Sam's Crawling!

Sam is crawling and on the move. Eli was 10 months before he crawled.  Sam just turned 8 months. Eli was enjoying kicking the blow up ghost at pumpkinpalooza.  Eli loves that Sam is crawling around.  He gets right down there with him and let's Sam crawl all over him. 

Our days all together

Our walks through the hundred acre woods (So Sam will nap...damn teeth).  We talk about catching heffalumps, we throw up helicopters and try to catch them with our net and always check on our neighbors koi fish.  This bench is our halfway marker on our walk and we take a break on it and just talk.  Today Eli was running so fast he kicked up mushrooms in the air.  We looked down and they were everywhere and so big!

Brian came home with this $40 box of chocolates (free from work) and let's just say I had more than one and not only were they pretty to look at I had one of the best salted caramel chocolates I've ever had.  Kathryn Taylor runs a chocolate shop on Orcas Island, hit it up if you go there.

 Eli showing Sam how to drive.

I'm letting him make a mess now, let's see how long it takes him to learn how to feed himself.

 Eli and Dad working on the deck together wearing work goggles. Safety first.

Playing ball with his bro.

The Men in my life....

Seasonal Squash

Some of my most favorite people on the swings.  I love this picture Eli is totally watching his Tt and Nataly pump.  He was amazed at how high Nataly could go.  Sam and I think everyone enjoyed this lazy Sunday stroll.

Crispy Duckling and Duck Confit with Sweet Corn Polenta with Roasted Pears and Chantrelle Mushrooms and Basalmic Cider Reduction sauce.  This is just one of the dishes I had at a PCC cooking class I took last night.  I was very impressed with the chef and her ability to cook, educate and entertain all at the same time.  She of course had two sous chefs, everything was very yummy and inspirational for the season.  One fruit that was in one of her dishes was adriatic figs, if they are still in season I plan on using them next week.  I checked the store and what they had was a little too ripe to buy. 

Eli holding his huge pumpkin on the balance beam.

I'm really going to start making baby food for Sam so Eli picked out this Butternut squash.  I just couldn't help laugh at it.

Misosquitos

Eli goes to the store with Dad and says, "Dad, this pumpkin has misosquito bites."  I guess this is what happens after a summer at Lake Wenatchee with lots of mosquito's and one that got trapped in his room overnight and ate him alive.  If you haven't heard Eli say the word it sounds like misosquitos not mosquito's just so you know his version.  Thankfully Eli fared better this summer than this pumpkin here.

Climbing Trees

Eli has been wanting to start to climb trees.  Most of the time he tries to climb trees with no branches so I've been trying to tell him he needs one with branches and it has to be strong enough to hold him and safe to climb.  We were on our way to our car from the Mega Truck Feast and farmers market in West Seattle on Sunday and there was the perfect tree.  I pointed out this perfect tree to climb.  I think climbing this tree might just be our ritual when we go to the market now.  I think I might even have to climb it next time.

Fall Days

Samuel passed out after too much vitamin water ;) Eli crosses his leg like this too when he sleeps.

In a matter of a week.  Leaves were soft and and now they are crunchy.

Eli helping me make our crockpot chili and cornbread for dinner.

My three stooges at Porterhouse waiting for our highchair. 

Eli making friends with our fury neighborhood friends.