Category: Photo of the week

“Passion is what makes life interesting, what ignites our soul, drives our curiosity, fuels our love and carries our friendship, stimulates our intellect, and pushes our limit…A passion for life is contagious and uplifting.” – Jon Krakauer

The flavor of the week starts with gingerbread house making.

Throwing rocks and riding bikes

Sword fighting and going for a sleep-over. No, I didn’t send them away BECAUSE they’d been sword fighting. 🙂

Miss O in a panda suit and bowing out after earning her orange belt in Aikido. Thank goodness she didn’t have to do the test in the panda suit.

The Christmas cactus that I’ve had for 33 years. My dad helped me buy it when I was 22 years old. Now that he’s gone, the cactus is one of the ways I feel his love for Christmas all around.

And another treasure – my mom. Who is pretty good at juggling balls!

Cooper wants to start a writing career. I hope he doesn’t lose interest…

“Success is not a doorway. It’s a staircase.” – Dottie Walters

We were moving things around in our house and had to temporarily remove a couple of doors. Which gave me a great opportunity to talk about the origin of the phrase “coming unhinged.” And to show how to put things back on their hinges.

Taking turns

Interesting things seen in the neighborhood

Making friends at home; and at one of our favorite winter rainy day places — the viewing room at the dump.

Getting ready for Christmas and our Thanksgiving Day outfits. I just want to say — Mr. D did his ALL by himself. Including tying the pair of gold Converse shoes.

We woke up one morning and discovered a car parked directly across our driveway. The kids were so excited to investigate – which really was going around and talking with all our favorite neighbors. When someone suggested that it might be stolen and noticed that the driver side door was jimmied, we tested the door and it was unlocked.

Miss O and Mr D wrote down all the clues and we reported it — and then about 15 minutes later, we looked out and the car was gone! Impaired driver? Stolen car? Still not sure…but boy did they have fun with the mystery! And talking to all the neighbors who were amused by the enthusiasm.

The heart of the week (a potato chip) and the sign of the week. It may be the last day of the month, but I think this “No” vember sign could still apply to all our holiday interactions and beyond.

“Ah, how good it feels! The hand of an old friend.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The quote of the week is in honor of my dear, and longest time (I put it that way because she’s definitely not old) friend, Katie, whose birthday is today.

And the featured photo is a photo my kids wanted to take from our car on the way to school. The sky was stunning – and the collective awe equally amazing!

We spent a lot of time this week Halloweening in various activities. And also, trying to wash the red out. Miss O was dressed as Julia from the moving Luca hence the “Italian” hands.

Kids weren’t the only thing dressed up — the neighborhood got dressed up as well.

Cooper wanted to get into the Halloween spirit as well but mostly laid around.

The first is Mr. D’s hand on Cooper – I thought it went well with the quote for this post. The second picture is a small dog that wanted Mr. D’s attention at Doggy Daycare.

Making impressions.

Our neighbor’s skeleton family has grown. And the whole theme fits well with the sign of the week.

“Compliment people wherever you go. Praise every single thing you see. Be a ray of sunshine to everyone you meet.” – Rhonda Byrne

The annual pumpkin farm trek. Funny thing about going to this place once a year – all of a sudden it’s so noticeable how much we’ve grown.

The pumpkin farm had some very cute animals. No, I don’t believe the highland cow intended to stick her tongue out at us.

Some adorable chicks to hold.

An inflatable pillow to jump on.

Mr. D wanted a drum set so we improvised…and then thankfully put everything back away.

The second picture is near and dear to my heart. Every once in a while, there’s a special quality of light that always makes me feel as if my dearly departed are near. In this case, Mr. D was helping me seal the tiles that my dad helped me install in my driveway. I turned to look and there was a bright spot of light illuminating Mr. D’s face. It felt like a kiss on the head from my dad.

Far-fetched? Maybe. Provable. Not at all. Worth believing? My heart says so.

The heart (on my salad) and the sign of the week.

“Spend unbroken chunks of time with the most important people in your life.” – Brian Tracy

Have you been following Elizabeth Wickhams’s (from the bleuwater blog) debate between phone and camera? All of these pics were taken from my camera when we were on Whidbey Island last weekend.

And these were taken with my phone. More impromptu and less zoom, for sure.

Cooper has heard that it’s important to keep trying to make friends, even when it seems they are ignoring you. Oh, and to be polite.

These were from Mr. D’s first fieldtrip. The Kindergartners got to go to a pumpkin farm — but the highlight was that he got to ride on a school bus!

We don’t see Mt. Rainier often from on Whidbey Island since it’s a little further north and west from where we are at home. So I was delighted when it popped out over the bay. I think Dunn Lumber might be making a good point in the sign of the week.

“There must be more to life than having everything.” – Maurice Sendak

Practice, practice, practice!

This weekend, we’re back at the beach on Whidbey Island visiting our favorite heron. Its print in the sand is as big as my foot.

Whidbey Island wildlife

As much as I love this beach in the summer, I think I might like it even more in October. The driftwood is awesome, it feels quieter (not that its ever very loud or busy), and the sun is milder so we aren’t having to run for the shade or the pool.

If Cooper could read, he’d put the knife down. Maybe the sign of the week only applies to humans because he still attracts a pretty nice tribe. 🙂

(featured photo is mine of the Seattle Space Needle)