Futbol Season

Yesterday morning was cold and foggy - but not raining - so Sawyer and I took a walk to the park by our house and brought along the soccer ball. He loves to kick it around, and actually, he's pretty darn awesome at it for a 16-month old. I love that he likes it! Maybe it's because I loved soccer as a kid, and also have played in leagues as an adult, or maybe it's because Jacob and I both did missionary service for our church living in places where Futbol is Life (Brazil and Spain) - but we love Futbol. (More than American Football, sorry folks!) I remember playing on concrete courts in Spain on my days "off" as a missionary (it was rare for them to see a girl playing!)...I felt like playing with the Spaniards was like watching them do this intricately beautiful dance with the ball...anyway...enough reminiscing from me...

It felt SO good to get out of the house. The first part of the week was a I'm-still-not-feeling-so-well few days. I keep counting my blessings but just can't deny that those days are frustrating! There's so much to be done and so much to go and do...I just hate it when I am pretty much stopped in my tracks and can't do any of what I would hope to do during a day. BUT the sweet, tiny, miraculous reward will be coming soon enough, right? February and Aspen will be here soon!

When we were done kicking the ball around, we went over to the lake and watched the ducks. There were also squirrels, crows, and seagulls a-plenty to entertain us until our noses turned red and we walked on home. I feel so lucky to be able to stay at home and play with Sawyer. Not a day goes by that I regret the sacrifices Jacob and I have made and are making so that I can be here with him everyday. And, I have to admit - it's so much fun (besides the being sick part!) - I just can't imagine being anywhere else!

It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's...

Superman!

Have a Safe & Happy Halloween!!!

*ps* cape and belt - made with love by Superman's Mama!
*pss* did you know there are hardly any phone booths left in this city? must be the advent of the cell phone...

Mama & Her Boy

So...I admit it...I am a camera hog. The benefit of being a camera hog came today when Jacob said "you know, we should really get another camera..." which led to a conversation in which we have made a goal to save up to get me my dream camera, hopefully sometime this year! It also led to this picture. I had been hogging the camera all morning and I said to Jacob "take it - it's your turn." So this is the result: a picture of me and my boy. Thanks, babe. I love it! He's growing so fast! Check out his crazy hair! I am not very good with the clippers and the only thing I really know how to do is buzz it off. Since the weather is getting a little more chilly, I decided to let it get a little longer...but all I can think of is to make it messy so no one will notice my awful hair-cutting ability! If anyone has tips on doing little boy hair, please share! Otherwise, Sawyer will either end up with long surfer-dude hair or super short buzz cuts all the time.

We had a wonderful day today. We went to the Ballard Locks this morning to look at the boats and fish swim by. We even saw a seal! I spent some time hogging the camera and forcing Jacob and Sawyer yet again to be my subjects as we did a mini photo session of Sawyer in his Halloween costume...I'm excited about his costume this year because I broke out the sewing machine and put some of my own sweat into it! And tonight, we headed to the Zoo's Pumpkin Prowl with some awesome new friends who are new in town. We spent a lot of time waiting in lines...but the kiddos had fun, and we got to chat and be out having a good time with great people which always makes for a fun evening. Oh, how I wish there were a couple more Saturdays in the weekend! I just love being able to spend time together! I hope everyone else had an enjoyable weekend as well!

(After) The Pumpkin Patch...

On Saturday, we decided to brave the wind and rain and go to Carleton Farms to pick out some pumpkins. Much to my disappointment (we're talking break-into-tears disappointment...darn hormones!) I forgot the camera at home. I was about to go back and get it but it would've taken an hour...so I decided to just enjoy being there without documenting the event. However, that didn't stop me from taking a few right when we got home ;) We picked out four pumpkins, representing our little (growing!) family.

As we were washing off our pumpkins and muddy boots, Sawyer discovered the little river of water that ran away toward the drain...and he became enthralled.

I told him, "splish, splash!" and it didn't take him long to start stompin'.

