Robb and Jess

Lego Man

2012-02-11T08:52:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel got these Legos for Christmas they're becoming his favorite at the moment. He will sit down, empty the box and play contentedly for so long. (I've taken to showering during this little reprieve.)

Aquarium Update

2012-02-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

Since getting his aquarium for Christmas, Ezekiel has turned into a fish fanatic. He says goodnight to them before naps and at bedtime. When I go in his room in the morning, the first thing he wants is for me to turn on the aquarium lights. And he loves helping daddy feed the fish. If it were up to him he would be climbing up there sticking his fingers in the water at every opportunity.

We started out with only a few fish, but when Grandpa Robert was here, the aquarium got a huge makeover. It is now home to a bunch of different kinds of fish and they all seem to get along quite well. Thanks, Grandpa!

Blue Boy

2012-02-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

Robb found these bath pellets that turn the water different colors. I think they might be more fun for Robb than Zeke, but tonight's color was blue.

Coloring in the (Nearly) Nude

2012-02-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

Zeke has recently discovered a love of coloring. It may be that he has loved coloring for some time, but his parents did not know this. Today he got a new coloring book and spent the greater part of the evening filling it in.

Sneak Peek

2012-01-30T10:23:00.000-08:00

We're excited to announce that we're expecting another little one around August 17th. We got to hear it's heartbeat today and see some first images.

Disney Magic Birthday

2012-01-28T22:40:00.000-08:00

Beast, Chip and a very surprised Belle.

Bert, Tinkerbelle, and pirate and a princess.
And a mini Captain Hook and his underling, Smee.

Belle poses with some of her besties; Jiminy Cricket, The Big Bad Wolf and Pocahontas.

And Cruella De Vil, Woody and Tinkerbelle.

For Nelita's 30th birthday party, David choose a classic Disney theme. We all scrambled to come up with the right costumes, and then assembled to surprise Nel tonight. There was some great food and treats from the Patisserie. athen some hilarious Just Dance 3!

Oliver Photo of the Day

2012-01-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

Handsome little man...

Baby Whisperer

2012-01-25T21:02:00.000-08:00

Robb wanted me to take this picture. He was so proud that he's "still go it" when it comes to putting babies to sleep. I honestly can't remember what it was like when Zeke was this age, so I love having Oliver over as much as possible. He is such a sweet baby.

Snow Park

2012-01-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

Can't. Get. Enough. Snow.

Grandpa and Zeke bundled up and headed over to the park this afternoon. Zeke continued to try and eat as much snow (now a bit icy) as possible.

Ezekiel Photo of the Day

2012-01-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

A couple of photos that Grandpa Robert took while the two were chasing each other around the house.

Dad's Lasagna

2012-01-22T18:32:00.000-08:00

Last time Dad Coffee came for a visit, he baked a lasagna for us. This time, since he offered to cook something, I requested a repeat performance. Yum!

Yet Another Snow Day

2012-01-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

With a layer of ice covering everything outside, walks in the park are a bit difficult. So Robb and Grandpa took Zeke out and ended up hanging out at Safeway for awhile.

Friends and Kiddos

2012-01-21T14:27:00.000-08:00

The little ones explore their new surroundings.

Pepper gets the best of Ezekiel. Emmarie looks on from the jumper.

Sherisa and Broc were in town this weekend, so a little get-together was arranged. Jo and Chelane whipped up a big kettle of chicken noodle soup and some delicious biscuits and we gladly partook.

Not So Tasty Crayons

2012-01-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Robert is visiting and brought some cool new crayons. The two of them were pretty adorable together, making little sketches and oohing and ahhing over them. Then Zeke thought he would give one a taste. Eeehh. Not as good as they look.

The Kid Should See This

2012-01-18T19:22:00.000-08:00

Every now then Robb and Zeke take a break and watch clips on their favorite website—The Kid Should See This. Jesse sent us the link last year and it is a brilliant site. It is a collection of science, nature, music, arts, technology, storytelling and assorted good stuff.

Today Zeke was pretty tuckered out from his adventures in the snow and was sitting ABSOLUTELY STILL the whole time.

