Alex and Genevieve

Alex and Genevieve get along very well. This may be due, in part, to Genevieve not talking and not being able to sit up on her own. Whatever Alex says pretty much goes, but don't expect that to last.



Here is a cute video of the kids together

Lately Genevieve has been getting lots of "tummy time" practice. Alex likes to join in too.

Genevieve only puts up with about 30 seconds of tummy time, and then she demands that she be turned over onto her back. Once she's on her back, she delights in flailing her arms and legs around and making adorable cooing noises. Me and Alex thought it looked like fun and we should try it too


Fall Leaves

Last week, Alex helped Dana with raking up the fall leaves in the back yard.


But that was taking forever. There had to be a better way...

Then it came to him... A TRUCK!

Trucks make every job better!

San Diego

Recently we realized that we're running out of time to travel. Once both kids are over 2, it will be cost prohibitive to do much air travel, and long car trips will be a challenge. So we took advantage of Dana's 15th high school reunion to go visit San Diego. Susan and Herb have completely fallen for Genevieve and Alex. They really seemed to hit it off! It was a delight to watch them. We have some old fashioned film photos which we have not developed yet. I will post those here shortly.

Dana catches up with Jenny after many years apart

Leslie and Shimshon get some valuable "practice" time with Genevieve, in preparation for Ruthie's baby coming early next year!

Despite Jeff and Veronica being sick and being forced to miss our planned trip to the Wild Animal Park, we still managed to catch up with Martha for brunch and a relaxing afternoon outing.

Cooking with Mommy

Alex loves to cook with Dana. She has been teaching him how to bake cookies and cupcakes. I think he has also been getting lessons from Ryanne.


Here is a cute video of the two chefs at work:

Not to be outdone by her older brother, Genevieve wanted to show that she too can cook

Last week we received a beautiful hand-made blanket from my Aunt Joan. Genevieve really likes the soft fabric.


In other news, Auntoh Ali and Uncle Eric will be here next weekend to help us celebrate Halloween. We will become a family of spiders. Even Genevieve! Here is a sneak preview:

The weekend after that Alex and I will be flying to Olympia to visit my Grandma, his Great Grandma.

And the weekend after that, Michael, Moira, and Michael will be visiting. This is shaping up to be a busy Fall!

Genevieve's first snow

This Friday night we got our first snow. It was only about 3 inches, but it has stuck around all weekend, and knocked most of the leaves from the trees. It is a very helpful reminder that winter is almost here. It was also Genevieve's first snow.


We often sit Genevieve in her swing in the kitchen while cooking or cleaning. She likes it OK, but she much prefers being held. I've also set her in her car seat on the counter, which she seems to like better because she has a bird's eye view of activity in the kitchen.

Speaking of cooking, Dana has been trying to help me find better things to cook for Alex than macaroni and cheese on nights she has class. Last week I came home to find this do-it-yourself, cook-by-numbers arrangement:
It worked perfectly!

Alex has been enjoying the change in weather, even if it limits his outdoor time a little bit.

Waiting for dinner...

Genevieve has been working on talking. Here is a video of her chatting with me and Dana

Trusty

Trusty little Honda Civic. You had no idea back when the starry-eyed newlyweds bought you just what rigors, what challenges you would face in your short life, from the sticky-fingered, spit-upping, seat-kicking, goldfish-throwing kids who weren't even a gleam in your new owners' eyes then.

And here you are now, sporting 100,000 miles. Way to go.

I've got a name

Like the pine trees lining the winding road, I've got a name...
At long last we received Genevieve's revised birth certificate. Her name is now officially Genevieve.

Movin' us down the highway...

Last weekend Grandma and Grandpa Stangel came to visit. To celebrate the occasion, and the end of a long, beautiful Colorado summer, we decided to venture up to Georgetown to ride the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad, and tour the 1870s era Lebanon silver mine.

The train crossing the high bridge just above Devil's Gate (Georgetown, Colo)

The train ride was a huge success. It was a gorgeous fall afternoon in the Rockies, as the train chugged along the 3-mile loop from Silver Plume to Georgetown and back. Alex loved the train (no surprise there!) and we all enjoyed the trip.

Afterward as the sun began to set behind the mountains we stopped at the Plume Saloon -- possibly the only restaurant in Silver Plume. It had exactly one table, in the corner by the fireplace. But they served some outstanding burgers and deep-fried lamb chops (lamb lollipops), and cheap pitchers of Killian's.

Genevieve and Grandpa watch the Broncos beat the Raiders

In other adventures, Daddy has been tuning up his recumbent tricycle (just in time for winter?). Yesterday Alex and I took it out for a ride to shake off the dust and test out the repairs.


It was only going to be a quick shakedown ride, but we ended up circumnavigating Berthoud. Along the way we stopped at the Berthoud Barley Days festival at the park. It was about to wrap up, but we had time to play at the bouncey castles and hear some live music.

Alex plays with Mia, the daughter of our friends Davin and Alicia