My parents got us new patio furniture. They brought it down with them in September. One of the chairs was broken so we were waiting for a replacement chair. It took a while, but it finally arrived. The box it came in was huge and in really nice condition. I couldn't see throwing it away but I didn't have a use for it. Well recycling day was today and I still couldn't drag it to the street. I thought about it and decided that Grace needed an indoor play house. She has a ball opening and closing the door, going in and out and peeking her head out the "windows". I didn't cut it too well, but what do you expect with a busy toddler hanging on me and a dull pocket knife. Oh well, it got the job done and Grace LOVES it.

Such Changes

I can't believe how much has changed in the last year, especially my little girl. Last year at this time Grace was 3 months old and smiling was new to her. This year she is running, talking, climbing, eating solid foods and becoming a toddler. Last year we were visiting Idaho from Germany and being dumped on with snow. This year we are visiting Orlando from Key West and we are experiencing a cold snap (It's going to be in the 50's and 60's - try not to laugh). Also last year at this time Grace couldn't sit up on the little red and white vinyl sofa of hers. We had to prop her up with presents. This year she climbs all over it and pushes it around the house. She did manage to sit still for just a few minutes so I could get a few photos. After that she was off pushing it around the house again.

(Christmas 2008)

(Christmas 2009)

(Grace being silly)

(Another funny face of hers)

Boo, Owww

Grace has it in head that the appropriate response to Boo! is Ow. I'm not really sure where she picked that up from, but it's cute.

Christmas, Keys Style

I'm trying very hard to be festive for Christmas. I'm having a very hard time with it. I'm used to cold weather, snow and a real tree. This year I have 85 degrees, humidity and two fake Christmas trees. I have a fun vintage aluminum tree that Grace is in love with and I have a really awful fake small evergreen tree that I inherited when I married Brandon. We have real trees available here, but they are super expensive and attract all sorts of nasty bugs. I'll pass.

So in an effort to be more jolly I made Brandon and Carrera join Grace and I on a Christmas light tour of Key West. We boarded the Conch Tour Train and enjoyed an hour long, open air adventure both in new town and old town looking at the festive Christmas lights. I think we saw as many houses decorated as we did boats. We had a great time and Grace really enjoyed the lights.

November... In A Nutshell

As many of you know Grace and I were in Idaho for almost the entire month of November. We left 84 degree Key West and got in to 30 degree Spokane at about 9 o'clock at night on November 4th. We had a long day of flying. I was never so glad to see someone to hand Grace off to as I was to see my parents that night. I don't think we'll be racking up too many frequent flyer miles with her.

Our first official day there my grandparents came up to visit. Grace and I were slow moving that day due to the time change, but she still managed to put on her charm and be adorable. She was enamored with my grandpa's hat. She looked adorable as he put it on her head. After a few minutes of that she noticed his glasses, it was all over after that. She was a bit leery of my grandma at first, until we brought out the puffs. Grace loves puffs. For those of you who don't know what they are, its like crack for babies. All babies love them and they can't resist them. As for adults, well I've tried them, they have no taste and dissolve instantly when they come in contact with moisture.

(Cute little cowgirl)

(GLASSES!!!)

(Great Grandma and Puffs!)

That afternoon of our first day my dad took Grace for a ride on the lawnmower. He was cleaning up the last of the leaves before the snow. Grace wasn't too sure at first, but after a while she loved it. It's hard to tell who enjoyed it more, Grace or her Grandpa...

Grace was extremely busy while we were there. There were people to entertain, dogs to pet and buttons on the jukeboxes to push. She wore herself out some days with her busy agenda. She loved to stand on the kitchen table and push buttons for the jukebox in the kitchen. When she got tired from that she would go in to the living room and watch the bubbler jukebox. Sometimes she would even entertain her audience by dancing.

While we were home we were able to get away to Seattle for a "Mommy & Me" road trip with our good friends Kristi and Reese. We had a great time. We went shopping, took the girls to Pikes Place Market and the highlight was taking the girls to the Seattle Children's Museum. What a wonderful interactive place for children of all ages. Grace and Reese had a GREAT time playing with all the displays, pushing buttons, pulling levers, climbing, sliding and running all while wearing matching tutus! What a great museum! We just so happened to be there while they had the Sesame Street "All About Your Body" exhibit. They did a great job describing many different bodily functions. Of course Grace didn't really know what was going on, she just knew that there was a lever to pull (which simulated eating and chewing); a wheel to turn (which simulated digestion); and a button to push that finished off the digestion process with poo. That was the most hilarious one. Once you push the button you see this fake poo sliding down this display, you hear a loud farting sound followed by a toilet flush. Thankfully Grace and Reese are still too young for that kind of bathroom humor, but older kids were cracking up left and right. Even some adults were snickering.

I finally managed to drag Grace away to explore the rest of the museum. There was so much to do there. Grace loved the giant storybook, the exhibits that recreated different houses from all around the world, and even musical instruments from different areas of the world. Of course Grace was immediately drawn to the drums, must be genetic. Reese took a liking to the xylophone, not for the musical sound it makes, but for the mallet. At first we thought she was going to use it like a microphone to sing to her many adoring fans, but she decided to taste it instead.

(Giant Storybook)

(She is Brandon's Girl For Sure)

(I'm Going to Sing!) (Just kidding - YUM!)

Our "Mommy & Me" road trip was winding down. We finished off that day with a stroll through Seattle Center. Of course we had to ride the carousel. Also Grace had to wear her tutu. Well actually I just wanted her to wear her tutu.

(Grace & Mommy!)

(Kristi & Reese)

More to come soon!!! Stay tuned!