Us and Things: Alcatraz

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Alcatraz

When you break the rules, you go to prison. When you break the prison rules, you go to Alcatraz.

On the ferry.

Everyone around us thought this was pretty much the cutest thing they'd ever seen.

San Francisco from the island.

This cell was where Frank Morris made a dummy head to make it look like he was asleep, and with two others escaped through an air vent. They were never seen again.

Lillian was such a trooper. After this we took a bus to Chinatown, which for her, was the highlight of the trip; every bump in the road, every person who walked past, it was all pure ecstasy.

3 comments:

Bluebell said...: Cute family shot at the end there. You guys all look great.; Tue Apr 03, 10:24:00 AM MST
Anonymous said...: Yeah your family is pretty freaking cute!; Tue Apr 03, 12:16:00 PM MST
Anonymous said...: I have a question, the whole time in you were in San Francisco and going to Alcatraz were you thinking in your head, "Alcatraz… San Francisco people... trolley cars" all with an Eddie Izzard accent? If not lie to me and tell me you did, cuz that is what I think about when I look at your pictures.; Thu Apr 05, 03:24:00 PM MST

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A taste of the Ball life

Amanda: What do you want for lunch: ham sandwich or peanut butter sandwich?
Lillian: Ham. No, peanut butter. No... ham... No, peanut butter.
Amanda: Ok, I'm going to make you a peanut butter sandwich. (makes sandwich)
Lillian: NO! I WANTED HAM!!!!
Amanda: You said peanut butter, and I told you I was going to make you peanut butter.
Lillian: No... I think you just spaced out Mom.

Tyler on dodo birds: I mean, any species that can be wiped out by rats probably didn't deserve to live. Nature should have selected them a long time ago to go extinct... it's like it forgot and got there late.

Lillian: I like carrots mom. They're like... juice you eat.

Tyler was reading Lillian a picture book in which a little boy finds an airplane in his closet and takes it into space where he runs out of gas and lands on the moon. On the moon, he meets a little Martian boy, wearing a space suit, who's spaceship had crashed.
Tyler: How come the Martian needs a space suit and the little boy doesn't? This book is so inaccurate.

Lillian threw a piece of food during dinner.
Tyler: Lillian don't throw food.
Lillian: But, it was just a little bit of food.

At 2 AM, Tyler pokes Amanda and says, "The baby is crying"
"No, that's a dog."
"No, it's Nora. I have superhuman hearing, that's why they call me Eagle Ears."

Amanda looks over and sees Lillian desperately trying to shove the Camelbak valve into Nora's mouth.
Amanda: Stop that! Don't put that into her mouth!
Lillian: Mom, I'm just playing doctor.
Amanda: Well, don't put it into her mouth.
Lillian (accompanied with change in tactic): Just her ears.

Lillian (pointing): This is my neck. This is Daddy's neck. This is Mom's neck. Nora doesn't have a neck.

Amanda: Listen to this, "The men and women of the Yana tribe in California speak different dialects." (TIME Magazine).
Tyler: The men and women speak different dialects in our house: sense and nonsense.

I ran upstairs briefly and left Nora in her chair with a curious Lillian looking on. Nora started fussing and crying a little and I heard Lillian say, "Nora! Stop Crying! Use your words!"

We practiced and practiced saying "Daddy, I missed you" all the way to the bus stop, a full five minute drive. Upon arrival, I prep Lillian one last time. I roll down the window, Tyler sticks his head in, and I prompt Lillian, "do you have something to say to daddy?"
Lillian looks up at him with her eyes full and sincere, "Juicebox."

Amanda: This dictionary says Wednesday can be pronounced wendz-dee or wendz-day.
Tyler: Well... that dictionary was written by an old person.