Crafty

Yesterday a neighbor dropped off a bag of craft supplies, including some Sculpey. The girls instantly set to work making countless beads and sculptures.This morning, Elizabeth wore this fetching heart choker she made yesterday.

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Latourell Falls 2016

Since we've had kids, Barb and I have favored a hike in the Columbia River Gorge called Latourell Falls. It's less than three miles, it's got two spectacular waterfalls, and it's not too far a drive. We hike this trail every year. This time, we had to practically drag the protesting girls into the car. They were adamantly against hiking on this beautiful autumn day, but they (of course) ended up having a blast.

Elizabeth had done this hike while at Trackers magic camp over the summer. So as soon as we arrived she was happy to take over as hike leader. She showed us all sorts of cool stuff, such as the house of the troll George (who lives under the bridge), the "magic tree stump," and the dancing water sprite who lives in one of the falls. However, when we got to a place on the trail where you could cross the stream on a fallen tree, Elizabeth scampered across and beckoned us to follow. We didn't want to follow (because, among other reasons, it would shorten the hike by a quarter). Elizabeth's reaction to this usurpation of her power was an epic pout: she grumbled and griped and frowned about us not following her across the log for about an hour before finally lightening up and having fun again. In a funny way, I admired her tenacity in holding a grudge.

After the hike, I realized that I'd set my camera on "continuous shooting" mode, where it continues to take pictures as long as the shutter release is depressed. Throughout the hike, I would snap a photo, and actually be taking two, or even three!  Because of the "continuous shooting" setting. Despite all that, the helpful stranger who took three or four pictures of us "just to be sure" managed to create only one actual image, in which Suzanne has her eyes shut.

There was a lot of uphill, but the girls handled it well.

Facing the falls. 

Elizabeth can be seen on the right, wrapped in her cloak like Heathcliff upon the moors.

We stopped for a snack, and Suzanne announced a joke-telling competition. She made up a joke, and its pretty good! Q: What's a cow's favorite animal? A: A MOOse. 

Nice view.

'Nuff said.

Grumpo

Suzanne has the best grumpy face. She was grumpy about all the time we've spent working on Grandma's cottage and not playing with our kids -- and she was grump about this at the same time that I was playing a game with her. Ridiculous Grumpo!

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Off to School

It's starting to feel autumnal here in Portland. I liked how the girls looked today with their matching pig tails as they headed to school.

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Jungle Exploration

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First Day of School (E)

Yesterday was Elizabeth's first day of third grade. Thursday (day after tomorrow) is Suzanne's first day of kindergarten. For me, this is not a big deal. For Barb, this is monumental. Both of her children will be in school six hours a day. Can't wait to see what she does with all that time!

Here is Elizabeth before mounting her bike and heading off to the first day of third grade. Yep, she's wearing a cloak. It was a bit chilly, and we encouraged her to put on a sweatshirt. She chose the cloak, because she's Elizabeth.

Saturday

Last Saturday we spent some time at the park, then went to Noah's and Shelly's (Noah and Shelly's?) Housewarming Party. They have a big house, and two sons, and a labradoodle or golden doodle or some kind of poodle-hybrid. They have a hot tub and a trampoline. They also have a lot of friends, and we are lucky to be counted among them.

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