Hair appointment

Here's Lil getting her hair done like a big girl!

Lily and Logan, cuddling on the couch.

Logan is a maltipoo and belongs to our friends, Ameer & Hailey. Of course, Lily wanted to hold him, once she found the courage, and they cuddled on the couch for a bit. She's very sweet and gentle with animals...I wonder when she's going to want a pet of her own??

Christmas Eve

Lily still doesn't have an understanding of exactly what Christmas is, but it has been fun to see her excitement about it all. Tonight she opened one gift before bed and Eric read the Night Before Christmas. It feels good to be around family this season and we're excited for Lily to create holiday memories with loved ones!

Lily & Eric

Marissa & Tyler

"Punkin" & Andrew

Christmas time is here!

Although we'll be spending Christmas in Washington, we still decided to get a tree for our home. This was one of the first trees we saw and knew it was the one! Now to find all our ornaments...

Preparations...

Well, it took a few trips back and forth to get this all in from the car and I still didn't get everything on my shopping list!! The best part of hosting family for the holidays is anticipating the fun we'll have together, the worst part is worrying that I've forgotten something...

This special delivery was from Eric's boss. It was such a thoughtful gesture and exactly what I needed to finish the table setting!

Weekend getaway: Clambake Cottage

We didn't get to celebrate Eric's 30th birthday the way we originally planned, so we were really looking forward to a weekend way in Lincoln City, Oregon. 

Clambake Cottage

View to the left of the beach access

Lily collecting sea shells

Even Grandma Minnie was happy for a weekend away...and she hates the beach!

Lily squishing sand between her toes...I think she was delighted and confounded at the same time!

Country Mercantile

Today we took a trip to the Country Mercantile for some fall festivities! 

Lily, Tristan, & Eva...COUSINS!!!

A stranger's home movie

So, this is a completely random post but the video is super sweet so I wanted to share it with you. My mom sent me a link to this video and watching it totally made me cry! 

It's exactly the type of surprise I want to plan for Lily one day!

Would you like some coffee with that?

Does anyone else's child ask for coffee with their breakfast?! 

Well...ours does. 

Lily found this baby headband in her closet and decided we should both wear one because it made us best friends. And who wouldn't want to be best friends with such a fun little chick?! 

Yes, I wore her baby headband around the house this morning. No, I will not post those pictures.

Here's Lily kicking back, finishing off my coffee

And here's about the time that the caffeine kicked in...time to dance to some Willow Smith!

And after "whipping our hair" it was off to the front room to practice our cool tricks...eating breakfast in between routines, of course.

Eventually, the headband had to come off...it was throwing her balance off

And she worked on her little flips until she got the landing just right

Ah...sweet success!!

Is anyone surprised that she's a natural little performer? We're working on her stage name...how about..."Trixie LaRue Too"?

Spa day!

Eric was in Sacramento this week for a business trip so Lily and I had a spa night together. We painted our nails, we put on avocado face masks, she took a bubble bath...it was really nice to have our girl bonding time together! And of course, she was super excited to look "scary".

While shopping at Target I got this random idea to buy an avocado & oatmeal face mask, the kind I used to have in college. That night, I put the green mask on while Lily was in the bath. The first time she saw me was when I brought her a towel and instantly she said, "Mommy, I want to be a dinosaur too! Raaaarrrr! Mommy, I want to be scary too! Scare me, Mommy! Come get me! Raaaarrr!" Her reaction was hilarious and she was even making her hands look like dinosaur claws!

She makes us laugh everyday...I never imagined our life could be so comical!

Bend Fall Festival

Tonight we went downtown for the Bend Fall Festival and decided we would make the occasion extra special for Lily. I have to say, it may have been the greatest day of her life! She got cotton candy, a caramel apple, she rode a pony, she got her face painted, she jumped in bounce houses, climbed inflatable obstacle courses (intended for children 5+), she went down giant inflatable slides, she made a bracelet, she danced...it was FANTASTIC!!

