We made lots of cookies and granola. Here I am burying some cookies with sprinkles and sugar.
We also made some pasta noodles and I got to do some...
cranking!
There was some sledding (this was on the weekend before last's measly 2 inches of snow),
M showed me how to make a snowman,
watched icicles grow,
did some more sledding, this time with Pooh bear,
knit a sweater with M,
and watched D do lots of this.
We took lots of walks around the neighborhood to see everyone's lights. I particularly enjoyed shouting "Christmas Lights!" and "Candy Canes!" whenever we saw well decorated houses. We also trudged through the icy backyard to check on our bird feeder and baby Douglas Fir.
and it hasn't let up all day! Since we're basically stuck in, I might as well update you all on what's been going on since Thanksgiving. We are getting ready for Christmas!
First, we had to get a tree and decorate it. I helped D carry it into the house, water, and decorate it.
Apparently, this tree-stuff involves sticking out my tongue. Anyway, now that it is up, I love sitting by the tree and its ornaments.
One of my favorite things is to listen to Christmas music. I've been particularly taken with Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II. At first I just listened and occasionally asked "What is this song about?"; and now I like to sing a long.
Last weekend, my church hosted an Advent Workshop, where I got to make lots of ornaments: a garland, some candy cane reindeer, and two gingerbread houses. In the beginning, I was being very detailed and meticulous. By the end, I was using the proverbial broad brush. The big kids at church got a kick out of this and the result - a lake of m&m's and sprinkles around my house.
Later that night, we headed out to the Zoo Lights! This has become an annual event for us (two years in a row counts as annual!) and I love it. Best of all, there is a train made of lights that takes you all around. I also like the giraffe that throws a heart onto the top of a Christmas tree. Also, I got to hug and give high-fives to a bald eagle, tiger, and a reindeer.
So, until this lets up, I'll keep bundled up and snuggling with M.
For Thanksgiving, we took a vacation to Seattle. It was a lot of fun and I was a little sad to leave. And who wouldn't be, after such a fun-filled holiday? There were good friends, family, two cats to pet and kiss, and a Space Needle. I have been to Seattle several times, but this was the best visit so far.
We stayed with Marty, his folks and their two cats, Bo and Bailey. Marty was kind and let us stay in his toy room; Bailey barely contained her displeasure at being locked out all weekend, due to D's allergy. Every chance I had, though, I gave Bo lots of hugs and kisses. He even let me read Click-Clack-Moo to him!
Bailey was a little more shy, but she was sweet enough to let me give her kisses every now and then.
Anyway, the vacation started as any good one should - with lots of eating. We met up with Cousins Joe and Meagan and three of their friends for Thanksgiving. Not many photos were taken, I think because the adults had food and beverages in their hands most of the time, but here is one of me bear-crawling down the stairs, while Marty, his Dad and new friend David marvel at my daring. (Thanks again for hosting dinner, Joe & Meagan! Say Hi to everyone for us!)
Friday, M stayed home to recover from cooking and being on her feet all day, while D, Marty, his parents and I went down to the Seattle Center. There were lots of holiday activities going on, but we were mainly interested in the Kid's Museum. Painting, modeling clay, and some crazy pneumatic devices that shot ping-pong balls around were a lot of fun.
Then, D took me to the Space Needle. I had been looking forward to this, since we took in its profile from Marty's balcony. I ran all the way up the ramp and waited patiently in line for the elevator. Once at the top, I loved looking at all the sites. It was clear enough that day, though a bit cloudy. I was able to see lots of boats, big buildings, and even spotted Marty's place and Joe's house. These Christmas decorations were great, and then I got to make one of my own: a Christmas tree hat!
Here's the finished product, with the Puget Sound in the background.
After that busy day, all the parents decided to speed up the bed-time routine by giving me and Marty a bath together. There was a lot of talking, of which I understood none, about future blackmail, prom dates, and ... whatever. Marty and I had a lot of fun and practiced making silly faces.
On Saturday, M completed her requisite Seattle pilgrimage, as we all walked up to Mighty-O Donuts! Marty and I are big fans of the sprinkle doughnuts.
Then, tons of fun with public transportation! We decided to take the bus down to the pier. Here I am practicing some more silly faces.
From the pier, we took a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island! It was great. The views (there's that Space Needle again),
dancing with Marty to some group called the Labor Chorus,
and seeing everything from the deck. Oh, but that horn was so loud!
This wore everybody out. Once we got back to Marty's place, M fell asleep in the chair with Bo! I thought it was a perfect time to cuddle.
Sunday, we said our goodbyes to our excellent hosts - Marty, his parents, and the two cats. We had enough time to have a lovely home-cooked, banana-pancake brunch with Joe and Meagan, before heading back home. As soon as we got on the highway, I wondered aloud, "Where's Marty?" M & D told me that we would visit again, and that Marty would hopefully visit our house someday.
That reassurance was all I needed to settle in for a nap in the car. When I woke up, my new hat, snow globe (thanks Meagan!), and kangaroo with joey (thanks Grandmom!) kept me entertained for the rest of the ride.
Once we got home, I entertained M & D by grabbing a microphone, marching around in my duck slippers and singing the Grand Old Duke of York.
That's all for now, everybody! We're hunkering down for some cold weather and getting ready for Tiny Baby to come. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
