this and that

Time for a post to catch up on the past few months when I have neglected the blog...

We're currently enjoying a few days escaping the laundry and the never-ending to-do lists to enjoy some family time and down-time together, so I have a moment to catch up. 

This is where we are at right now:

indoor, heated pool, with kid-friendly movies on a big screen each evening

This place is AWESOME.  Dog friendly and Family friendly.  Loads of room to take Jake out to run on the empty golf-course and through nature trails.  Dog treats waiting in our room upon arrival. Puzzles, games, and blocks available for check-out, daily kid activities run by the staff, kid menus, spa (for the mommies!)....

Christmas photos, however, are sitting at home on the camera that I forgot to pack - so I'll have to add those later! :)

a school moment - she's such a good listener!

ballet with Miss Heidi (amazingly from Bellingham!!)

she'd sleep in this yellow skirt if we let her!

daddy SERIOUSLY needed a new pair of shoes!

A fall festival down the street at a local school:

first cotton candy

yum!

this artistic display takes serious pre-schooler concentration!

she can write her whole name except for the 's'  !!!

teaching school to her dollies

doesn't a new haircut make YOU feel like this??

new haircut. DARLING. (our baby is growing up!!)

she loves patterns (aka "patterehns")

our little princess.

our 'other' little princess.

my happy new vacuum cleaner!  Hey, what can I say?   The other one BROKE.  This one is GLORIOUS.

one round and THIS is what it picked up! EGADS.

dressed herself. (mind you - it's FREEZING outside)

Happy day!  ABear fits into mommy's old 'Betty Sweater' -- that Nana crocheted (knit?) for her when she was a girl.  YES, the skirt DOES flip up and yes, Betty is wearing underwear.

* A Special Visit *

Baby Cole!

Ainsley's cousin, baby Cole, came to visit for Thanksgiving!  What a wonderful treat it was to have Haylie, Rodney and Cole-baby here for such a fun holiday. Nothing but food, talk, and play.

Ains could NOT get enough of this sweet bundle.  Since that day, she has near-daily asked for a "real" baby, informed us that she is pregnant with her brother in her belly (?!), or bragged about her Baby Cole cousin to passersby on the street.  'Smitten' doesn't nearly do this obsession justice.

I mean, who WOULDN'T be smitten with a face like this?

the hair! the hair!

Even Jake-pup had to be near.

Jake was happy for the attention - and Cole was happy to give it!

Aunt Haylie and I planned our turkey-feast (photo courtesy of artistic Uncle Rodney)

Aunt Haylie, amazing girl, woke up early and began baking before I could even blink.  She pretty much rolled out of bed and into the kitchen, sleeves rolled up.  This girl has a KNACK for the kitchen, let me tell you!  What a treasure to see her in action - I hope some of her skill has rubbed off on me. :)

  

THE FEAST:

THREE - 3 ! pumpkin pies, all home-made, all with Grandma Helen's "perfect pie crust" recipe.  And rolls from scratch! (ah, now I know what 'proof the yeast' means, and NO, it's NOT a geometry equation.)

goat cheese stuffed figs

hard at work - check out Ainsley's head tilt! She is in deep concentration. :)

cranberry sauce from scratch

 

my mother's famous recipe - minus the marshmallows on half, request from daddy

Can't waste a DROP of whipped cream!

We managed to get out and about during the short trip...

 

 

Oh!  Baby Cole!  We miss you so much!  Come back!

show date!

Ains and her two best buds from daycare have been livin' it up here in DC!  They attended 2 fantastic children's theater events this fall together.  The one featured here was written by her own sweet friend's dad!  Then, we saw an unforgettable drama,dance,paint,music,lighting,sound multi media (2 person) show during EuroFest from Italy. (youtube promo video below)

They were so tickled to meet the actors!
(actors: 2 ladies center, writer: far left, musician: far right )