Gingerbread Hogwarts at the downtown Sheraton

This morning, Mom drove Sabrina and I downtown Seattle to see the gingerbread exhibit.  I went there once in 2014 with Uncle Colin, Tha-tha, Dad and Mom.  This year, 2016, the theme was Harry Potter.  It was fun going into the city, although according to Sabrina: "It smells funny".

 At the beginning (or end) of the exhibit was a Harry Potter tree.  Sabrina and I jumped out of line to take this picture.

 The line was pretty long.  We had to wait about an hour and a half.  Sabrina & I got s little antsy, but we managed.  

 We were finally getting close to all these amazing creations.  All made of candy, gingerbread and crackers.

 The amount of detail was amazing.  I could recognize characters and scenes.  Sabrina wanted to eat it!

 Mom liked the Night Bus.

 This was the Tri-Wizard cup.  It had a dragon on the base.

 

 Dumbledore holding his phoenix....

 Mom got this picture of us on the otherside of the exhibit.

 There were 6 gingerbread structures.  All really amazing.

 The top of this piece twirled.  Santa and Rudolph were being chased by Dementors!

 

 Here is the front of the dragon.  All made out of sugar!!!

 At the end was a snake with a button on his head.  A sign said to press the button to find out what Hogwarts House we were in.  

 It was hard to hear over the noise of all the people.  Sabrina got in Gryffindor and I got into Slytherin!!

 Sabrina liked Hedwig the owl.

We ended at the tree again!  We all decided that it was worth the trip, but sorry we had to wait so long.

December

 So far December has been a fun month!  We got a little snow about tens days ago, but still had school!!!!!  That's Sabrina.

It's still dark when we get to school, because school starts at 8:00 am.

Mom taught art to all the elementary classes.  She found this great project on drawing the Northern Lights.  Here is mine:

I also have Hapkido, and on Thursday's, Sabrina comes too, so Thursdays are always more fun.

 We got to be partners.

 Sabrina got to practice on me and I on her.

 Grand Master took me down to demonstrate what we were learning.  It happened so fast!

  I

I am glad that school is finally out for Winter Break, but fortunately, there will still be Hapkido to do!

Rowan's Turn

Sabrina's Turn

Christmas Card for 2016

 Mom and I took this photo back in July.  We already had the idea, so we decided, why wait?   The photo shoot was way back on July 10th.  The girls next door (Lilly-Anna and Charlotte-Elsa) were going on vacation.

It was warm wearing polar fleece but Mom tried to take pictures fast.  Unfortunately, Lilly wasn't really into it, but she stayed until we were done.

 There was some goofiness....

 And even I gave Mom some attitude, until Dad had some words with me.

 Are we ALMOST done?

 Stop taking pictures, we are done.

Fortunately, Charlotte (Elsa) really wanted to be doing this!!!!  I'm glad that this is long over, and it was really nice that the girls next door could help out.

Leveled up!!!!!!

I was surprised when I when to Hapkido last night, that I was one of three students that received a white belt with a black stripe in it.  Master Aaron presented me with it.  

 

 I have been at Hapkido for less than two months and have been working hard to learn their techniques.  Grand Master Kim has told me that my 4 years of karate has helped.  The black stripe was not earned through a belt test, but by the black belts that run the class.  The black stripe represents that I am a focused student.

 It was nice that my Dad came to the class and  tied my new belt on.  I look good with a black stripe!

  

 Hitting the focus pad with Grand Master Kim.

It was a good class, but I have to wait a whole week to go back because of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Yesterday, I also tried some Lamb Briani at Lana & Sabrina's house.  My Mom was surprised to see me Indian food and took this picture below.  I picked out the lamb, but ate all the rice.

Pioneer Farm-Eatonville, WA

 I am lucky to still join the Bridge School on field trips, since we don't get out much at KMVA.  On Monday, I went to Pioneer Farm just outside of Eatonville and really close to Mt. Rainier National Park.

Pioneer Farm was like a glimpse into what life was like in Washington State in the 1880's.

Kim, was out hostess and brought us all into the largest log cabin.

There, she demonstrated a lot of chores that children did back then: carding wool, grinding cornmeal, coffee, & wheat.  Kneading dough, washing clothes, cleaning carpets, making buttermilk, shaving, and using a kerosene lamp curling iron.  There were also a few toys.  Kim then let us go to do "chores".

 I chose to cut cabbage....

 Play with toys...

 grind coffee (Kim helped)

make corn meal  and....

clean the carpet.  After all the indoor stuff-Tyler took us out to the barn, blacksmith & wood shop!!!!

Tyler did a demonstration in the blacksmith shop.  We could do everything that he showed us.  Pioneer Village was the land of "YES".

 We were allowed to peat all the animals in the barn (cow, sheep, goat, rabbit, pig, chickens, horse).  I liked petting the pig.

Tyler showed me how to milk the cow.

Afterwards, I went to the wood shop area and tried scraping bark from logs. 

Moves some things in the woodshop...

 When that was over, we got to go on a wagon ride.  It was short, but a lot of fun.

We then went in the one room school house and learned some of their rules in the 1880's.  We then got to tour the last two cabins and then ate lunch.  Oh-all the bathrooms where out houses.

This place was one of the best field trips ever.  Mom asked me what was my favorite thing to do, and I could not pick.  I was nice to miss a regular day of school.  I am looking forward to the next one.