Caution, Kids at Play

I love this time of year. It's full of holidays, family, fun and traditions.  The season kicks of with a holiday that I have not really been a fan of in the past.  However, I have to admit that I am getting more into the spirit of Halloween, especially with our new neighborhood traditions and festivities.  Next year, maybe I'll even consider dressing up.

This year Elanor picked her own halloween costume - Rupunzel.  She had a dress, a wand, and a crown (the wand and crown didn't make it in this photo because we were all so excited to start trick-or-treating!)

And Lydia was a purple butterfly!

The four of us went to the first five houses together, but then Lydia and I headed back to hand out candy.  We had over 175 trick-or-treaters!  With that many trick-or-treaters, handing out candy is an event in itself.  You don't sit and watch a scary movie and answer the door when it rings (you would never be able to sit).  Instead, everyone sits on their front porches and hands it out.  It is like a giant block party, and so much fun.

Ella trick-or-treated for about two hours and then the girls put on their skeleton pajamas for bedtime...and slept all night long!

On Veteran's Day, I took the girls to the Discovery Museum.  Elanor has been several times before, but this was Liddy's first time there since she was old enough to play.  SO. MUCH. FUN.  Liddy was crawling all over everything!  She was standing and cruising and so adventurous.  It was really fun to see.

And of course Ella had fun as well.  Let me just say though, two kids, both excited, both *running* around, jumping and playing for three hours straight.  One Mommy.  I went to bed early that night...and slept all night long! ;)

But spending time with the family is the best part of any weekend.  Just the little things, like pictures in the yard...

Jumping at the playground...

Standing at the playground...

In general, just having a blast...

and spending time with each other...

creating memories, love and hugs.

Cutest Little Pumpkins In The Patch

The tradition continues...Nicasio pumpkin patch!  We went on Sunday, and I found the two cutest little pumpkins there...can you guess which ones they are?

As we remembered from last year, there was a lot to do - a hay maze, giant pumpkins, a hay ride, wheel barrows, ponies, a baby cow and some pigs just to name a few!  

Elanor loved the maze most and must have gone through at least 10 times.  

Lydia loved the bright orange color of the pumpkins, and watching the people all around her.  I was pretty sure she was thinking "mommy, why do people carve pumpkins?"  Good question Lydia, good question...

Elanor loved to run and jump off the pumpkins.  She even tried to hide behind some when we told her it was time to go home.  Ella, your too big for that now!  But seriously, when did she get so BIG?

On the way out, we found the perfect size wheelbarrow for Ella to push around.

It was fun, and a great tradition.  We will be back next year!

Cute As Can Be, And Now She's 3!

This past week Elanor turned 3!  I know, I can hardly believe it myself.  And I think she is excited as well.

We started the weekend off with a trip to the airport and a visit from Grandma Cindy.  Saturday was the big party, and Elanor had so much fun.  She invited all her friends and family to the house to help her celebrate.

We had lunch, opened gifts and ate cupcakes! YUMMY!

And Lydia had a blast showing off her new found crawling skills.

Here is a little bit about 3 year old Ella...

What's your favorite color: Pink!
What do you want to be when you grow up: Rapunzel
What's your favorite animal: zebra
What's your favorite book: Cinderella
What's your favorite movie: Rapunzel (Tangled)
What's your favorite song: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Who is your best friend: Grandma

On Sunday, we took a very special trip to Fisherman's wharf to finish off the Birthday weekend.  To get to the wharf, we took the ferry and then the street car.  Once we were there we immediately went to see the fishies at the aquarium.  Lydia loved the jellyfish and Elanor loved the...SHARKS!

We also went on the carousel.

And spent some time visiting with the sea lions.

When Liddy heard the sea lions barking, she started laughing so loud!  It was adorable.

The weekend before Ella's birthday we took a special trip down to San Luis Obispo to visit our friend Corinne.  It was a long car ride there, but it was certainly worth it.  Uncle Chris took the girls on a bike ride to the park.

We all went to the beach.

Auntie Michelle made some delicious snacks in between all the play time.

And Auntie Nikki showed us the "Secret Garden" where Elanor and Corinne ran around in circles chasing each other.

