Lately

Here are some of our extracurriculars lately:

High Desert Museum with her visiting friend, Davina. Who knew a presentation involving porcupine could be so enthralling to an almost 3 year old? 

Just hanging out at the park.

This could possibly be her most favorite thing in all the world: saturday open gymnastics.

Into the foam pit.

You can see where she got her hanging skills at the park.

Even higher.

Eating saturday pancakes. You can almost always count on this on saturdays (and you can also almost always count on her being in costume)

Evening wind-down time. She often gets to watch an episode of her choice before books. This usually ends up being Angelina Ballerina. 

A Rare Treat

Adam and I have tried in the past to establish Sunday morning/afternoons as a sort of "date" day. At least twice a month. I think the last one we had was in september BUT we did get a few dates when we went back to Missouri for a very special cousin's wedding in October. I can't discount that.

We started it back up last weekend. Even though it was blowing snow and  30 something degrees, we had a babysitter scheduled, and dammit, we were going for it. Since my center of gravity isn't normal anymore (and because it was f$%#ing cold) we decided a trail run, instead of a bike ride, along the upper Deschutes River would be nice. It started out very chilly, but then the sun came out and, well, you can't beat running by the river in the snow and sun.....  especially together. It was fabulous. Our sunday afternoon go-to sitter's name is Grace. She is surely our "Saving Grace".

I guess we weren't exactly "kid free"

Happy Skeletons

We talk a lot about "happy skeletons" around here. Noella has recently developed quite a vivid imagination (I know, that totally doesn't sound like her). This imagination comes with ghostly, witchly, spooky fears (and I'm talking refusing to walk from one room to the other sometimes because there's a skeleton hiding under her bed, or there's a witch in the grass). While I love the fact that she is creative and imaginative, dammit, you can at least walk from the couch to the kitchen on your own. So, we try and talk about happy skeletons, friendly ghosts and witches.... etc... Daddy was a skeleton for Halloween, so maybe that helped a bit. He's pretty happy and friendly. 

We were a little under the weather on Halloween. Noella and I stayed home from work/school and got in some long naps, in hopes of a little bit of celebrating. Our family was invited to the neighbors' house for chili prior to trick or treating - which was a great way to meet a few more people in the neighborhood and get to know our next door neighbors better. We love this neighborhood! It was a bit rainy and a lot cold, so I think we made it to 10 houses (all of which were elaborately decorated; One house even handed out PBRs to the parents - genius!)

Before Halloween, we needed to carve our pumpkin. Noella and I painted our pumpkins, but we saved Daddy's big pumpkin for carving (because he's really the best at it anyway). She helped, I took pictures.

Scoopin'

"Ewwwwwww"

"Ewwwwwww"

Stinks (this one got a little moldy even before we carved)

Noella drawing on the face (after watching Daddy do it)

If you look close, you'll see her version of the skeleton face

Adam, being patient so she can finish her drawing

Poor Zeb. Noella was dead-set on someone in the family being a football player

She doesn't appear so afraid of skeletons here

Princess Flower Fairy and her skeleton escort

 

Princess Flower Fairy, A "debil" (devil) and football player