Nico the Biologist

Nico has decided that he wants to be a Biologist. It looks like he's already well on his way. Here are some drawings he's done lately: (click on each for the full-size image)


Crustaceans


The First Animals


The Animals of the Abyss


Colorful Animals


Alpine Newts: This is a local animal, and we've found a stream on the way to Nico's school where we can observe them in real life!!!


The World

Me, at Jazoon!!!

setting up


Saying hi to the cameraman


my enormous talk


looking up, trying to figure out what to say...

Congrats on the baby!!!

Actual conversation:

me: Hey did you see the pictures of your new cousin?
Nico: No.
me: Do you know what her name is?
Nico: No.
me: I'll give you an hint! It's the same as Shrek's girlfriend.
Nico: Donkey?

You are my caca prout fesse

my only caca prout fesse
you make me caca prout fesse
when skies are caca prout fesse
you'll never caca prout fesse
how much I caca prout fesse
please don't caca
my prout fesse
away...

I am very, very sorry to explain that "caca prout fesse" is French for "poop fart butt"

Feeding time

Just in the interest of information (this was not a photographed event) ...last night was Alice's first feeding time at our home. Ryan, Emily and Andrew were fascinated by the whole thing! They watched and were amazed. I actually watched too. It was crazy to watch Alice open her mouth so big and get that mouse in without hands and arms to assist. We, I mean Erik, gave her two frozen mice. Afterwards I asked Andrew how he felt about seeing that Alice eat. He told me he thought it was cool. I asked him if it was yucky..and he told me that he doesn't like mice so it was good! He actually wants to give the snake alive mice to eat. I don't think I could watch that though. So even after witnessing last night's feast I am still thinking that Alice is a good gentle snake. Do you boys think you would like to see Alice eat? Mom, Dad you guys are always invited to come over and watch too!

Alice meets the family

We heard that Nico and Leo love snakes right now. The kids wanted share these pictures of our new pet snake Alice. Emily thinks you guys are going to love meeting this snake. Alice is a corn snake, and I have to admit she is a pretty sweet gentle animal..of course I have yet to witness a feeding time. I am also going to post a video of Andrew with Alice so you guys can enjoy that too.

Ryan is NINE!!!

A Scene by Nicolas

Here's a drawing Nicolas did last night during dinner at the crèperie:



It's a scene from the film Happy Feet. He did the drawing all by himself without any help or ideas from his parents.

Mosasaur

Varan, a big lizard

Last week we went to Zürich, in Switzerland, where we are going to move next year.
Nicolas and Léo saw the natural history museum, and the zoo.


Here is the zoo playground.




Here is a chameleon in the rainforest




Here is the march of the penguins in the zoo.




Here Nicolas is drawing mammoths in the math department of Emmanuel's new university.




And here is the view from Emmanuel's new office

Duluth swimming

The kids wanted to show pictures of our swimming to Nico andLeo. We had a great time in Duluth. I wasn't sure if you guys have already seen it on the applevalleymom blog.

Summer fun slide show

This is me and my neighbor McKenzie. I love babies. I get to babysit her sometimes. She is sooo cute.

One of my favorite things to do is ride my scooter around the block. I love going down the hills. I got the scooter for Christmas last year. Do you like riding your scooters?

Hard at work

This is when we were done with school on the first day of school. I ride the "light blue" bus. It is called that because it has a light blue paper in the window. Ryan got off first, then Nicole and then me.

The first day of school

This is Ryan and me on the first day of school. Ryan is in third grade, I am in second grade. My teacher's name is Mrs. Wanzek. Ryan's teacher is named Mrs. Moe.

Dinosaur drawings!

Here's a picture of the animals of the Cretaceous period:


pterodactyl, dimetrodon, terisinosaurus, giant squid, cymbospondylus, megalodon

Here's a picture of the animals of the Jurassic period:


pteranodon, diplodocus, stegosaurus, triceratops, leedsichthys, giant mosasaur, elasmosaurus, liopleurodon, archelon

(note from mom: I haven't double-checked to make sure he got the eras right on these, but I did double-check the spelling so I wouldn't embarrasss myself too much typing the captions...)

Animal Drawings

Here is a bat:

See how the bones of his wings are different from the bones in the wings of a pteranodon:

Here is a family of right whales:

Here is a cross-section of a dolphin, showing its skeleton. The dolphin has just eaten a fish:

Here's a Liopleurdon with its skeleton:

Here's a Mosasaur with its skeleton:

Here's a squid with its skeleton: