I'd like to say this is an environmentally-friendly approach to the traditional Christmas card, but let's be serious. This is how I do Christmas cards when I can't find my lists and lists of addresses.
Anyhoo, this link just went out to as many e-mail addresses as I could muster up, but I'm posting it here to cover all my bases.
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Rain, rain, in our basement
Well, when you buy a hundred-year-old house, little things are bound to crop up here and there. Such as all the rain water on the lot draining into our finished basement. As I type this post, I'm waiting for men with tools and an excavator to come destroy my lawn, er, fix the problem.
Besides that, the Caselli household has been steadily prepping for Christmas and travels, and really enjoying the Christmas season. Every morning Sof and I have our very own tree-lighting ceremony in the living room; her simple joy never gets old.
Apparently some critical neurons made connections in Sofia's head in the last week, because her language skills have suddenly exploded. She is very successfully imitating quite a few things that come out of our mouths. I was having a bad driving day the other day (no parking spots, endless one-way streets taking me the wrong direction, etc.), and through my irritated fog I became cognizant of Sofia copying all my grrrrs and groans and sighs. Nothings says "change your attitude" more than a 19-month-old sponge in the backseat!
Some random shots from the last few weeks:
Besides that, the Caselli household has been steadily prepping for Christmas and travels, and really enjoying the Christmas season. Every morning Sof and I have our very own tree-lighting ceremony in the living room; her simple joy never gets old.
Apparently some critical neurons made connections in Sofia's head in the last week, because her language skills have suddenly exploded. She is very successfully imitating quite a few things that come out of our mouths. I was having a bad driving day the other day (no parking spots, endless one-way streets taking me the wrong direction, etc.), and through my irritated fog I became cognizant of Sofia copying all my grrrrs and groans and sighs. Nothings says "change your attitude" more than a 19-month-old sponge in the backseat!
Some random shots from the last few weeks:
Friday, November 27, 2009
It was juicy!
Wow, has it really gotten this bad? Am I really reduced to blogging only around major holidays? Huh, that gives me a sort of vague lapsed Catholic-y feeling.
We celebrated our first Thanksgiving in our new home last night, it was also our first Thanksgiving on our own. The implications of that go far beyond a little homesickness -- I was responsible for putting the whole spread on by myself. Yikes! BUT -- the turkey was golden brown and juicy (let's just not discuss the giblets), the pie was perfectly sweet and buttery and crusty (yep, I made the darn thing from scratch, crust included), the yams were sweet, and the stuffing utterly gourmet. And yes, I'm still patting myself on the back.
Other than that, we've played host a few more times over the last month. Recent guests include Toni, Gaye, Jess, Aidan, and Mary H. I love ya'll to pieces and welcome anyone and everyone with open arms at any time, but MAN. It's nice to finally get a normal routine going.
Toni and Sof:
Cousins in their matching PJs:
I'm long overdue for an update on what Sofia's been up to these days. She's becoming more and more confident every day, and has very recently started telling me no when I try to help her do certain things. Little Miss Independent. She can now climb up onto the couch and dining room chairs by herself, although she often uses the dogs as steps if they happen to be lying in the correct vicinity.
Walking and reading seem to be the activities du jour. If you ask Sof, there's nothing much better in the world than putting on a pair of froggy galoshes and going puddle stomping. Add in a hill to run up and down, and you've got pure bliss.
We've also entered the world of animal noises. So far we've got lions, cows, kitties, chicks, owls and crocodiles down pat.
Sof has also recently fallen in love with her new tricycle. And no, despite was the retro Radio Flyer and plaid pants may indicate, my child is NOT becoming a hipster.
And lest I forget, she still loves her tube and her German phrasebook.
We celebrated our first Thanksgiving in our new home last night, it was also our first Thanksgiving on our own. The implications of that go far beyond a little homesickness -- I was responsible for putting the whole spread on by myself. Yikes! BUT -- the turkey was golden brown and juicy (let's just not discuss the giblets), the pie was perfectly sweet and buttery and crusty (yep, I made the darn thing from scratch, crust included), the yams were sweet, and the stuffing utterly gourmet. And yes, I'm still patting myself on the back.
Other than that, we've played host a few more times over the last month. Recent guests include Toni, Gaye, Jess, Aidan, and Mary H. I love ya'll to pieces and welcome anyone and everyone with open arms at any time, but MAN. It's nice to finally get a normal routine going.
Toni and Sof:
Cousins in their matching PJs:
I'm long overdue for an update on what Sofia's been up to these days. She's becoming more and more confident every day, and has very recently started telling me no when I try to help her do certain things. Little Miss Independent. She can now climb up onto the couch and dining room chairs by herself, although she often uses the dogs as steps if they happen to be lying in the correct vicinity.
Walking and reading seem to be the activities du jour. If you ask Sof, there's nothing much better in the world than putting on a pair of froggy galoshes and going puddle stomping. Add in a hill to run up and down, and you've got pure bliss.
We've also entered the world of animal noises. So far we've got lions, cows, kitties, chicks, owls and crocodiles down pat.
