland with the castle in the background.




This is one of Roger's favorite images from Disneyland. It captures the magic and excitement that is Disneyland. It was taken during Mickey's Fantasmic show, marking the last day of the family vacation. Very poignant that the blue moon was also captured, adding to the metaphor of a trip to Disneyland.