Birthday, Shots, Sunrise, Snow

First Annual Birthday Jamboree

 Spending her evening at the new Portland Aquarium
(we love it!)

 After the aquarium, pizza party with family - gifts and her first cookie (browned butter shortbread with apricot jam)

Band-aids

Post Well Child Check-up - she's a healthy bird

Blazing sun

Since we are up before dawn each day, might as well take a photo of a colorful sunrise...

Snow!

November Growth

If our life was a novel, Miriam would be the main character, the protagonist, the antagonist, the hero, and the sidekick. She's just that dynamic (and interesting...to us, her parents).

Playful cub

Meeting Abe (cousin Aidan's new greyhound)

Playing with neighbor friend, Davis

 Progress (working on the ADU vaulted ceiling)

No self-respecting Yankee post with "November" in the title would be complete without reference to Turkey Day. We had a really awesome Thanksgiving at Uncle Mike's and Aunt Drea's lovely house.

Mike (my brother) cooking amazing steelhead with caramalized leeks and onions

 Another in a long line of fascinating succulents

 Pretty Thanksgiving Table

 Feast, seriously - brussels sprouts, chipotle maple roasted yams, garlicky kale, tender moist turkey, rich gravy, flavorful stuffing, fresh cranberries, marinated mushrooms, aforementioned steelhead and Spanish red wine

 Mike and Juan (Drea's pop)

 Miriam slays the beast (cousin Aidan) for her after-dinner snack

 Enthusiastic father

Tim's uncle Bob celebrated his 75th birthday the day after Thanksgiving. Go, Bob!

Miriam with Jenna

 Miriam with Danny

 Happy 75th, Bob

Miriam riding off into the sunset at the Brickhouse in Vancouver, WA 

(About 45 minutes later she pushed this horse and herself right over the "cliff" (AKA stage)...traumatic for mom and dad)

 Unapologetically tearing apart her bedroom

 This Santa belongs in a Tim Burton movie

 The Pride of Standing

Falling Leaves

[Aside: Tim and I both recently read a book called Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah. We both devoured it.]

Fall finds us adjusting to the new weather patterns, AKA wetness. On dry days we go up into Mt. Tabor Park where Miriam fills up on bark and sticks. 

The incredibly lovely view of Portland's West Hills from Mt. Tabor's Upper Reservoir

 Strolling

Pine needle eater

Communing with the trees

We also like to get out for tasty things, like food and beer, every so often. 

Terrific beer at Coalition Brewing on a gorgeous day

 Fallen Ginko Leaves

Garage Renovation Update: The outside has new siding and is all sealed up. It's starting to resemble something livable...and pretty!

 Back of unit now has a door and a new window

Grandpa Dennis came to visit from Sacramento.

Holding hands

I put Miriam in a red and green outfit and took pictures. Festive!

Her smile is contagious

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. We are thankful that you are in our lives. See you soon, we hope.

Spokane Trip - October 2012

Mimi, Huppa, Miriam and I took a road trip to Spokane to visit Uncle Fred. It was a fun time and Mim was a real road warrior.

For future reference we found some good road stops for you PNW road-trippers:
- Big Jim's Drive-In in Eastern The Dalles
- Columbia Park in Kennewick, WA (playground, pond, river)

Not so cheery about this early morning drive

 Great stop at Columbia Park Playground in Kennewick, WA

Happy at Fred's House, Spokane, WA

Beautiful fall walk in Manito Park Neighborhood, Spokane, WA

 (Even though the poem was bad, I love stuff like this)

 

Spokane Food Co-op (awesome deli)

Fun in Friendship Park, Spokane, WA

 

 (Fred and Mimi enjoy the park)

Dessert - Boozy Brownies from Boots Bakery in downtown Spokane

Mobius Kids, Downtown Spokane - Toddler Area

 (Nonplussed)

Cooler than me, already