Trick or treat

We sent Ella out as our candy slave today to furnish the house with treats.


-- Post From My iPhone

-- Post From My iPhone

9pm

This is what the kids looked like when we finally got home around 9 pm:

Ella-- hysterically tired


Claire-- fading gently into sleep.


-- Post From My iPhone

Elko

We're driving back home today. We stopped for lunch in Elko. So far, the kids have been perfect.


Ella had some entertainment for us at lunch when she declared "I am in love with hammagers and fwrench fwries!". Then right before leaving when she saw me headed towards the restrooms she said loudly, "Do you have to go potty mommy? That's so great that you didn't have a accident! You just holded it for a long time. Good job, mommy!". So validating.


-- Post From My iPhone

Dang it

Ella tipped her chair over in a restaurant today and landed on her head. The following injury resulted.


We took the picture to aid my dad's phone consultation as to whether or not stitches were required (none were). Ella's comment on it all after the tears left? "Mom, brown hair doesn't show as much blood as blonde hair".

-- Post From My iPhone

Claire's favorite thing at grandma's house are the bathroom stools (obviously the jelly belly machine isn't stocked)


Whenever Ella sees Claire on the stool, she insists that she share, despite the fact that the stool is no novelty to Ella.


Such is the way with siblings. Sometimes Claire has to hold on to her meager inches for dear life!


-- Post From My iPhone

Crystal Springs

We took the kids on a beautiful walk/hike in the mountains today.



Claire couldn't wait to get out and be a big kid too.


I could hardly get her to hold still long enough to snap a picture of her.






Probably should've waited for that dude behind them to move.


Ella is usually an obliging model.



This moose got too close for my comfort though. When she jumped over the path she splashed Ella's face. The best part is, Ella makes up so many stories that when she tells people she got splashed by a moose today, they just smile and nod at her.





-- Post From My iPhone

What was that?

If you've ever had problems understanding us on our phones, your frustration will soon be over. This is the solution AT&T recommended. It hasn't worked yet, but they told us if we left this thing outside for 24 hours that it would start working. Why don't they just say "if you hang up right now I swear it will work how they said it would in the store".


-- Post From My iPhone

Safe jumps

Claire keeps it real.

-- Post From My iPhone

Killing time, killing us

There is a lot of car-time on these trips. But luckily there's Claire for amusement. Here Claire explores the comedy of self-inflicted bonks. Heretofore most of the comedic hits have passed from Ella to Claire down a hereditary sibling code of older beats younger and only older laughs. Here at least all parties seem amused.

-- Post From My iPhone

Ahhh

Also, there is a candy store.

What IS there to do in Carmel, anyway?

So many things. Like:


Make super funny silly faces





Play with Kendall





Go shopping





Climb trees





Go hiking






Make wishes at the mission.





Bike the beach at sunset.





Hunt for monarch butterflies.





-- Post From My iPhone

Interpretive dance

Ella's excitement about Carmel and Kendall could not be contained in such a small body. She had to compose a dance to give true voice to her feelings; a classic BB5 girl.

-- Post From My iPhone

Snow Whites

Ella at her friend Jackie Foster's Snow White-themed birthday party.


-- Post From My iPhone