I don't know if Eric or I ever had a day like this growing up, so it makes us both really happy to be able to plan a day when we can say "Yes!" to whatever she wants. And the best part is that she wasn't acting spoiled at all! We had a wonderful time!

Lily: "Ewww, stinky. He's going poo poo! Ewww!"

This slide was so big & steep and Lily doesn't weigh much so three feet into it she would catch air and basically free fall to the end...but she LOVED it!

When she landed, she would bounce right up, like a natural little circus performer.

Shopping trip!

Lily and I had a shopping date this morning. First we stopped at Starbucks for snacks and then we visited  FIVE home decor shops. Lily is such a little socialite, sometimes I actually forget that she is only three! 

At the last store she picked out this giant lemon poppy seed scone to bring home. It was only slightly smaller than her face and made crumbs like you would not believe. Eventually, Lily stopped eating it because it was making such a big mess that even she knew it wasn't worth the hassle!

Family time

 

This afternoon we hooked Lil's trailer up and went for a family bike ride to the Deschutes River. It was a sunny, but chilly day so we packed her trailer with a blanket and stuffed animals to keep her extra warm. On our way home, we stopped at a local coffee shop that also serves beer, wine, and bistro meals. We parked the bikes and sat outside on the patio, enjoying a fresh, local dinner, while watching the sun set over the mountains.

I can't believe how incredibly blessed we are to live here!

Sunday Brunch

Today we had brunch with our friends, Brent and Gillian. 

As you may know, Brent was the best man in our wedding and Eric was someone in Brent's wedding...2nd runner up to the best man (Brent's brother)?? I can't remember...

We haven't seen them since their wedding (when Lily was two months old) and it was so much fun to reconnect with them! The strangest part of this all is that I met Brent when I was 18...we were just kids...and now Eric and I have a kid together! I just can't get over how crazy that seems...I met Brent during Freshman Orientation, before I even met Eric, then he and Eric became really good friends from living in the dorms together, we knew each other before any of us were married, we went through a lot of growing up experiences together...and now, we're all hanging out with Lily...And she just ADORED them both!!

Brent taught Lily how to play Angry Birds on his new birthday gift

Lily took this picture of Gillian

Wild fires

Wild fire smoke visible on our way back from Proxy Falls.

The white hillside in this second picture used to be as dark as the rest of the ground, but it's covered in ash.

My husband? Oh yes, he's a fire fighter.

So, God continues to make my dreams come true in the funniest ways. 

As you may know, I've always thought fire fighters were soooo dreamy because they are super heroic, and now, years later (and totally unexpectedly), I get to say that my husband is a fire fighter!! 

Here in the northwest the railroad industry has to worry about summer wild fires affecting train traffic. One way they stay proactive is by utilizing a fire train with built in water cannons to soak the area surrounding the rail. And naturally, they need a brave and handsome leader to direct such a dangerous operation--that's where my husband comes in.  

This is the inside of the engine on the fire train. Because the guys may be out at the fire for hours, it has a bed, a tiny fridge, and mini microwave on board. This place is so old and gross, it reminds me of that scene from Down Periscope: 

"I feel I need a tetanus shot just from looking at it. The only thing holding her together, are the bird droppings, sir."

Outside view of the train

Close up of the water hoses

Images from Eric's latest heroic adventure

I love this one because you can see the silhouettes of three guys near the flames.

Okay, I'll admit...maybe I am stretching the truth just a little bit. Eric does lead the fire train to the fire, and he does give the orders for to the people operating the water cannons, but no, he's not rescuing people from burning buildings... And to be completely honest, I love the idea of a hero, but I hate when Eric has to go out on the fire train because I don't hear from him for hours and I spend all night wondering if he's still alive or if he's been burned to a crisp...but still, there is no denying that this is one dream of mine that came true...on a technicality.  

Thanks, God, you're awesome!