Snow Day!

2012-01-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

When I was little I remember being SO excited to see new snow. Sometimes it would snow at night and mom would let us get out of bed to go play in it for awhile.

We woke up this morning to a nice fluffy (okay, by that I mean soggy and sloppy) layer of new snow. Even though it was mostly raining, we bundled up and took a nice long walk. Zeke liked watching his boots crunch in the snow and kept veering off the cleared sidewalk to climb the snow clumps.

Then I showed him that you could eat snow. Whoops! The whole walk back he kept trying to swipe handfuls to feed himself. Next on our agenda: learn how to keep on our gloves.

Sticker Stupor

2012-01-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

I let Zeke play with some stickers today. He found them way more entertaining than I would have thought. Mostly, he wanted to treat them like puzzle pieces and put them all back together. But he also tried sticking them to his skin, mommy's face and the cat's belly.

Little Lamb Hat

2012-01-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

Our world-traveling Uncle Pastor Troy just got back from New Zealand. He actually got to visit Hobbiton (yes, it is a real place) and brought back some great photos. We are wildly jealous of his travels and wished we could have gone along as well, but he brings back the coolest things. This time it was this little woolly hat complete with horns and hooves. Thank you!

Driving Style

2012-01-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

We took Grandpa Jim over to the Pasco airport this morning, so Zeke got to practice his car seat patience. He ended up untying his boot laces and trying to re-lace them. He shows remarkable focus on small tasks like this.

Then he took some time to model his new shades. (Robb has a hard time resisting mini Wayfarer sunglasses.)

Oliver Cuddles

2012-01-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

We can't get enough of this little guy!

AquaDoodle!

2012-01-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

Zeke got to play with Kennedi's AquaDoodle last week and was hooked. Since he loves to draw, he is always trying to get his hands on pens and pencils, but he can't be trusted with them. This is the perfect solution, a refillable water pen that "draws" on a plastic mat.

Robb ordered one right away and it go here today. I admit I had a hard time giving up the pen to Zeke. It's fun.

Little Men

2012-01-11T21:45:00.000-08:00

Tonight while the Crawfords were visiting, Nelita put Zeke down on a blanket with Oliver. I'm always shocked to see that Ezekiel is no longer a little baby. I guess I see him as teeny-tiny until I compare him to a newborn baby.

Uncle John Turns 72!

2012-01-08T21:18:00.000-08:00

The perfect lemon cake and one super (iPad) gift.

Pepper and Zeke check out some trick birthday candles.

Way to smile, Zeke.

We got to help celebrate a birthday tonight. Aunt Pat made the yummiest lemon cake, Uncle John got some help setting up his new iPad and Zeke practiced sharing with Pepper.

Chelane, thanks for posting pictures!

A Walk in the Park

2012-01-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Little buds.

So dreamy...

We've been happy to have Heather and Wyatt visiting this week. Wyatt is already two, but he gets along with Zeke and they have a pretty good time together. This morning, David and Oliver came over to take Robb, Zeke and Wyatt to the park.

Beautiful Dreamers

2012-01-07T18:05:00.000-08:00

Robb went in to get Zeke up from his late nap this evening. We were afraid that he might try to sleep through and be up super early tomorrow. Since Zeke usually wakes up as soon as you open his door, we were surprised that he continued to sleep. At this point, Robb couldn't resist joining him. Thanks for snapping these, Jesse!

Bowler Hat Buds

2012-01-06T21:52:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel and Wyatt were cracking us up tonight. They were both running around in bowler hats and getting into everything. It was nearly impossible to get them to sit still long enough to snap this image.

Dangerous New Skill

2011-12-31T17:14:00.000-08:00

Look what I can do! Mommy and daddy are so pleased...

Preparing for Fishies

2011-12-26T20:29:00.000-08:00

Zeke and dad took a special trip to the pet store to get supplies for the aquarium. Zeke can't get enough of the whole process and wants to know how everything works.

The Boys

2011-12-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of daddies and a couple of sons.

