The Binker Family Blog

A few more Disney Layouts

2011-03-29T16:32:00.000-04:00

Disney Photobook Finished!

2011-03-29T16:30:00.000-04:00

Finally finished my photobook for our trip to Disney in January!!!

Our Disney Vacation 2011 by Marla J. Binker | Make Your Own Book

I really love digi-scrapping, especially with all the great Disney stuff I've found. Now I can have fun with Mousescrappers' challenges without the pressure of completing a book (which Mason has been asking about every few days)... until I get tired of it and start obsessing about something else.

Mousescrappers Project X!

2011-03-22T11:50:00.000-04:00

Click HERE to find out more...

I'm entering a Mousescrappers contest... need to post this to get another chance to win! Wish me luck!

My New Addiction...

2011-03-22T11:47:00.000-04:00

Hello! It's been awhile since I last updated the blog... I got a little burnt out and busy with life. The holidays, sick boys, getting ready for our trip to Disney... too much to do and not enough time to mess with the computer. Then in early February, I found my new hobby (addiction/obsession/passion?) -- digital scrapbooking Disney style!

While looking for backgrounds and embellishments for our Disney photobook, I found Mousescrappers. It's a great group of women from all over the world who are obsessed with scrapbooking Disney memories. I've been inspired by the awesome layouts, and I've found a ton of freebies and new techniques to improve my own scrapping.

So, what have I been doing for the past month or so? Working on our Disney photobook (almost finished!!) and participating in Mousescrappers challenges. I decided to share some of the challenges here... what do you think?

Visiting the Man in Red

2010-12-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

Mason and Max visited Santa's workshop on Sunday. Mason was a bit shy about sitting on the old guy's lap, but Max had no problems. Loud and clear, he told Santa he wants "rocket-boost Ironman, Stinky the Garbage Truck, and some underwater things like Xander got." Mason requested some DS games. I think between Santa and the grandparents, their wishes will come true. Each boy sent off a letter to Santa, just in case he forgets what they said.

Annual Festive Holiday Celebration

2010-12-07T11:25:00.000-05:00

Every year we get together with the MacIver family for a Festive Holiday Celebration -- a meal, gift exchange, and gambling for chocolate (also known as playing dreidel). This year we held our celebration in the middle of Hanukah and were able to treat the MacIver grandparents to their very first Hanukah dinner. Jeff made brisket and latkes in his new kitchen. Nancie lit the menorah in front of the Christmas tree, and the kids gave each other gifts. Happy Chrismakah to all!

Click on the photo below for more pictures in a Picasa web album:

Chrismakah with the MacIvers, 12/4/2010

First Snow of the Season

2010-12-07T11:14:00.000-05:00

North Carolina was surprised by snow this past Saturday, enough to break out the sleds. We were at a friends' house with a great hill across the street... the boys loved racing down the hill.

Mason's Green Tip Test

2010-12-06T16:26:00.000-05:00

Mason tested for his green tip in Hapkido on Friday. He and his classmates demonstrated their kicking, punching, rolling, and other skills. We are very proud of our little martial artist.

Introducing Hanukah to the Sapitos

2010-12-06T16:09:00.000-05:00

Max and I told his pre-school class about Hanukah last week. I read two stories and explained how the holiday is celebrated. Max sang "I Have a Little Dreidel" and shared a piece of gelt with each classmate. Everyone had a chance to "light" the wooden menorah and spin the dreidel. Feliz Hanukah!

Dinner with the Grandparents

2010-11-30T12:23:00.000-05:00

Mason and Max were lucky to have dinner with all their grandparents (and parents, too!) this Thanksgiving weekend... of course it was a photo opportunity!

Mount Vernon

2010-11-30T12:13:00.000-05:00

On the National Mall

2010-11-30T12:01:00.000-05:00

We braved the day-after-Thanksgiving crowds to take the boys to the National Mall. The Air and Space Museum was a big hit -- Mason loved the war planes, aircraft weapons and bombs. Our visit to the Museum of Natural History was aborted; Max was too tired and no one felt like fighting the throngs of people.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Binker Clan!

2010-11-30T11:53:00.000-05:00

This year's Thanksgiving celebration was hosted by Mark's parents, Barbara and Jerry Binker, in Alexandria, VA. Most of the Binker clan assembled in the party room of Carlyle Towers, along with a few in-laws (my parents and Uncle Norm's sister Sue), for a total of 22 people. It was baby Avery's first Thanksgiving, and the first time our boys had seen the other cousins in 2 years.

Here are a few of my favorite photos; I'm still waiting to see what everyone else got, especially the photo of the entire group!

