Fa la la la la, la la la la

I'm telling you, there is something really magical about an eight year old's and a three year old's love of Christmas. It's a BIG BIG thing around here. We're doing a lot of festivities and decking all the halls. 

 We started off checking out the holiday port festival Clem's class had submitted a gingerbread house (below--it's a house on STILTS!)

 Also, I did my nails w/ Jamberry wraps.

 And I decorated my kitchen like this.

 Then we went to see Santa.
Clem wished for something different and not on any list I'd seen yet. Then she told Santa: "My mom told me to ask for a hot tub."
This Santa guy is so great. He told Clem a story about getting Mrs. Claus a hot tub of her own but that it quickly got taken over by his reindeer team. It was pretty incredible and totally sweet.

 Clem got to decorate a sugar cookie!

 Dutchy saw Santa Claus across the room. Santa was actually taken a little break, enjoying some french fries. Dutch went FLYING across the room to talk to Santa. He had been waiting a long long time for this, after all. Before they even got to sit down, Dutch started his speech "I'm Dutchy. I'm three. I want a backpack and toys."

Santa sat down with Dutch and asked him some questions. Dutchy was really way too excited to converse.

After a little visit with Santa, we got some hot apple cider and attempted to dash through the orchard in a one horse open sleigh. It was very idyllic with a caroling guy sitting right next to us with his guitar. Hot cider in hand and cozy blankets in our laps. And Dutch sitting next to us, glaring at everyone as he mumbled to himself "I don't want a horse ride. I want to go see Santa." Taking the worst of Dutchy's criticism was the poor caroler. He tried everything to cheer Dutchy up but was only met with growls and stink-eye. Finally, the singer made up a song called "I just want to go see Santa!" It made Clementine howl with laughter and Dutchy eeked out a little tiny smile (captured above!). As soon as the song and horse ride was over, Dutch bee-lined back to Santa. He's obsessed I tell you!

Day-cation (I had to get away)

 This fella' of mine GETS me. When we had a day off (Veteran's Day) on a Wednesday after several blustery days, he said "Want to go to Port Townsend?"

I didn't just WANT to go, I NEEDED to. From time to time, this mama needs a change in scenery. I need sand between my toes. I needed to breathe fresh ocean air.

 Off we went! The day was cold but sunny and still. I packed warm clothes and winter hats for all of us as well as kites and beach buckets. We ate hot dogs in line for the ferry over. We sang songs and looked at real estate (just to dream).

 We got to the beach and got right to work (this was to be a short visit). Clem wrote her name in the sand and played tic-tac-toe.

 She was also a puppy or a sea turtle. I'm not sure which she was here. Probably a sea turtle. She appears to be burying eggs.

 Those three played chicken with the changing tide (and lost).

 Dutchy drew snakes in the sand.

 We went up to the military cemetery to leave flowers for my Papa buried there.

 While it's tradition to have ice cream at Elevated before we leave town, we had 20 minutes to get on the ferry. So, this time we stopped at the soda fountain right next to the ferry and shoveled ice cream in quickly.

This poor guy has been putting up with my shenanigans for 12 years. I'm grateful to have married a man who knows me so well (and is usually willing to go along for the ride).

Autumn Shenanigans

 Last weekend, we hit up a NEW (to us) pumpkin patch with Grandma and Grandpa. The kiddos had a blast!

 There was a little barrel-tractor ride (which Dutch was happy to sit in but had no interest in riding in).

 They had a petting zoo with baby critters (flashback to April when Clem was exposed to E.Coli at a similar petting zoo. Thankfully that wasn't the deal this time around).

 This fellow had only one interest: Chasing Chickens!

 We checked out the 4 new baby piglets.

 And Cameron swore off pork.

 We made it down to the pumpkin patch and then took a horse drawn carriage back up to the  main yard.

 Clem got to ride a horse named Penny! (Again, Dutch had no interest. He was chasing chickens.)

 The day of Halloween we carved our pumpkins.

 And finally got out there to nab some candy!

 After every house, Dutch would yell to Cam "Hey Cam! I'm doing HALLOWEEN!!"

Seattle Aquarium

 The last few weeks, Dutchy has been obsessed with octopi, lobster (or "yobster"), sea horse and crab--anything aquatic, this boy wants to experience. So, we decided to take a little day trip down to Seattle to see the aquarium! (And my BFF Emma and her beautiful daughter Penny met us there!)

 It was CROWDED (Seattle on a weekend) but when we got there, the very first thing we saw was this giant tank--and serendipitously, a "meet the divers" show was just beginning. Look who is front and center.

 Clementine and Penny were fast friends. They have a special bond and it makes my heart so happy.

 

 

 This jellyfish tube was a Cheerio shaped tank that you could walk through while seeing the Jelly's in the floor and all around us. Big fan favorite.

 Dutchy found the touch tanks but took a little while to warm up. I don't think he ever touched the critters in there, but he did dunk his hands in.

 While Dutch ran from one thing to the next, Clem stayed close to Penny who stays close to Emma. They found little collector cards on NW Orca pods and played an invented card game on the floor.

 It was a short visit, and we lost Dutch for a few minutes in the crowd (eeeeek!) but I think we got to see all the sights and enjoyed the aquarium.