After a long Hiatus...

Cleaning off the driveway for Grandma.

Posing to appease mommy.

Fin then moved onto the long sidewalks.
Yes, this was a day or two after the initial snowfall
and even with sublimation, he is still unable to see over the snow!

This is more than 2 days after the snow and Ella can still climb the snowbank and touch my mother's roof!

So maybe he is looking up to check if there is another snowball from mommy coming at him.
Or maybe is just happy!

We are starting to get settled back in on the east coast. While we are still living in multiple locations and with various family members (to whom we are grateful), there is a more consistent internet connection and bedtime routine. Both of these are blessings that start to make the transition more bearable. I don't have a lot of time right now, but I will share a few photos from our snowy adventures here.

Halloween Part 3 of 3

We amended our plans for trick or treating with friends
to be cooking baking at home with the sickies!
Grandma and Grandpa S sent aprons and festive cookie cutters
that Ella couldn't wait to try out.

Fin models his new apron. It is just the right size to be enjoyed for many years to come!

Ella shows me how to work the cookie cutters. My 3 year old has all the answers!

Success!
Showing her
cookie pride.

Sickie Fin decided he would rather just eat the dough, and honestly I wasn't really interested in eating any cookies he made. The compromise worked out pretty well, and I have sanitized the cookie cutters that were sucked on!

Halloween Part 2 of 3

Our little Dorothy!
Lucky for her our flying Monkey was grounded for sickness.

Ella doing a coloring page.

Trick or Treating RMG style.
In each box was either candy, a toy, or some slimy creation.
We ended up with a few spaghetti noodles in her bag.
GROSS!

They really had fun with this!

So Fin and I were sick on Halloween, putting a crimp in our plans for the weekend. That didn't mean that Ella and Daddy had to sit at home though. Here are the photos from their trip to the RMG Halloween party.

Halloween Round 1 of 3...

My attempts to make Halloween costumes this year was a success! I still have more tweaking to do on both costumes, but Mike's co-workers recognized what they were supposed to be-so I am claiming victory. We had fun hanging out with daddy, decorating cupcakes/cookies and trick-or-treating around the office.

There will be more updates as we go through the weekend!

Fin eating a cookie

Ella decorated her cupcake, without any help.

You would never guess huh?

Fin, coming and going with the trick-or-treat.

Ella and her doggie basket of goodies.

Fin would not stay put at the party.
Mike chased him for laps.

Ah, Randomness...

So as I get the house ready for winter, and clean off our aging computer in prep for our new one arriving this week, I decided it was time to post some of the best photos from the last couple months. I am ok with posting the big events, but it is the day to day that I often forget to capture or share. Just a warning to all blog readers, I am doing a writing challenge in November-160 pages in 30 days with no advance outline or notes. It is the national month of novel writing and it is a challenge each year, but this year I decided to accept the call. If posts are few and far between, please forgive me, there is an end to the madness-it is called December 1st. I look forward to any encouragement and ideas that loved ones have, and I will be calling a few of you to be my sounding board.

Enjoy some photos of our little ones!

Ella posing for mommy.

Ella bundled up in the jogging stroller before a walk with mommy.

An action shot-waving from the beach.

My babies concentrating on the waterline.

Such intense concentration.

I guess maybe a tribute to the Fonz?!

Pink is so not his color,
and Fin was very disappointed that
he is now too heavy for doll strollers.

Ella loves to run!

This was from one of the last days of summer,
and man, even then it was cold!

Sprinklers + Fin= HAPPY KIDDO!

Mental Giant putting glove on feet...
maybe mommy should find him some socks!

Ella has become so independent.
Thank goodness she still loves to cuddle!

Love you all!

Pumpkin Patch fun

We finally got back into the groove of family time. Just in the nick of time to catch some awesome autumn weather in the Pacific Northwest. I do realize that to those of you not from the PNW, you would just refer to it as the Northwest. Here though, it is the PNW, and while you will not be corrected, you will be shunned as an outsider for your oversight. Kidding, but only kinda... Carpinito Bros farms has a fun pumpkin patch that is just the right speed for our little ones, and it offers breathtaking views of Rainier in the distance. We had a great time there, and since then I have enjoyed watching Fin's look of dismay every time he bites into a pumpkin only to discover it isn't an oversized orange apple or an even tastier fruit.

Aren't kids amusing?
Enjoy!

Not so sure about this mom...

Chillin' waiting to meet the Great Pumpkin

Proud Poppa and his wagon of offspring

Fin's patented move for the ladies attention,
"HI!!!!"
Smooth moves, Fin, smooth moves.

Which pumpkin, Fin?
"Dis"
translation into adult speak = this one

so much concentration required not to trip over pumpkin vines...

and yet it happened a lot!!!

Oh my goodness, Ella in heaven.
She was showing off her new boots to another little girl...

and posing for mommy...

I may have created a model monster!

Fin seeing the birds, and smiling.

Deep contemplations of an almost 2 yr old...
"Seriously though mom, I want to climb in this big pile of mulch. So I may just pretend not to see your evil eye or understand the meaning of NO today, alright?"

Heading back towards the parking lot,
a beautiful view of Mt. Rainier in the background.
Did I mention I love the PNW?

A trip that makes all members smile.

Fin-man, hugging the pumpkin.

How did my baby get so big?
That pumpkin probably weighed 2x her birth weight.
Put that down there muscles!

Senorita Sassiness!

My Baby Blue Eyes.

Once again modeling for mama

Fin's attempt to pick up the same pumpkin his sister did.
Not quite as successful...
Give him another year!