Milo said...

We were on our way into the ski store to buy skis for the boys. On the way in:

Milo:"Papa, glaubst du die haben Polytetrafluoroethene auf den skiern drauf?"
Me:"Haeh? Keine Ahnung."

So we get skis and shoes and try them on and Milo asks the dude who works there:

Milo:"Do you have Polytetrafluoroethene on your skis?"
Dude:"I will just say no to that one."
Milo"..."

Later on the way back home:

Milo: "Polytetrafluoroethene is an antifriction agent used on Non-stick pans and skis. I wanted to know if the skis slide nicely."

Watson and Milo said

So we have this great book about manners. We read it to them as often as we can. It describes how not to behave by naming kids that behave certain bad ways. For example there is snooper, who always goes into rooms without knocking. Or my favorite, Smash, Rip, and Ruin who destroy everything they touch or use hammers to destroy things. You get the idea.

At the end of the book there is a section "to draw your own ideas about manners". When I finished reading that today, they had their own ideas.

Watson:"I made up 'never-do-anything'. He never goes to bed, never brushes his teeth, and doesn't take his clothes off all the way before going to bed" (he was precisely describing the state Milo was in).
Milo:"And I mad up 'always naked'" describing precisely the state Watson was in.

Christmas 2009

It's the time of the year to be merry! As is tradition now, we went to Fort Worden, at the edge of Port Townsend and rented one of the officer's houses in the Fort for 4 days to spend Christmas with our good Friends the Kinasts and the Yaquoubis.
After a bustling drive over the Tacoma Narrows bridge we got there on the 24th at around 2. This year we got a single family house. The entire row of houses was built in 1911-1913, providing for the commanding officers a commanding place with a commanding view to live in during their usually short residence at the fort. The fort was built during WWI to protect against potential invading Japanese troupes through the straight of San Juan de Fuca. As we know the Japanese never attacked and the fort was abandoned in 1943. But at the time the commanders decided to build a lavish set of residences with the most modern amenities such as running warm water and bathrooms to make the stay for the east coast Westport graduates palatable. They never liked the remote location so far away from their east coast homes and many dreaded the rainy winters. Well, their loss and we are left with wonderful houses, an enormous base, and the very scary/fun/adventurous bunkers along the ledge and cape of the tip of the Olympic Peninsula.

It's always great fun to hike up to the bunkers and explore the abandoned dark caves left behind. The whole area is pretty much left to rot, there are no safety measures to make anything safe to explore, and the whole thing spews of rotten old war era stuff. It feels a little like the sinking bunkers along the west coast of france. Unused, abandoned old concrete fortresses that now can serve as playground for the adventurous child.

At the tip of the cape, we could get a glimpse of Mount Rainier in the background.

And the the straight east, a clear view of Mount Baker. Snowboarding was invented there.

Just south, you can see the Fort, behind those white houses is officer's row.

We also saw a falcon fly over our heads. Watson was a little afraid of being scooped up and the next meal for this malicious predator.

One of the cool old gas stations at the fort. Americana in its purest form!

The weather was wonderful the whole time this year. We were treated to sunshine and 50 degree weather the whole time. And to us, 50 degree weather is shirt off weather.

There was also a good chunk of time we could spend at the beach. Due to the nice weather it was really pleasant. In past years we've had to really bundle up and protect ourselves against cold wind and rain blwoing from the southeast; last year we even had surfable waves. This year all sunshine!

The whole crew right before we left!

Great times also with drinking, Fondue, Turducken, and this wonderful Marzipan Chicken that Said made for us, it was a culinary journey through the Americana routed to the Moroccan specialties. Well, we reserved for next year again, so can't wait to be back!

Leila spielt mit ihrer Puppe und freut sich

Leila hat diese kleine Puppe, oder Rassel, oder was auch immer. auf der einen Seite ist ein Spiegel, auf der anderen ein smiley face.
Sie ist gerade in dem Alter wo man ein smiley face noch als menschliches Gesicht interepretiert (erinnert ihr euch noch an die Bio Stunden? jaja!).

Auf jeden koennt ihr hier unten mal sehen wie wahnsinnig sie auf diese Rassel reagiert.

