Messy

Jake and I invited Ruby and her mama over for a messy playdate. For this messy playdate, I used steel-cut oatmeal (I have way too much of it, and only really enjoy it in the summertime, and Mike and Jake won't touch it).

Both kids enjoyed it! Ruby was playing happily on the floor with Jake but then wandered off by the time I got my camera.

I hadn't gotten a picture of these birthday twins for awhile! They're really growing!

Crunchy Leaves

Yesterday it was one of those warm, sunny fall days in Portland, and we were lucky to join our friends Korin and Ruby and go for a walk at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.
The two birthday twins were happy to be out and about. We saw a snake, a caterpillar, and 2 deer.
And there were lots of crunchy leaves to play with.


Walk softly and carry a big stick. (Actually, he was pretending it was a gun.)
The whole time, Jake kept asking when we would get to the playground. He couldn't wrap his mind around the concept that we were 'just out for a walk in the woods and enjoying the trees, etc.' So when they saw these bars at the end of the trail, they were delighted and started playing on them. It was hard to get them off!

He's THREE!!

Jake started his birthday with a smoothie.
(Luckily, we had a blender in time... our blender broke about a month ago due to a part on the motor wearing out. So then a friend of ours gave us his blender to borrow (he's never used it). However, when we pulled it out of the box, the glass pitcher dropped onto the floor and broke. Sigh. So I ordered a replacement, but in doing so, found out that the blade piece had been recalled and a replacement needed to be sent. We would never have known had we not broken the pitcher!! So Friday afternoon a replacement pitcher and blade finally arrived. So the three year old got something he'd been wanting for a month -- a smoothie.)
Time for some presents!
Happy face.
A recycling truck made from recycled plastic milk jugs. Hilarious, but he loves it. There are little cardboard cutouts of bottles, cans, and newspapers that go into the slots on the truck. Then the back opens to get everything out.

A Babar book.
Then pancakes!
More presents. He was thrilled with this tee-ball set.
We gave him this computer that someone sent a while ago. Thank you, and let us know who you are!
He got to watch Thomas the Train in the morning as a birthday treat. He didn't want to let go of his bat and ball while watching :)
In the afternoon was the party at Sellwood park. Luckily we had no rain until the party was over!



The friends couldn't wait to eat the cupcakes!


Singing Happy Birthday. Jake blew out the candles before we were finished singing, which made me laugh.

It was also Ruby's birthday, so we had a joint celebration. These 2 kids were born just 12 hours apart on the 20th!

Skylar and Jake.
Partygoers.



Before and after the cupcakes there was playing at the playground!

Jake's present from Gramma and Papa.

Playdate with Ruby

Ruby came over for a playdate!! Jake and Ruby were excited to see each other and immediately got down to business playing. Such cuteness, these 2.


Then Jake and I, along with Grandma, went over to a friend's house and picked blueberries! Thanks, Barbara, for letting us have your beautiful blueberries! (Barbara was out of town and had 2 bushes just full of berries, and needed help using them up!)