Granny visits - December 2014

Granny came to visit us in the middle of December to see Olivia's dance recital and hang out for a few days.

We waited until Mom got here to put up the Christmas tree.  Granny brought an extra special Christmas sweater to celebrate the occasion!

Ta-da!

I was in charge of planning my team's holiday party and on the Saturday that Mom was here, we went to 2 Costco's, 1 Whole Foods, and QFC twice.  This isn't even 1/3 of the stuff we got!

I took the Monday off work and Mom and I went to Pike Place market.  This was the view from lunch.

We took Olivia to see Snowflake Lane in Bellevue where it "snows" every night after a short parade.  We scarfed down some dinner first before heading out to find a good spot.

Mom and I at dinner.

Olivia and one of the Snow Princesses

Look at that little face.  She was grinning from ear to ear the entire time!

Mike and Mom picked up Olivia from school early so Olivia and Mom could decorate gingerbread men!

 

Thanks for coming, Mom!  We had such a great time.

Summer in Redmond

Summer has come to a close here in the PNW and what a wonderful one it was!  We've had a really great first few months here weather-wise.  I think I can count on my hand the number of days where we could have really used AC but other than that, the weather has been beautiful.  We're now in Fall mode - crisp weather, pumpkins, changing/falling leaves.  Here are some pictures from Labor Day to this weekend.

Olivia has dance class on Saturdays at 9:30am.  The studio is right around the corner from Whole Foods so we stop in afterwards to say hi to Daddy and have a Saturday morning treat.  Olivia can pick anything she wants from the pastry cabinet and Mommy has a coffee.  It's a fun little ritual that I enjoy and have missed the last couple of weeks because we've had social commitments.   This particular week Olivia chose a chocolate donut with chocolate icing.  Hey, I said she could have anything . . .

They don't do splash pads here like they do at home.  In Texas there is a lot more splash.  I found this place close to our house two days before it closed for the season so we went two days in a row!  It calls itself a "spray" park so at least there isn't an issue of misrepresentation.  Olivia still had fun and that's what's important.

Saturday morning stop at Whole Foods - she chose a pretzel this time . . . that was as big as her face.  Olivia and I talk frequently about how her belly feels.  Portions are SO big these days and I remind her to think about how her belly feels while she eats.  We don't obsess over it but I think kids need to be conscious of how they feel and not how much food is left in front of them.  She didn't eat all of it by the way.

She placed the hair bow herself and I have no idea where the pose came from but she's so cute!

The Sammamish River trail is right next to the apartment we were in for temporary housing.  We still go over there so Olivia can ride her bike and throw rocks in the water - no ducks were harmed in the taking of this picture. 

It's hard to tell but Olivia is throwing leaves in the air in this picture.  She was thrilled when she saw all the leaves in the park a few weeks ago.  We need to find her a real leaf pile soon!

We found this beautiful leaf at the park.  You don't see leaves this color in Texas!

Saturday morning post-dance outing - Cinnamon roll this time.

So Olivia gets the concept of playing goalie - don't let the ball get into the next, but her tactics are questionable. 

You can't see her face here but I think this is just the sweetest picture.  Olivia is picking flowers (weeds) from the backyard and putting them in the earth box.  Just having fun spending time outside.

We went to Remlinger Farms a couple of weeks ago.  They had a barn full of hay that the kids ran around in.  Who knew hay was so fun?

Pony ride on Peaches.  Because Olivia is under 5 I had to walk next to them and Peaches was not happy to do it so I spend most of the time walking in the bushes because she wouldn't share the walkway.  Jerk.  Haha. 

Obligatory "kid with pumpkins" picture.

Silly girl.

There is lots of skating up here whether it's figure skating or for hockey.  Olivia has been asking to go ice skating since we got here and she finally got her wish last weekend.  One of my co-workers plays hockey and met us at a rink for Olivia's first time on the ice.  She brought Olivia knee and elbow pads (thank goodness!) and off they went.

 

Olivia spent a hour ice skating without incident but we'd been sitting down for 5 minutes at the ice cream place and Olivia fell and scraped her elbow.  She fell asleep on our way home from Seattle holding the paper towel on her elbow.

Just today at a pumpkin farm with her friend, Sophie,

Granny would be so proud!

 

Ok, Redmond, thanks for the amazing summer.  We're here to stay so bring on Fall!

Labor Day Weekend Texas trip - 2014

Olivia and I took a trip home over Labor Day weekend and what a wonderful time we had!  We were sorry not to have Mike with us but when we booked the flights we didn't know if he'd be able to take the time off so he held down the fort in Redmond.  He was sorely missed by everyone we saw but we'll make sure we all go together next time!

