Aviation Museum

While my mom and step-dad were here over Thanksgiving we finally got things together enough to make it out to our little local Aviation Museum.

The College Park airport is the longest continuously operating airport in the country (I think) so there's a lot of history there, including some association with the Wright Brothers. Cool!

Ellie had a good time running around and looking at the different airplanes.

But her favorite thing was the little exhibit they had on air pressure involving two different sized beach balls.

She figured out how to make it work pretty quickly.

{push button}


{pick up ball}


{toss ball gently into air stream}

I don't like to brag but she's obviously brilliant. And beautiful.

Catch up. Again.

Um, been awhile again. I did get pictures in those empty frames at least.

Ellie started preschool! We have a little daycare here at work that take children over 2, so once she turned two and they had an opening we got her in. It took some adjusting, but she seems to have settled in pretty well. Didn't even notice me leave this morning.

As referenced above, Ellie turned 2. It was another marathon birthday celebration. She's talking and singing nonstop, it's a lot of fun to hear what comes out of her mouth.

She made an adorable Foofa for Halloween. And Pete made a pretty mean DJ Lance Rock.

We had our kitchen completely dismantled last century and it is slowly coming back together.

My dad and step-mom came to visit at the beginning of November, and my mom and step-dad were here for now annual Thanksgiving visit last week. Both visits were a lot of fun, especially since Ellie is starting to learn what "grandma" and "grandpa" mean.

And now we're working on getting in the holiday spirit, welcome to December!

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Leave it to Emily to get me back here blogging. Shame on me.

As a little welcome-to-fall contest, Emily listed 10 photos to take and we were to pick 8 to blog about. I'm not sure if this will count because I didn't specifically take these photos for the contest, but I needed an excuse to update the blog before September ends. So, here's my list.

#1 Something I need every day Easy. I need coffee. Every day. Black. Hot. Strong. Many cups. I'm sipping one right now. Yum.

#2 Something I've once lost, finally found I used to do all sorts of crazy things back in my younger days. But moving out to the DC area from Colorado, settling into a marriage, buying a house, becoming a mom. Somewhere in there I seem to have lost my sense of adventure. I found it again on our recent trip to Hawaii where I was very reluctantly convinced to take a sunrise bike ride down the side of a volcano. It was awesome.

#3 A happy place in my house I love our house, it has a lot of little happy places for me. But my favorite right now is the floor of Ellie's bedroom where we cuddle and read books before bed.

#4 A picture of a picture I made these little photo cubes for Father's Day this year. Aren't they cute? It's on my list of things to blog about.

#5 A favorite book One of the things that I'm really enjoying these days is the creativity that's inspired in me by some of my on-line mommy friends through various "swaps" that I've participated in. I'm not usually satisfied with my contribution, but I'm amazed at, and in awe of what I have gotten in return. One of those things was a beautiful scrap book of Ellie's first year, artfully crafted by Jennie using the photos I took every Tuesday. It is now one of my most prized possessions.

#6 My favorite color I just love the deep rich color of blue that water imparts on the world. The color of the water and the sky in the tropics contrasted with the white of billowing clouds and breaking waves, it's breathtaking.

#7 Something from my childhood This summer we took a trip to the tiny little amusement park in my home town that has been there forever. It has four or five little rides, most of which have changed since I was a child. But two of them are exactly the same - the merry-go-round and the little train. I have many fond memories of riding the huge (to me) Ferris wheel, picking which animal I wanted to ride on the carousel, eating snow cones and cotton candy, and impatiently waiting for the train to complete it's long, slow loop so I could have a turn. Ahhhh, memories.

#8 Something from my to-do list This is actually rather embarrassing. The blog isn't the only thing I'm hopelessly behind on. I hung this set of picture frames up way, way back in June in anticipation of receiving the beautiful photos that Emily took while she was here (something else on my list of things to blog about. Actually this whole post could be called "something I will blog about some day"). Photos that I still haven't ordered. It's at the very top of my to-do list, and has been for months. I WILL order these photos SOON. I NEED them. My house looks very silly with empty picture frames hanging all over the place.

And there you have it. My entry into the photo scavenger hunt, and a very belated update to the blog containing many previews of entries to come. Hopefully before the end of time.

Because I'm so behind

I'll add this little video I assembled from a funny afternoon adventure in the yard a few months ago.

More Visits

The next set of people to come for a visit were my dad and step-mom. This marked the first time they'd had a chance to see Ellie since we went up to the lake house last September. So, she'd changed a bit.

We played in the sandbox...

...and went for a few walks around the neighborhood...

...and attended the fun but very odd "Green Man Festival" at our little downtown area.

Generally, Ellie just enjoyed getting to know another set of grandparents, and I think the feeling was mutual.

Tickle Tickle Tickle

Another video post.  This is from a couple of months ago.  Brace yourself, it's pretty cute.

Some Grandparents Pay a Visit

Still playing catch up.  We're getting there.

Pete's folks made it out to visit near the end of April.  They were here for about a week and got to spend a lot of time getting to know Ellie, which I think they all really enjoyed.

We finally got her sandbox set up while they were here, and she loves it.  She had so much fun playing in the sand and throwing the sand and eating the sand.  

Aunt S. was able to come up one afternoon so we had a little bbq and enjoyed the nice weather. 

BBQ's typically mean food on people's laps or carried around.  This means there's a lot of potential for food to be dropped, of which the dogs are keenly aware.  Our dogs are pretty typical dogs in that anything that looks like something you might eat they want, and anything you drop on the floor they will eat.  Now I guess we have to add Ellie to the list of beggars who won't be choosers.  If the dogs want it, she wants it.  And if the dogs will eat it, so will she.

Yum.  So, why doesn't she eat what's on her plate?  I really don't know.  It's one of the many great mysteries of toddlerhood.