Watson said...

Watson: "Christmas is just around the corner."
Watson: "It's not around this corner? maybe the next. Christmas is just around the corner!"
so he walks around a ton of corners, but no Christmas.

Watson said...

W:"Milo, why do you always say 'empty square'. Your answer to everything is 'empty square'."
Milo:"You mean E=mc^2?"

Nikolaus Tag!

Wir haben das deutsche traditionelle Schuh rausstellen gemacht. Ein paar Bilder:

Und es gab natuerlich viele schoene Sachen. Das heisst bei uns selbstverstaendlich Katastrophe. Milo hat einen Fingerabhacker gekriegt (der natuerlich nicht echt die Finger abhackt). Der hat ganze zwei Stunden gehalten. Dann wurde er Opfer einer Nuss - kaputt nach so kurzer Zeit und das geplaerre war gross!
Dann gleich weiter: Fake Snow gab's auch noch. Wir haben die Kinder gebeten, draussen damit zu spielen. Statt dessen haben sie eine Sauerei in beiden Badezimmern gemacht, im Esszimmer und in der Kueche! Natuerlich auch vor der Tuer.
Also jetzt erst mal putzen! Und es ist erst 11 Uhr morgens.

Watson said...

I was telling him that he can't have a toy or a candy of his desire.

Watson:"Ich glaube mein Schwein pfeifft!"

Walking around some more - cartier latin, Eiffel Tower, etc.

So I did some more walking! I don't think I've walked this much since 1999. I am totally beat and looking forward to coming home tomorrow.

Walking from 4eme to Eiffel Tower and back from Lutz Gerhard on Vimeo.

Walk from hotel to montmartre

And I walked a bit more as well. Went to Montmartre via Marrais, Gard du Nord, and then back to Galleries Lafayette and Printemps.

Unfortunately all the stores were closed because it's Sunday! there were a ton of people though checking out the animated window displays for Christmas.

From the road

Hey Melissa!

I got up early this morning to take some pics and stuff! see below:



And here some more:




And more:



and more:

Watson said...

Melissa was reading "highlights for children status poll" online. She was asking the kids some of the questions.

Melissa:"Who do you look up to and admire most in your life. Categories are: teachers, parents, friends, celebreties."
Watson:"Daddy? Does it say 'your dad'?" Looking all hopeful.
Melissa:"Oh, is that who you look up to the most?"
Vigorous nodding from Watson!

Milo said...

Milo is starting to get a pretty sophisticated knowledge of science. He's especially interested in chemistry these days. It's all driven by blowing things up.

Milo:"All you need is an oxidizing agent, like potassiumchlorate. Then you mix that with a sugar source, say a snickers. It will give you a great explosion!"

A day in the life...

Ich dachte Samstag wird ein ganz normaler Tag mit Watson und Milo. Es fing alles so gut an: Wir hatten frische Milch, alle waren rechtzeitig zum Fruehstueck wach, es gab das was sie am liebsten moegen: Cereal. Wir schafften es zum ersten Mal rechtzeitig zur Samstagsschule!
Nach der Samstagsschule ab zum Fussball. Es war eigentlich ganz schoenes Wetter. doch ploetzlich find es leicht zu nieseln an. Ich sagte noch zu Watson:"Willst Du ins Auto damit Du nicht so nass wirst?" Watson:"Ja, gute Idee!". Also Watson ins Auto gebracht.
Dann fing es an wie aus Eimern zu giessen. Nicht nur ein bischen, sonder so wie ich es noch nie erlebt hatte! Schon gar nicht in Seattle. Milo hat tapfer Fussball gespielt und auch den Ball ein paar mal gut weggedribbelt.
Der arme Kerl stand im Regen im Tor voellig durchnaesst!
Als das Spiel vorbei war, kam die Sonne auch wieder raus. Wir gehen zum Auto: Watson hatte sich mit einem rosa farbenem Stift das Gesicht voellig zugemalt. Und nicht nur das, auch die Fenster waren angemalt, und die Armlehne des Vordersitzes.
Also ab nach Hause, umziehen, los zu Marty's Geburtstagsbarbequeue. Da angekommen:
Watson faengt an sich mit Marty zu streiten und Tritt ihm in die Eier (zwei Mal). Milo entdeckt das Klavier, geht rueber. Watson hinterher.
Ich: "Watson, nicht die Finger ins Klavier stecken.". Schwupp, Milo macht das Klavier auf und Watson hatte die Finger drinnen. Kurzes schreien.
Dann faengt Milo an "fuer Elise" zu spielen. Sehr schoen, alle staunen wie gut er es kann. Dann spielt er ununterbrochen das Klavier weiter, hoher laermpegel. Watson tritt Marty nochmal in die Eier. Marty holt Selerie und steckt es in Watson's Mund. Er faengt an zu plaerren und ist ganz sauer weil we glaubt, Marty wolle ihn ersticken.
Dann streiten sie sich um einen Tisch der auch eine Sitzbank ist, die man auf und zu machen kann. Sie jagen sich durchs Haus und schreien.
Endlich kriege ich sie ins Auto. Wir fahren nach Hause, und waehrend der Fahrt streiten sie sich um das Buch das der Watson zum lesen mitgebracht hat. Ich kann sie nur ruhig kriegen indem ich ihnen verbiete sich gegenseitig anzufassen, haende in der Naehe von einander zu haben und miteinander zu sprechen.

