Warm Beach

Last Friday, we met up with the fam and went to see the lights at Warm Beach.  There were hundreds of lights, a free train ride, pony rides, yummy cinnamon crispy things, hot chocolate, fire pits, a dancing snowman that scared Ivy, cold hands, Santa and lots of pictures!  We had a really good time.  If you live in the area, and haven't been - you should go.  If you don't live in the area, and haven't been - I am sad that you can't see this cute little place.  Last year we went in the pouring rain; this year, we were lucky to have no rain or snow!  (both years were equally as fun though!)  Here is a little view through my lens.

Just getting there.  Red little nose already!

Owen, hitching a ride!

Jen and Ivy.

Bob and Kathi

He wouldn't stay in the stroller for too long.  I don't know why... look how toasty it looks!

Jen and her family

This is a view from under one of the trees

I was playing with my amazing zoom lens.

Our cold little family.

This is right before the tears started flowing!

Rob as a llama.  (everyone needs a picture as a llama)

Felix and her friend.  (after telling me about her plan to spoil the student government teacher's plan to cut down trees at her school to put in a basketball court.  Hopefully she can do it.  She was so excited about it.)

Getting off the train.

One tired little guy!  He slept all the way home, all the way inside from the car and stayed asleep for the night.  It is amazing how much being in the cold takes out of you!

Crawling and 10 months.

Yes, Evan is now over 11 months old, but I forgot to post about how, just before Halloween and just shy of his 10 month old birthday, he started crawling!  He is all over the place!  These are my favorite pictures with the bear...

I love him. Steve, that is.

Some things about him bother me.  Some things like, how he wanted to see how the Subaru handled in the snow and decided to punch the gas while turning a corner.  (Luckily, the car is smarter than the driver).  Or how he insists on wrapping up all the excess cords in the house with little ties and when I want to download pictures with a camera cord or unplug something from behind the computer I first have to get annoyed, find the little bundled cord, get mad, find scissors to cut off the bundle thing, angerly shake the cord back to its full length, and then proceed with what I was doing.  OR how he thought it was a good idea to back up all his music on the computer, but not worry about my beloved pictures of Evan.  OR how it takes him 4 hours to clean one small kitchen and one even tinier bathroom.  (just to name a few that are fresh on my mind...)

BUT, when I think of the little things that bother me, I can also see so many things that don't.  I love that he doesn't adjust the seats in the Subaru (other than moving it back to fit his legs) or the side mirrors because he knows that I have them just the way I like them.  I love that he likes things organized, even if it stretches to the cords behind the computer.  I love that he knew I was upset about the picture debacle and purchased a very large external hard drive that very night.  I love that, even though he is asleep, all toasty warm when I come bed, he lets me put my freezing feet on his warm body to warm up.  I love that he always puts on chapstick before he goes to bed and then tries to kiss me goodnight carefully so the chapstick doesn't come off.  I love that he doesn't know what to get me for Christmas and keeps approaching Jen with idea after idea.  I love that he let me dress Evan in an adorable little reindeer sweater for Thanksgiving and that he won the annual turkey weigh in with a whopping 6 pounds this year.  I love that he watches tv and laughs out loud.  I love that he humors me and my weird ways - most of the time.  (just to name a few that are fresh on my mind...)

Tears to my eyes!

Have you ever been so proud of your child you thought you could cry?  Well, imagine the flood of emotions when I saw this...

He may look like his dad, and love his dad, and only want to play with his dad, and have a wardrobe of Iowa Hawkeye clothes like his dad, but he may have inherited SOMETHING from me!  (Good or bad, right?)

For the Record

He wore the sheep costume!  We put it on him as we were walking out the door to attend our favorite (turning slightly overcrowded) Edmonds Halloween festival and he didn't seem to notice.  I waited to put on the hat until we got outside, and he didn't seem to care. He humored me and wore the little suit all night!

He didn't really understand the concept of trick or treating and would drop the bucket in an attempt to quickly grab the treat inside, but we had a really good time with Beth, Jen, Greg, Ivy and Owen.  After the festivities we headed back to my house for the obligatory pizza dinner and candy.  It was a wonderful evening and was made even better as I watched Evan enjoy his first taste of cheese pizza and absolutely LOVE it! 

Caving

Location of the family trip finally decided... Puerto Rico!
Hotel booked.
Flights arranged.
Little brother finds a "caving adventure" listed as one of the top 500 things to do in the world by National Geographic and pleads with me to go. 
I agree.
I don't know why.
I read about the possibility of foot wide spiders, bats, roaches, and scorpions.
I really don't know why I agreed.
Clothes for said adventure purchased at REI.
Hundreds of excuses of why I can't go cross my mind.
None are sufficient.
The vacation starts on Monday and the caving is on Sunday.
I put it out of my mind to enjoy the rest of the trip.

Totally enjoyed the trip.

Sunday came.

We got up at 4:45 am.

Took a taxi that didn't stop at red lights.
Met with our tour group.
Had the time of my life!

Some of the pictures are a little blurry, but we were lucky to be able to get the shots we did.  The camera was wet and muddy and only made it out alive after being put into three zip lock bags.  We saw the promised scorpions, roaches, bats, and spiders.  Slipped on mud, swam in the river, zip lined through the forest and rock climbed our way out.  It was absolutely amazing.  In case anyone is wondering... Yes.  Definitely one of the top 500 things to do in the world.  :)