The girls' birthday was on a Tuesday this year. We had their party the Saturday prior and decided to do a birthday week full of activities. We went to the zoo and got caught in a surprise thunder storm. Next was Lee Farms and we had an interesting encounter with a foursome of baby cows. Third was Pump It Up for some bouncing fun and last was Fir Point Farms for some more animal adventures.
Thunder storm rolling in at the zoo.
Waiting out the rain under an umbrella outside the cafe.
Lee Farms hay ride - Kathryn's favorite fall activity.
Attempt at a picture that was thwarted by a little brown cow who was fascinated by Jocelyn's buns.
Butt kissing cow.
The cow licked Kathryn's pants and I caught her remembering and mimicking it.
J&K at the Lee Farms photo op.
Bouncing on the big bounce pillow.
J&K bouncing at Pump It Up.
In the wind machine together.
Happy Kathryn - possibly one of the best smiles we caught all year.
Fir Point Farms - distracted by the hee haw of a donkey.
Kathryn and Jocelyn turned 12 this year. We were at the store and looking at the different birthday decorations and I asked them what kind of birthday party they wanted. I don't know if it was just coincidence or not, but both said, at the same time, HALLOWEEN! This was very appropriate based on all the toys they wanted for their birthday, which were all Halloween related. So, we made a very Halloween-y birthday for year 12.
Halloween birthday decorations.
K&J checking out their gifts.
Kathryn.
Jocelyn.
Kathryn with another jack-in-the-box.
Jocelyn with the witch in a cauldron.
Kathryn with her beloved Bango. It is a skeleton playing a banjo. The first time she spotted this toy in Walmart, she was crazy about it. We asked her to put it back on the shelf and she hesitated and put it back, then picked it up, put it back and then picked it up again. When she put it back on the shelf for good, she kissed him on the head! For days, she asked to go to Walmart and kept repeating BANGO! BANGO! We bought the last one in stock for her in secret for her birthday. The next trip to Walmart was plagued by supreme disappointment and intense searching though the Halloween decorations. She even found a video on YouTube of this new favorite and unattainable toy. Needless to say, she was very happy to see him among her birthday gifts!
Happy Jocelyn watching her singing pony.
Kathryn blowing out candles for the zillionth time.
Joce blew out candles exactly twice this year. One for a picture and one on video.
I found a bunch of videos on my phone of Jocelyn singing Christmas songs and the "Hot Pockets" theme so I have saved them all here for posterity. She had my phone in the backseat of the car one day and she was recording her shoe and saying various nursery rhymes so I strung them all together in one video.
At some point, Jocelyn learned the "Hot Pockets" theme and we would laugh every time she sang it. It turned into her singing and laughing at herself, which I recorded and forgot about.
Jocelyn loves Christmas songs and she sings them periodically throughout the year. I caught a couple of videos of her singing while she was snuggling with me in my bed.
As everyone should know by now, Jocelyn loves all animals. Kathryn is a tad more ambivalent about getting up close and personal. We tried a family trip to this small petting zoo that was right down the street from our house, but the line was long and there was a lot of chaos. Jocelyn and I ventured back down around closing time and had a great animal encounter.
Jocelyn and the three little pigs.
Baby cows are awesome.
This piggy liked Jocelyn and stood still to be petted.
We can never get enough of the beach. There were massive forest fires burning around the Gorge and in Southern Oregon so Portland was extremely smoky. We darted over to Pacific City for a little respite from the choking smoke. It was a little hazy, but a gorgeous day to be at the coast.
K&J.
Twins.
Jocelyn headed out to meet up with the horseback riders.
Horses can always elicit a big smile.
Me and my girls.
A friendly dog joined the girls for a little ocean frolicking.
A little photo shoot of a very content Kathryn.
Thoughtful.
Happy.
Jocelyn spent nearly the whole day in the water.
J forcing K to let her listen to her youtube video.
A little friendly push into the surf.
Running.
See, mom? I'm sharing.
More smiles watching more horses.
Obligatory Haystack Rock photo.
One more picture before we left for the day. Top of the dunes.
