A Thanksgiving Feast

My Aunt Megan taught me you have to keep food separate.


Yesterday a sign went up at Evie Lu's daycare announcing a Thanksgiving Feast and parents were invited. Always a fan of feasts, I joined our little girl for lunch at school. The food was about what you would expect, but the company was fantastic. Evangeline was a little confused when I showed up and had no intention of taking her home right away. (This was a common theme with kids and parents throughout lunch.)

I shared my roll with Evie Lu (my girl loves her carbs) and she offered me some of her green beans. The sweetest part was getting to wash her hands after lunch and seeing her go to her cot for a nap. (I'm thinking we need to get one at home because at daycare she flops onto it and practically goes to sleep immediately.) I kissed Evie Lu's cheek and then left one of the greatest lunches ever.

What? No seriously. What?


And also Happy Birthday Brady!

Evie Lu's First Dance

Evie Lu is sick again and it is my turn to stay home with her while Kaia is at work. We worked on getting video of her telling everyone, "I love you!", but Evie Lu just wasn't feeling it today. Instead here is a sweet moment from Evie Lu's first week. You can tell exactly when Kaia notices I'm recording.

Lego Land

One more block and I may be done!


One of my co-workers has twin three year old girls and she has been taking care of us with some great hand me downs for Evie Lu. We've received dresses, outfits, and most recently a giant bag of Legos. Evie Lu loves blocks and she's over the moon about the Legos. (Kaia and I have been having quite a bit of fun as well.) As a dad it makes me very happy to see my little girl has as much fun building things as she does destroying them after the building is complete. Go Evie!

Do I see a mess? No, I see genius at work!

Pony Girl

This is too much fun!

Kaia and I have moved from dressing Evie Lu up in ridiculous outfits to Evie Lu dressing herself up. It is great. These pictures are from an afternoon when just Evie and I were home. She went into her playroom and came out in the hat and carrying her stick horse. (I picked up the stick horse this summer because every kid needs one.) Evie Lu has a great time pretending she's riding the range or herding Oscar.

I'll see you down the trail partners.

A Walk In The Woods

Would you like to come hiking with me?

We are in early November and our house is ready for cold and flu season to be over. Evie Lu still hasn't completely shaken her sickness and this weekend Kaia had to take care of Evie Lu, Oscar, and me since we were all under the weather. Kaia deserves a medal.

Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but pictures and giant leaves!


Despite all the sickness we've been managing to have a lot of fun in between coughs. The most fun is seeing how Evie Lu is becoming a little girl. She plays little games and her imagination is in top gear almost constantly. This week will feature some pictures of Evie Lu in full play mode.

I'll see you on the trail.

Evie Lu - Oscar Tamer

Oscar, follow the feathers!

Evie Lu and Oscar have an interesting relationship. Evangeline loves having an addition to the house that she can boss around, but she is not very patient with Oscar all the time. She really wants to treat him like a plaything and thankfully Oscar is pretty low key. When they do play well together it is a riot. We let Evie Lu use the feather toy and Oscar loved it. We just needed to make sure the toy didn't get used as a whip.

You will obey me.

Lions, and Croup, and Candy . . . Oh My!

Yeah, I'm cool. I've got candy.

Kaia and I were discussing that in your twenties you choose whether you want to stay up all night, but in your thirties it is the choices you've made that keep you up. That being said, Evie Lu has given us quite the eventful week.

Tuesday night we called ask a nurse about Evangeline's cough and labored breathing. We were certain she had croup, but the nurse's reaction sent us into panic mode. We were instructed to call 911 immediately. Evie Lu and Kaia were whisked off in an ambulance while I followed in the car. The emergency room doctor gave our little girl steroids and some other medication and sent us home. Whew.

After trick or treating thumb sucking and dad hugs are necessary.


Kaia and Evie Lu stayed home the next day and I think Kaia and Oscar the cat were the worse for wear. Evie Lu loves to try and steer Oscar by his tail, loves to hug him, and if he would sit still for it I'm sure Evie would try to dress him in doll clothes. We have a very patient cat and Kaia deserves the mother of the year award.

Story time with mom helps little lions settle down.


Oh Halloween Evie Lu and Kaia hit the mall to do trick or treating and our lion was a big hit. Of course we have a time delayed lion as Evangeline gets shy in front of people, but bold as soon as walks away. Kaia would ask Evie, "What does a lion say?" Evie Lu would stand silently staring at the people holding candy. Kaia tells the nice people, "I'm sorry she's shy." My ladies take five steps away and then Evie roars and says, "tick or tea." Maybe we should be off to see the wizard for our cowardly lion.

The End