Click on the link below to see the full Picasa album:

Thanksgiving, 2010

Mason's Musical Instrument Project

2010-11-30T11:46:00.000-05:00

As the final project of the "How We Express Ourselves" unit of inquiry, Mason's class made musical instruments and presented them to the class. To acheive the highest grade (a 4), each student had to design an instrument on paper, follow the design to create an instrument with at least 2 pitches, and present their instrument along with an original song to the class.

Max the Calabaza

2010-11-30T11:43:00.000-05:00

Max's class performed a Thanksgiving play last week. He was a "calabaza" -- a pumpkin. He seemed to be more interested in using his instruments as a rocket ship, but he did shake his maraca and sing a bit...

Scenes from Jacob's Bar Mitzvah

2010-11-22T16:37:00.000-05:00

This weekend the boys and I traveled with Grandma Fran and Grandpa Bob to Columbus, Ohio, to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of our cousin Jacob. Mason and Max don't get many opportunities to get to know the kids in our family, so this was a great time to have fun with the younger generation. They had a blast at the Bar Mitzvah party and the post-parties, and I enjoyed spending time with my cousins, too.

Jungal Book

2010-11-16T12:37:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, Grandma Fran treated the boys and me to a performance of Jungal Book at the Raleigh Little Theater. The boys really enjoyed watching the child actors and actresses. Max got a little scared at one point and hid under his chair. After the show, the boys posed with their favorite characters -- Max liked the monkey and Mason liked the tiger, snake and wolves.

Paging Dr. Binker

2010-11-16T12:28:00.000-05:00

At the Museum of Life and Science this weekend, Mason tried out his surgical skills, with some help from the OR nurses. Looks like a natural...

Halloween Party and Trick or Treating

2010-11-16T12:23:00.000-05:00

This year we joined our friends the MacIvers for their annual Halloween Party. The boys played pumpkin games before going trick-or-treating.

Getting Ready for Halloween

2010-11-16T12:20:00.000-05:00

Red Dragon Ninja at the NC Symphony

2010-11-04T11:05:00.000-04:00

Saturday -- Natural History Halloween

2010-11-04T11:03:00.000-04:00

On Saturday morning, we visited the NC Museum of Natural Sciences for their Halloween celebration. The boys answered questions about the reptiles, amphibians, and mammals that they met. Max's favorites were the frogs and turtles; Mason preferred the snakes.

Happy Halloween - SFF! Style

2010-11-04T10:59:00.000-04:00

On Friday, we celebrated Halloween with Max's school, Spanish for Fun!. Mason had a Teacher's Workday, so he came along and helped. The kids trick-or-treated around the school, listened to Mason read a spooky story, and then had a costume-fashion show. Later they made a Halloween picture and shared a snack.

Halloween Hoot

2010-10-28T21:12:00.000-04:00

Candy Math!

2010-10-28T21:11:00.000-04:00

TM Trunk-or-Treat

2010-10-26T10:41:00.001-04:00

On Sunday we attended the 5th Annual Triangle Mommies Trunk-or-Treat. For those of you not familiar with this activity, it's when a group of people decorate the backs of their cars and then pass out candy... kids get a daytime taste of trick-or-treating without having to travel too far or risk being terrified. Our ninja and Buzz enjoyed the chance to get MORE candy...and see a few of their friends dressed up.

End of Soccer Season

2010-10-23T21:11:00.000-04:00

The Chargers finished off the fall soccer season with an 8 am game this morning. Not only was it the earliest game, it was also the coldest... and as we suspected, Mason was more engaged than he had been in any other game. He's an early riser and is most alert first thing. He did a great job. Way to go Chargers!

Red Dragon Ninja and Buzz Lightyear at the Boo Bash

2010-10-23T21:02:00.000-04:00

Halloween Week officially kicked off last night with the Boo Bash at Brier Creek Community Center. This year, Mason elected to be the "Red Dragon Ninja" and Max decided to reprise his role as Buzz Lightyear (we had to get a new costume, as last year's was 3 sizes too small; that's fine as his costume is really pjs and he gets good use out of them!). We met up with our friends Black Spiderman, Red Spiderman, Soldier Girl and Frog for games and "trunk-or-treating".

Field Trip: SFF VIsits the NC Museum of Natural Sciences

2010-10-21T19:59:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Max's school had a field trip to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. We've been there many times before (including a field trip with Mason's first grade class last year), but never with a large group of one- to four-year-olds who are supposed to be speaking in Spanish... it was chaotic, crazy and fun. Max had a blast with his little buddies. He touched a frog and snake, examined a salamander, and pressed every button he could find.

Max at the Farmers' Market

2010-10-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

Soccer Mason on Saturday

2010-10-19T11:20:00.000-04:00

Los Bomberos at SFF!

2010-10-19T11:16:00.000-04:00

Last week, Max's school was visited by "los bomberos" -- firemen with two firetrucks. I went in to help corral the kids and take photos...