Sof has also recently fallen in love with her new tricycle. And no, despite was the retro Radio Flyer and plaid pants may indicate, my child is NOT becoming a hipster.
And lest I forget, she still loves her tube and her German phrasebook.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mmmm, Kit Kat bars
Ah, the post-Halloween afterglow of leftover candy. Good thing I just happened to buy our favorite kinds of candy! So now I am properly sugared up and ready to get a good post going.
Since I last wrote, we were visited by Mom C, Mom and Dad O, and are currently graced with the presence of Jess and Aidan. During Mom C's visit, we toured around the Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls, Hood River and the Japanese Gardens. We also dealt with Lucy's broken paw, and Sofia discovered how much fun the cone collar can be:
During Mom and Dad O's visit, we took an overnight trip to Newport. The weather was questionable, but we still squeezed in a little beach time. It was absolute heaven for a toddler who loves nothing more than to play with wet sand and stomp in puddles. We also made it to the aquarium, where, according to Sofia, we saw lots and lots of puppies. Despite getting rear-ended on the way home (everyone is safe), it was a fantastic trip!
Like any good writer, I'll bring the post full circle and finish up with Halloween. It was an enjoyable evening in, handing out candy to a steady stream of kids. No costumes for us this year (sniffle), but Sof had great fun in her lobster costume!
Since I last wrote, we were visited by Mom C, Mom and Dad O, and are currently graced with the presence of Jess and Aidan. During Mom C's visit, we toured around the Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls, Hood River and the Japanese Gardens. We also dealt with Lucy's broken paw, and Sofia discovered how much fun the cone collar can be:
During Mom and Dad O's visit, we took an overnight trip to Newport. The weather was questionable, but we still squeezed in a little beach time. It was absolute heaven for a toddler who loves nothing more than to play with wet sand and stomp in puddles. We also made it to the aquarium, where, according to Sofia, we saw lots and lots of puppies. Despite getting rear-ended on the way home (everyone is safe), it was a fantastic trip!
Like any good writer, I'll bring the post full circle and finish up with Halloween. It was an enjoyable evening in, handing out candy to a steady stream of kids. No costumes for us this year (sniffle), but Sof had great fun in her lobster costume!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Pictorial
My brain is lazy, so it's just pictures today.
From the Oregon Symphony's free concert on the banks of the Willamette:
Danika and Sofia:
Portland is rubbing off on Sofia. She is a becoming a nudist:
Sofia and Alyssa playing in the water room at the Children's Museum:
Fabric at the museum:
And one more of the smock, just cause it's so darn cute:
From the Oregon Symphony's free concert on the banks of the Willamette:
Danika and Sofia:
Portland is rubbing off on Sofia. She is a becoming a nudist:
Sofia and Alyssa playing in the water room at the Children's Museum:
Fabric at the museum:
And one more of the smock, just cause it's so darn cute:
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Miscellaneous musings
Here's a round up of the latest happenings.
We briefly hosted the Danilava-Smith clan before their foray down into California. Sof was beside herself with glee at the prospect of having two live-in playmates. We did some touring of Portland, and topped off the visit with a rather disastrous dinner at the Kennedy School. Under our table looked like Pizza Chernobyl...I feel sorry for whomever our busboy was. Anyway, great chaos and fun!
After their departure, Hubs also left on a 4-day "golf" (read: beer) retreat with his new co-workers. Needing entertainment and distraction from a suddenly empty house, Sof and I struck out on three days of adventure of our own. Day 1 was a visit to the Hoyt Arboretum, an amazingly beautiful place. This turned into a bit of misadventure, however, when I missed a turn and extended our hike by about 2 hours. At least it was sunny! We also got splendid views of Mt. Hood, St. Helens and the city, and even had a coyote run right in front of us.
Day 2 was a trip out to Seaside for some quality beach time. Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead. Someday I WILL learn to check these things in advance. Sof finally discovered the joys of playing in the sand. She also got to play in the waves, sort of. I held her and we jumped over waves as they came in, much to her delight. Other joys of the day included caramel corn, chasing seagulls, and helping another little girl dig a big hole. We came home totally crusted in sand and very pleasantly pooped.
Day 3 found us at the farmer's market at PSU. We came home with artichokes, pickles, berries, flowers and more. I think it was at this point that I realized I had definitely injured my foot while hiking the other day. Enter grumpiness and limping as I realized I would have to begin staying off my foot.
This past weekend, John, Sof and I loaded up and headed for Oakridge to meet a group of friends for some camping and mountain biking. Well, they all camped, we bunked down in a cheap motel. John had a blast riding on singletrack again, it's been a long time for him. Sof and I killed time hanging out at the campsite and then driving around when she needed to nap. We did manage to do a little biking ourselves on a nice flat trail through the woods. Overall, great trails, great company! Here's baby Nick trying to impress Sofia...
Speaking of trails, we discovered doggy heaven! It's an expanse known as Thousand Acres, which is, well, an expanse of 1,000 acres. It has numerous trails running through it, and runs up against at least one river (I'm still figuring out the geography). Either way, dogs can go off leash here and run their little hearts out. And bonus for the two-legged poop-scooping crew -- blackberry bushes abound!