Bathtime Art

2011-12-25T20:37:00.000-08:00

After the presents, it was time for bath and bedtime. Zeke was pretty tired out after all the fun and excitement, but we let him try out one of his presents anyway. I love his quiet steady hand.

Ish

2011-12-25T19:53:00.000-08:00

I wonder what could be in this large box...

Wait a minute, I know what those are.

Given his fascination with fish, we got a little aquarium for his room. I didn't think he would really know what it was until it was all set up, but I guess the picture on the box gave it away. Now off to buy fishes.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T19:39:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from the Coffee Family!

For me?

Admiring my new boots.

Because you can never have too many tools.

What a lovely Christmas. Robb was on call today so we stayed pretty close to home. He actually had to go into the OR for a few hours, so Zeke took a nap and I got ready for present opening time. A few Christmas movies and some yummy food made for the perfect, laid back Christmas day.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T23:17:00.000-08:00

A little present-opening.

No evening would be complete without a game of Fish Farts.

The Crawfords invited us over for a little Christmas Eve tradition of theirs, fondue! I think we might need to steal this one. There was some zesty cheese fondue and chocolate fondue and some great things to dip in them.

Family Time

2011-12-24T16:05:00.000-08:00

Isabella shows off her mad piano skills.

Jo and Pepper doing what they do best.

The best part about the holidays? Spending time with family. This Sabbath afternoon we were pleased to spend the afternoon out at the Fackenthalls. Peter and Joy were up from Napa and Katrina and Sebastian came over from Vancouver. Zeke had a great time shaking snow globes and trying to pull ornaments off the tree.

Mr. Helpful

2011-12-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

Tidying the house is always fun with a toddler trailing your every move. Today Ezekiel was determined to help me vacuum the sofa. First he wanted to be behind the pillows, then he wanted to be under the cushions.

Cinnamon Face

2011-12-22T09:21:00.000-08:00

Doing his own cleanup.

Apparently our kid has some sort of topical allergy to cinnamon. When it touches his skin he gets little pink patches. So, even though he loves cinnamon fruit toast, I think we'll hold the cinnamon in the future.

Christmas Crafting

2011-12-19T20:22:00.000-08:00

I made these little hand warmers for the nieces this year. They are filled with rice and there is one heart for each pocket. You just microwave them for a minute and you've got warm hands!

Robb is 31!

2011-12-18T21:39:00.000-08:00

So, technically his birthday was two days ago, but we wanted to try the new breakfast place in town, so today was the day. The Maple Counter Cafe was pretty amazing. And the best part is that the wait staff came out and sang to Robb so it was perfectly embarrassing for him (see above).

Robb's Secret Skills

2011-12-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

My one contribution to the project—the labels.

I just have to show off these rice sachets that Robb made for Christmas gifts this year. Start to finish, he did all the work. It is so great on a cold evening to have a nice hot pack for your shoulders. He even smashed up cinnamon sticks to put in them, so they smell super when you pop them in the microwave. What a man...

Big Boy Bed

2011-12-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Cranky just woke up face.

We got the cutest toddler bed at IKEA last month. Zeke fell in love with it in the store, crawling up onto it by himself and rolling around and getting down again. We didn't think we would actually use it for a long time, but of course I couldn't handle the the box just sitting there. The instructions show it as a two-person job, so Zeke and I decided to tackle it right before nap time yesterday. It has three adjustment levels, the smallest one is practically a square and all the way extended it is a twin bed.

He seemed so excited that I thought I should let him try to take his nap there. After sneaking out three times, I had to put him back in his crib, but I think he figured out what was going on. Today he didn't try to get out once and had an awesome nap. We'll see how it goes.

Surprise!

2011-12-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Zeke lends a helping hand.

I couldn't resist letting Robb open one of his birthday presents a few days early.

The Magic iPad

2011-12-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

Zeke entertains himself by taking some self-portraits.

For traveling with a little one, the iPad is pure magic. Seriously. What would normally be a squirmy, irritable, grabby little guy is suddenly transformed into a still, contented, focused wee man. Robb loaded the iPad with all sorts of educational baby apps (thanks, Padmini!) and we were good to go. We also had a new experience in that Ezekiel actually fell asleep in Robb's arms in broad daylight. A first for us since he was a newborn.