Hill Ridge Farm, 2010

2010-10-10T21:13:00.000-04:00

This morning we made our annual pilgrimage to a pumpkin farm in Youngsville, Hill Ridge Farm. Not only do they have a hay ride to a "pumpkin patch", they offer other fall amusements, like a "Hay Jump", "Corn House", train ride, giant slide, mazes, bounce houses, farm animals and a wooden fort. The boys especially enjoyed the corn this year.

This is our fourth visit to the farm; you can see photos from 2009 here and 2007 here. In 2008 my camera batteries died and we don't have any good shots.

Visiting with Friends

2010-10-10T20:55:00.000-04:00

Lynn, Nancie and I have been friends since the first day of college, a little over 19 years ago. Lynn was my roommate and Nancie lived upstairs; we all lived together the following year. Nancie and her family now live in Durham, so we see them every few months, but this weekend we got a special treat -- Lynn visited from Boston. We spent Saturday at Nancie's home and at the Museum of Life and Science. The kids have a great time together. Old friends and new friends... the best.

Mason and Max: Citizens of the World

2010-10-03T20:34:00.001-04:00

This morning we learned about different countries and cultures at the 25th Annual International Festival of Raleigh. The boys had a great time filling their passports with stamps as they chatted with people from all over the world. Mason tried on a Saudi Arabian headdress and both boys practiced walking in wooden Dutch clogs. We all enjoyed watching Indian and Mexican dancers and tasting Dutch donuts, Korean dumplings, and French crepes. After turning in their completed passports and answering the scavenger hunt questions, Mason and Max were declared "citizens of the world."

Soccer Mason

2010-10-03T20:19:00.000-04:00

A few shots of Mason in action during Saturday morning's game...

Happy 9th Birthday Winston!

2010-10-01T10:57:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Winston's 9th birthday this morning. He got gifts and a tuna fish "cake," followed by some playtime with his favorite boys. It looks like he enjoyed himself...

Winston is a good boy and he always shares his toys with his sister...

Underwear Champion

2010-09-28T10:45:00.000-04:00

I couldn't resist posting this -- Max the Champion of Underwear.

Hanging out with Friends

2010-09-28T10:43:00.000-04:00

The MacIver kids came over on Saturday while their parents went to a wedding... fun times for all! (It is NOT easy to get a photo of them all smiling... this is as good as it gets.)

Way to Go, Mason!!

2010-09-28T10:38:00.000-04:00

Mason was awarded "All-Star Student of the Month" for his second grade class. The principal gave him the certificate on the school news program on Friday, and he was very excited about being on tv. We are very proud of his good work!

Just Dance!

2010-09-28T10:33:00.000-04:00

Last Friday evening, the Damann-Meldau family joined us for dinner and playtime. After dinner, the kids proved that the Wii is not just for couch potatoes -- not if you have "Just Dance"! Below you will find videos of the whole crew working up a sweat (disclaimer: the blonde kids have much more experience with this game, my boys had never seen it before!)

Wilder doesn't dance yet, but he's awfully cute...

And now for the videos:

Sparkcon

2010-09-21T11:45:00.000-04:00

This Saturday afternoon we attended Sparkcon, a festival celebrating creativity in downtown Raleigh. This was the 5th annual festival, and I believe we've been to all of them.

First we enjoyed the 12th annual Raleigh Street Painting Competition. High school students create most of these artworks and people vote for their favorites. Mason was very impressed. Max just wanted to dance.

Then we tried making our own art on Fayetteville Street...

And trying some of the activities of Circusspark, like hula-hooping. Yes, I can still do it!

Sparkcon Sidewalk Art

2010-09-21T11:28:00.000-04:00

Mason's Avatar: The Last Airbender Birthday Party

2010-09-14T11:45:00.000-04:00

When Mason declared that he wanted an Avatar: The Last Airbender birthday party, we weren't sure exactly what he meant. He described it as "something where we master the four elements and then battle the Fire Nation." Hmmmm... that's quite the challenge.

We started watching the Nicktoons series with him (it ran from 2003 through 2005, when we were far too occupied with a certain infant to pay much attention to tv cartoons) and found that it is really very interesting. The show has a mixture of Asian cultures, mysticism, martial arts, and humor that makes it amusing for both kids and adults. We all got hooked on watching Aang the Last Airbender and his friends... and we came up with a few ideas for the birthday bash.

After the guests arrived, we watched the 30 second intro to the show to prepare them for mastering the 4 elements. Then we dug right in and did the Earth-bending activity -- moving the earth to find rubber frogs and snakes...

Next was Air-bending, i.e. catching balls with nets and then throwing them into a bucket...

