Thanksgiving

We made our annual trek to Medford for the big day...what a drive. Thanks to the baby on board I have had terrible motion sickness, but a friend suggested SeaBands and they worked like a champ...if only they worked for grocery stores...but I digress...

The boys loved being at Gram-mo & Pop-Pop's, though they were non-plussed we forgot their swim trunks so they couldn't take a dip with Pop-Pop in the hot tub. We stayed for a few days, but never really made it out of the house. That seems to be our MO in Medford.

Gram-Mo had a Bingo game waiting for Bayley, so he was constantly recruiting people to play with him. He should have been charging for the Bingo cards...he could have made some serious cash! Instead he let everyone play, and pined for the Leapster Gram-Mo and Pop-Pop got him for Hanukkah...mean ol' mom wouldn;t let him play with it until Hayden had one too. It made the drive home quite nice!

Grandma Evie again proved her skills - bringing cream puffs (Hayden's fave) and eclairs (Bayley's fave). I swear, that woman doesn't miss a trick! Hayden had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner of rice crispies...while Bayley at least opted for mashed potatoes.

Guy Fawkes Night!

Remember Remember
the 5th of November,
the gunpowder, treason and plot

I can think of no reason
the gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.

Since the Tweeds trekked across the ocean and country, we've learned quite a bit about England...namely they like to lounge and nosh on Boxing Day, and Guy Fawkes Day is about fire.

Next year we'll plan ahead and have some fireworks...and something more than marshmallows to burn in effigy....Sponge Bob perhaps?

Halloween!!

We had a Howling-good time this year. Hayden loved dressing up. He wanted to be a clown, doctor, leopard...and the leopard won out!



He had a fun party at his preschool with all his friends, then they went to pizza together. Their conversations are hilarious. "Leopards eat food off the floor, and I am a leopard, so I can too."



Bayley had a class party...but I have no pix as I was bussy doing this bean bag toss thing. Next year I am wising up and sitting down, doing a craft like the smarter mom's did. Bay is getting so big. He carved his own pumpkin this year!



For the big night we had a neighborhood party where we had pizza and fixings, then the dads took the kiddos trick-or-treating. Except...the bigger kids were much to fast for the wee ones. Hayden was so proud to be the one that kept up with them.

That Zoo Trip

Remember the one where I thought I lost my camera? It was member appreciation day and we got zoo lunchbags...and the kids pretended they were monkeys :)

In Loving Memory....Connie Gooler

Mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, artist, athlete, humorist, and the woman who introduced me to frozen yogurt..we miss you already.

To Those I Love and Those Who Love Me

(Author Unknown)

When I am gone, release me, let me go,
I have so many things to see and do,
You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears.
Be happy that we had so many years.

I gave you my love, You can only guess,
How much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you each have shown,
But now it is time I travel alone.

So greive a while for if grieve you must,
then let your grief be, comforted by trust.
It's only for awhile that we must part,
so bless the memories within your heart.

I won't be far away, for life goes on.
So if you need me, call and I will come.
Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be near.
And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear,

All of my love around you, soft and clear.
And then, when you must come this way alone,
I'll greet you with a smile, and say,.......
"Welcome Home"

Out Front

In our neighborhood we're very lucky that most of the kids are in the same age group. For little tykes, they play together quite well. Usually they enjoy sidewalk chalk or riding bikes...but this time of year one of our neighbors has a tree in the front yard that is magnificent for dropping it's leaves. Adults think, what a mess. Kids think, what fun!!

Pig Pen

No pictures...but the boys had their annual trip to the pumpking patch - Hayden as a field trip with preschool, Bayley with a group of friends during school inservice day. Luckily, we got good weather on both days...and...here is the 101 thing...there is a pigpen there. Check!

No we didn't disappear...

I just lost my camera the last time we went to the zoo. Having pics helps me remember to keep people up to date, and since I have no pics...

But, we do have some news. We're expanding...

Avast! We Celebrated Talk Like A Pirate Day RIGHT!

Auntie Kim heard that a tall ship would be stopping over on it's way to the Pirate Festival this weekend and giving tours. Their press release, and all the info as to when they were coming, hadn't been passed on to the people actually running the ship. So...we arrived expecting a 4 o'clock tour, but instead we got to watch the ship arrive and fire their cannons. Twice! Eddie hated that part. He didn't want to have any part of a boat that exploded.

Bayley liked guessing exactly where they'd dock, I think the adults in the crowd liked the photo op. Once they were ready we boarded the ship and got to take a look around. Bayley checked everything out, from the riggings on the back to the wheel and compass. I'm not sure why he is so interested in pirate ship compasses...

Hayden liked going below decks, so he could take his shoes off and lay down in one of the berths. Sorry to whomever sleeps there. The crew did a great presentation, explaining that cannons on boats are called guns and which kind of ammunition did what. They also explained about privateers and the War of 1812, so it was truly an educational experience. Score one for me on that!

Everything was great...until Bay got a HUGE sliver in his hand. We had to boogie out of there, quick. Uncle Russell made a valiant attempt to remove the splinter, but it wasn't budging. Anutie Kim and I tried tweezers, it only put him in agony...hey, that's what it looked like to me. So...we came home and Daddy worked his sliver removing magic. He's not as put of by screams as I am. That thing was a stick I tell you. It looked big, but that was just the end of it, the rest was really embedded!

Aquifer Adventure!

The local water bureau puts on a pirate adventure each year to sneakily educate kids about drinking water. They get to canoe through the Columbia Slough, looking for animals, rocks, and treasure. Next up are activities to teach them how rain water filters down through soil.

They explain to the kids the importance of not littering, paying attention to how much water you use, using non-hazardous household products, and planting native plants. Of course, naturalist Bayley was in his element. Hayden was much more about the pirates.