Spaeter machen sie Party in ihrem Zimmer bis 11, wie ueblich! Erfolgreicher Tag!

Pumpkin carving has started!

We went to Remlinger Farms this weekend, which is awesome fun. It's not much of a farm, but it has rollercoasters and other kids attractions. It was also Leila's first outing, going out into the wild, cold, sunny, crazy world for the first time. She slept through most of it!

Afterwards I picked up 5 pumpkins. One idea I had was to make a small one that was being eaten by a big one. That's what you see above. I also got some fake blood which I will apply when Halloween comes closer for the extra gore effect.

So Watson decides the little pumpkin is his. He was very upset when he saw it being eaten by the "daddy pumpkin". So he takes it out. Now Watson and I have this little war going on - everytime I see the pumpkin, I put the little one back into the mouth of the big one, Watson pulls it right back out when he sees it.

Watson said...

Watson:"papa, komm mit mir."
me:"aber ich habe doch leila." - i was holding her
watson:"ich will dass du tust den da ins bett damit ich dir was zeigen kann."

Watson said...

At the hospital to pick up Melissa and the baby. Watson jumping around. I ask him if he wants to hold the baby, he says 'YES.'
He holds the baby for a few seconds, then says:
"My life has totally changed now that I have a baby."

Leila Nixie Gerhard born!

Today, on a beautiful sunny day in Seattle, at 6:26pm, Leila Nixie Gerhard was born. It was pretty straightforward, not like we don't have experience!

I made an elaborate music playlist, but what a coincidence, she was born to "Uncle John's Band" by the Grateful Dead just like Milo!

Melissa feels great and I am hungry since I didn't have breakfast and have only had vegetable crudite for lunch. I know it's selfish but worth pointing out.

Melissa before birth. Check out the belly, it was pretty big at this point, and ready to pop out the baby.

Leila Nixie at about 5 seconds of age. I cut the chord, of course. Yes the head looks funny. but so would yours if you were squished through a 10cm opening.

Quite the chunker at 8 lbs, 12 ounces, or in real units nearly 4kg.

Melissa with the baby! She looks remarkably like Melissa already!


Much less remarkably me with the baby.

Now we're going to order off the hospital menu and maybe get a glass of wine.

Oh, below a video of her at 30 seconds. I am trying this video thing for the first time, let's see if it works!

First Day of School

First day of school! Milo is in 3rd grade, Watson is in Kindergarten! In the US, Kindergarden is treated like real school - kids have to attend, and it goes all day (from 9:30 - 15:25). They learn reading and writing and stuff so I was really surprised to see that with my German background. Why don't they just call it first grade? Beats me.

Watson sitting at his new desk. The teacher had prepared everything nicely, playdo was ready for crafts, and classical music was playing. Very different from my experience some 30 years ago!