Google Car!

2011-12-12T23:31:00.000-08:00

We were standing out on the veranda when we saw the Google car drive up and turn around. I don't know how long it takes for them to upload the data, but maybe someday we'll be on Google Street View. He he.

Hurricane Simulator

2011-12-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

After golfing, we spent some time in the arcade. Zeke and I decided to check out this hurricane simulator and he was really brave.

Adventures in Mini-Golf

2011-12-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

Jordan gives us some competitive attitude.

Zeke loves holding the club.

But his favorite part is retrieving the golf balls.

If I have ever been mini-golfing, I can't remember when it was. But this was pretty fun. Ezekiel was way better than me, and I'm pretty sure he hasn't done it before either.

Sunny California

2011-12-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Taking a moment to stop and smell the flowers.

We just can't get enough of this beautiful weather. Coming from a pretty chilly Walla Walla this time of year, it is a rare treat to run around outside in jeans and a t-shirt. Zeke tried to explore every inch of the property, but alas, only got part way through the front yard.

Bee Keeping

2011-12-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

The good stuff.

Busy little workers.

This evening, Bill conceded to let everyone try out the bee suits. They fired up the smokers and tested their bravery. Awesome. Zeke and I observed from afar.

Lazy Sunday

2011-12-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

Saying "good morning" to Mr. Snowman.

It was great to see Grandma Truscott!

We had a beautiful, relaxing morning enjoying the California winter weather. It was sunny and warm and irresistible.

Breakfast of Champions

2011-12-11T10:57:00.000-08:00

Teddy bear pancakes!

A little "Christmas" breakfast to go with our stockings.

Stockings!

2011-12-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Ezekiel explore the contents of his stocking.

A little something from Brandon. (Super cute dress clothes!)

We all got up to open stockings this morning. But mostly to watch Ezekiel try out his new toys. Oddly enough, many of them were of the noisy, sound-generating variety... Thanks Grandma and Papa!

The Bolingers Drop By

2011-12-10T21:23:00.000-08:00

Zeke shows off his new hat.

Vroom, vroom! (Just like Rusty...)

Saying goodnight to Jordan.

After a relaxing Sabbath afternoon, we got to visit with the Bolingers. It was good to see everyone again and they brought some pretty cool UPS gifts! We miss you guys.

Seattle Airport

2011-12-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

When traveling with a little one, there are very few perks, so we were pretty stoked to discover this little oasis. Sea-tac has this little play area that is pretty much perfect for a three-hour layover.

Breastfeeding is Boring

2011-12-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

Nel snapped this on her camera phone.

We got to hang out with Nelita and Oliver and Ranjini today. Ezekiel was a little bored. Apparently sitting around with a bunch of ladies and a tiny, feeding baby isn't his cup of tea.

Spider-Zeke

2011-12-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

Zeke spotted the Spiderman figurine that Robb stuck to the doorway and wanted to climb to it. As you can imagine, Robb didn't hesitate for a second to give him a little climbing assist.

Early Christmas

2011-12-05T21:50:00.000-08:00

Matching gifts moment.

After we got Zeke to bed, we got to open the rest of the gifts. We went pretty simple this year, bu it was fun. And Everett and Jelinda got their first baby clothes. I can't wait for June!

Unwrapping Presents!

2011-12-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

Counting Cookies!

Hugging my new clothes.

It was getting a little late, so we let Zeke open his presents first. So different from last year when he couldn't open his own presents. He tore into things and was giddy. Although, now that I think about it, he may have been getting sleep crazy.

Celebrating 60

2011-12-05T19:15:00.000-08:00

They are so mesmerizing to watch...

So, tonight we were going to have a little Christmas gift exchange with Dad, Mom, Everett and Jelinda. What Dad didn't know is that we were also going to do a small and late birthday party for him. He turned 60 (!) on November 11th. A little coconut cream pie and some birthday presents were followed by setting off some paper lanterns. To round out the festivities, Everett brought over his guitar and game setup and all the guys showed off their strumming skills.