Fire-bending was the most difficult to master -- all the Avatars-in-training had to toss a "ring of fire" onto a moving post...

Last we did Water-bending, also known as tossing water balloons and playing water limbo. There was also a great deal of running around the yard trying to avoid getting sprayed by the hose...

Hungry after their labors, the kids feasted on candy sushi.

After mastering each element, everyone received a symbolic bead (blue for water, brown for earth, clear for air and a red flame-shape for fire) to add to their Avatar necklace. We then made shrinky dink medallions to complete the necklace; here the kids are watching their shrinky dinks in the toaster oven...

No birthday party is complete without a cake; of course we had an Avatar cake.

The guest of honor seemed quite pleased with the end result.

May the Force be with You!

2010-09-12T20:00:00.000-04:00

The boys made some new friends this morning at the Museum of Life and Science's Heros, Villians, and Special Effects event.

Someone should really tell those Imperial officers to keep their guns out of the hands of children...

And Mark enjoyed seeing an old friend...

Candy Sushi

2010-09-12T19:47:00.001-04:00

One afternoon this summer, Mason came home from camp very excited about the day's cooking project -- the kids made candy sushi. After discussing the ingredients -- rice krispy treats, gummy candy, and fruit roll ups -- we decided this was a perfect snack for his "Avatar: The Last Airbender" birthday party. I found directions online and we did a test run a few weeks ago; both Mason and Max were pleased with the results.

Last night Mark and I created the array of colorful candy sushi pictured above. It was fun but a little stressful -- sometimes the fruit roll-ups simply do not want to leave the paper backing intact. We eventually had a sushi feast for the boys and their six guests, along with some extra fish, worms, and "noodles."

Bugfest 2010

2010-09-12T19:38:00.000-04:00

On Saturday morning we attended Bugfest at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. We had limited time as Mason had a soccer game in the afternoon, so we did the outdoor activities... the boys were ants carrying a heavy load; bees collecting pollen, water, and nectar; and dung beetles racing with their balls of dung. Mason almost won the dung race, but he was distracted by a falling spider ring and a small girl named Fifi beat him. Learning about bugs can be a lot of fun!

Happy 7th Birthday Mason!

2010-09-09T10:06:00.000-04:00

Mason had a great birthday yesterday. It started early -- we let him open one present before school...

Yes, it was still dark outside, around 6:45 am, but it's never too early to be excited about a new toy!

Later I joined him for lunch in the school cafeteria. I brought him a Happy Meal and we shared cupcakes with his class. He was very proud to have his name on the school news for the day.

After school, we celebrated again with Mason's favorite meal, meatballs and spaghetti, and more cupcakes. The birthday brother enjoyed the feast and the cupcakes as much as the birthday boy.

A Day at the Beach

2010-08-30T23:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we joined friends at their beach house at Surf City on Topsail Island. The surf was rather rough, but that didn't matter to the boys. They had a blast jumping in the waves, running from the "wave men", and trying to body surf. We haven't been to the beach in nearly 2 years, and were surprised at how much Max could take -- the waves kept knocking him down and he got right back up. Mason was fearless and didn't understand why we kept yelling at him to stay close.... they will be surfing in a few more years!

Fire Station Visit

2010-08-30T23:07:00.000-04:00

On Friday, Max and I visited a fire station with a group of kids and moms. We toured the station and talked to the firemen, then watched as one man suited up. Max was more than a little nervous when the face mask went on, but he was brave and held the fireman's hand. He was much happier when he had the chance to "drive" the fire truck!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-08-26T10:58:00.000-04:00

We celebrated my birthday this year with a feast at the Red Bowl Asian Bistro, followed by chocolate cheesecake at home. Lucky for me, the boys love "chicken with noodles" and "chicken in sauce" (lo mein and sesame chicken in this case) almost as much as I do. Unfortunately for them, they were not as pleased with their first taste of cheesecake (or is that also lucky for me?).

Official Second Grader

2010-08-25T11:01:00.000-04:00

Mason was all set to go to second grade this morning. He now has his own desk and a pencil box with his own supplies. He already knows his teacher (she taught first grade last year) and is excited about seeing old friends and meeting new ones. He's been practicing his reading (and we've been making him practice his writing) and is looking forward to learning more math and science.

"I hope I get to do more homework"

2010-08-25T10:52:00.000-04:00

He'll eat those words someday... Max had his very first homework assignment last night and he completed it most enthusiastically. The instructions were "Dibuja tu cuerpo" (or "Draw your body") and then decorate the homework notebook. You can see his efforts below.

What did you expect? He's three years old...

How to Make Pizza

2010-08-25T10:45:00.001-04:00

On Sunday evening, we made pizza for dinner. This post is dedicated to Aunt Olesya; we hope to make pizza with her on our next visit and show her how to do it right!