Then, Daddy showed him how to jump up and make some big big splasheds He thought that was pretty cool.

Yep, it's the simple things that make life grand. Puddle jumping just can't be beat!

I know we're biased, but isn't Sawyer one of the cutest boys you've ever seen? He makes life so much fun to live!

While we had the camera out - here's the belly at almost 24 weeks. Little Aspen is certainly doing some growing in there! A friend told me this week that I had been hiding it well but now there is no hiding it!

This was so funny - I said "I have two little pumpkins - one right here (pointing to Sawyer) and a little tiny one hiding in here (pointing to my belly)". Sawyer decided to hide a little pumpkin in his belly, too...maybe you had to be there...but we sure thought it was funny! He still just has no clue what's going to happen in about 16 weeks!

Cookie Monster

Well...he's definitely not a monster, but Sawyer sure enjoyed dessert tonight. I think this is the second time in his life we gave him a cookie. I wasn't feeling very well today, but since it was pouring rain all day, decided to 'why not?' make the best of it and make a good dinner to surprise Jacob (it is rare these days I feel good enough to cook much of anything). So, we even made and framed a menu to put on the table and lit the candle in our lantern centerpiece to surprise Daddy when he got home to our very own restaurant. Of course, the part Sawyer was most excited about was the cookies we had for dessert: Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip...with hot spiced cider a la mode to follow (that's for after he's in bed - thanks Minna for the great recipes!) Anyway...you would think a little cookie enthusiast would be smiling...but this is when he finished and realized we weren't going to give him any more. Cute, nonetheless!

Special Visitors

This past weekend we had some special people come to visit us. My mom (Grammy) and grandmother (Gigi) drove up from Bend, Oregon (6 hours is a long time to sit in the car for anyone - but it's amazing my 90-year-old grandmother gets around like she does!)

We had a wonderful, relaxing visit. They got to see in person that I'm not kidding when I say that Sawyer is obsessed with trains. He wakes up in the morning calling our names and then "choo choo". They had fun playing with him, and he quite enjoyed the extra attention. We visited and enjoyed the comforts of our home, and also took them to the beach. We made some rockin' brick-oven style pizza on the pizza stone mom gave us as a housewarming gift. Soooo good. It was a quick visit, but much enjoyed and appreciated!

*by the way, I hope I look as good as they do when I am almost 60 and over 90!!!

Our New Home: room by room

Welcome to our room! It is small and simple, and as you might have already noticed, I am a minimalist. I am fortunate that Jacob appreciates that, and that he is not one of those guys who throws things everywhere - he even helps make the bed.

Our bed fits nicely into this little spot. Since the ceiling is vaulted, I decided to add the giant globe lanterns, which match the vintage travel print that is hanging above our bed just perfectly. For so long I had everything white or off-white, that I decided it was time for a splash of color.

I might have mentioned that the babies' room is the Master with the walk-in closet? Well, our closet is like a shoebox, literally. It is tiny. So Jacob gets most of it for hanging his stuff up - and I get 2 of the dresser drawyers. I actually had to give a big box of old clothes to charity to make sure my stuff would fit. As of now, all my usual clothes are in a box in the walk-in closet since my maternity clothes have now fully taken over my wardrobe ;) Jacob and I are pretty proud to be able to share this tiny dresser and shoebox of a closet. I always told him I didn't want too many clothes - after my missionary service in Europe (Spain's Canary Islands) I really appreciated how a lot of people in the world have just enough clothes - that they need - and not so much indulgence and excess as most American's do.