A Baby Shower for Oliver

2011-12-03T22:03:00.000-08:00

Party invitation and decor in place.

Lovely mommies.

The library table. (Zeke may have been sneaking a peek at the books.)

The little guest of honor receives adoration.

Along with Cheris and Corren, we got to help Jerry and Machelle throw a baby shower for the Crawfords tonight. We did a book theme, so everyone brought books for Oliver's library. And it was also a potluck and guests brought breakfast foods. Yum! It was great to be able to welcome the little man officially.

Decking the Halls (Part 2)

2011-12-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

Yay! Can I just hang out here all night?

We got lights on the tree yesterday and Ezekiel was going nuts all evening. I think he was trying to live in the tree. He wanted to be picked up over and over again so he could get closer to the lights. When he saw the tree this morning it started all over again.

Decking the Halls

2011-12-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

Robb hanging the outdoor lights.

Zeke spots the perfect tree.

Checking out the reindeer.

Trimming the tree—you're doing it wrong.

This year we are getting a bit of an early start on Christmas. We got down the Christmas boxes and set to work during Zeke's nap. He was so funny when he woke up and saw the lights. He wanted to blow them out like candles. Then we bundled him up and headed out to Klickers for a tree.

Catalog Shoppers

2011-11-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

This is what my guys were doing when I got up this morning. Zeke had the Orvis catalog, Robb went for the Grizzly one. Oh, the manliness...

An Oliver Visit

2011-11-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

Our little opportunist plays with Oliver's toys.

Oliver is changing like crazy and it is hard to miss even a few days of his sweet little face.

Ezekiel Photo of the Day

2011-11-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

We got Zeke a "big boy bed" and he's been playing on the mattress ever since we got it home. I'm not quite sure why he ended up shirtless and wearing his beanie, but he is clearly Robb's kid.

IKEA Newbies

2011-11-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel tries to sneak some Swedish pancakes.

Something seems wrong with this computer...

Can I take this home?

He climbed in here by himself and seemed to want to stay in there.

Dad and Mom have been hearing about IKEA for some time now, so we stopped by before heading home. Zeke has been here before, but last time he was asleep in the stroller. We had their breakfast and started our tour. We tried to rush along as much as possible, but there is so much to see that it always takes longer than you would think.

Mini Reunion

2011-11-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel has been missing his cuddle time with Grandma Edna.

Hey, how about we go back outside and look for that cat and dog?

Over the weekend, we had the privilege of staying with the Kacks in Battleground. It was great to catch up with them and visit with Grandma Edna as well. In a perfect world we would all live a lot closer.

A Malott Family Gathering

2011-11-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Zeke loved playing with his cousins.

Robb hanging out with the little ones.

Today our family congregated in McMinnville to remember Grandma Ella. It was a beautiful Sabbath and a comfort to be surrounded by loved ones. Aunt Linda did an incredible job planning everything and Uncle Dave had a wonderful service. We've started planning a family reunion for next July, we've gotta get together more under happier circumstances.

Black Friday

2011-11-25T09:48:00.000-08:00

Have you guys ever done the whole Black Friday shopping thing? We thought we would see what it was all about. Robb didn't get off work until 11 last night, so we stayed awake an extra hour and went over to Macys at midnight. We assumed that the crowds wouldn't be too bad, this is Walla Walla after all. We were wrong.

People were silly. The lines were crazy long. We were too sleepy to make any decisions about purchases. We actually stood in front of a display of Kitchen Aids that were on a super sale. But it didn't seem like making that call at 1:30 am was a good idea. Robb found some screaming deals on silk ties, so that was cool.

When we tried to go over to the shoe department, there was such a swarm of people that Robb said, "I'd rather pay full price." That pretty much sums up our response to Black Friday.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T20:28:00.000-08:00

Zeke enjoys the company of some fine ladies.

Ava shares the fridge magnets.

Checking out some snapshots.

