Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon go to WA

We recently took a trip up to WA to spend a week on Nana and Papa's sailboat in Anacortes. Grandma Nicky and Grandpa Clyde met us over there with their camper and powerboat. We had a great time - it was so beautiful despite the multiple times it rained or got foggy. The girls had a blast - going on the boat, going crabbing, going fishing, sleeping in the cabin on the sailboat. Zoey was so excited to go crabbing b/c her daddy had told her all about it. She would watch so intently as the pots got thrown in the water and then when the guys would bring them up she would start chanting - I want BIG BOYs, Big boy crabs......One day we actually got a bunch and had enough to cook up for dinner. She watched her dad boil the crabs, then smash them on the dock to get the meat out. Finally it came time to eat the crab. She was SO excited to eat it and dipped in the hot butter. One bite. Yep you guessed it - didnt like the taste! All that build up!!!! I think she ate some leftover pizza from lunch instead.....

Audrey at first hated the power boat. She very quickly started yelling at us, "I want Off This BOAT." She had a hard time b/c the boat was so bumpy. She kept telling me something about "falling down" - I think b/c the bumps. We took daddy's front seat in the fancy shock absorbtion chairs and all was better. Over the week she got more and more comfortable with the feel of the motorboat, but she still talks about that "falling down" thing when she talks about the boat.

It's always so nice to get out of the norm and on vacation or out of the daily grind. TVs off, toys gone and just one on one attention from mom and dad. New sights, new attention from other family. They love it. One thing that has always cracked me up about Zoey are her jokes. She knows a few knock knock jokes. Such as "knock knock, whos there, boo, boohoo, oh dont cry" or "old lady, old lady who, old lady i never knew you could yodel". But really what's the funniest are her made up jokes usually involving chickens, pooping or things crossing a road. It took us a minute to get used to them. The first time my dad and stepmom heard them, they immediately took to psychoanalyzing them and discussed how Dali would have greatly appreciated them for their surreal humor and wit! Here is an example. "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "Because he always had to poop on a toothbrush". I know, I know. It's always hilarious to see someone's first reaction to a Zoey joke. It cracks me up. Anyway, her jokes can go on for hours.

One particular night in the car after dinner, the girls were pretty wound up. Zoey was telling her jokes to us all and we were all cracking up. Then Audrey started really getting into it as well and CJ and I started to crack up more just by the two girls. He pointed out that we had Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon in our backseat. Example: Zoey would tell the first part of her joke. Audrey would repeat the last phrase. I would say the require response of "why", then Zoey would give her version of a punchline. Audrey would burst into huge laughter repeating the main phrase from the punchline. Usually something like "oooooohhhhhhhahhhhahhha, chicken pooping on toothbrush, hhhhhahhhhahhahahhaaa". I know its one of those things where you had to be there. But they still do it when they get in joke telling mode. They have the routine down PAT. It's hilarious. Zoey telling the joke and Audrey there for the comic relief and backup. Never a dull moment. Seriously.

The other thing that cracks me up about Audrey is that she already has these looks down. I mean she's got some serious training already started in the dramatic arts or comedy routines. She will say something to you, freeze, then hold your gaze as she turns her head to the side and looks at your through the side of her glasses. Her eyes just a sliver but still staring. Then she will stop and start laughing. There's also the hand motions where she is twisting her hands and motioning and all kinds of funny things to illustrate her story or questions or current needs.

Finally Zoey is swimming like a champ these days. Face in the water, goggles are always on, jumping in and swimming straight to you, coming up for breathes. It's so nice to have this skill going well. It will be such a huge relief to have TWO children that know how to swim.