We have had a fun filled few weeks and can't wait to go back to SLO to see baby Cody sometime in the Spring.  It was a great birthday!

Arts & Crafts

We have been trying different arts and crafts for about a year now.  I think Elanor is at an age now, where she is really starting to enjoy them, and get good at them!  We have beaded necklaces, painted with watercolors and finger paints, made stick puppets...but the all time favorite is the coloring book and crayons.

About a month ago, Ella received a mermaid coloring book as a gift.  I am so impressed with the skills she has developed from this book!

The night she got it (August 24), this is what she colored:

This is how her coloring has progressed, over just one month... 

September 17

September 21

September 26

I think we have a future art-eest in the house. 

We have also been trying new food!  Well Liddy has been trying new foods.  We have moved past the rice cereal and been eating...

BANANAS!! 

and PEARS!!

Just look at those smiles...much different than the face she gave while eating the rice cereal.  I knew she was waiting for bananas!  We have also tried carrots and oatmeal.  So far, I think the oatmeal and pears mixed together is the favorite.  It is so fun to see Lydia try each new food!  I just wish we didn't have to wait 4 whole days in between them...

Between meals and arts and crafts time, Ella took her first train ride.  We took the light rail from Sunrise to Old Folsom and back.  It was a blast!

There was so much to see on the train.  We even got to decide if we wanted to sit forward or facing the back.  That was an easy decision for Elanor...BACKWARDS!  

Every day is a new adventure.  I can't wait to find out what tomorrow brings.

End of Summer

That's right, these kids know it, and they wear it on their shirts...they are ADORABLE!  And I can't get enough.  

Lydia is working her way through her first year of life.  Newest on her list of completed milestones is her first bite of real food.  Well...OK, whether it is really food is questionable.  I'm actually not sure what rice cereal is...it isn't rice, and it certainly isn't cereal...but she tried it.  Well...OK, whether or not she actually tried it is also questionable.  I mean, I haven't seen her react to something so quickly before!  It was instant.  And she gave me the look...WHAT WAS THAT?  I could just see her mind churning, thinking "Rice Cereal, Mom, REALLY, where are the bananas, apples, peas even?"

There's the look.  But we keep making it...and she keeps spitting it out...I think we are all counting down the days until the bananas make an appearance.

Ella is also checking things off her completed milestones list.  She is a graduate from diapers!  That's right...potty trained, check!  There was a celebration with cupcakes, goodies, games and treats.  She's a big girl now, and proud of it!

We have also been exploring our County and Town, finding what fun there is to have near home.  And, seriously, we moved to the best place ever.  Elanor and Lydia are so lucky to be able to grow up in a place like San Anselmo.  Here is what we have found so far...

McNear's Beach.  In San Rafael.  BEAUTIFUL!  We hung out on the beach this day, but next time we go back we are bringing our suits.  Not only can you swim in the bay, but they have a public pool too!

Our local San Anselmo parks.  Really, we knew about these before we moved here.  Still love them!  Plus watching Ella try to fly her new kite at the park when there was absolutely no wind, priceless.  She just couldn't wait for a windy day...

Hearts Desire Beach on Tomales Bay.  BEAUTIFUL.  I wasn't expecting to be able to swim in the water here also, so we forgot our suits again.  But that didn't stop Elanor!  Next time, we will bring our bathing suits and maybe some snorkeling gear, and there will definitely be a next time.

Our Block Party!  So much fun.  Not only do we live in a great town, we live on the best street in this town.  Our block party was a full day of swimming, slides, mingling with neighbors, riding our bikes and wagons down he middle of the street, and dancing.  Oh, the dancing.  Ella was moving so fast my camera couldn't keep up!

Now, I didn't think it was actually possible to do.  But Elanor figured it out.  How to fall asleep, while dancing.  One minute Ella was dancing in the street, holding hands with some of our neighbors.  The next minute, I look at her, still standing up holding hands with the neighbors, band still playing, ASLEEP!  So much fun.

And concerts on the lawn in front of Town Hall.  Of Course, It doesn't hurt when it's our favorite Johnny Cash cover band.  It was a blast, and Liddy was moving to the music too!  

Adorable girls.