Santa Train

We kicked off the Christmas Season today by heading up to North Bend for the Santa Train.    The Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie runs a Santa Train every year.   We bought tickets a few weeks ago as it fills up fast. 

We boarded the old train and stepped back in time.   The girls were pretty excited and waiting was not easy.   Its a quick little jaunt from North Bend to Snoqualmie.  You depart the train and find your way to freshe baked cookies in an adjoining train with hot cocoa, of course!  And then you find the rather lengthy line for Santa..and begin your wait.

 Makena sat in the seat for about 2 minutes, and then we walked up and down the cars until the train got underway.   Had a few crying fits about having to stay in our seats..and eventually settled down.   Trying to entertain an 18 month old with lots of waiting is not easy, to say the least.  I forget how much she wants to move, run, walk, explore..and many places are just not set up for this.

Finally ....Santa.  Madelyn was not sure about Santa or sitting in his lap.  But Santa has a way, and convinced her to come on up.    She wouldn't say a word but shook her head, yes or no, for all his questions.   After,  Santa's elves handed out cute wooden toy trains to the girls.  Makena quickly decided this was not for her, and promptly walked over and dropped it back in the basket!!    Santa's elf and I laughed pretty hard over this.

And finally on our way home.   Family photo for proof of our family fun, which was somewhat fun, a lot of stress, definitely cold, but worth the visit.   And maybe we'll go back...in a couple more years. 

Frosty

What could be more fun than waking up on Turkey day to more snow, watching Frosty the snowman and then running outside to make the real thing?

First Snow

One inch of snow was enough to bring out the snow suits.  It seems like just yesterday that we dressed Maddy up in this same suit for some winter time fun.  Dad's home for the week so he missed out on all the commuting fun.

 Kid sized snow shovel to help Dad out, check out that hat.

 Shopping cart does not roll around so well in the snow.

The best part of a snow day is a mug of hot-chocolate 

Pony Rides, Care Bears & Potty Training

We started potty training Maddy seriously about the middle of September.   It was not easy, to say the least.  We tried many things to motivate her and some worked a bit, but would wane after a day or so...until we found Care Bears.  I had a couple which I had picked up at a thrift store for a potty training reward.  I had no idea they would be the ticket.   Maddy was beyond excited about her CareBears.  I searched on craiglist and found a person selling a bunch of them.   Believe me, I really didn't want to bring all these CareBears into my home.  But, I was desparate to get this girl potty trained.   And well now.....now we have this:

And we also have one proud happy potty trained three year old, who loves her CareBears.  So I guesss its worth it.  

Maddy has been asking for a pony ride since her Birthday.  I accidently mentioned it months ago, and she didn't let me forget it.    I finally got Maddy into a Pony Class with the City of Redmond who runs them pretty cheap at Farrel McWhirter Park.  Only the classes are really popular, so it took me awhile to be able to get a space in one.  So we finally went, for first two Sundays in November.  Coincidentally Molly, one of Maddy's friends, was also in the class.   I love the class because its not just a pony ride, they actually teach the girls a bit about horses and taking care of them.   

And last but not least, my silly little bucket-head.   Its become a game around this house.  Find a bucket.  Put it on your head.  Run up to Mom or Dad and giggle.   I love my silly little bucket-head.

Halloween

Halloween this year was just too cute!   After much discussion, Maddy really wanted to be a Bee and with some convincing she agreed Makena could be a Ladybug.   And thus, my bugs were outfitted.    Maddy really loved Halloween and adored wearing her Bee costume.   Makena watched big Sis, and was just as into it.  She would drag her Ladybug costume over to us, her way of telling us to help her put it on.

 Maddy and her friend, Kaitlyn getting ready to go trick or treating in Downtown Bothell

 Makena dressed up at Toddler Group

 Halloween Party at Preschool.  Madelyn was not cooperative for pictures, as you can tell.

One more picture of my cute little Ladybug at Toddler Group.

After it was all done, the girls brought in quite a stash for being only 3yrs and 17 months!    I proposed to Maddy that she trade in all her candy, and she could go to the toy store and pick out a new toy.  She was absolutely sold and happily picked a new Cinderella toy.    I'll admit the candy stash stayed in the house for a couple days where Mom enjoyed a few pieces! :)

Pumpkins

Its pumpkin season and this Mom made 3 dang trips to the Pumpkin Patch.  Three Trips!!    1) Makena and Mom with Toddler Group.  2) Family Trip to Craven Farms with friends  3) Makena, Madelyn, and Mom with Maddy's Preschool.    I can tell you I'm done with the pumpkin patch for another year if not more.   I did it, the kids loved it and we are done.  Okay,  Makena definitely didn't love it but she hung in there...most of the time.   Pictures to prove our adventures.