We had a pretty special Thanksgiving day. It has been a very long time since we had Thanksgiving with Dad and Mom and Everett and Jelinda. This year, the Dotolo family graciously invited us to share their dinner. It was a splendid event. Robb only got in on the first hour then was off to work until 11:00 pm. Which brings us to our top ten reasons to give thanks (in no particular order):

A job for Robb! After almost a year and half of working per diem, Robb is now a full time employee and an official part of the radiography team at Providence St. Mary Medical Center here in Walla Walla.
Our family.
Graphic design.
A cozy, warm house. We've been able to finish up a few projects around the place and will be posting pictures soon.
Our benevolent Creator. There are no words to express our gratitude.
Old friends.
New friends.
Hot showers. Ever since suffering through cold showers in a chilly climate, a hot shower has seemed like a ridiculous luxury.
Good health.
Goodwill. Not the second-hand store. Goodwill towards men, opportunities to share our abundance, the chance to pay it forward.

Bedtime Rituals

2011-11-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

Grandma captured some pictures of Zeke getting ready for bed. First, Robb gives Zeke a bath, which is mostly playtime. Then he tries to run around the house before we can get a fresh diaper and jammies on. That doesn't last too long. Finally, he gets a bottle and starts calming down.

Gross

2011-11-23T20:39:00.000-08:00

It is so rewarding to watch Zeke feed himself. So rewarding and so gross. But he is so proud of himself.

Grandpa Time

2011-11-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

Going for an adventure walk.

Helping Grandpa put on a pirate patch.

Hugs and kisses.

Zeke loves talking to Grandpa on Skype, so he was pretty excited when he woke up this morning to find Grandpa in the living room. They've been having all sorts of fun.

Windy Days

2011-11-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

Oh, how he loves him some slides!

And anything that flies in the skies.

With the wind picking up and the trees bending by the force not everyone scurries for cover. There are a few people out there that get really excited about flying a kite. David is one of those people and I'm okay with that, being a little weird myself. I think the boy might be a little tweaked as well.

Waking Up

2011-11-21T16:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Zeke wakes up grouchy. He'll yell until we run to get him. He'll storm around glaring at everything. Sometimes he wakes up giddy. He'll play contentedly in his crib, laughing and cooing. I love that. But sometimes he isn't quite awake and all he wants to do is cuddle. Yum.

Ezekiel Photos of the Day

2011-11-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

Looks like Ezekiel is just making himself at home in the cupboard at the corner of our living room.

Reading Time

2011-11-19T15:50:00.000-08:00

Little man is really taking an interest in reading now. He points to the words and the pictures and makes sounds that sometimes resemble words. If left on his own he will now sit and "read" his books to himself with the funniest little string of babble.

"Ishy" Art

2011-11-17T15:37:00.000-08:00

Robb and I just finished this piece for our mantel. I found the idea on Pinterest and had to make it. Luckily, I found some detailed instructions here. We cut out something like 260 circles by hand and Robb built a frame then I painted to whole thing with black and pearl spray paint.

Ezekiel Photo of the Day

2011-11-16T15:14:00.000-08:00

Putting on his coat and shoes makes Ezekiel very happy. I guess there is just nothing like the prospect of heading OUTSIDE!

We Finally Meet

2011-11-15T22:11:00.000-08:00

David trying to look thrashed.

And one more photo borrowed from David and Nelita's blog.

We were so giddy. GIDDY I tell you. I got to hold him and he is beautiful. He is already changing so quickly from the cheeky little guy in the photo from yesterday. He has the most wonderful thick black hair and perfect little pursed lips and he sleeps with his mouth open and tries to kick his way out of his swaddle. Then Robb got to hold him.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel was only interested in hanging out with Auntie Nel and playing on the iPad. Some things don't change.

Oliver!

2011-11-14T22:02:00.000-08:00

Little Oliver Rohan Crawford was born this afternoon. He was a whopping 8 lbs, 15 oz. and 20.5 inches long. Nelita texted this photo to us, and we can't wait to meet him. Seriously, can we go hang out with him now!? Congratulations little family.

Cousins!

