Visiting Santa

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Waving Hello

 

Amber learned to wave today!

 

Bye Bye!

Oregon Coast

This blog is all about Amber.  But Amber took a little break on this post and sent Mommy and Daddy out to the coast for a weekend getaway.

Grandma and Grandpa came down Friday afternoon so Sandi and I could get a take off after breakfast Saturday morning.  We arrived in Cannon Beach for their annual Stormy Weather Arts Festival.  It is the third of three art events Cannon Beach hosts each year.  We have never attended this one so this was our year.  

 After an afternoon of visiting galleries and meeting artists followed by an evening of receptions, we headed to our hotel south of Haystack Rock. 

 We never stayed overnight at Cannon Beach - its too easy of a day-trip.  But it is so nice to not worry about heading home in the evening. 

 In the morning, Sandi and I walked to downtown for breakfast via the beach.  Considering the stormy weather we experienced the day before, it was an incredibly pleasant morning.

 

Since Amber was going to entertain Grandma and Grandpa for one night, why not make it two?  After breakfast we drove north to Astoria.

 Astoria has been on our to-do list for quite awhile.  We did not have any real agenda - walk around town, eat good food, read books, etc but we did want to see the Astoria Column.

 This was kind of a highlight for me.  You can purchase a balsa wood airplane for $1.  We chose not too.  We walked up to the top and joined other people looking at the vista.  They had balsa wood planes.  It was so fun watching the planes get tossed over the side and catch an air stream. Suddenly a fumbling piece of wood turned into a sleek glider as it flew over the grass field below and headed towards the water.  One in particular seemed like it would reach the Columbia River.  It's the simple pleasures in life...

 Obviously, November is low season for Astoria.  We didn't find a bustling tourist town though we did find a very pleasant downtown to walk through.  It is also quite the foodie destination.  We took a neighbor's advice on where to eat and had a great lunch Sunday afternoon. 

 The rain wasn't bad.  The only time it really started to get us wet we ducked into a glass blowing shop and watched a couple of guys make a glass-blown vase.  Fascinating experience if you ever get the chance.

After breakfast on Monday morning we headed back home.   We missed our little girl. 

Happy Halloween

Our little bumble bee

We took her to the library Saturday afternoon so she could fly around a little bit.

When we got home, there was a gift for Amber in the mailbox.

Amber was so excited to get her Halloween card from Grandma and Grandpa

Amber had fun on her first trick-or-treat outing Monday evening. Mommy and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa took her to 9 homes in our neighborhood that we know.  They all loved seeing Amber. 

Let's Have a Picnic!

 Amber wanted a picnic will her friends.  The sheep came running with fork in hand.  Dolly snagged an orange slice before they disappeared.

Amber holding her plate and cookie (her favorite)

 Amber loves her marion berry pie (just like Daddy).

Picnic is over.  Bye Bye

Books!

 Amber loves her books.  She often goes to her book corner and pulls out books from her two bins.  She'll find one, turn it around and around and then discard it for another one.  Sometimes she will hold out a book for us to read (though she often doesn't want you to finish it).

 We don't always agree on which ones to read.  Here, she is holding my least-favorite book.  I give in and read it to her.

Where is that book??!!

Amber's room

The carnage

Bottle Before Bed

Amber still takes a bottle before bed.  Often times she takes sips between laps around the table (she has a walking toy that she loves).  This evening, she actually sat down to enjoy it.  Good night little Amber.

Amber's Playtime

Amber has a handful of toys in the family room and she plays with all of them throughout any given day.  Typically, she unloads her picnic basket and goes straight for the little cookie/biscuit.

 

Amber loves books.  There are two little book baskets on the shelf which always get dumped out on the floor in a pile so she can rifle through them.  One of her favorites is 'Noodle Loves the Park.'  She turns the book over in her hands and flaps them around.  Its pretty cute to watch.

Another toy she likes are the red and green balls Wesley gave her for her birthday.  She will toss them under the couch and look to see where they went.  I have to go and roll them back to her, so she kind of has me playing fetch.

bye-bye

Squeeky Dog

Squeeky Dog is fast becoming Amber's partner in crime.  He's with her where ever she goes.

It's not uncommon to hear slap-squeek slap-squeek slap-squeek and Amber and Squeeky Dog crawl through the family room.

Squeeky Dog used to go on walks with Mommy and Amber but he has a nasty habit of jumping ship half-way through the trip.  We can't afford to loose this little guy.

This evening I was watching Amber.  Neither of us could find Squeeky Dog.  Amber was a little out of sorts.  Finally, towards the end of the evening, I found him hanging out in the basket of books.  All is well.  Slap-squeek, slap-squeek, slap-squeek....

Amber and Squeeky Dog wanting out of the family room

Happy Birthday Amber!

interrupting their vacation to celebrate with Amber

ready for a party

ready for the pool

first time in the pool

hmmmm!

just hangin' out in the pool

A new sand castle set!

Happy Birthday Amber! 

We love you so much!