family vacation

Hi Folks! Here are some pix from our trip to Kalaloch, on the WA coast in July 2012. Enjoy!

On the ferry













Our camper trailer rig in Portland

Massive driftwood (upright to protect the stairway connecting campground to beach)

Around the campsite

Etta walks!

Luckily daddy had a gizmo handy to record some first steps! This moment saw Etta graduate from baby to toddler.

Meanwhile, Alice just started preschool! Here she is with her teacher and a fellow student on Day One at Epiphany Early Learning

Early 2011

Etta now stands & wobbles & can say "Alice" & "Etta" & "Daddy" & "Mommy" & "Hazel." Her first words? "Good dog." So far she seems pretty happy overall, unless of course she wants food or attention or a fresh diaper in which case she lets us know swiftly & at high volume...here she enjoys green baby food in her grandparents' Florida condo in March.

X-country skiing at our cabin + Etta beaming

Maybe we should rename this blog "Etta & Her Big Sister" for a while...

where does the time go?

Etta tried her first food today: sweet potato (video below). Alice helped! Sometimes big sister seems a little jealous of baby getting attention, especially when she herself doesn't (imagine that). Most of the time big sister helps take care of Etta, plays creatively and happily with blocks, lego, art projects, and her little kitchen. Hazel protects us and longs to run...Mom and dad hang in there, loving the precious moments & trying to figure out gentle ways to handle the stressful moments. With careers & a huge new old house to enjoy & keep clean & improve -- and 2 lovely young gals to care for -- we find it a challenge just to keep food on the table and take care of other life business, much less walk the dog, see friends, or plan activities. Whew.

crazy awesome year since we last posted!

Now Alice has a new baby sister Etta AND a sweet new house! It's really all about the pix, we know, so we'll let them speak for themselves.

Alice in Montana late July '09

Showing off her shuffleboard skills in a 5-second video at the Wheeler compound in Glacier Park at Lake McDonald...