Pyper FACES the end of 2014

Nothing like a little silliness to finish off the year. It's amazing how much Pyper's personality has blossomed this year. She is such a funny little girl. 

Trying on vintage eyewear is becoming quite the pastime. 

Showing off Columbian coffee candy  

Ready to fly! 

Jamming Christmas Days

The first time we went over to Jake's family house for Christmas was 2011, Pyper was baking at 7 months. Full Christmas decor inside and outside the homes with all the cuteness electric holiday train sets and lighted village houses can bring to the occasion. Since they do a Christmas drawing for their gift exchange they open presents one by one with ohhhhs and ahhhhs and lots of laughter. This year Pyper got to deliver gifts and help open when needed, which was often. After gifts it's time to eat. After eating, it's time to jam.  

Jake's family is very musical. The basement is always set up to jam with amps, mics, piano, drums, etc. then all the other instruments show up, keyboards, guitars, saxophones. Pyper even got on the drums and sang some songs before she had to put in the earplugs and just dance. 

It was a fun night!

Party at Our House

Well, our first event was a success! I completely over bought, we could have had triple the guests. That just means more food for us later and treats for folk to take home.

Appetizers are up!

Let the eating and gift giving commence. 

Watching Pyper has definitely become a past time around here. 

We put together her kitchen after everyone left and she whipped up a great meal and the biggest club sandwich-burger known to man. 

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Andy took the before picture, Pyper took the after at the salon. 

So I really let it go this time, a year and a month. The last time I got my hair cut was right before my sister's wedding last year. I must have lost a pound in hair weight alone. 

I would say that I'm not a hair cut person, in the traditional sense, but I really do like the change, as infrequently as it comes. What I don't like is the cost, the awkward conversation, and the smells of hair chemicals. So my once a year cut is probably a good frequency. 

When I was little, my grandpa use to cut my hair. He was a tailor, so he had the straight line thing going for him, until he cut it too short. I never let him cut my hair again. 

In forth grade the stylist "feathered" my hair. It would be the first time in my life anyone has ever mistaken me for a boy, I was devastated. Luckily my hair grew out again by sixth grade. 

Sixth grade was also the last time I had bangs, I grew them out in middle school and have mostly had care free hair since. In middle school we were still riding the wave of eighties era hair, so the awkward bang growing was held up by lots hair spray. 

Nothing eventful for a decade, then I tried braids in 2003 prior to leaving for Patagonia for my North Face expedition. It was fun for the month, but I was glad to have them out at the end. Talk about some frizzy hair when I took those things out. They had added extensions too, so I was loosing a handful of "hair" with each undone braid. 

In 2005, I attempted dreadlocks, Andy helped me complete them in Peru, it was just a mess, we ended up brushing them out a month later. My advice is not to try sand boarding with dreads, you can never get the sand out if you wipe out. 

Other memorable hair moments happened in the off season when I was a wildland firefighter. Having my head covered with a hardhat most of the time lead to some extreme hair when it wasn't covered. One artist bleached the upper part of my hair, and dyed the under hair red, leaving it black in between. Our wedding photo shows a little of the aftermath of that do. 

I stopped coloring my hair after that since it left my hair very dry and brittle. 

I'm all natural now, excited about the new  bounce in my step and my hair.  

Santa Comes Early to Pilot Families

Yes, Andy is scheduled to fly all week. So instead of missing out on the festivities, Santa decided to do an early arrival for all those that will not be together for Christmas. For us, Santa came after a late afternoon nap, and right after crew scheduling called Andy. 

Pyper woke up cranky, but her mood turned around quick when she saw the stockings full and topped with a juicy orange and candy cane. I believe there was genuine surprise and amazement in her eyes and on her face. Having never done the stocking/Santa thing before, she jumped right in like she had done it forever. 

The scene unfolds... and Pyper helping Daddy with this socking goodies.

Finishing up a large floor puzzle that "the soldier from Snowflake Lane" gave her, she came up with that one on her own. She's pointing at her favorite creature, a sea star.

When she opened a bagful of chocolate coins, she said that she gotton pennies for her piggy bank. She couldn't believe that they were chocolate, so she had to open one up to make sure we were telling her the truth. Most of her stocking was filled with edible goodies. Since most of the goods were on the sweeter side, she knew that there would be waiting involved. There's a candycane and red licorice treat hiding out in her jewelry box as I write this. 

She helped Andy and I unwrap gifts as well. By shape alone, she was able to recognize the contents of his stockings enen before unwrapping them. Like when she held up the small cylindrical tube and said, "look Daddy, you got chapstick too." When unwrapping Andy's chocolate peanut butter cups she said, "you better not each all of this, or you will get a tummy ache, Mommy and I will help you." Lucky for her, it will be for his own good.