I went back and forth about whether to hang some pictures above the dresser. I decided in the end just to have the tiny one from our wedding announcement. Instead, in the hallway between our room and Sawyer's room, I did a picture wall. It took me a long time to figure out how I wanted to arrange it and which prints I wanted to hang. I wanted to center it around "The Family: a proclamation to the world". Keep in mind that some of them will be traded out for a few of Aspen next Spring! Thanks to Ikea for a lot of the little things around our place. They had these awesome frames for $3 and $5 (5x7 & 8x10). I may pick up a few more frames so that as our family grows we can add to the photo wall and still have matching frames ;)

So, that completes our tour of the third floor: our room, Sawyer's room, the hallway. Oh, yes, there is also a small bathroom. AND one of the very best features of our new home: our own washer and dryer!!! For 10 out of the past 12 years we have not had washer and dryer in our actual space. When Sawyer was a tiny baby, it was such a hassle to lug him, and the laundry basket, outside, down stairs, through the rain, with quarters in hand, to do a load of laundry. Of course, I got accustomed to it. BUT it makes life so much easier to not have to go out in the elements,hike around the corner of the building, or worry about quarters anymore (not to mention doing all that and finding that someone else had beat you to it!) Hooray for convenient household appliances!

Kelsey Creek Farm

We have had amazing weather this week...warm enough to delay the storage of my flip flops a tiny bit longer :) We started off the week with a sick little boy, and spent the first couple of days getting him well. And there were lots errands to run and things to do, as usual. We of course went to the beach, as Sawyer requests the beach or the zoo several times a day. I can hardly begin to tell you about how fascinated he is with "Choo-choos" these days. One reason he loves the beach so much is because the trains pass right next to the beach by our house (Carkeek). Today, however, we invited some friends and decided to venture to the "East Side" and visit the animals at Kelsey Creek Farm. It was the perfect day! If Daddy didn't have a huge deadline and have to go into work, and Mommy didn't have a photo shoot, and we didn't have family coming into town tomorrow...we'd love to go back over the weekend for their Fall Farm Fair. If you have Saturday free - go check it out!

Our New Home: room by room

Okay, so it's not exactly a room, but it's one of our favorite spots. We scored big time with what you could call a huge yard (for a small townhouse, that is ;).

I actually took this first photo a couple of months ago, when we moved in - from the 3rd story window (sorry about a bit of glare on the glass). Honestly, most townhomes have little to no yard, and we were ecstatic to find that ours had a good-sized yard. Of course, the builders landscaped it with too many bushes, a tree, wood chips and rocks. We are going to change that next Spring. Can you picture it with a small raised garden, some huge pots with flowers, an extended patio with some patio furniture and garden lights? Oh, and LOTS of grass? How about a kiddie pool, too? Yes, that's what we're envisioning...oh, and we can't forget the funky-colored bird house for the birds and squirrels!

Sawyer likes to help water the plants.

He doesn't mind the rocks one bit. Along with his trucks, he thinks they pretty much, um, rock!

So, there you have it. Our backyard!

A Surprise for a Wonderful Friend

These photos are a surprise for my wonderful friend, Lynn (& I'm pretty sure her husband is gonna love them equally). Lynn has been my friend for the past 8 years. For quite a few of those years, she was also my "boss" as I was nanny to her children. However, working so close together to care for her family in the best way either of us knew how, we became wonderful friends. She is now "Auntie Lynn" to Sawyer. Anyway, I could go on and on about what an amazing lady she is...but I'll try to keep it simple, short, and to the point.

Lynn and her husband have always been extremely kind and generous to me and my family, and sometimes I wish I could thank them - but don't always know how. So, recently I asked if her youngest had a costume for Halloween yet - and if not, I offered to make her a tutu since I know she loves ballerinas (is there a little girl who doesn't dream of ballerinas?) Lynn was excited and took me up on the offer. Well, today I was able to deliver the tutu & matching headband - which, by the way, are so fun/easy/addicting to make - and I was also able to sneak in a little photo shoot with the little ballerina. Can you tell that this tutu made this girl's day? You betcha it did!

You might say, this is a "treat" for Lynn this Halloween season. So, Lynn (& Matt, too!) thank you so much for all your kindness and generosity in helping our family prepare to welcome our little ones into the world, and for being our Seattle Family. I have a CD waiting for you with some awfully cute photos - something to make your Halloween just a bit sweeter ;) You guys are the best!