Phoenix Trip

This past weekend I took the kids for a quick trip back to Phoenix to visit with friends. We are so thankful to the Penkoff Family - TJ, Katie, & Owen - for letting us stay with them and treating us like family. Natasa & Ajda were visiting from Slovenia as well, so it was a fun party at the Penkoff House! It was so wonderful being together again; the kids picked up right where they left off a year and a half ago, and we adults did as well! Jacob & I were so excited to see many of our Phoenix friends at a park playdate on Saturday. The kids had a great time playing and we got to chat about whats been going on in our lives for the last 2 months.

The weekend flew by way too quickly, and Natasa & Ajda are on their way back to Slovenia. Hopefully it will not be another year a and half before we see them again.

3 kids in the backseat on the way to the park playdate - Mila, Ajda, & Jacob - who knew you could fit 3 carseats in a mid-size rental

Jacob, Natasa, & Ajda on the carousel at the McCormick Railroad Park - Scottsdale

the gang eating some snacks

Jacob & Mikey

Max & Jacob

about the head off on a train ride

(Mila, Mikey, Jacob, Meredyth, Max, Jaime, Natasa, & Ajda)

Ajda & Natasa

this was Mila's 1st ride as a big 1 year old - she loved it!

Mama & Mila

Ajda loved the train too!

Mila in her trough - she was in there at least 30 minutes, a great baby container

Jacob & Mikey on the stage coach

Mikey, Ajda, & Jacob in the cubbyhole - it had a cool light trick.

back together again - Katie, Tricia, & Natasa

Mila with her buddies Owen & Ajda

Owen, Ajda, Mikey, & Jacob on the stage coach

Mila likes doing big kid stuff too!

Mikey, Ajda, Jacob, & Owen climbing the water tower

making their comfy spots for watching a movie - Ajda, Owen, & Jacob

Jacob & Ajda on the oryx at the Phoenix Zoo

Jacob & Ajda on the tractor at the farm

Jacob & the komodo dragon

Ajda, Owen, & Jacob on the zoo carousel - with Natasa, TJ, & Katie

Mama & Mila waiting for the kids to get off the carousel

Ajda reading Jacob a bedtime story

Random Shots from October

Here are some pictures I captured with my iPhone during October as we cruised around Seattle.

Mila enjoying some sunshine at Magnusson Park on Lake Washington

The car cart at Safeway - this was Mila's first time!

Penguin exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoo

Mila showing off her standing skills

wearing her halloween tights from auntie sarah

a random breakfast shot

showing how she signs for down

the kids love playing in the tub together

mila with her new friend sean at Magnusson Park

don't worry, the cup was empty.

playing in the space shuttle - you wouldn't believe how much they shake it with blast off :)

mila loves playing with her big brother

checking out the port hole

Trick-or-Treating at Licton Springs Park

This year we attended the Licton Springs Park community trick-or-treating event with many of Jacob's friends from Kinderhaus. Pooh Bear and Piglet (as well as Mama & Daddy as friends & relations) had fun walking through the forest collecting candy. There were some great costumes this year, many of them quite original. Jacob's favorite was a couple dressed as Mary Poppins and Burt, of course. She even sang a spoon full of sugar to the kids while spooning candy into their bags.

We were so happy Grammy was visiting to come along and enjoy the festivities with us.

Pooh and Piglet with 2 of their friends and relations

"Many happy returns of the day!"

Pooh, Piglet, Mama (friend), & Daddy (relation, not in picture) heading to the park for some trick-or-treating. We decided Grammy could be Christopher Robin in his boots and macintosh :)

Our little Pooh bear

Piglet (aka Mila)

Teacher Tim (from Kinderhaus) lives in the neighborhood and had invited all the kinderhaus families. He and his wife were one of the trick-or-treat stops. He was serenading the kids with a guitar made by his son in Waldorf middle school.

Can you guess what she is? (answer at the bottom of post)

Another cute costume idea - bees and their beekeepers :)

(she's a pine cone)