First, you roll out the dough (we buy ours at Trader Joe's).

Flip it a few times...

Add sauce, cheese and a few slices of pepperoni...

Put it in the oven to bake...

Wait for it to cool...

Eat with milk and broccoli!

Goal!! Go Chargers!

2010-08-22T19:33:00.000-04:00

Mason's soccer season started this past week, and his team, the Chargers, played in their first game on Saturday. He played defense the first half and made several good blocks. During the second half he was on offense, and he scored his first goal. CASL (Capital Area Soccer League) teams don't keep score at his age, they just have fun!

First Day Back at School

2010-08-22T19:26:00.000-04:00

Max went back to Spanish for Fun! last week. He's in the 3s class this year, called "Los Sapitos" or Little Frogs. He was happy to be back with his teachers and friends.

Whidbey Island Summer Vacation

2010-08-17T23:32:00.002-04:00

We returned last night from our annual vacation to Whidbey Island, WA. Three weeks of fun with Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Rick and Aunt Olesya, Uncle David and assorted other relatives... plus cool weather and a change of pace. Mark and I escaped to Portland for a few days during our last week.

As usual, I took a ton of photos... here are links to my Picasa albums (click on the photo to go to the album):

Whidbey Part I (including a trip to the zoo, fun with Micah and Jenny):

Whidbey Part II (including the Pacific Science Center, Seattle Aquarium, and Anacortes Arts Festival):

Marla and Mark in Portland:

Whidbey Part III (including Coupeville Arts Festival, birthday party, more family):

Chillin' with Friends

2010-07-25T18:57:00.000-04:00

When it's this hot outside, the only sensible thing is to hang out at the pool with friends...

Max and Dexter take a snack break...

Mason, Xander and Wendy play with the hose that's supposed to be re-filling the pool...

Mark is covered with boys...

And Dexter gave Mason a big hug goodbye...

A few more photos from Swim Lessons...

2010-07-25T18:40:00.000-04:00

Mason Swims and Dives

2010-07-20T11:11:00.002-04:00

And here he goes off the high dive:

Baseball Dance Party

2010-07-20T11:10:00.002-04:00

Go Mudcats!

2010-07-19T22:29:00.000-04:00

On Sunday we went to the Mudcats game. It was more than a little hot, but we had a good time... with a little Dippin' Dots ice cream, an autograph from Muddy, and some baseball attitude.

Dinosaur Days

2010-07-19T20:54:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, we returned to the Museum of Life and Science in Durham for Dinosaur Days, the first anniversary of the opening of the Dinosaur Trail. The museum was incredibly crowded and we missed a few special events due to impatient children (and parents), but we still enjoyed some of the displays. Mason was very interested in the tables of fossils, rocks, and sharks' teeth. He learned how to chip away at a rock to find the hidden fossil. And of course, both boys loved visiting their friends on the Dinosaur Trail.

Tooth Pirate

2010-07-19T20:47:00.000-04:00

Mason lost two teeth in November, but we've been waiting and waiting for more to fall out. He's had a few very, very loose ones for a few weeks, and a bite into an apple at camp finally did the trick on Friday.

The Tooth Fairy visits our house, but she has an assistant: the Tooth Pirate. His job is to keep the tooth safe, present it to the fairy when she arrives, then trade her for a gold coin and keep the booty until morning. As you can clearly see, the Tooth Pirate successfully completed his mission on Friday night.

New Park: North Wake Landfill Disctrict Park

2010-07-19T20:40:00.000-04:00

Two years ago, Wake County closed the North Wake Landfill, which is just a short drive from our home. A few weeks ago, they opened a new park on the site: North Wake District Park

While the name is not the most appealing, the park is a lot of fun, especially for two little guys who love to climb, run, and jump off of things. We're looking forward to exploring the trails in the fall, when it's not quite so hot.

Photoshoot at the Park

2010-07-06T16:02:00.000-04:00

I recently met Shannan, a photographer who is just starting out and wanted some willing subjects to practice on. We think she made our two not-so-cooperative monsters look pretty good! Max was not smiling much 'till we let him play with the water fountain...

Check out more of her work at her website: Shannan Nieto Photography

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-06T11:30:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July! We started our celebration at the State Capitol grounds. There was a naturalization ceremony, weapons displays, crafts, and music. The boys were especially impressed by the weapons.

After a rest and dinner, we headed to the Fairgrounds for round two of our festivities. The boys tried out different sports and games while we waited for the fireworks to start. At 9:15, we were finally rewarded with a great fireworks display.

Festival for the Eno

2010-07-06T11:17:00.000-04:00

For 31 years, people have gathered at the Festival for the Eno to celebrate a beautiful river and raise money to keep it clean. We've joined the festivities in Durham for a few years now. This year we had great weather and two cooperative little boys, a great start to the 4th of July weekend.

