Short days

After the time change and with winter's solstice approaching, our days are at their very shortest. Ironically, it's often clear and dry at night in Seattle, while the warmth of the day traps the clouds and the rain around us.

Sometimes in the late afternoon, the sun drops just under the cloud blanket and we''ll get a moment of dry, "sunny" weather. "Run for the park! Quick to the bikes before it's dark!"

The Rain is Here

The rainy season is well underway in Seattle. While the standard rain here is a gentle mist or wimpy sprinkle, the November precipitation has been a deluge. Daily downpours and colder temps mean we're spending considerably more time indoors.

This weekend, Sam and Elsa created a "house" in their bathroom closet. There's a "bed" for each of them and of course two toilets. This cooperative play (maybe cooperative is a stretch. We all know who the master of the house is!) has been really fun to witness. Its reminded me of all the small spaces I "discovered" with my sisters.

Family portrait

Sam's first stick-figures that I've ever seen and one of only a handfull of times that he's drawn something and told us what it was: the whole family!

Elsa added her own embellishments to the "Mom" one.

Fall

We went for a hike in Carkeek Park last week. We enjoyed the foliage, collected some leaves, and searched for spawning salmon. Perhaps a little early for such a quest, the only fish we spotted was the gigantic slide!

Elsa in true form

In the Yard

Summer's turned into Fall here in the Pacific Northwest. The clouds are rolling in, but we are still savoring the last bit of dry weather. Elsa's been potty training, so we stuck close to the house for several days. Instead of heading off to a park, we stuck close to the yard for biking, only to realize that Sam's rapidly becoming a trickster in the making. Elsa is likewise quickly catching on to her balance bike and has started to lift her feet up and glide. They are both super fun to watch (when I'm not nervous about them colliding!)

In Elsa's Words

Elsa's eating a blueberry muffin.

Elsa: "Mom, this feels good."

Me: "What feels good, the muffin?"

Elsa: "Uh-huh."

Me: "Oh, the muffin tastes good?"

Elsa: "Yup."

I love how she scrunches up her nose when she smiles big!