Quote

Mommy: "Close your eyes Cooper."
Cooper: "I will close them when I am ready to close them."

Weekend

We had an excellent, mellow Thanksgiving this year. We had dinner at our house with just a few friends and our family of 5. This is the first year I ate turkey since having Cooper. Most of you know the turkey story. The short version is my morning sickness came in full affect during Thanksgiving and ever since I was pregnant I could not eat/smell/stand turkey. This year, I ate it not only for Thanksgiving but the four days after as leftovers.
We had lots of fun family time over Thanksgiving weekend, we hit an open gym playtime, watched the Civil War and took Cooper and a friend to PDX Playdate, a fun indoor play park.








We spent 4 hours there, we picked up Cooper's friend on the way there and then his mom ran some errands and met us there after 2 hours. The boys had a blast and we got to visit as a couple and with our friend.
We have a trip to California coming up in early December. Grandma Barbara passed away the week of Thanksgiving and we are going to the ceremony and to visit family.

Gymnastics

Cooper's new gymnastics class, his first day.

Halloween

We went trick-or-treating at Holly and Angie's this year. Cooper was Batman, Uncle Jeff was Super Elvis and Angie was Spa Lady. It was a lot of fun! Cooper had a blast and enjoyed handing out candy at their house almost as much as the trick-or-treating.

Field Trip

Cooper went to the Fire Station today with his preschool class. They went to the station down the street from our house. Cooper loved seeing the firefighter in all their gear, he also liked spraying the water hose and touring the station.









When we were back at school Cooper and his friend Graham played firefighters and dressed in the jacket and hats.






Cooper is learning so much these days. It's true what they say, kids are sponges. They soak up so much information and remember it. I am blown away at the things he knows sometimes.

Mud puddles

Fun in the bath

Pictures from the Weekend

We had a fun weekend with lots of activity. We had date night with our good friends on Friday night, Saturday morning we hit Cadillac Cafe (a fave) for breakfast with Aunt Janet. Saturday afternoon/evening we watched Cooper's BFF Graham and went to an apple pressing party. The boys carved pumpkins, helped press apples and played with their goody bags. We stayed for some good music too. I had Graham for 6 hours and it was great, they played really well together and had one meltdown each toward the end of the night.



Wormy eyes



Cooper did the car, Graham the rocket.

Sunday we had a nice breakfast made by our roomies before heading out to Gales Creek Farm to get our pumpkins with Cooper's preschool friends. The rain stayed away during the farm trip too. Once home, Cooper and Mama set to work on pumpkin carving.

Pictures

Cooper loves this place called the Lumberyard. It's an indoor mountain bike track with 6 different tracks, from beginner to advanced and technical. We have gone once a week for two weeks now. His confidence is increasing every time. From 9am-12 M-F it is only $5 for kids under 6.
Last week he actually went down the biggest hills on the beginner track without my help. It is so cool to watch him advance.
Here is a video of him on the track.

One last photo of the week, Cooper in the tree at the dog park.

Cooper at the Lumberyard

Preschool

We settled into our first week of preschool. Cooper seems happy to be back at school with his friends. He is going Tues and Thur again this year. I also signed him up for a nature class every Friday that starts next week. It's run by Portland Parks and Recreation and is called Nuts about Nature. It is exploring nature in a play-based way. I've heard great things about the program and it will give him another opportunity to play with kids and bugs for two hours. It is completely outside, rain or shine. If we like it, I will sign him up for winter an spring also.

Copper and his preschool friend Daniel were writing their names on Thursday. Daniel wrote his name and then his sister's name Celia above Cooper. I find it remarkable to see them writing, backwards, upside down, forwards. It is so cool.

Play date with Larkin

We met Larkin and her mom on Wednesday at Jamison Square. I also had Wyatt that morning. It started out pretty brisk but that did not deter Larkin or Cooper from getting wet. They played really well together, picking up where they left off. It was great to see them and chat, we spent about three hours together. Wyatt slept the entire time.

More Events

Last week we went to Fiesta Italiana at Pioneer Square and I took Cooper to a great dirt track to ride his bike.




We also went on a hunt for good cannolis. This landed us at the Holy Cannoli food cart on NE 19th and Davis. Cooper and Chikako enjoyed this stationary bike the smoothie cart uses.

Weekend Pictures

Some pictures of our fun weekend. We went to the Zoo, Pacific Rim Festival and the Rose Garden at Washington Park.

Closing ceremony.

 Tiger came home from camp.

First day of Beaver Blast camp at Tyron Creek State Park.

Jeff and Chikako

Vacation Highlights

We are home after a two week vacation to Lake Almanor. We stayed in Medford for three nights
on the way down and Sharon worked the first Monday.



Our home in Medford.

Cooper and I found a cool dirt bike area in Medford next to a dog park and we spent a couple hours there while Mama worked. Cooper was pretty good on the track, he didn't like some of the down hills and he fell going up some of the hills but he kept doing it. We met up with Sharon's dad and wife, Barbara on Tuesday in Red Bluff CA.
Wednesday we headed into the mountains to Lake Almanor. This year we did a lot more fishing. Dick took us on his boat and we caught one trout. Cooper also got to drive.









Cooper telling me I am in the way of his driving!







We also fished at two creeks nearby for a couple of days. Sharon and Cooper were determined to catch a fish in the creek but we never did. I read by the creek while they fished. Sometimes I would fish with Cooper's pole when he was tired.


Cooper's new pole!



The dogs liked the creek too, especially our water dog Luke. He may have been detrimental to the fish catching. We didn't bring him after the first day because he was too crazy in the water.


















In addition to fishing we spent many evenings with friends that we see once a year and of course Sharon's dad and Barbara's camp was right next to ours. Cooper rode his bike between our camps as much as he could. He rode his bike so much, every day as many as 5-7 times a day.
Monday before the 4th we went to a friend's house for food and music. The music was bluegrass and it was awesome. Sharon and her dad played with them and Cooper joined in a few songs too.












The 4th was the parade.








Tow Mater from the parade!

We had lots of parties for the 4th, duck races at Kate's after the parade, B-B-Q at Bobby and Terry's after Kate's and Dick and Betty's potluck for dinner. We also watched the fireworks. We had a great 4th!

We tried creek fishing once more Thursday and Cooper wasn't interested. He found this tractor to climb instead.






We hit the lake the last two days of our trip. Our campsite is very close to the lake and we rode our bikes to the boat dock for ice cream a lot and on the bike path. However, we hadn't brought the dogs to play at the lake until Thursday and Friday.






When Cooper and I were both in the lake floating, Luke would swim to us and cry. He wanted to drag us to shore.
Friday Sharon and her dad went on a guided fishing trip at Eagle
Lake, about an hour from us. They woke up super early and came home at 4pm with 6 trout. We had a delicious fish fry for dinner that night, our last at the campground. Cooper, the dogs and I played at the lake for 4 hours that day. I sunburned my upper back while Cooper had lots of swim time.



We left Saturday, drove to Medford (after a minor setback of replacing a trailer tire) and Cooper and I swam for an hour in the pool before bed.
Home today, unpacked (mostly), cars/trailer all washed and put away. It's back to work for us tomorrow, boo.
Wonderful vacation, so much quality family time. It was fantastic.


Cooper and Luke on the ride home.