 Poor Makena, not so sure about this whole pumpkin thing.

 Future Pumpkin Farmers of America

 Oh ,they are just so happy.   Actually they really were happy...but they'll never let it show.

 

Poor Dad, so easily overwhelmed.  Guess who takes after him?

They both look ready to make a run for it. 



Kettlecorn!

 


Molly, huge smiles.  Kettlecorn, Pumpkins, Hay Rides. 
What could be better?

 

Little Makena had a meltdown 20 minutes into our family trip. 

She slept on me, which is very rare.   All those people and pumpkins, just too much to take in.

Fall is here

Its catch up time for the blog.   I keep waiting for Michael to chime in and make some updates, but he's showing no love to our blog lately.  Its become my project.   And it gets neglected for weeks at a time, till I feel guilty and need to do some catch up.

So Fall is here.  Its wet, rainy, muddy, leaves falling kind of yucky mess all over your yard.    But I also love it.  Those first huge rainstorms and grey days, where everyone sleeps a little longer...yep, I love it.   And Pumpkin Season is here with all the fun Halloween Festivities getting into gear.  

First Day!

Maddy officially started Preschool in early September.  She has a Preschool Summer Camp which helped her ease into preschool mode.   She is going three days a week for 2.5 hours, and it gives me nice little break.   Makena and I have time together which is really nice.  And so much quieter!        

Maddy and her friend, Scarlett

I'm doing a similar Toddler program with Makena as I did with Maddy.  So one day a week during Maddy's Preschool, Makena and I go to Toddler Group.     She didn't love it the first day and spent most of it scared, whining, and crying.  But the second class she was warming up to it.   I can already see her enamoured with all the other kids her age to play with, and all the fun things to do.

Not loving it on the first day.

At the end of September, we finally did a big push for Potty Training.  We'd given it a try a couple times before with much resistance from Maddy.   So at the end of September the 'Pull-Up Fairy' paid the Potter House a visit.  While we were asleep she snuck in our house, took all the pull-up diapers away, and left a cute little package of potty stuff, princess panties, and treats for Madelyn.    Maddy's face was sheer awe and excitement. You would have thought Santa came!     It did the trick and got Maddy on the potty-training path.   Its been a few weeks and things are going well.  Not perfect, but well.  And that is all the detail I'll go into, because no one wants details on potty training.    I will say I'm hoping that Makena will want to be just like Big Sis and hopefully not be nearly as difficult as Ms. Maddy.   One can hope.....

More smiles came out on the playground.

And last but not least, my dear husband turned 39 years old.  He celebrated by having a Red-Neck Birthday Party and heading out to Monroe Evergreen Speedway for School Bus Races.  Think demolition derby with school buses, or so I'm told.   It was a guy thing, so I didn't go.   The guys all put on their best redneck gear, hit Redhook Brewery first for grub..and then off to the fun.  They raved about how much fun it was and have it planned for next year with kids!   I sent a camera with Michael, but he couldn't be bothered taking pics.   Alas, no pics of School Bus Races.  Bummer.

Michael, Christian, and Andy....doing their Redneck best.

Girlfriends

Many of you know my girlfriend, Stacy.   I met her in college and we've always stayed in touch through the years.  She's moved around from Peace Corp in Guyana, South America, back to Seattle, down to NE Arizona for a job on the Navajo Reservation.  And her latest stint - Rwanda!     She took a position with the Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda.    I have been and continue to be,  so damn excited and thrilled for this new adventure for her and her family.

At the airport.  Our flights came in 20 minutes apart, how lucky is that? 

Stacy had a conference in Minneapolis only a month after getting to Rwanda.   Barely getting over jet-lag from huge move, the girl had to get back on a plane and fly 19 hours to Minneapolis.  Completely nuts.   But the best part of this?  I met her there..and we have a quick, fabulous weekend of just girl time.    No kids, no husbands, no laundry, cleaning, screaming, whining.......just us.   Just talking, more talking, eating, drinking, laughing, spa'ing, shopping fabulous weekend.

More drinking and eating..and talking! 

I tried to soak up every last minute, as it will mostly likely be a long time before I see this girl again.   Rwanda, is not on the "last minute airfare deals".    Not only is it very expensive to get to, the air travel is crazy.   But after hearing her talk about it, I would love to go.   It sounds amazing, and not at all the media image you think of.