2011-11-11T20:54:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel and Luna explore the wonders of Aunt Pat's kitchen.

This rooster, for example, is highly entertaining.

Someone needs to pull up his breeches.

Baby Pepper shows off her sitting and hugging skills.

Luis, Tina and Luna were in town, so we jumped at the chance to get to see them. And to have haystacks with Pat and John. And to cuddle Pepper and see Jo and Chelane. Luna has really grown up and is mastering all sorts of words in both English and Spanish. We enjoyed catching up with everyone and watching Luna and Ezekiel chase each other around the kitchen island.

In other news, happy birthday to Grandpa Jim and today was Oliver's due date, but he's not here yet...

The 39 Steps

2011-11-10T22:34:00.000-08:00

David has been telling us bits and pieces about this play, so we were pretty excited to finally go see it tonight. It was amazing, but hard to describe. It is adapted from an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but is really clever and silly. Totally different than the other plays we've seen. Awesome job, David and crew!

(And at intermission we decided to make it a real fancy date night and got $1 snacks from the vending machine in the hallway. Yeah, that's how we roll.)

Jumped Up and Bit Me

2011-11-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

So, I got a big ol' fat lip today. I'm not going to try to describe how. Let's just say it involved a large pile of lilac trimmings, our medium sized garbage toter and a small misunderstanding of the laws of physics.

Remembering Grandma Ella

2011-11-09T21:10:00.000-08:00

Just a few photos today in honor of my Grandma Ella. She would have been 89 in December. Waiting for that day when we are all reunited.

Salted Caramel Six-Layer Chocolate Cake

2011-11-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

The tempting photo from Martha Stewart Living.

What we ended up with.

Padmini and Ezekiel patient wait for the cake to be finished.

Nelita spied an amazing recipe in a recent magazine, and we decided to give it a try. It seemed ridiculously complicated, so clearly must be worth it. We started on Monday night, purchasing the supplies and making all of the key components. My attempt at the caramel filling was an abysmal disaster, but Nelita successfully completed three round cakes and the chocolate frosting.

Yesterday I made another attempt at the caramel sauce then we met up and assembled the cake. That involved slicing each layer in two, dividing the caramel and spreading it, cooling the whole thing then frosting it.

Finally, tonight we got to taste it. I wouldn't have believed it a couple of days ago, but it was totally worth it.

The Wonderful World of...BOXES!

2011-11-08T22:37:00.000-08:00

I guess the exciting story here is that Nelita got a new range. But, for Ezekiel it is all about the box. Kennedi got to come over this afternoon and the two had endless fun.

First Word

2011-11-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

While out running errands this morning, Robb thought that it might be fun to take Zeke to the pet store. We got to look at the rodents (bleh!) and listen to the little birdies. Then on to the reptiles (only slight bleh). There was a super cute little turtle that was roaming around being funny. Then we went around the corner and when Zeke spotted the aquariums, he stopped in his tracks, pointed and said "ishy".

Bobbing for Arils

2011-11-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

Nelita informs me that the little juicy seeds of a pomegranate are arils. Awesome. David has been harvesting bowls full of these tasty treats and apparently this is how Zeke has chosen to enjoy them.

Fall Walla

2011-11-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the stray soccer ball from the playground across the street.

Jordan strikes up a conversation with a friendly local.

It was a perfect fall day so it only seemed natural to show Candace and Jordan around Pioneer Park. Of course, Ezekiel may have had some ulterior motives. With the slides and swings and rock climbing stones, the park is one of his favorite places.

Burn Victim—Eek!

2011-11-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

Still able to play with Auntie Candace's iPhone.

Showing off for the camera. (Mommy cringing.)

Magic Papaw ointment. Thanks, Candace!

As temperatures have been dropping, we put a fire in the stove tonight for the first time this season. It was lovely. Then it wasn't. Zeke burnt the pads of both his little hands and is learning a tough lesson about the word "hot". Surprisingly he slept well last night and is in high spirits this morning.

Trick-Or-Treat

2011-10-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel enjoys swinging instead of walking.

The Coffee men looking fierce.