The enjoyed walking in the river searching for things to catch. The fish were a little too fast for them, but we caught a few clumsy tadpoles. After that, we listened to music, looked at art and environmental displays, met a few animals, and watched a fire-eating/Shakespeare show. We also had lunch and some treats.

Swim Lessons

2010-06-24T10:49:00.000-04:00

Max and Mason started swim lessons this week, and so far they are doing great. We were worried that Max, although he loves to be in the water, would decide to show his "3-ness" and not cooperate. But he is enthusiastically doing everything the teacher asks with no fear or hesitation. Watching his group of three boys during the lesson is hilarious; the teacher is a lot of fun and the kids' expressions are priceless.

Mason has graduated to Youth Level 3 this year, and his swim lessons are not so exciting to watch. He's learning stroke development, treading water, and other more advanced skills. So most of the time his class looks like this:

Happy Fathers' Day

2010-06-24T10:39:00.000-04:00

How does every man want to spend the day dedicated to his pleasure? Immersed in a muddy brown lake with two little boys climbing all over him, of course. We spent Fathers' Day at Jordan Lake, enjoying the warm water, the mud, the rocks, and more mud. The boys loved every minute of it and especially liked spending time with the very best Papa a boy could want.

The Pool is More Fun with Friends...

2010-06-24T10:32:00.000-04:00

Visit to Virginia

2010-06-21T23:04:00.000-04:00

As part of our end of school celebration, we traveled to Alexandria, VA, to see Grandma Barbara and Grandpa Jerry. We visited with friends and family, went swimming, and went to the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Mason had been there at the age of 3 but clearly did not remember it... this time he was thrilled with all the airplanes, helicopters, and space stuff. Max was afraid of the airplane with the face and jagged teeth; otherwise he was happy to run around and look at everything.

Meet Avery

2010-06-21T22:38:00.000-04:00

While visiting Grandma Barbara and Grandpa Jerry in Alexandria, we met our newest cousin, Avery Baione. She was born on February 11th, but since she lives in West Virginia, we hadn't had a chance to see her yet. The boys were excited to hold her (for a few minutes) and then to see her go into the pool for the first time. She was not sure that she liked the cool water. Welcome to the family Avery!

Around Our House

2010-06-21T22:24:00.000-04:00

Lots of things are growing around our house this year. My favorite plant, the hydrangea on the side of the house, has a ton of blue blossoms. Our "Garden of the Free" is thriving (see post from April 17th for the start of our garden). And a little bird decided to nest in the hanging basket on our front porch. We love watching her and her flock (in addition to the father bird, there is a second female who hangs out with them) protect the nest, and Winston loves to spy on them through the window. Max keeps asking to see the baby birds... we'll see what happens when the eggs hatch.

Pool Time!

2010-06-21T22:15:00.000-04:00

Summer is here! We've started going to the pool every few days. The boys love everything about the pool -- swimming in the large pool, splashing in the "Sprayground", and playing in the wading pool. We'll be spending a lot of time all wet in the next few months.

What's Missing?

2010-06-21T22:10:00.000-04:00

We were missing something for a few days...

But Mark fixed the problem. Yes, our microwave (which may have been original to the house and therefore a teenager) broke while I was on vacation and we found out that our kitchen was once even uglier than it is now. After carefully reading the instruction manual, Mark installed the new one himself. See how happy he was that it stayed up when I let go of it?

End of First Grade

2010-06-21T22:02:00.000-04:00

Mason finished first grade on June 10th. The last week of school was filled with fun -- a first grade picnic, awards assembly, pizza party and movie. Mason truly enjoyed his class this year and will miss all his friends and teachers... but he's proud to be a second grader now!

My Trip to Seattle

2010-06-21T21:54:00.000-04:00

At the end of May, I journeyed to Seattle to attend the festivities celebrating the wedding of my oldest brother Richard and Olesya Golovanova. I arrived a few days before the wedding and had a chance to get to know the bride.

Mom and I hosted a bridal shower on Sunday afternoon...

We went to Pike Place Market to buy a bouquet for the entrance table at the wedding...

My parents held a Welcome Dinner for the out-of-town family and friends...

And, finally, the wedding took place on Tuesday evening at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle...

I'm working on an album with more photos; I'll share that when it's ready!

Got to Be NC Festival

2010-06-17T11:10:00.000-04:00

The Got to Be NC Festival was a big hit with the Binker boys this year, despite the rain. The fair is a lot like the State Fair, but with fewer crowds, fewer lines, and a lot less expense. We got the boys wrist bands so they could go on as many rides as they wanted, and each went on over a dozen. Mason's favorites included the "Parachute Ride" (sort of like a ferris wheel), the giant slide, and the swings. Max liked anything that he could drive -- motorcycles, cars, trains, helicopters, bees, etc. They also enjoyed the fun house, space simulator, mirror house... we could have stayed there all weekend.

