Hillbilly Toy

You can take the boy out of southern Oregon...

Sounders, Sounders

Thanks to a nice guy at Dustin's work, we received tickets to a Seattle Sounders soccer game. We'd never been so we were eager to go! It was loud, late, and totally worth parking 18 million blocks away to get there.



Dustin got a player's signature on the ticket, I got to cheer a little (still my favorite sport next to heckling), and Alden enjoyed his first and last bite of stadium nachos.

Breakfast of Champions

To an outsider, Dustin looks like a man encircled in a shower curtain. I look like a woman street advertiser. Alden looks like a little cupcake. Close. But we are supposed to be a cup of coffee (Dustin), a sugar packet (myself), and a donut (Alden). Whatever.

Baby loooooves his first DumDum lollipop. Coconut flavor!


Alden totally got the hang of Trick-or-Treating and was knocking on garage doors even to get his goodies! He made some good choices for his first haul of candy.

You know you live in Seattle when even the Halloween candy is all organic. Jesus, people, really? I'm a mom now and can't even get behind that one. Just one day a year, let's let the little guys have some unadulterated, sugar infused good times. Totally reminded me of the house on Washington Boulevard in Grants Pass that used to give out toothbrushes every year. Climb off my back, ok? I promise to brush AFTER I eat ALL of the candy.

This is the only time I could get him to get near the donut. He liked looking at it but not wearing it. The frosting dollop hat totally works for him though.

Clean Up Crew

I recall reading that the Leo baby is interested in cleanliness, organization, and rules. I knew, months before we had Alden, that this kid and I would get along! Now, I can really know for sure. I was proud when he took his first steps but this? This is stunning.

Wonder Where He Gets His Fashion Sense?

Yes, that is a kimono.
Yes, he wears it every morning. By choice.
Yes, we are proud of him.
Yes, I take all of the blame.

A Flash Forward to Alden Studying for S.A.T.'s

Tell me he doesn't look about 19 here. So studious. So disciplined.

Dustin's Birthday Soo-prize

Dustin's job keeps him pretty busy. So busy that he hadn't even gotten to put his signature gray on everything. Well, for his birthday, I made my own stab at rad and decorated his office. With the help of Josh, too!


THAT is a live moss ball chandelier. In my spare time, I stuffed dirt in old baby sock's toes, formed them into balls, fastened them, cut of the excess and pinned moss from Discovery Park (illegal?) to them. I then kept them hidden for over 3 weeks in our house with Dustin none the wiser.

This all wood (over 26 pounds) ram head was spied by the two of us in Grants Pass when we moved there. As we were leaving, I couldn't help myself. I bought it. And moved it into our new home with, again, Dustin unknowing. It was on the floor of his closet and he never even noticed. I'm still waiting for him to notice that I had the baby. Sheesh.