Ezekiel grew weary and decided to take a break.

Collecting loot at the Current home.

The Pirate Hartmans (pretty much our only trick-or-treaters)!

This afternoon we joined the throngs of families trick-or-treating in downtown Walla Walla. It was a little overwhelming and we didn't make it all the way around, but seeing all the little ones in their costumes was so much fun.

Costume Party

2011-10-30T21:34:00.000-07:00

Cake pops!

Matt and Julie hosted an awesome costume party tonight. Their home was decorated with gold stars and coins and they were dressed as Mario, Princess Peach and little Yoshi. Thanks for the great party!

Robb and I got to choose costumes for each other this year so I was Wonder Woman and he was an officer with short shorts. Zeke was a shark. Rachel sent me a picture of the costume months ago and it was so perfect I ended up not making his costume.

For Candace and Jordan we found some Simpsons costumes at Wal-Mart. Only Homer's mask was missing so Jordan improvised by drawing some hair on a bald cap. Good times.

Fishing for Photos

2011-10-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

Jordan, the rugged angler searching for his prey.

Just trying to trick a fish.

Why fishing for photos? Because that's all we caught!

But...I guess that's okay because we had lots of fun anyway.

Good times were had by all even though we got tricked by the fish.

It's Fall in Walla Walla

2011-10-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

Jordan on Sabbath School duty.

Candace has the coolest phone!

On the way out of church today, Ezekiel discovered a nice pile of leaves. He had the most fun running through them and rolling and picking them out of his hair.

Jack-O-Lanterns

2011-10-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

Jordan's first pumpkin carving was brilliant.

Robb lights the candles.

Pumpkins by (left to right) Robb, Jordan, Candace and Jessica.

After we put Ezekiel to bed, it was time to tackle the pumpkins. We spent most of the time researching what designs we wanted to carve.

Pumpkin Time

2011-10-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

This one looks perfect.

Walking with mommy and letting it all hang out.

Jordan and Candace carting in the winning pumpkins.

That is one crazy long slide.

We thought we had better swing by Klickers and pick up some pumpkins to carve. It was pretty fun selecting pumpkins and enjoying a beautiful fall evening.

Making Faces

2011-10-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

Our friends Candace and Jordan are visiting for a bit, and Zeke is loving his new people.

Captain Dish Towel

2011-10-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel seems to have a fascination with capes. He'll grab a towel and put it over his shoulders all on his own. I'm sure we have a superhero in the making.

A Bold Venture

2011-10-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

Front view of Uncle Larry's new "shop".

Zeke teaches mommy how to blow raspberries.

Before heading off for home, Uncle Larry gave us a tour of his latest building project. He is calling it a shop, but you could park four RVs in the center, another six vehicles on each side and at least two of our houses upstairs. And to make it even more remarkable, it is a one man project. He has nailed every last nail and I don't even want to know how he got those giant beams in place...

The best part is the glorious view. From this high up you can see down the runway and over the river and out across the mountains. Last night there were torrential showers, but the sun came out and was sparkling through the golden Aspens and it was hard to leave.

Shake-Face

2011-10-22T23:34:00.000-07:00

Brenden, this is epic.

Joe, you were the clear winner.

Joanne makes it look glam.

Ezekiel thinks we are all too silly.

Since Brenden and Joanne reminded us that shake-face was a traditional part of the harvest party, we rounded up volunteers and went for it. Uncle Larry, we'll get you next year.

Montana Harvest Party

2011-10-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel helps Uncle Jeremy with the tractor.

Ezekiel checks out his prize from the fishing pond while Robb contemplates the treats table.

Ezekiel and Ray rocking the same hairstyle.

The Trout Creek SDA church hosts this event every year, and we hate to miss it. There is a little bit of something for everyone; bobbing for apples, roasted corn, a fishing pond with toys for the kiddos, songs around a giant bonfire, a cake walk free-for-all, a genuine hayride and plenty of delicious food and apple cider to go around.

It was raining like crazy all day, but cleared up just in time for us to enjoy the evening. Thanks for the lovely time, we'll be back again!