But back to my weekend.    Check out this pic, its a rolling beer cart thing.  I don't know even know what you call it.    All I know, is we looked up and saw this thing, being powered by people cycling....while drinking beer, pedaling all around the city.  Its like a bar on wheels, people - powered.    We didn't get on...but we should have!

One last latte before I leave for the airport.

Stacy stayed on for a week long medical conference.   And I got on a plane back to my own reality.   The following Saturday, she got back on plane and flew another 19 hours to her new home..and waiting family.  

Its so very hard to have her so damn far away, but I love her adventurous spirit and can't wait for her tales.  

Victoria

Over Labor Day Weekend, we had a mini-vacation to Victoria,BC.   We were suppose to stay for a week, but we cut it short.     Van packed, we headed north and took the ferry out of Tsawwassen.  The BCFerries are quite impressive.   Everything about the BCFerries was easier.  I just Washington State Ferries would take a hint.   The 90 minute ride over on the ferry was beautiful, and though we did many rounds on the decks, it wasn't too bad of a trip.  

We rented a house 10 minute walk from downtown Victoria, in the James Bay Neighborhood.  It was a perfect location.  All full of excitement we started our trip.  The house wasn't the most kid-friendly place to stay.  But we had high hope.  

We manage to do quite a bit, taking in the local harbor water taxi, the bug zoo,  the Saanich Fair thirty minutes north of Victoria, a Horse-Drawn Carriage ride through downtown, and much walking and exploring.    We loved Beacon Hill Park with a great petting zoo and gorgeous park area to explore.     I got some time with just Maddy and took her to the Beacon Hill Drive-In for some ice cream, per the recommendation of a friend who is from Victoria.  As you can tell by the pic, Maddy was definitely into it.   She devoured just about the entire thing of ice cream by herself.   

However, things turned quickly.  Makena started teething on 4 molars.  She was sleeping horribly in the pack n' play.  Much crying, protesting, and lots of stress to go around.  The weather was beautiful for the first couple days and progressively got worse.  Makena was protesting all naps, which only led to an over-tired cranky kid, who didn't want to sleep in that pack n' play.    But we kept at it, till Monday when she stared coming down with a cold.

As a mom, I felt like I'd spent much of the trip trying to get this kid to sleep.  By Monday mid-day, with a miserable toddler an an oncoming cold, I'd had enough.  We made a quick decision, packed like crazy people, shoved it all in the van..and ran for the Ferry.  We made a 5pm ferry and were thrilled to head home.  Makena barely slept in the car, which made for miserable car ride home.  But by late that night we were home! 

We had just had enough.  I think we have some fun memories and will definitely go back again.   And somehow we'll get Makena use to that Pack 'n Play.    Everyone says vacation with kids are not vacation.   Oh hell yeah, that is most definitely truth. 

August Part 2

A few more summer adventures.   We took a trip up to Arlington with our friends, Melissa and Molly, to visit the Outback Kangaroo Farm.   All sorts to more exotic animals from Kangaroos and Wallabies, Lemurs, Alpacas, Llamas, Emus, and an Ostrich.   Super fun and the girls loved it.  

Ice cream at the local dairy not far from our house.   Its known to have great ice cream, so as a family we made our first trek there.  Maddy got her own dish of chocolate ice cream which quickly melted in the 80* heat.    She had a few bites and said she was done and ran off playing.  I threw it away.  Moments later emotions flared when she discovered it was gone.  She  ran to the garbage can to look for it.   I ruined her day and her ice cream.  Probably a good thing, later read the dairy has been written up for pest control and other sanitary issues.   I don't think we'll be going back anytime soon.

First trip to the zoo with both girls, by myself.  Big deal and we made it.  Maddy suckered me into going by asking to go on the carousel over and over and over.  I gave in and we went to the zoo.  Sorry no pics of both the girls, its hard enough getting a picture of one child.

Maddy's first game of Hide & Go Seek.  Sh figured out what the neighbor kids were doing and joined in.  I happen to be outside and watched it all happen.   She was too cute and didn't quite get the whole game, but was definitely into the hiding part.  Hence, the fuzzy picture as she was on the move.   She loves trying to figure out how to play with the big kids.

Makena being Makena.  Loves to stand on her head.   And is just tall enough to start grabbing stuff off the table.  This is the phase/age when things really start to get lively for me.  

Melting Mom's heart with each step.

Wait, there is room for more...here let me shove my way in.

Sisters.  Lets hope they always have this many giggles with each other.