Last night marked a notable Sof development. While running around, she took a little breather to do some, er, business in her diaper. Then she looked up at me, pointed to her diaper, and said "poo poo!" We're so proud.
Next up -- the return of the Danilava-Smiths for more merriment and exploration of the city. And, as always, safety first!
We briefly hosted the Danilava-Smith clan before their foray down into California. Sof was beside herself with glee at the prospect of having two live-in playmates. We did some touring of Portland, and topped off the visit with a rather disastrous dinner at the Kennedy School. Under our table looked like Pizza Chernobyl...I feel sorry for whomever our busboy was. Anyway, great chaos and fun!
After their departure, Hubs also left on a 4-day "golf" (read: beer) retreat with his new co-workers. Needing entertainment and distraction from a suddenly empty house, Sof and I struck out on three days of adventure of our own. Day 1 was a visit to the Hoyt Arboretum, an amazingly beautiful place. This turned into a bit of misadventure, however, when I missed a turn and extended our hike by about 2 hours. At least it was sunny! We also got splendid views of Mt. Hood, St. Helens and the city, and even had a coyote run right in front of us.
Day 2 was a trip out to Seaside for some quality beach time. Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead. Someday I WILL learn to check these things in advance. Sof finally discovered the joys of playing in the sand. She also got to play in the waves, sort of. I held her and we jumped over waves as they came in, much to her delight. Other joys of the day included caramel corn, chasing seagulls, and helping another little girl dig a big hole. We came home totally crusted in sand and very pleasantly pooped.
Day 3 found us at the farmer's market at PSU. We came home with artichokes, pickles, berries, flowers and more. I think it was at this point that I realized I had definitely injured my foot while hiking the other day. Enter grumpiness and limping as I realized I would have to begin staying off my foot.
This past weekend, John, Sof and I loaded up and headed for Oakridge to meet a group of friends for some camping and mountain biking. Well, they all camped, we bunked down in a cheap motel. John had a blast riding on singletrack again, it's been a long time for him. Sof and I killed time hanging out at the campsite and then driving around when she needed to nap. We did manage to do a little biking ourselves on a nice flat trail through the woods. Overall, great trails, great company! Here's baby Nick trying to impress Sofia...
Speaking of trails, we discovered doggy heaven! It's an expanse known as Thousand Acres, which is, well, an expanse of 1,000 acres. It has numerous trails running through it, and runs up against at least one river (I'm still figuring out the geography). Either way, dogs can go off leash here and run their little hearts out. And bonus for the two-legged poop-scooping crew -- blackberry bushes abound!
Last night marked a notable Sof development. While running around, she took a little breather to do some, er, business in her diaper. Then she looked up at me, pointed to her diaper, and said "poo poo!" We're so proud.
Next up -- the return of the Danilava-Smiths for more merriment and exploration of the city. And, as always, safety first!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
A laugh a minute
I really should have known better. Any parent should know that long periods of silence are cause for concern.
This particular period of silence? See for yourself.
Sof discovered that you can throw things out of windows without screens. And this is just the collection under *one* window.
Other times, the silence just leads to a fashion show, which I'll take any day.
This particular period of silence? See for yourself.
Sof discovered that you can throw things out of windows without screens. And this is just the collection under *one* window.
Other times, the silence just leads to a fashion show, which I'll take any day.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Grandpa will love this one
Whilst I was unpacking more books, Sofia managed to find a pocket-sized German phrase book. She has now been carrying it literally everywhere we go for the last two days straight. Eindrucksvoll!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Latest lessons
A toddler who constantly strews crumbs every which way is an ant's best friend. Also? Ants love a big bowl of salt water taffy.
Just call me Ant Slayer.
Just call me Ant Slayer.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
More Portland-ite by the minute -- an itemized list
-"Last Thursday" on Alberta with Mark, Athena, Darby and Paul. Sof got a sweet new hat, and we watched some crazy street performers, who were apparently death dancers. And lest I forget, John located an amazing pizza joint. Not once, not twice, but three times I turned around to see him coming out the door with another slice in hand.
-Friday: Road trip to Cannon Beach. A bit rainy, but spectacular. John showed Sof how to go barefoot in the sand, which she wasn't too sure about. We checked out the view from Ecola State Park, where Sof discovered just how cool slugs are. The day also included two staples of the OR coast -- clam chowder and salt water taffy, yum!
-Saturday: Early morning run with Sarah at Forest Park -- yay for running on a dirt trail! This was followed by breakfast and coffee at St. Honore, where it's rumored they fly their croissant dough in from France. I don't know about that, but I will eat their croissants ANY time.
-Friday: Road trip to Cannon Beach. A bit rainy, but spectacular. John showed Sof how to go barefoot in the sand, which she wasn't too sure about. We checked out the view from Ecola State Park, where Sof discovered just how cool slugs are. The day also included two staples of the OR coast -- clam chowder and salt water taffy, yum!
-Saturday: Early morning run with Sarah at Forest Park -- yay for running on a dirt trail! This was followed by breakfast and coffee at St. Honore, where it's rumored they fly their croissant dough in from France. I don't know about that, but I will eat their croissants ANY time.
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