Dress-up is a fun game for little kids. But sometimes it's hard to separate the imaginary part from the real part of going outside. In the 59s special-moment video below, see Tiva equip herself in Mama's visor and Taya's mitts and attempt to get out.
Tivona dressing up--for snow?
Taya's clothes were a fascination for Tivona in many respects. And not only dumping sand in Taya's shoes. ;) Also, as in this 30s everyday-life video below, dumping it out.
Tivona playing in the sand with Taya's sandals
I mentioned that Taya and Tivona had become even more affectionate with each other? We enjoyed the way that continued.
We were told that it did rain in Santa Barbara in the winter, so we were prepared. We weren't disappointed when it scarcely rained at all--not even once a week through the heart of the 'rainy' season. Taya loved it. When it was sunny, she walked around saying, "I love Santa Barbara! I love the sun! I don't want to go back to Vancouver. It's too rainy." I anticipate having to pull out the photo below at various points in the next few months, saying, "See, Taya: you have fun in the rain--look, I can prove it!"
I can't picture myself doing that with Tiva--that cerebral stuff just doesn't work with her yet. But it's true--she did have fun in the rain, and I've got the photo to prove it!
Of course, after all that running, just like a good Kovacic-Chan girl, Tiva had to do some stretching (see the 27s everyday-life video below).
Tivona stretching
I've got to tell you, it's really hard to be boxed into a concrete office building in a university campus when there's such beauty around. Except that I had a ocean view, which you can see in the building second-from-right in the photo below. I'm going to miss this breath-taking setting!
On the beach, we'd all set about doing our things, sometimes together but not always. We played various games together, but Ljuba and I also loved running, and I did jump-squats and jump-lunges, and here's Taya doing a little eagle-pose.
Here's another of Tivona getting ready for Arizona, here in Mama's new hat.
And another.
I'm pretty sure I've written about Tivona and Taya's uncanny sense of smell. In this 39s special-moment video, Tiva gets a whiff of some chocolate that Ljuba's eating and goes after it (actually she usually smells it immediately and without help).
Ca-ca! (chocolate)
Just before we headed to Arizona, we went down to see the harbour seal nursery at Carpinteria. The girls loved seeing the pups on the beach, some newborns.
Here they are on the trail, T'n'T in their matching jackets.
That truck that I found for Tivona continued to be a favourite.
Away she goes!
Not only would she play with it for ages everyday (as in this 5s everyday-life video), she also did real work with it, in a very business-like fashion, running down the sidewalk too intent to answer questions, as in this 17s special-moment video and in the 10s special-moment video below.
Tiva with her truck and the compost
We weren't actually in Santa Barbara for Valentine's Day, because the 14th was a key day for Tom Sisk in my visit to Northern Arizona University (the celebration of the Olajos-Goslow endowment in environmental science and policy, which funded a major chair that Tom now holds). It was hard for Ljuba to be with the girls all day away from home, and to have to do all the cooking and cleaning, etc., in someone else's house. Even if it was Tom & Helen's wonderful abode. Here's a floral heart wreath the girls found on the beach the week before, more romantic than anything we did this year. :\
I've missed photos of some key events and moments over the past years, and unfortunately, our time with Tom and Helen and their daughter Elinor was one of them. I realized as we drove away that I didn't have a single photo of them. Ljuba and I did however manage to capture a few of the wonderful moments in the girls' lives.
Every time they went out we were reminded why, although snow is gorgeous on first fall, winter weather also means a huge hassle with little kids. So there was plenty of time when Taya and Tiva were romping around while Ljuba (and sometimes I) tried to round up the gear to get out.
Once they were out, they were in a winter wonderland out there, in clear view of us inside, and with lots to explore on their well-managed land and little that could do them harm.
The girls loved it. Even though Tiva had to get used to the snow. Here she is, squinting at its radiance in the sun.
She also had to get used to being all bundled. Here she is getting used to squatting.
When it snowed on the girls, it was at first a little scary for Tiva (Ljuba tells me; I was cranking away at a grant proposal when I wasn't at the university). She kept trying to wipe all the flakes off her mittens. But once they started tasting snow together, she started having some fun.
You can really see how much Tiva benefits from having Taya to watch, learn from, and interact with.
And Taya, for her part, really relishes her big sister role.
Taya seems to understand the genetics of big sisterhood, too. In this 68s special-moment video, you can here her talking a bit about genes. More recently, she has been learning about, and retaining an understanding of, chromosomes. She knows who she got her two X chromosomes from, and that the one from me came from Nanna, not Grandpa.
Talking about genes and chickens
From Tom & Helen's, we went on a little trip up to the Grand Canyon. On the way up, we had a little walk at Sunset Crater National Monument, which was splendid.
We also drove by some Native American ruins. But we were trying to get Tiva to nap at that point, so we didn't even get a chance to stop the car and enjoy them.
The Canyon itself was breath-taking. Of course, Tiva really couldn't appreciate the view. Taya had more appreciation for it, although at first she was decidedly more interested in looking at smaller things much closer by than the huge expanse of the Grand Canyon.
The snow at the Canyon was a special treat. The parts that were blanketed in snow gave a fresh, softer, but emphatic look to all.
There were enough people at the popular photo-taking places that we could easily snag a rare family shot.
We decided to try to give Tiva the benefit of a nap back at the hotel (rather than try to carry her through a nap in the cold), but the downside of that was that we really didn't have a lot of time to explore the Canyon. We did however, hike down a bit, which gave us this different perspective on parts.
Tiva, predictably given her fearless character, wanted to hike it herself.
What an amazing experience. We're just sorry that we don't have photos to show of Tom, Helen, and Elinor, in thanks for their tremendous hospitality and to Tom for providing the inspiration for the trip.
Next up, March in Santa Barbara!
