Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a low-key Thanksgiving this year. This is the first year since we've been married that we did were not with family. It's a good thing we didn't plan to go anywhere because we've all been sick for what seems like a couple of weeks with a cough & cold. To say we are irritated with all the coughing is an understatement. We are thankful to not share the cold with those we love.

We hung around the house and enjoyed looking at the snow outside the window. I spent most of the day in the kitchen. Everything was homemade except for the ham. I started on a couple of things yesterday. We enjoyed dressing, 7 layer salad, 2 different cranberry sauces, broccoli and hollandaise, dressing, honey roasted sweet potatoes, Stefanie's Sunday rolls, and cherry pie. It sure took a long time to make what doesn't seem like a very long list. Too bad my taste buds weren't working right. The only thing I really tasted was the salad because it had some strong flavors.

After dinner we enjoyed a fire in the fireplace while we played and read. One benefit to the feeling bad is that Canaan is super cuddly. She really likes to be read to and likes to hear the same books over and over.

I am so thankful on this day for my family, friends, Savior Jesus, and so much more.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Visit from Grandma & Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit in November and stayed with us for 10 days. Canaan enjoyed staying home with them and making several trips into Seattle during their visit. We were quite the tourists while they were here.

I was able to take off a couple of days the first week they were here. They had already been to see Pike Place Market and the Children's Museum. Then my first day with them we went on a harbor cruise and then to the zoo. It was the perfect day for these outings with sunshine and the temperature in the high 60s. I think they cruise tour guide said it was warmer on this day than it was the 4th of July this year. On the cruise, we saw some beautiful views of downtown Seattle and even got to see some sea lions sunning.




Next we were off to the zoo. By the time we got there, it was an hour until closing. I think this is the best zoo I've been to in that the zoo seems to do a good job of replicating the animals' natural habitat. I was most excited about seeing the elephants as we had just seen a show on the National Geographic Channel where an elephant was born at the Houston zoo. The fall colors have been absolutely beautiful here...more vibrant than I've seen anywhere else. And the beautiful leaves were the perfect backdrop to the wildlife at the zoo.




The next day we went to the Space Needle and the Flight Museum. It was an overcast day and quite a bit cooler so it was good to spend that time indoors. At the flight museum we were able to get on a Concord and the Airforce One from Kennedy's time in office.

We kept busy through the weekend as well. Matthew was able to join us on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we went to the Seattle Aquarium. There were several places you could stick your fingers in the water to touch the sealife. Canaan loves water so this was right up her alley. I don't think she touched anything, she just liked the water. She really seemed to enjoy looking at all the fish.





Sunday we made it to the Pacific Science Center. There were a lot of things to keep kids busy but not so much for Canaan to do. There was an area for toddlers where she played with some water, went down a slide, and enjoyed driving this helicopter. My favorite thing was the butterfly house. There were butterflies all over the place.




It was a really fun visit! By the end of the weekend, Canaan was done with being in the stroller. She was such a trooper! There were days when we were out during naptime and she behaved surprisingly well.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for coming to visit!

My little ladybug

Canaan was dressed as a ladybug for the second Halloween in a row. I couldn't pass up the costume either year.

She got to wear her costume to a Halloween party at daycare on Friday and then again on Sunday at home. The kids at daycare had the cutest costumes and enjoyed eating a special snack during their party. Matthew and I both went to the Halloween party.

Canaan was the last child at the table eating her snack (and off the plate of the boy sitting next to her). She is a good eater and likes to eat often. So I asked her teacher if she was often the last child left at the table. The teacher kind of giggled and said that often that was the case. Miss C said they thought Canaan (like every child) must have a limit, but she wasn't sure if she'd seen Canaan reach that limit yet.

Canaan's snuggly for naps at daycare is a soft and satiny pig. She gets excited to see her pig and will hug and snuggle with it as soon as she gets her hands on it. So after the conversation I started with Canaan's teacher about her eating, Miss C told me that she and the other teacher were hoping I would dress Canaan as a little pig for Halloween. That would have been so cute indeed!

As it was, we had the cutest little ladybug around!

Picture credit to Mel B. She takes incredible pictures!