First Annual Family Christmas Tree Hunt!

Along with adding a new member to the family (Tiger Lily) we've also been trying new traditions this year. Here's one that turned out well in the end, though it was touch-and-go for awhile... click the picture for a 13 picture slide show, and here to see all 13 at once.

Early Christmas in Eugene

We went to Eugene last weekend to celebrate Christmas and Merrick's Dad's 70th birthday with Merrick's family.

Click picture for a slide show (23 pictures) or here to see them all at once.

Tiger Lily introduces "Chomper", her first tooth!

2011 Thanksgiving!

Merrick's family came from Eugene to spend Thanksgiving with us again this year.  Granny, Papa, Auntie Ginny and Cousin Hannah got to spend some quality time with Tiger Lily and see the sites! (click the picture below to see a 35 picture slide show, or here to see all of them at once.

Playing in the snow

Beth and Tiger Lily drove up to the snow on Snoqualmie Pass on Saturday with our friends Jason, Jodie, and Rosie.  We stomped around a bit then found a closed but unlocked restaurant at the lodge that had been taken over by families with grumpy, cold babies.  We ate lunch and chased the kids around.  One little boy thought that TL (who was focused on crawling and oblivious to everything else) was a perfect horsey to ride!  Looking forward to many more snowy adventures this winter!

Tiger Lily at the Office

Tiger Lily is busy at the office.
Lots of reports to read... and a few rattles to spin.

Tiger Lily and Dad Walk on Seattle's Alkai Beach

Wow! What a beautiful day! We went for a walk along Alkai Beach and saw a Harlequin duck and hauled out seal!

Click here to see all 14 pictures at once, or the picture to see a slide show.

Tiger Lily Crawls for the First Time!

Wow! How cool is this:

Tiger Lily Feeds Herself with a Spoon for the First Time!

She's been playing with her spoon for awhile, but tonight was the first time she actually fed herself with it. Hoo-ya!

Tiger Lily playing with Toshi

Tiger Lily took Toshi's collar off and the two of them proceeded to play a fun game.

Yes, you're right. A baby could get scratched playing with a cat.

A Walk in the Park...

We took advantage of the unseasonably dry and beautiful day to walk from our house to Lake Washington via Judkins Park, Sam Smith Park and Coleman Park. Beautiful fall colors this year!

(click photo for a 7 pic slide show, or here for all 7 at once.)

Halloween!

3 days ago! But it was fun.  Tiger Lily and Merrick went down to our neighbors' Adam and Panetta's house to check out their decorations. Adam made a really cool scarecrow this summer with welded garden tools.  He covered the head and put a Jack-O-Lantern in the hand for Halloween and presto! Scarey Headless Scarecrow! Bwahaaaahahahahah! We had a grand total of 3 appreciative trick-or-treaters.

(click the picture for 16 pic slide show or here to see all 16 at once)

Standing!!!

Last night, while reading Richard Scarry's "Postman Pig", Tiger Lily pulled up to standing for the first time!  We have been waiting a long time for her to stand or even take weight on her feet.  She's shown no interest, preferring to loiter around on her bum and has perfected the art of bouncing across the room in pursuit of the cats.  Poor Jasper and Toshi's lives are about to get more complicated, though they have been surprisingly good sports about all the grabbing and shrieking thus far.

Tiger Lily eats Cheerios! Yum!

Mushroom Foray #2 for 2011

We went on a mushroom foray yesterday along the Iron Horse Trail off I-90.  A beautiful, chilly, Northwest fall day. We found about a pound of Chantrelles and cooked them up as Crostini toppers. Yum!

(click the picture for a 11 pic slide show)

Went for a Walk on the Seattle Viaduct Today

In preparation for its imminent demise, the WSDOT allowed the public to walk along the top of the Viaduct today.  You could spy some demolition work and take home a piece of rubble!

(click picture below for slideshow)

Weekend in Port Townsend

Merrick left home on his bike in the early morning to ride 74 miles to Port Townsend. Beth and Tiger Lily had a leisurely morning then toodled up in the car to meet him. We stayed at the lovely Waterstreet Hotel at the edge of the town and the edge of the land too! The next morning we drove out to Fort Worden and walked on the beach where Tiger Lily dipped her tiny toes in the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

Our drive home was more exciting than necessary when an old Ford Bronco coming toward us took a corner way too fast, swung out across the yellow line and headed straight for us. He swerved back at the last moment and so only hit the corner of our car. Phew! We were not hurt and TL barely woke up from her nap! We pulled over and I expected to have an unpleasant interaction with some wacked out weirdo but after a brief pause we saw the truck take off down the road again. Some friendly witnesses called the cops and the man was taken into custody at a cafe about 10miles further on. We had to go back so they could match up the damage on the vehicles and file the report. When we got there I was very surprised to discover that the driver was an 86 year old man driving with a suspended license!  Merrick and I had both mentally profiled him as some redneck, 38 year old meth head. I owe an apology to all Kitsap County meth heads who were driving very respectfully last weekend!


(Click on photo to see slideshow of the trip. Click the "Show Info" button to see descriptions of photos)

Merrick's bicycle route to Port Townsend.

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Trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

Tiger Lily and Dad went to the Pumpkin Patch today.  Fall City Farms at Fall City Washington, about 25 miles east of Seattle (Click the picture for a slide show).

Tiger Lily in a farm cart (hard to carry pumpkins in our sporty stroller)

Tiger Lily meets Harry, the Goat

At the Seattle Japanese Garden

This was the first time for both of us.  Unfortunately, mom had to work :(

(click on photo above for a slideshow of the whole trip)

Tiger Lily and the Sticky Wicket

She knocks over the blocks with the ball....eventually!

Sunday October 9 First Family Run!

We gave the new stroller a spin at Seward Park.  The Stroller is a "B.O.B. Ironman" specifically designed for running.

and a short vid...

October 8th Mushroom Hunt at Rattlesnake Lake

We had a great mushroom foray with our friends Kotaro, Marine and their dog Shiloh today.  Tiger Lily was in the awesome backpack carrier our friends Libby and Chris gave us.  Turned out to be a beautiful fall day.