 

All smiles for our 5:45am departure SEA - IAH

First stop - Granny and Paw Paw's house!  Olivia was a big help in putting the chickens up for the night.

We went to Angel's for lunch and Olivia had some fun building with Legos afterwards . . .

. . . until we all started melting!  We ain't in Redmond anymore, Toto.

Second stop - The Randall house.  Snack time with Avery and Regan.

We went to The University of Texas Golf Club in Steiner Ranch for a football tailgate.  Here are Olivia and Avery in front of Bevo.

 

Hook 'em Horns!  Olivia had her face painted and requested a pink and purple balloon hat.  The hat didn't make it past the first blade of grass it touched when abandoned for the bouncy house.

 

After face painting, balloons, bouncy houses, mac 'n cheese, and cookies we had some crazy ladies on our hands when we got home.  Here are the girls "sleeping" in Olivia's blow up bed.

Third stop - Casa de Damuth.  Olivia, Sonnie (with Julip the very patient cat) and little Piper.  The big girls were heading out to jump on the trampoline in the sprinklers.

We went to a baby shower for one of my best friends, Angie, and the kids help decorate the upstairs.

 

Time for cake!!!

Silly faces with Hayden!

And then sweet hugs :-)

Leigh and Donnie were VERY kind to host Olivia's birthday party at their house on Sunday.  Olivia had such an amazing time with all of her friends, it was heartwarming to see her to joyful.  Pizza time with Weston, Hayden, and Kaya.

Thank you HEB for the fabulous Frozen cake.  Needless to say, we had plenty!

Birthday girl with her birthday cade and sweet little Sonnie eagerly waiting for her piece.

Cake like that gets eaten outside!

Olivia, Mazzy, and tia Rachel.  Look at those sweaty faces from all the running around.

Big hug!

This is Grayson, Olivia's future husband.  Olivia and Grayson were in the same class at their school in Texas and independently told their mothers that they were going to get married.  Once Ramona, Grayson's mom, and I started comparing stories we figured out that they are going to get married "when they are old" and Olivia is going to have a baby and then another baby.  Thier kids' names will be Rock and Rylan and there will be chocolate milk served at the wedding.  Unfortunately, I don't have a great picture of the two of them.

The Stepping Stone School kids - Olivia, Kaya, and Grayson

We were so happy that Ms. Mariah and Ms. Jennifer (and baby Callie) could come to the party.  Ms. Mariah was Olivia's teacher at Stepping Stone and built a foundation for educational success.  We keep in touch with Ms. Mariah, she's the kind of teacher valedictorians thank in their commencement speeches.  Ok, a little dramatic for Preschool but she's AMAZING!

Olivia and Miles who belongs to one of my best friends.  All Miles really wanted was for Olivia to let go of him so he could keep playing.

Tres amigos - Sonnie, Olivia, and Hayden.  Crazy that Olivia is 11 months younger than Sonnie and almost as tall.

Being the birthday girl is tiring!  She slept the whole way from the Damuth's to my parents' house.  She did wake up briefly about 15 minutes before we arrived to announce that she was really uncomfortable.  I don't blame you, lady!

Last stop - back at my parents' house.  Granny got Olivia a little pot of seeds to plant and here they are mixing the "magic earth".  We think we might have added too much water so we'll see what happens but either way Olivia digs her new pair of gardening gloves.  She now outnumbers Mommy in gardening gloves 2 - 0.

Sleeping on the short flight AUS - IAH.  That comfy looking blanket is from Grayson, freshly washed following a Diet Coke incident the night before.

Ready for return flight #2 IAH - SEA.  Olivia gets fruit snacks on take off and landing for the higher altitude flights to help with her ears.  Please excuse my "I don't care, please just get me home" fashion statement.

Mike picked us up from the airport because onsite parking is $26/day at SeaTac - outrageous!!!  Yes, if you think back, that means that he also took us to the airport on Thursday . . . for a 5:45am flight.  #love #loveandsavingmoney

Anyway, Olivia slept all the way to Kohl's in Redmond to pick out sheets for . . .

. . . her new big girl bed!!  What a way to end a great trip!

 

It was awesome being home and very painful to leave.  My Facebook post this morning about sums it up - "Leaving home to go 'home'.  I'm sure it gets easier eventually."  I know we made the right choice in moving but I do still miss everyone terribly.  Anyway, we celebrate the good times while looking onward and upward!