After all the gift excitement we were making Christmas tags for presents and I asked her if she would be willing to share some of her chocolate coins with her Uncle Jake, as he had just started to eat chocolate again after a year without. In the spirit of Chirstmas, there was no hesitation as she filled a small box with her coins from her jewlery box, leaving only two for herself. At first she planned on giving five coins, but then decided to fill the whole box. I made sure she knew that she could keep some. "I want to fill the whole thing up, I'll keep two for myself." She gave Uncle Jake a dozen coins making sure the small box was completely full. What a generous girl.

Solstice Fairy

Learning about the changes in seasons is easy when you can see it right before your eyes. The leaves have been a huge visual que in the last months, but the change in light isn't as easily understood by most almost 3 year olds. Maybe the Solstice Fairy sprinkled a little understanding today as she left gifts to light up Pyper's little world along with little bursts of sunshine and warmth throughout the day. 

Our little Solstice Fairy in action. 

Pyper imagines that her fairy wears white and yellow garments and carries a wand with light on top. She hopes to see her soon. She told me that she wishes Santa would give her a "fake solstice" so she could get more presents under the tree. Obviously Santa hasn't come to visit yet. 

While Andy and Pyper were outside, Andy was trying to help her grasp the concept of the day. By the end, she was backing up away from Andy and saying she was far away and cold in the snow because it was winter. Then she would come closer and say she was warm and it was summer. She continued to do this back and forth. 

Later that evening she asked what the universe was. 

Riding on Christmas Spirit!

The Christmas activities continue to take over this month in such a fun way. More ginger breading, more crafts, more style!

I believe the name of this reindeer was Peppermint. She rode every one she saw/found. 

Daddy didn't have a stocking so we made one out of an old pair of his jeans. There's a front and back pocket for extra treats!

Last day of Preschool in 2014 for Ms. Tiffany and Pyper. It was a fun year!

Hitting up a gingerbread party

Can you tell when the sugar rush kicked in?

Pyper's Christmas style is shining through!

Practicing unwrapping with a house warming gift. 

Tea for Four

Pyper was invited to her first Tea Party. It was the birthday party of a preschool classmate named Alison. It was great to hangout with and get to know the moms of the other little girls that Pyper has spent the last four months with. It made sense why they seemed so at ease with each other. They already know each other and right now it's all about parallel play. 

Birthday girl Alison in the yellow in the corner. 

Pyper knows how to have some tea! She also knows how to sneak more than her share of cupcakes...sit until every one leaves the table, then it's all fair game. 

Pyper's take on the play room. 

Pyper serenading Alison with ABC's while playing the piano.  

Bellingham Daytrip

Andy has overnighted in Bellingham twice this week. The first time he flew into town in the morning, so Pyper and I visited him for lunch, a walk, and ice cream. The next trip up was on a off day where he left just as we were getting ready for bed and returned before we got out of bed. That trip was at 200% pay, not a bad turn for a couple of extra hours.  

Pyper making some friends in town.

Out for a chilly walk around Lake Padden.

Picking up the beat while walking down the street.

Unforturnately, our trip up to Bellingham wasn't without casualty. Pyper came away with some bruised and scrapped up knees from the "crash" flying/running she was doing on the graveled trails of the lake. The other was from an older little boy giving her an unexpected push down a big slide. She got to the ground and started dramatically yellling "don't do that, don't do that!" to the boy. Yup, it got him into trouble. After she got a very insincere apology, she says to the boy, "Don't do it again...big kid!" That's our girl!

Christmas in a Day

Who says you can't do Christmas in a day? I'm not sure anyone has ever tried. Heck, we didn't even mean to. 

It all started one cold, cold morning last week on the way to preschool and the boardwalk was all frosty. It was parent day at preschool making gingerbread, or rather graham cracker, houses. Pyper took about an hour creating her masterpiece while memorizing the names of all the new colorful sugary treats she got to decorate with. Amazingly enough, the house dried and sugar cemented itself onto its sugar foundation and we were able to deliver it home without incident, if you don't count what Pyper  managed to sneak off the plate.

Her candy land masterpiece. 

Later she took a long long nap that ran into the early evening. With the weather clear, though cold, we embarked on a Christmas Light mission since she was well rested. The Bellevue Botanical Gardens hosts a spectacular show, and tonight was a free entry night, so why not. We headed out to Mexican food for dinner after, then went to visit my mom and sister at work since they were still there.

Checking out all the lights, she especially liked the mushrooms. 

Since they work downtown, and Bellevue was voted the most festive town in the country, we had to check out Snowflake Lane since 7pm was approaching. Yup, it was like a festive Disneyland for about an hour! They even close down the street. So fun, can't believe this was my first time experiencing it. There where holiday creatures, drummers, high kicks, snow flurries, and treats. It was definitly a night to remember. Pyper had a blast. 

Hanging and dancing with Christmas creatures is the best!