On our way walking to school. Watson was very excited!
Just outside our house. Milo all cool and jaded, Watson excited for the new.
I don't think Watson realizes that this is the first step into the industrialization machine. From this step on, it's studying, learning, competing, working. Childhood is almost over!

Milo said...

Milo and Watson were in the back of the car, we were on our way to a BBQ with friends.

Watson:"I wonder what it's like to be a girl."

Milo:"I don't know. Who knows what girls like."

Milo:"But I know what it's like to be a boy. It's great."

Watson (all excited):"Yeah it's great to be a boy, it's so much fun!"

Papa:"Aber was ist so toll daran, ein Junge zu sein?"

Milo:"Man kann ueber viele Sachen nachdenken, wie man sachen invented und wie alles funktioniert."

Wild Waves

It's that time of the year we can't miss. The middle of summer, hot, hot, hot out. This was the first time I went along with Milo and Watson so Melissa could rest at home. Boy did they love it! Here's a pic of Watson on the airplanes (that I am sure he won't like anymore next year) while Milo was on the big Timberhawk.

This is one of those rides where you can do the steering yourself to go up and down sloooowly. Of course the instructions for this age group point out that you can move the rudder slowly, and don't yank it back and forth like a mad man.

Milo is so old now that he can go on rides by himself! It was great to see that we're finally reaching that point.

We probably did the waves pool 11 times. We went on all the speed slides, though black hole is still the only one I go on.

Watson was very excited to watch us splash the water all over. Great day, and we staid until the very last ride.

watson said...

Watson has a knack for "interpreting lyrics". When Foo Fighter's Best of You was playing he sang, "At the base, the base, the base of the moon there's a lot of fuzzy dudes."

watson said...

You know the expression "I can't see what's behind me, I don't have eyes in the back of my head." Well this is Watson's version.

We were walking back from the beach. As usual, Watson was starting to lag behind dreaming about bigger things and meandering along the road. A car starts slowly pulling up from behind (trying to avoid Watson, slowly). Everyone runs to one side of the street but Watson appears unaffected by the tumult.

Finally after everyone yells him over he realizes there's a car behind him and he runs over to the other side of the street.

Nico:"Watson, didn't you see the car?"

Watson:"No, how could I? I don't have eyes in my butt."

Hanging around Shortsands Beach

Yesterday we headed to short sands beach, recommended to us by surfer friends for good surf. Didn't bring a board and wetsuit, but will try remedy that today.

The walk down to the beach is wonderful and well maintained. It's an easy 1/4 mile hike from the parking lot. Shortsands opens from the old growth forest wonderfully like the entrance to heaven. Definitely worth the stop over if you ever make it to the Oregon coast.

Watson, Milo, Milena, and Nico had a wonderful time playing in the waves (Watson has no fear of 54 degree water), digging in the mud and exploring the caves around the area.

Manzanita, Oregon Coast

We're currently in Manzanita on the Oregon coast. We're renting a house with two other families (Kinast, Irmler/Taylors). They're the same people we go camping with and to Port Wooden in Port Townsend on Christmans. Since we don't see enough of them we figured we'd also need a vacation rental with these folks.

So far so good, the weather is really nice. It's been warm and the beach is nice. There hasn't been good enough of a surf yet to hit the waves, but I am hoping for today or tomorrow!

Yesterday we decided to hike up Mount Neakahnie. There is lore around the mountain of pirate booty hidden somewhere around the mountain. And in fact, there was a ship loaded with bee's wax that hit the ground in the area, and as recently as a couple of years ago hikers have found bee's wax on the mountain. Here are some pics of the hike:

Arne visits

Der Herr. Hair Herr, Frima Heir. Er diente im Heer.

Und er hat uns mit seinem Besuch bedacht. Er wurde im Racketball besiegt, im Fahrradfahren ueberholt, wie es so muss. Leider konnte er nicht an der Lambretta mithelfen.

Aber es war fun, soulnighter mit den Scooter Jungs, im Croc in Belltown mit hunderten von Leuten. Mit den Raedern und den Kids nacht Greenlake gefahren und krumme Saltos vom Dreier gemacht.

Und natuerlich hat der Herr auf dem Sofa gechlafen. Hier fuer das Portrait:

Watson said...

