Saturday, October 31, 2009

Halloween!

The most common view of Gwendolyn- whoops, I mean Ariel- on Halloween night.

















Seconds before the camera actually took this shot, my child was the most ethereal, beautiful mermaid you've ever seen.

















We met up with Ryan and James at the Clark's house to go trick or treating. Ryan had a tiger costume, and James was a bat with big eyebrows. It was a little hard to see his costume, until we asked him to show us his wings. Then he was absolutely adorable. This was our second house, and you can see Ryan was a little confused. But really, how many other times do you ring the doorbell and not go in?



There was this one, too, with a shot of the belly:


After we trick or treated all around a very long block, during which I managed to trip my daughter twice by stepping on her tail, we headed up to the Senkos' party. Gwen, I mean Ariel, threatened to fall asleep on the way there, but showed her true party colors once we arrived. MacKayla the princess was there, too.


Huh, the thumbnail of this shot looked so cute. Now it looks kind of... evil. I'm pretty sure no princesses were hurt during this photo.











And then they danced.













In the end, Gwen had to be dragged kicking and screaming away from the party, because both of her parents were exhausted. Gwen would've partied on, because if you ask her if she likes a party, she'd say, "Yes, Ariel dooz. Happy Halloween!"

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Grandy and Gramps and the Train

My mom and Phil came up for the weekend. Gwennie's greeting? "Oh, Grandy. I missed you so much!" It was very sweet, and unfortunately, very quietly said from the back door, before her grandmother had even gotten out of the car. But there were lots of hugs and kisses to go around.



Gwen got Mom right to work in our garden.

Do you think these two like each other?

















How about these two? That lion has many tales to tell.

















We spent Friday on our regular Henry Cowell hike, and then I rushed off to the OB. Mom and Phil were going to take Gwen to ride her new trike in the park. (Riding the trike on our hill is not a good idea. In fact, a very very very bad idea.) However, Gwen chose that day to take one of her marathon naps. It's a good thing Grandy thinks she's cute when she's asleep.
The next day, Uncle Scot and Auntie Kathleen came over - that's always exciting in and of itself. Do you think these two like each other?
Two of the biggest goofballs I know.














We went to Roaring Camp and rode the train. Gwen was very excited, and promptly declared that Thomas himself was pulling the train. The rest of the family really enjoyed the scenery, but Gwen was a bit "Yeah, trees, big trees, seen them before." My kid has no idea that she's growing up in a tourist destination. ( see "regular hike in Henry Cowell.") She thinks everyone gets to look out their kitchen window and watch the deer, or chase raccoons off their deck. (That last one - she called her daddy in one night because the raccoons were too loud. There were four of them hanging in her wading pool underneath her window, the hoodlums.) Or stands out in their driveway at dusk to watch the bats swoop around.

Anyway... Mom and Gwen and I scooted around the farmers market and Safeway getting together a picnic lunch (and scoring an ollallie berry turnover, yum) which we ended up leaving in the garage as we drove away. But the train ride itself was loads of fun, and here are the pictures to prove it.


























It was a wonderful visit, even if it was way too short. I wish San Diego weren't so far away.
Here's one last Gwendolyn shot, because my child, she is the adorable.