Petting Zoo Fun

2010-06-17T10:43:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, May 23rd, we visited the Got to Be NC Fair at the State Fairgrounds, despite the drizzle and cloudy skies. As usual, we were early -- and walking around in the rain. The petting zoo guardian took pity on us and let us in before it was supposed to open. We had the whole tent to ourselves and had a great time feeding all the animals.

Mason's favorite animal was a furry alpaca named Maximus. Mark liked the camel, and Max enjoyed the baby goats. He even tried dancing with them...

Butterfly Bash at the Museum of Life and Science

2010-06-17T09:21:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, May 22nd, we attended the annual Butterfly Bash at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. We learned about butterflies and a host of other insects... below the boys are checking out a rhinoceros beetle, looking in a tank (I don't remember what was in there), watching a cockroach race, and searching for the queen bee. No photos of butterflies, although we saw plenty of them as well.

Reading with Friends

2010-06-17T09:15:00.000-04:00

Max and I frequently attend story time at Barnes & Noble on Friday mornings. On May 21st, he met a special friend -- Olivia the Pig -- and then did some reading with a few of his girlfriends.

Adios Amigos!

2010-06-17T09:12:00.000-04:00

For the past two years, Mason has met with a group of friends almost every Friday afternoon for a Spanish class. Ms. Zhandra, one of his pre-school teachers from Spanish for Fun, continued to teach them at the appropriate level. We've decided not to do lessons next year (the busy second grade schedule would make it very difficult to commit every Friday), so the last class on May 21st was bittersweet. Ms. Zhandra made it extra special by playing fun games and holding class outside. Gracias Ms. Zhandra!

Last Day of Martial Arts

2010-06-06T15:48:00.000-04:00

Mason had his last day of martial arts on Thursday. He will be back learning how to flip large men in August, but he's taking a break for the summer... He had a great time this year. Thanks to Instructor Ryan and Mr. Geoff for all their patience!

Welcome Olesya!

2010-06-05T08:21:00.000-04:00

Well, she's not a Binker, but she's the newest member of our family! My brother Rick married Olesya Golovanova on Tuesday, June 1st. Since the wedding was in Seattle, I attended without the boys and Mark. I spent the weekend with Olesya and got to know her while shopping for sandals and honeymoon attire at REI. She arrived in the US from Moscow two months ago, so I had not met her before, but I'm already starting to feel like I have a sister.

More photos will come later... I have to wait for my new computer to arrive next week before I can edit. This photo is from the "welcome dinner" the night before the wedding.

Baseball Fun with Grandma and Grandpa

2010-06-05T08:10:00.000-04:00

While I was out of town, Grandma Barbara and Grandpa Jerry came to Raleigh to help Mark with the boys. They went swimming, visited our favorite museum in Durham, and attended the boys' first baseball game. Mason was very interested in the game; Max was more excited by Muddy the Mudcat and Mini-Muddy, the mascots. But everyone had fun!

Demolition Man

2010-05-23T20:55:00.000-04:00

On our way to Target on Wednesday, Max and I passed this scene and just had to stop to check it out. What could be more exciting than a demolition? And the destruction of a McDonald's... It was a little louder than Max would have liked, but awesome none-the-less.

Inside the Artwork

2010-05-16T18:44:00.000-04:00

It's not every day that you get to step inside an artwork... that's what we did this morning as part of Artsplosure. We went inside Mirozozo by the Architects of Air. The work is a luminarium, described as "a sculpture that people enter to be moved to a sense of wonder by the beauty of light and color."

The Binker family thought it was quite wonderful, although hot and a little crowded. Max declared that he "enjoyed the blue and the green, but not the red so much..." It was undoubtedly an interesting experience.

Artsplosure 2010

2010-05-16T18:30:00.001-04:00

This morning we explored the 31st annual Artsplosure, an arts festival in downtown Raleigh. The boys liked the sand sculpture, playing in the sand, making their own artwork, and listening to music. I enjoyed browsing the art market and checking out the jewelry. See the next post for the most exciting part, our journey into a luminarium.

Swimming at Jordan Lake

2010-05-15T20:09:00.000-04:00

This morning we decided it was a good day to go swimming, but our pool doesn't open 'till noon... so we headed out to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. Mason had been swimming in a lake with Y-Guides, but for Max, it was a new experience. He was uncertain at first, but he quickly got over it. Mason declared "This is AWESOME!" as he splashed and swam. Max had as much fun with the sand as he did with the water. We will definitely be going back to the lake soon.

