It's a wonderful time of yearrrrrr!

If your fan of snow, Bend has been the place to be in November and December. Thanksgiving brought us several inches of snow and temps in the teens. Nora, Ralph & I, the entire Wenger, Collins, and Royer clans all braved the temps for the turkey trot race Thanksgiving morning. Getting a little exercise helped with the un-abandoned gluttony that followed. Jeff and Casey hosted Thanksgiving at their house.

This is Nora's new smile, she's saying "Cheeeeeeese" - not quite as photogenic as her usual solomn face




We went up to Edgefield in Portland to have a quick little get together with Jamie, Jeannie and Caden and have an early Christmas. This is what happens when you tell a 1 yr old and 2yr old to give each other a kiss.

Nora loves the snow. Initially, she didn't understand the limitations that come with snow - like having to get all bundled up to go outside and why her bike didn't "go" very well.

Lately she's into what we call her circus tricks - I've given you an example each - her flip, her balancing act, and her flying airplane.

Nora and Sophia riding in the sled down our road.

Nora opening her new sled which she calls "fred" at Edgefield

Fall = bike racing, pumpkins & Halloween

She loves animals. I heard her babbling away this morning so I went to get her out of bed and as I walk into her room she says "mom shhh! Singing to duckies" I asked her to sing her song for me and she sings "duckies, duckies, ducks!" in a progressively higher tone. She talks about the horses on the corner of our street each time we drive by "Mom, horses out to pasture" and "horses in barn to take a little nap." and now bedtime isn't complete without a hug and a kiss for Bean.

Perhaps we have the pumpkin patch and all the animals there to thank for Nora's recent infatuation with old McDonald's farm being sung to her? Our local pumpkin patch is great! There's all sorts of friendly furry creatures to chase and pet if you can catch them, a million perfect pumpkins to choose from and a corn maze.

Nora did catch this little chicken, she got him cornered on a hay bail against the wall and found herself looking eye to eye with him. She then very gently went in for a hug, which he surprising accepted.

Fall is the start of the cyclocross season. Ralph has been getting increasingly enthusiastic about it - which then spreads to the whole family. Its a really fun spectator sport and brings us to some fun locations.

Lynnda keeping Nora dry.

This year we went to Walla Walla wine country for a race that fell over Halloween. We joined good friends John, Jill, and their little one Alivia, and Jeff.

Nora dressed as Elmo and I as a chinese lady.

Elmo and a beautiful butterfly, Alivia

You'd think she was standing next to President Obama by how proud and star struck she was.

Story time

Nora spread herself a little thin splitting her fan duties between Ralph, Jeff and a man that dressed and raced as Elmo. Being three racers' #1 fan is hard work. She crashed on Ralph's back during the award ceremony.

Nora's 2!!!

She's two! She's talking in full, occasionally grammatically correct sentences, learning to ride her kick bike, following complex instructions (let go with your left hand and reach up, now move your right foot up too), reminding me, nicely, to wear my bike helmet ("mom, please, your helmet too!") and toasting at the dinner table. She loves to help cook and clean, hide on top of the top bunk, play in her tent and with her doll house, and be chased ("Hey! hey mom, chase me!"). She'll tell you she's "happy" through tears as she's figured out nap and bed time are somehow related to her being grumpy or unhappy. She really likes to wash her hands and brush her teeth. More than once she's climbed up her little stool to the sink, still naked and dripping from her bath and said "wash hands?" She likes to stroll around with her, or anyone else's toothbrush, brushing her teeth here and there, then brushing the cabinet or Bean. She is tall and lean for her age, observant, a little opinionated and can be a little bossy if you let her. She surprises and amazes me on a daily basis, truly! Basically, she's a happy, healthy, curious, little sponge of a toddler.

I'm really falling short in picture taking; Nora had a great joint birthday with her Uncle Jeff, and I barely have any pictures......Sorry. Trust me it was a great party.

Toasting herself and Jeff

Concentrating hard on keeping her eyes closed for the un-veiling of her doll house from Jeff and Casey.
Talking on the phone on her birthday to great grandma and grandpa Sweeney.Opening presents at her party with Grandma and Grandpa KaplanMurphy, the horse came to Nora's birthday Party
The two birthday kids.

Summer recapped

Photo shoot for Ergo baby carriers

Potty training in various locations



None of these are my child, however I do love them all, and these pictures have to be shown