Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Our Week

What have we been up to this last week?  
Playing football...
... and Star Wars...
...riding scooters...
...dancing...
...and reading.  
Little Declan got a cold, which went straight to his lungs.  After a night of wheezing and a trip to the doctor, he had to spend two days with nebulizer treatments every four hours.  He was a good sport and got better very quickly, but how sad is this?
With breathing problems every time he gets a little sick, we are not looking forward to winter.  Poor little guy.

Last weekend the Muffolettos came up for a visit and we had a great time, as usual.  I know I post a lot about our forest swing, but these pictures are classic.

According to Garreth, if he ever runs for public office someday, this picture will surely come back to haunt him.


Oh, and the kids got turns, too.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Zipline: The Movie

I know I already posted pictures of this, but Garreth just made a video that is too cute not to share...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sam's Swimming Lessons

Sam started his very first session of swimming lessons this week.  He wasn't so sure about things the first day, but by the second day, he was ready to rock that pool!



Orange room? Check.

Some of you may remember my fiasco with the orange bathroom a few months back.  Well, I didn't give up on my dream of an orange room.  I just finished our living room, where three walls are a lovely shade of rust.  And I love love love it!!!  

There are still couch pillows and curtains to be added, so I'll post pictures of the finished room later, but here's a sneak peek...
Isn't it festive?

My Amazing Grace

Warning:  this post contains LOTS of parental bragging.

I love this girl.  

From the minute she was born, my grandmother (and Grace's namesake) has been known to repeatedly state, "What an exceptional child."  

And I have to agree.  She is awesome.  

And here is a little evidence to prove it. 
Grace is very inquisitive and curious about the world.   

Exhibit A:  The science experiment.  Grace brought home book orders from school.  Did she choose the Hannah Montana poster and fan book?  No, she did not.  She chose the at-home science kit.  She made a scented volcano, much to the amazement of her brothers....
... and peppermint bubbles, which were enjoyed by all.


Grace is amazing at coming up with really fun things to do and her little brothers look to her for entertainment.  Some of their favorites:  camping, school, and Mailman Curtis, which involves pushing Declan around the house on his car, delivering letters and packages that they write to each other.  (Not sure why his name is Curtis.  I don't ask, I just enjoy the rare sounds of nobody fighting.)
Another case in point.  Grace won a drawing at school for a $10 gift card to Village Books in Bellingham (my favorite bookstore ever.)  She picked out this book:  (I know it's tiny, but deal with it.)
That's right, "The Babysitter's Handbook."  I explained to her that she couldn't really start babysitting for a few more years, but she said she just wanted to practice.  And practice she did.  I later went upstairs to find this:
I jumped all over this and immediately brought Sam up to her room, where she had me sign in and gave us matching wristbands. (I guess so I didn't accidentally go home with the wrong kid.)  Here is a picture of the babysitting center.
Notice the changing table on the left.  Not pictured were the arts and crafts section and the snack station.  Also, there was a Baby Einstein CD playing softly in the background.  Sam stayed there for about an hour and came out happy, with crafts and pictures in tow.

Exhibit B:  Grace is astonishingly smart.  

I know I'm her mom and maybe a little biased, but seriously, the girl has a photogenic memory and I know her IQ is way higher than mine.  To challenge her a little more, Garreth has started teaching her all the countries and their capitals.  (Not states, COUNTRIES.  Do you know what the capital of Mauritius is?  Me either, but Grace does!)  They learn two a night and find them on a map together.  

See what I mean?  
She is the total package.  All this and beauty, too.  
What a kid.  I am so lucky to be her mom.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Forest Zipline

We spent part of our Saturday at the state park, where Garreth made the kids a forest zipline/swing.  

Don't my kids have the funnest dad ever?



Grace found the perfect tree for making a fairy house, complete with miniature fire pit and toadstool seats.

I call this picture "Whatchu talkin bout, Willis?"


Beautiful day.  I don't want autumn to end.

Monday, October 13, 2008

McPhail Berry Farm

We had some insanely beautiful fall weather last week and the kids and I decided to spend an afternoon at McPhail Berry Farm.  What a great place!  We had so much fun.
Riding the train.

The cutest bunch of kids ever.
Checking out the farm animals.  (This is Grace's Bee-Freak-Out face.  She must have heard a buzz right as I was taking the picture.  The girl is deathly afraid of bees.  Not sure why...  she has never even been stung by one.)
Going on a hay ride tour of the farm.  They grow mostly berries, but also have a huge field of pumpkins.
Picking out pumpkins.

We named Declan's choice "The World's Smallest Pumpkin," and he loved it.  Sadly, it never even got to see its new home, as it met an untimely end accidentally being stepped on in the driveway.  RIP, little pumpkin, RIP.
(By the way, check out Liam on the left side of this picture.  What is up with little boys and their "handles?"  I am constantly reminding him to DROP IT!)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Our Visitor

We were very excited to have a surprise visitor come up to visit us this week.  Our friend Flat Stanley came all the way from Boise, and we were happy to take him around our town and show him the sights.
We took him to the forest to see the autumn leaves...
... and of course, to the beach.
He loved relaxing by the water.
Thanks for coming, Stanley!  (Kassidy, if you're reading this, Stanley is on his way back home with some pictures and fun stories to tell you!)

Here are a few more pictures from our day...