Fresas, Vacas, y un Laberinto

2010-05-13T12:03:00.000-04:00

Max and I returned to the strawberry farm yesterday, but this time we did it in Spanish. His pre-school, Spanish for Fun!, led a field trip to learn about the farm and pick strawberries. We also met some cows, took a hayride, and went through a hay maze.

We're never quite sure what Max thinks about this mixture of Spanish and English that he is learning. When he talked to Grandpa Bob on the phone after the field trip, he declared that the strawberries were "ROJOS!" So, something is definitely getting through... and he's having a great time learning.

Last Monday Playgroup

2010-05-13T11:56:00.000-04:00

Our Monday playgroup met for the last time this week. We had a little party at a park, blew bubbles, took a nature walk, and fed the ducks. Max and I have had a great time learning with these friends and getting to know them. Thanks to all the mommies for their hard work and cooperation. We hope that we will continue to meet frequently next year!

BrickMagic LEGO Convention

2010-05-09T20:00:00.000-04:00

What better way to spend Mothers' Day than at a LEGO convention? We joined hundreds of other Raleigh families in a hotel ballroom filled with LEGO displays. Mason was in heaven -- he was very impressed with the vehicles made by young builders and fascinated by the details in the larger pieces. Max particularly liked the trains and robots. Mark and I had a good time, too... I'm not sure we would be considered AFOL (that's "adult fans of LEGO), but we certainly enjoy looking at the works of others and the kids' reactions to them.

For more photos of the Lego masterpieces, click HERE.

Party Animal

2010-05-09T19:49:00.000-04:00

Max celebrated the birthdays of two friends this weekend. On Saturday, he went to Coco's 4th birthday, which involved face painting (he opted for a spider on the arm), horse rides, and a princess bounce house. He loved riding the horse and having a cupcake with his best girl...

On Sunday afternoon, we went to the park for Carys' 3rd birthday. Again, the cupcake was one of the highlights of the party for Max. He liked playing on the playground and singing to his friend.

He Can Do It!!

2010-05-03T14:36:00.000-04:00

Mason has been asking to take the training wheels off his bike for a few weeks now. This weekend, we decided to go for it. Or rather, Mark and Mason decided to go for it, since I have no bike expertise whatsoever...

After a few tries and a few tears, Mason can now ride a two-wheel bike! He needs a lot more practice, but he will soon be riding solo. Now he has to work on stopping and turning...

Strawberry Picking

2010-04-30T22:03:00.000-04:00

Max and I picked strawberries with friends this morning. We were afraid that Max would lose interest quickly, but he picked about 2 lbs. and then ran happily through the rows. He inspected each one to see if it was red enough and was very careful not to step on any plants. Unfortunately, neither he nor Mason will eat berries, but he does want to return to pick more for Mark and me!

Little Art Critic

2010-04-27T10:14:00.000-04:00

On Sunday morning, Max and I attended the grand re-opening of the North Carolina Museum of Art. The museum has a new building and sculpture gardens. Max enjoyed seeing the collection (for about 10 minutes) and then liked running around the sculptures. He posed on a pedestal in the Rodin Garden...

Found himself in the giant cube...

Checked out one of Mama's favorite paintings...

Examined other works...

Hugged a giant metal tree...

And then created his own artwork.

Songbird Festival

2010-04-24T19:29:00.000-04:00

Mark and Mason are out of town this weekend (more on that later), so Max and I are on our own. This morning we went to the annual Songbird Festival at Blue Jay Point Park. We learned about how birds make nests, care for their babies and teach them to sing, what they eat... We also made bird masks and feather bookmarks and played a bunch of fun games. Max was the first child to complete all 12 activities and earn his prize, a red bird whistle. He is now an expert on all things bird.

Baila, Max, Baila!!

2010-04-23T19:42:00.000-04:00

This morning, Max's school held it's annual Fiesta Internacional. Each class performed a traditional Latin American dance. The babies pretty much sat in various stages of bewilderment, fear and terror, and the older kids did a great job. Max's class was maybe 50/50 with their Venezuelan dance -- half the class smiled and danced, the rest cried or covered their faces.

Max did an awesome job, smiling and dancing the entire time. He'd been practicing for weeks and really liked some parts of the dance, such as rolling his hands. He also liked the costume -- especially the big hat.

After the performances, we feasted on Latin American treats and other food from around the world. Max especially enjoyed the donut, cupcake, and chocolate chip cookies.

Fun with Friends at the Park

2010-04-22T10:04:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Mason was out of school early for "super-early release day" (i.e. they send him home at 11:55 to give the teachers a chance to work without the distraction of the class), and we met friends at the park. We've known this family since Mason was 2, and as you can see, we always have a blast with them. The only way to get the kids to stay still for a photo is to feed them...