You would think that our night ended there, but it continued on to Nordstrom with Eileen and mom. A private event with champagne and or'dourves and Santa. Somehow, Pyper was the only one who managed to take advantage of the 10x points event with new boots and a present for under the tree.

Nordstroming with champagne in hand. 

 

Three generations with Santa. 

Wow, what a festive day! Oh, did I mention there where dumplings before heading home.

Homesteading

Yes, we headed West of the Mississippi and found us a nice little plot of land to call our own. Now, not as hard as it once was, but it is still an adventure.

It's amazing how easy it is to nest when you know you are staying in one spot. We emptied all the duffle bags for the first time in probably all our lives since we both left home. Boxes with permanent labels are like treasure chests being pillaged for the first time. We even got a real live Christmas tree, after Thanksgiving, before December 1st to make the season last as long as possible. Pyper put up a miniature fake tree in her room, one I had as a little girl. I had thought my ornaments lost in the world until I came across some of mine today while putting up the live tree; the only dated one says 1990, I was ten. Somehow we have managed to obtain or make an ornament the last three years of her life, so I guess that's a fun tradition already started.

I can't recall the last time my home really smelled like Christmas. It's absolutely nostalgic and completely wonderful! There's just something peaceful about a room only lit up by the lights on the tree, a warmth that touches the heart.

Decorating our very large tree. 

In and out of the holiday season, I continue to organize and find the perfect place for things. Unfortunately Pyper caught and cold too. It's nice to have a place with no where to go for these occasions. She was a trooper and just has a lingering cough now. Tis the season of germs and lots of sharing!

Little sickie recovering with a video and nap. 

Pyper being a tree too!

Gypsies No More?!

It's been two weeks since we closed on the new house. The first day of official ownership, we visited with key in hand and relished in the realization that it was really ours, well partly anyway, since the bank really owns most of it. Andy headed to work earlier on closing day, so he would not step foot into the house till Monday. 

While Andy was away, the girls played house. I cleaned in the morning and Mom helped me in the afternoon by caravanning three loads to clear out our storage unit. During that time Eileen brought Pyper to a birthday party to keep her out of loading way. The following day, in and out of meals, we moved "hand-me-around" furniture. One item that floats in and out of our lives is a wooden futon. Originally bought and owned by Aunt Lora even before she married Uncle Jeff, the futon came with me to Bellingham in 2002 for graduate school, it resided at Aunt Joyce's for a stent after it made its way back South, went back to Aunt Lora's, made its way to Eileen's bedroom and now it's at our new place. The futon is family and is loved, and I doubt it will go too far. It's fun to have it in my possession again.

By Monday, three days after closing, we had most of our belongings in the house. I had made a mistake and thought Andy was coming home the following day, so what a surprise when he telephoned in. It was a fun evening having dinner with company, then finally being able to have our first sleep in the new house. We all slept in.

In two weeks the place already looks like we've been here for years. We've craigslisted a dining table, barstools, and bookcases. I've goodwilled bowls, saucers, mugs, utensils, organizational units, and a shovel. Other items have been gathered from family members or else saved from a dumpster fate. All in all, we are satisfied having outfitted our home for under $250 thus far. It gives us money to spend on more important things, like building a chicken coop, raised beds, and financing lots of soil. The place is filling up fast and feeling more and more like home each day we are here.

We haven't quite collected all our stuff from its four corners, but everything in due time.

Pyper documenting "move stuff in" day.

Our first meals at the house involved leftovers because we hadn't unpacked anything to cook with, and then we invited people over to cook for the next meal, making sure we had some Champagne to celebrate. Our drink was acutally a "Piper" Brut, coincidently.

Celebrating Great Grandma's birthday with cupcakes made from "The Red Hen" book decorated by the Sprinkle Master herself.

Little Striders

Pyper and Hope taking on this glorious day!

A little over twenty years ago, I was chased down by a tall blond girl named Anna Mickelson on a dirt field during PE. That field is still there, but is now surrounded by a newly constructed middle school. Not certain who said, "you're pretty fast," but it started a long friendship that still holds strong to this day. 

I'm also not sure how I got talked into cross-country that fall of 1993, having been a fast-twitch muscle girl all my life, but I guess friendships guide you in all sorts of adventurous directions. I also picked up basketball and track and field later that year thanks to Anna. I definitely had no skills handling a ball, but I did have speed, which helped me take to the track without too many loosing battles. So we've collectively had our fair share of wins and loses while running around those first seasons together. 

Yes, we have been in and out of touch over the years, but somehow, even without Facebook, we managed to stay connected. 

We've both come full circle, back to our "running" grounds, after lots of adventure individually. We are now raising and chasing little ones.

Today, on this beautiful early November day, we are filled with joy to watch our girls do as we did back when we first met. 

Stride on girls, stride on!!!

Pausing at the big rock on the trail for a breather, and a photo.

