Happy Halloween!

Katie was a kitty for Halloween this year, but we didn't get many pictures of her. She's always on the go, and doesn't stop to pose for pictures.



We went Trunk or Treating on Friday night at the church, and Katie really enjoyed the cornbread! She buzzed right over and grabbed a plate, the little punk. She also refused to try saying Trick or Treat, but would say please, take a piece of candy, and say thank you.



Making the rounds to visit family on Saturday. Love our kitty!

PDX

Finally made it to Portland to visit C & D. We had such a good time! Dennis had to work Saturday when we were there, but Colleen was free and came with us to the zoo! She showed us how to ride the Max, and it was great how convenient it was. Katie was even interested enough to keep the gymnastics to a manageable level.

The zoo was amazing. The animals were all out putting on a show, and since it was a little chilly, it wasn't too busy. We forgot our camera, so these are all pics Colleen took.



These bears are at the entrance to the gift shop. Katie high fived the black one!



Riding a mountain goat!



Not this one, though.



This was a bubble into the salmon river. K obviously thought it was flat, and got a surprise when she leaned into it.



Checking out an eye level starfish.



They had a baby elephant with his mama.



We could see almost all of the animals. The zoo is set up really well.



We could even be eye level with a giraffe!



This orangutan made me laugh. He was all stretched out, munching some snacks, playing with his cardboard box... sounded like a good plan to me!

The Lorakeet Landing was definately Katie's favorite. She is really into birds right now, and they were so bold! As soon as we walked in, one swooped down to get a treat!



The birds let me move all around with them on my hand. So Katie got up close with them.









Oh yes, the birds were bold, indeed.



Colleen bought Katie a stuffed Lorakeet to remember the day! She chews on the beak and drags that poor thing everywhere!

We were able to catch up with Dennis for dinner that night and hang out a bit. We can't wait to visit again soon!

Happy Birthday, Jared!

I love you so much!



Also, I like your new chaps.

Pink Week

Pink Week is an event put on by the leadership classes at the Kennewick high schools to raise awareness of cancer and money for cancer research. This is a bittersweet week for me. It's really hard, because cancer has touched my life in numerous ways, and at this time of year I always think more about what I have lost. It's hard to be bombarded with pink, always thinking about Mom. I spend a lot of the week feeling like a raw nerve ending, angry that this disease has taken so much from me and people I love and sad because it makes me feel very lonely.



But then I look around, at all these teens wearing pink, and it makes me so happy to be able to be involved with such awesome kids. They are pouring their hearts and souls into raising money, raising awareness. They were at school at 4:30 this morning, kicking off the city-wide events. They were at the park this evening, decked out in their Value Village pink best and their glo sticks, linking the Cable Bridge to the Blue Bridge. They brought their parents, their brothers and sisters, their youth groups. They were proud to be a part of something bigger than themselves. And they were doing it, most of them, for someone else. For a mother, for a father, a grandparent, their best friend's mom, a neighbor. And, though most of them will never know it, they were doing it for a teacher. A teacher who is so hopeful that these kids are helping find a cure.



I have hope.

My Dearest Girl

I've mentioned before that my girl doesn't really say "Mama." Every once in a while she will, but she doesn't seem to associate it with me. She doesn't really call me much of anything. She knock on the computer room door and shout for "Daddee!" and she'll greet the dog at the door with "Oh, hi, Tiny!"

Saturday afternoon, the girl and I were getting in some serious snuggle time with Daddy gone. She was sitting on my lap, watching Bugs Bunny, and I was playing with her hair, admiring her eyelashes, and talking to her. "Where's Mama? Where's Katie's mama?" I asked. All of a sudden, she gives me this look, like "You silly ninny! What is wrong with you?" before she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a big sloppy kiss. Then, she turned her attention back to Bugs.

In the next heart melting instant, she lay back against my chest, took a deep breath, and let out a big, contented sigh, saying "Mama." It was all I needed.

I Really Love My...

... bamboo needles. For knitting, obviously. They have a perfect amount of give so my hands don't get sore.

... Method Tub and Tile Cleaner. It's the only thing that pulls up those durned hard water marks. And it smells nice. Makes me feel all clean and stuff.

... Olay Regenerist Serum. Fer reals. It made turning 30 go a whole lot smoother.

... Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation. Thank you, Allison. My world will never be the same. Hopefully, it'll be a lot less shiny.

... Adam Baldwin. He's not really mine, though. I just like to look. Jared's ok with it.

... daughter. Duh. But seriously, she is so much fun, and I love hanging out with her.

... newish knitting bag, that also doubles as a diaper bag, school bad, lunch bag and purse. I have the one with the red and the flowers. And it was less than $20.

... Target. Seriously, it's the happiest place on Earth. Costco is running a close second, though. I'm a fan of any store that feeds you while you shop.

Just some stuff that's making my life a little easier, prettier, happier.

We Have the Sick

Ugh. What a start of a school year. I haven't taken two sick days in a row since the baby was born (and I so don't count that as being sick) but we are just gross over here. And in the midst of a swine flu scare, I have felt like a walking, putrid soup of germs. Nice, huh?

Katie was watching a Caillou episode where Caillou is sick, and everytime he coughed, she coughed. I felt bad, later, for accusing her of faking, as she lay in her bed, coughing and crying.

One of my students, yesterday, asked, "Mrs. Whit, are you gonna be gone tomorrow? 'Cause you look like crap." And I did. So I am home. After a quick trip to Kania Clinic, it has been determined that I had a virus that aggravated my asthma, and I've been having an asthma attack for the past two days. I'm now on a nice cocktail of decongestants, steroids, and cough medicine, and feel like an actual, bipedal human being again. Ready to chase an actual, bipedal, snot-nosed toddler who has more energy than humanly necessary.

And we sent Jared away from the germ swamp to visit his buddy in Chicago. Here's hoping he outruns it!