Papa:"Warum ist denn dein Kopf so nass?"

Watson:"Ich habe auf dem head ge-sweated, also habe ich ein bischen water auf es ge-dumped."

Watson said...

Watson: "What if I go to school and everyone has the *slime flu*?

Milo said...

We're walking back from Dahl Playfield.

Milo:"guck mal, dieses gummiwuermchen ist eine schlange, und ich bin eine reticulated python die sie isst."

Ich:"Du magst schlangen, oder?"

Milo:"Ja, ich mag sie."

Ich:"Und welche ist deine lieblingsschlange?"

Milo:"Die reticulated Python."

Ich:"Warum nicht die King Cobra?"

Milo:"Cobras muessen ihre Beute einfach nur beissen, und die ist tot und sie koennen sie essen. Reticulated pythons muessen mehr time and effort machen [indem sie die Beute erst erwuergen]."

I am not so sure what to think about this fascination with gruesome death!

Then, in Milo's homework:

He drew an Aligator with big teeth. One of the questions was:

Why do you like this animal?

Milo:"Because of its sharp teeth. it doesn't use them to slice things, but rather to rip."

Watson and Milo said...

Milo:"When I am in heaven, I will have an iPod touch, a macbook air, and a desktop computer."

Watson:"When will you be in heaven?"

Milo:"I will probably be in heaven 3 years before you."

Watson:"Will you wait for me in heaven?"

Milo:"Yeah, I'll wait for you in heaven. I definitely won't come back to earth as a ghost and haunt people or anything."

Milo's Jumanji

OK, so Milo is now in second grade but his writing skills are amazing and his phantasy is going wild, leaning towards the macabre. Read this essay from school:

Jumanji -the second -

by Milo Shea Gerhard

Daniel and Walter had stolen Jumanji and were very happy. "We'll never finish so they can't have it back!" They started playing. "Instructions?" "No. Instructions are boring," said Walter. He rolled a 3. A 3and a 3! Snake attack move back one space.

"Hey, what's happening with the writing?" "I don't know b-b-but l-l-look!"

Daniel said in a terrified voice. Walter turned around and screamed.

The moment he turned around he'd seen a 49 foot reticulated python!

Daniel rolled a six. Constricted and eaten by python!

Judy saw them playing and came over to watch. Daniel immediately went inside leaving Judy in his place.

The python slowly wound itself around Judy. Judy knew what was happening so she told him the instructions. "... And then shout Jumanj-" she stopped because at that very moment the python slid its mouth over Judy's head. It slowly swallowed her. A hal;f minute later she was completely gone.

Daniel came back. Walter rolled a 2. Lion attach, watch out!

"Uh-oh! Look!" said Daniel. They were encircled by lions! They started running but the lions were right behind them!

Walter had to slow down. "You can't give up!" shouted Daniel. He started to run but a lion bit him!

They got back to the park and the lions were lost. Daniel rolled a 12.

Hit hit Jumanji! "Jumanji" he yelled. He had to say Jumanji! He said, "Jumanji!"

Judy apeared, the lion and the snake disappeared. They threw Jumanji into the fire.

It was Daniel's b-day. He got a thin box from his dad. He said, "I found this outside in a pile of ash," Daniel opened it. It was... Jumanji!

Watson said...

This is from Melissa:

Watson :"What if we don't want to eat it?"

Milo: "Then we'll give it to mommy, she'll eat it."

Watson: "What if she doesn't want to eat it?"

Milo: "Then we'll give it to papi, he will eat anything."

Watson: "That's not true. He won't eat poop with toilet water on it!"

Watson said...

At Greenlake Bar and Grill. Melissa told the kids that soda was complementary with the kids' meal.
Watson to the waiter:"I want a free soda at no cost."

Watson said...

We were talking about birthdays.

Watson: "And for my birthday, we are going to *kill Papi*."

Me: "Aber dann bin ich ja tot."

Watson: "Well no, we are not going to kill him, we're just going to shoot him with a bee bee gun."

He was all cheerful and thought this was really nice and a good idea!

Watson said...

Watson: "Ja, papa, aber war der ein Gutewicht in dem Film?"