Yup, the blond one will always be taller!

Seattle Based, Finally

I finally got the keyboard out of the "tech" box. My fingers can do the thinking now, it feels more like an extension of my brain, which is less choppy than trying to finger type on the phone. 

I've wanted to do an update on Andy's Horizon progress. And I think now is a good time, as many things have come to pass in the last three months.

The first month, back in August, Andy finished his ground school training out of Portland. It was a long month of learning and studying, but he survived it. In his class, we was the second oldest, which meant for a higher seniority number within the company. Age and experience seemed to help Andy get a step ahead of some of the other new hires during this phase of training.

The "Q-400" - training to fly this.

The following month was based in Seattle doing simulator training. At least he was home, but it wasn't easy leaving for "work" before dinner time and getting off at the wee hours of the morning. His simulator partner was upgrading to captain, so he always had a lot of experience to draw from. 

Once "sim" training was complete, Andy started his initial operating experience, also known as IOE. This was based out of Seattle. 

Getting ready for work never looked so good!

In the right seat, looking very pilot like.

Andy's "desk."

During this time Andy was paired up with a training captain, flying the real deal. Andy just finished up on IOE on Tuesday, and starting Saturday afternoon, he will be a "real" Horizon First Officer Pilot. 

To sweeten things up a bit, we got the call today we've been waiting for since he started working for Horizon. Starting December 7th, ironically being his birthday, he has been granted Seattle as his permanent base assignment. So he will be starting and ending his Portland base assignment till then.

So proud of Andy and all the hard work he has put into his career and keeping his family a priority. We wouldn't be in Seattle otherwise. So good to be home!

Monkey By Day, Batman By Night

So what kind of parents are we? The kind that take their kid out of preschool to trick-or-treat?! Well, that's what we did. Like last year, we started the Halloween festivities with a trip a neighboring Merrill Lynch office that goes all out on Halloween. That's where we stock up.  Pyper's favorite treat was a grape flavored marshmallow "eyeball" that promptly gave her a stomach ache. She stuck with her seaweed "candy" the rest of the morning after that. 

I always try to pocket things I don't mind her eating, especially since candy makers are adding all sorts of interesting things in the candies now like PGPR and TBHQ. PGPR is an emulsifier, it stretches out the chocolate so they can use less cocoa butter which is more expensive than this synthetic chemical. Who wants chocolate in chocolate anyway? And TBHQ is a preservative, but it's origin is butane. What's wrong with people!!! Why would they think any of this is okay for consumption?! Anyway, let's get back to the topic, the cuteness that is Pyper!

Monkeying around the office with "Clark Kent" and a bumblebee. 

The weather was finicky all day with rain showers, so we decided to take her to our local shopping center for an early trick or treat. She learned to speak up and say thank you, so it was a good mission.  Somehow she fit into last year's Batman costume, which came up to her knees and was tight around the neck. Anything to look good right?

After every treat was placed in her bag, she promptly inspected it and inquired about its name. 

We had plans to take on the neighborhood after dinner, but then the doorbell rang. At first we thought it was our first trick-or-treater, but instead it was a treat being delivered for Pyper by a neighbor that was filled with Hello Kitty themed crafts. She dismissed all treat-or-treating then and spent the rest of the night with her craft pack. 

We did finally get our first and only trick-or-treater that night, which is always eventful considering the hill we live on. 

 

Selfie Master

So my Half Brother David has this amazing reputation for taking perfect selfies. And today his skill shown as he managed to get all seven of us in frame, on the first try. 

We all met up for Eileen's 31st Birthday, and at the end of the meal, we had everyone gather together for a picture. The picture was taken by a friendly neighboring diner guest, and upon inspection, was blurry and darkish. The lady took a couple pictures. We then stepped outside and attempted to set up the timer, when David said, I can totally do a selfie. We should never doubt someone with legendary talent. 

I'm sure Pyper's expression would have been different if she had not been eating a lemon. 

Candid breakfast shot taken by Cousin Christiana

After breakfast hike at Cougar Mountain with a tired monkey, she fell asleep on Daddy while getting a piggy back ride. 

Rain or Shine

There's just something about sunny rainy weather that's exciting and fun. Love being back in the Northwest! It's nearing the end of October and we get another blast of sunshine. 

An after dim sum jaunt on Mercer Island. Daddy daughter skipping rocks on Lake Washington. 

The ducks followed her all around, she waited patiently for them to move so rock skipping could continue. 

And the next day, in and out of rain on the trail on Cougar Mountain. I think she may be doing a rain dance with those leaves. 

Quite the hiker now. I don't carry her on hikes of 1-2 hours, it's awesome. On this hike we were talking about all the leaves and why they might be on the ground. She told me because it was winter time, which was followed by her telling the plants, "go to sleep, go to sleep." Love this girl!