getting ready for christmas

Eli and his best friend Minya

Dad and Eli going to cut our christmas tree
this is exciting stuff!

Reading "panda bear panda bear" with Pop-pop

dumping rocks with Dad, Grandma and Pop-pop

A visit to see Santa! It's an exciting idea, especially when my friend Minya comes along ...

... but the reality of Santa is a little scary. Body language speaks true: he'd rather be elsewhere thank you

we got to feed some very hungry sheep!

and we got to see a fire truck

serious business ...

How to play this game. The tractor "honks" at the cars and they each, one by one, "go to sleep." Note: no one except Eli is allowed to make the honking noise -- it's just not funny.

Eli helping cook the cranberries for Thanksgiving dinner

Another new game: getting into the tube above and pretending to be laundry. (heavy laundry). Then mom is supposed to carry the laundry all over the house, especially up and down the stairs. Note: especially fun if blanket, stuffed animal and tractor
are also along for the ride. Also note: actual laundry not invited.

having a quiet moment ...

video hodgepodge

I haven't included many videos in the last few posts because they take a while to upload. I'm going to be adding some to this post as I find time in the next few days. Enjoy!



We took this one just yesterday, it's a song called "slippery fish" that Eli sings at school. :)



Fire Truck!



Tractor Ride!



Throwing sand in the Columbia River

halloween and other adventures ...

FYI, it may look like Elmo, but it's really Eli :)

Kristen and her twins Braeden and Kaia and their grandma Judy joined us for Halloween dinner and trick-or-treating. It was a wonderfully chaotic 3 hours!

Stop half-way to examine the candy-take and formulate a plan ...

Three suspicious characters ...

Eli and our favorite neighbor Kate and her dog Bentley, who saved all the good candy for us

Mom-and-Eli trip to the zoo to see the new lions, who were not shy and came right up to the glass. A little scary but so cool!

This was an exhibit about mongooses, where the kids can get inside via this "bubble". A big hit.

Can you believe it? Grandma Song and Pop-Pop have finally arrived! This was our welcoming dinner night for them.

A new audience means new opportunities to show off a little ...

fall fun

visit to the pumpkin patch on Sauvie's Island, on an exciting tractor ride!

This haystack had a tunnel on the side -- now, every time Eli sees hay, he also says "tunnel!"

afterwards we wnt to the beach (of the Columbia River)

fun with our friends Braeden and Kaia and their mom Kristen

eating grapes off the vine and apples off the tree

another pumpkin patch trip, this time with friends Amy (with baby Reese), Alex, Susan, and Alex's sister visiting from Ecuador

Despite many attempts, this is the best group photo of Eli with his buddies Anna and Rowan

Eli made muffins with mom, pouring all the ingredients, stirring, and putting the dough in the pan. Here he is, eating his first effort!

colorado trip

Grandma's house is full of fun toys!

A visit with Grandma Jensen -- Eli helped her play with her balloon

just ate a lemon ...

SOUR!

Highland Lake, the best place for throwing rocks in the water

swinging with Grammy

Going to see more of the Lake with cousin Aileena

Aileena, our star cheerleader

Jumping on the trampoline with Aida

having fun with Liam and Aida

another good one

sleepy Lee's

Mom and Eli having fun too

Eli is demonstrating how to do "gentle touch"

Eli learning about the fun of the "underduck"

watching Elmo with Grammy

Lunch with our beautiful friend Tashie!

zoo trip, baby giraffes were the highlight

we rode on the carousel which was a little fun and mostly terrifying ...

More time at the lake, this time with cousin Rollie