Been Busy

With Taylor's birthday and Halloween, October is a busy month for us.  This year I decided to make Taylor an apron for her birthday and a Rapunzel dress costume for Halloween. 

Last time I attempted to make a Halloween costume for Taylor,

I packed everything up in frustration and drove to my parents house.  "Please help me fix it, Mom!"  I fully expected to have to do that again.

But at the same time, I was determined to do it on my own, just to see if I could.  

So, like I said, I've been busy cutting,

Pinning,

and sewing.  I even put in a zipper!

Puff sleeves.

And I made her some Rapunzel "hair."

The finished product.  Just don't look too closely.  There are flaws everywhere. 

I was even able to make Taylor a little Trick or Treat bag out of the extra fabric and lace.  Though I'm sure my mom would have gladly helped me, I'm glad I can say that I was able to make it on my own.  It's a great feeling of accomplishment.

Today we went trick or treating to the Optometry class rooms.  So Logan and Taylor were able to see their dad in class today.  They were all dressed up in their Halloween costumes. 

The kids loved seeing their dad in his classroom!  And he even gave them candy! 

Since I had so much fun making Taylor's costume, I decided to make Logan a karate costume.  But after Logan saw his friends dressed up as ninja's, he wanted to be a ninja like them.  That was easy enough, just don't put sleeves on the karate costume, and ta-dah, a ninja.

With some sweet ninja skills!

Happy Halloween 2011

Thank You...

Nana & Papa and Grandma & Grandpa for Taylor's birthday presents.  Would you like to know what you got her?

An entire shopping cart full of "groceries!" 

She loves going shopping.

Thank you, Grandma & Grandpa!

And how can she finish her shopping experience without a cash register at which to make her purchases!?!

This one makes lots of noises fun sound effects too.  

Thank you Nana & Papa!

Already a multitasking master; carrying her baby doll AND a sack of groceries.

She's in such a hurry to grow up and be a mommy and do all those "fun" things mommies get to do, like taking care of babies, cooking, sewing and grocery shopping.  

She's a darling, little mommy. 

I made her an apron for her birthday and got her a few cooking items.  It seems to have launched her domestic tendencies into high gear. 

She got a pink, princess cookbook from an aunt.  She loves it!  She's been packing it around for days.  She looks at all the pictures and reads the ingredient lists to me and asks when we can make something.   


Her toy shelf is now bursting at the seams, but she's having so much fun with her new toys and her imagination!

Fall Colors

We're starting to see some beautiful Fall colors around our neighborhood.  We all love seeing the change from summer to autumn.  Taylor loves the "pink" leaves...

and Logan just loves climbing in the trees. 

View from Logan's desk, out his window.

 

View from Taylor's desk, out her window.

And we're all enjoying this week of gorgeous weather!  Sunshine and blue skies and no chance of the the heat becoming unbearable! 

I LOVE FALL!!!

While the Professors Are Away, the Students Will Play

There's some "Academy" conference or something that all the Pacific University optometry professors go to each year.  Blah, blah, blah.  What it comes down to is a mini vacation for James.  He had last Wednesday - Friday off.  So no school for any of us!!! 

So we decided to go camping (in a yurt) on the coast.

 It was kind of spur-of-the-moment, so we were too late to make reservations.  But that's okay, how many people could be camping on the coast, in October, in the middle of the week?

Turns out, a lot!  There was nothing available.  We tried a couple different places.  No go. All full.

That's okay though, we still had a great day at the coast!

And we got to spend lots of time with this guy, 

the man in our lives!

First stop was, Cape Lookout, 

a very rocky and foamy shore.

 

Cape Lookout beach.

Since we had no luck getting a yurt there, we headed north to Nehalem.  No luck there either, so we continued north to Ecola State Park.  That is where one is able to view "Terrible Tilly."

 

There she is, the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, 

sitting over a mile out to sea, on basalt rock.

She served the sailors and fishermen for nearly 77 years, from 1881  - 1957.  It had become the most expensive U.S. lighthouse to keep in operation, due to the severe weather damage it continually sustained.  It was replaced by a whistle buoy in 1957. 

I love this lighthouse though.  I think it's amazing, even though it's nothing more than a big birdhouse now.

Some images from Ecola State Park.

Family time; it put a smile on everyone's face.

James took this shot.  Isn't it beautiful! I love the ocean!!! 

That speck right above the big, rounded rock, is Terrible Tilly.

Moral of the story:  Plan ahead and make reservations.

Happy Birthday, Princess!!! (Part 2)

Almost three years old.  Yay, her hair is finally long enough to put in a ponytail.

Can you believe there was a time when Taylor hated the ocean?  She didn't like the foam.  She said the water was "too soapy."

She does love to be a big helper,

to do things all by herself, 

go to preschool,

and her big brother, Logan.

One of my very favorite pictures of her.

She still loves to color,

to learn and try new things and do things by herself.

She loves to ride her bike, play with Logan, dress up, twirl, dance and sing.  She also loves the coast now.  She loves taking care of her babies; giving them medicines and time-outs when needed.

So today, we celebrate Taylor and the 5 wonderful years she's been making our lives full and fun!!!

 

Trying her very first Ring Pop ever!

 

Yum!  Thanks Belle & Cash.  And bonus! it turned her whole lips & mouth blue!

Taylor's having a great day.  She can hardly contain her excitement.  She loves being 5 and being sung to. 

"Happy Birthday to you!  Happy Birthday to you!  Happy Birthday, dear Taylor, Happy Birthday to you!"