"Look Mommy, it's Christmas!"

That's what Grace said this morning when she looked out the window to see the first heavy frost of the season.

Play Date

Grace and I have been excited for our play date with cousin Anna for a few weeks now.  Anna's mommy and daddy are in NYC for a grown-up getaway and Anna is staying with her Mo D (my aunt Deb) for a few days.  We were hoping for nicer weather so we could play at the park, but we stayed inside instead and the girls did craft projects at the table.  Then we went to see Great Grandma Lower at her new home in Freeland.  The girls were not very excited about that part, but they were good sports about it. 

Anna and Grace

Craft time

Another colorful ball!

Lately

It's been hard to be depressed the past few days, what with temps in the low eighties, clear skies and a little girl whose energy and excitement is contagious, even when battling a cold and cough.  Most of the days we've spent together as a twosome.  Dave's afternoons have been occupied with soccer games lately and will be for the next couple of weeks.

For the past few months, Grace and I have enjoyed "runs" together (she takes her elmo "CD" player with us and we listen to her sesame street songs while we alternate walking and running).  Lately, we've enjoyed nature hikes through the trails by our house, picking up colorful leaves to iron between sheets of wax paper and hang in our windows.  We've also gone pumpkin picking and treated ourselves to cider doughnuts and slushies at Baynes. 

Somehow we've recently become home to our neighbors' outdoor cats.  Being that we're the only ones around during the day in our neighborhood, they have made themselves comfortable on our porch and in our garage when open, which was cute for a while, but no so much anymore.  We even had a stow-away with us to swimming class recently.  I didn't realize Cheese had jumped in our vehicle until we arrived at the Community Center.  Grace had been trying to tell me the entire way there, but I just thought she was being cute and "pretending." (I'll listen next time.)

This past weekend we went to Chippewa Nature Center and took some family photos.  It was a sweaty affair, being in the eighties and wearing fall clothing, not to mention the running in heels.  I got quite a workout sprinting from my tripod back to Dave and Grace.  My quads are still killing me today-two days after the fact.  So glad no one was around to witness the outtakes.

Not sure which one to put on our wall

Baynes

Picking out her pumpkins

cherry cider slush 

Not sure where all the dirt came from

My sweet, little pumpkin

Time with Cheese, the neighbor cat 

Still, Grace's favorite activity is playing with water (outside or inside)