Ferry ride to Bainbridge Island!

Ever since we moved to Seattle, I have wanted to take the kiddos on a ferry ride. Till now, we've had no real reason to go on one, but Bray is now taking voice lessons from a teacher that lives on Bainbridge Island, so we have an excuse! The ride is only about a half an hour each way, so it's not too long, and the kids loved it! I warn you, I took a lot of pictures, but the sun came out on the way back, so I had to!


Handsome dudes, enjoying the boat ride.
My normally photogenic little girl, making a cheesy grin. Oh, toddlers.
Playing a new game: 'Jump over the puddles,' not in them. I like this one a lot better!
Just because he's so handsome.
Busy girl, being good on the way over. ( we made Play-Doh jewelry for the giraffe.)
Exploring the forest-they had tons of neat birds all around! If only I knew their names...
Throwing rocks in the mini-pond.
Madeline goes, "Oh no! Look, Mommy! Somebody wrote on the SEAT!"
The ferry.
Stinkin' cute little girl. (the boots are a thanks to Lily Grauke-Madeline LOVES them! She wants to wear them alll the time-even with her PJ's!)

This looks like I put a fake background behind me...but it was that beautiful!
Trying to not get blown away...
Gorgeous sunset on the ride back!
The island.

Love this girl.

Madeline is turning into such a little girl. She loves to help me cook, pick up toys, go to the store, and put on jewelry. She's always very enthusiastic, and loves to be a part of anything her big brother is doing. What a sweetie!

Fall treks.

Sabbath, cupcakes and parks.

Since we are now into Bray's busy/crazy schedule (rehearsals 6 days a week, including Sundays) we are going to church downtown. I then drop him off, and usually head home, but decided to go visit Uncle Jordan at his new work in Madrona, Seattle. There was a fun park across the street, which we went to after eating sugary delicious cupcakes!
They had a neat (but very dirty, i.e. not good for Sunday clothes) sand pit with trucks that the kiddos loved.

Look at my big dude! They both are fitting into things I got a year ago-these are his 'big boy cool boots.' He had to tell that to everyone we ran into while wearing these. :)
This outfit was from Aunt Carolyn last Christmas, and she is just now fitting into it! Isn't it cute? Course, I didn't know we would be going to a park with a sand pit while wearing this outfit...
no idea what this thing is, but it spins around and you can climb on it.

Homemade Doughnuts!

Yup-it's that time of year again. The leaves have changed color and are falling off the trees, people are wearing sweaters and carrying umbrellas, I am now another year older, and our apartment smells of baked goods. Last night, I made my mom's buttermilk doughnut recipe-and they are definitely the best I've made yet! It is an art I probably won't perfect till I'm a grandmother, but still, I enjoy the challenge! And, it makes it feel like fall has really arrived, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Bray was helping me roll the doughnuts in sugar (as the kids would've just licked it off their fingers) and he said, "I love this. It makes it feel like this is something we do. It makes it feel like our tradition, our home." Not that he was meaning it doesn't at other times, but when you don't know where you'll be living from year to year, it's nice to at least create the feeling of home. :)

Can you tell who else loves doughnuts?

Halloween/Birthday cookies.

October/my 26th birthday!

bees and monkeys.

I have always said that Hobbes reminds me a lot of my brother Seth. When focused, he plays like Seth did, and his side profile even looks a lot like my brother's pictures from when he was little. While I was in California, Hobbes stayed with Seth and Nambi (Naphtali). Before I left, I found Bray's old Super-Nintendo, and let Seth borrow it, thinking it would be a fun entertainment for them. Little did I know HOW fun it would be! Hobbes loved watching Seth play (convenient for Seth, eh?) and Seth, if you know him at all, can of course play for hours.
It has been a few weeks, though, since we've been back, and thus, I was confused by Hobbes' conversation today in the car. We were driving Bray to work, and the kids were zoning in the back seat, watching traffic. Suddenly, Hobbes said in a somewhat excited voice, "The monkey got killed by the BEE! The monkey threw boxes at the bee, and the bee killed him! ouch ouch! Hobbes is a monkey! Oo-oo-oo (monkey sounds)." Bray and I looked at each other, totally confused as to the origins of this conversation topic. No bees, monkeys or pictures of either one were anywhere in sight. Hobbes kept repeating, " The monkey got killed by the BEE!!! Oh NO!" Until I suddenly remembered the really hard level on Donkey Kong (Nintendo game) where the monkey has to kill the giant bee by throwing boxes at it. How hilarious. Hobbes was running the game through his head, and decided to share it with all of us. So, Uncle Seth, you have a boy after your own heart!

Da Babiiies.

I confess, I stole this picture from Naphtali's blog, but I had to because it's got both my favorite babies in it! This was taken last week, when I was in Moscow, at a park with 8 month old Amara (Seth and Naphtali's babe) and 6 month old Asa (Kathryn and Mike's little dude). Aren't they the cutest? I just wish I could hold and babysit them all the time!! I love you guys!

wha-wha-wha-what?

Madeline and Bray have a game where they pretend to be asleep, snoring loudly of course, and then they suddenly wake up, while saying "wha-wha-wha-what??" Madeline absolutely adores this game, and she taught it to Ampa while in Moscow. I managed to sneak a few pics in while they were playing. I love her face when she's 'pretending' to be asleep.

Asleep."Wha-wha-wha-what??" :)

Cowboy Hobbes!

Look what Gege & Bop sent...
We have a little problem of closing our eyes and shooting...

Sunday.

On Sunday, we just had a brunch, put on by Opera Santa Barbara to go to, so after church, we headed to a fave beach and took some fun pictures. We could definitely live in California!
handsome man.

love the sand on my bare feet.
Love this man.
5 Years and Counting!
Sunday brunch at the Ennisbrook Country Club in Montecito-delicious, relaxing and beautiful!

A few excerpts from reviews...

		"Stephen Schwartz and Opera Santa Barbara have pulled off the season's first major coup with this world premiere of what is likely to be among the most talked about new operas of the decade." - Charles Donelan, SB Independent "Stephen Schwartz may have written the world's most accessible opera." - Sharon Pelmutter, Talkin Broadway

Opening Niiighhht...(to the tune from the Producers!)

In the lobby before all the excitement began!
Bray, and his delicious Italian feast from Aldo's, a great restaurant in Santa Barbara, before the show!
Gorgeous flowers for the divas.
People gathering for the show...
Red-carpet treatment.
Bray, with our lovely hosts, Tina & Dwight Coffin.
Maestro Valery Ryvkin, and Bray. Another powerhouse talent, and yet extremely humble, sweet and funny. It is a great group of people!
Bray with superstar Lauren Flanigan. Extremely-talented woman.
So incredibly proud of Bray. And soo thankful to all the family and friends that made it possible for me to go! Truly wonderful experience.
Since I was too chicken, Bray asked Stephen if I could get a picture with him...so amazing to be around a genius in music!