I am thankful

I have so much to be thankful for, but this year I am particularly thankful for health. Tuesday I went to our friend's house who has cancer. She is 26 years old and has been sick and in pain for 7 years. She doesn't have much energy, so we help her around the house with dishes, trash, etc. She told me that she wanted to live, but has made peace with death. Wow...and I was stressed about getting to Target to buy a new shirt to go with a sweater someone gave me. Talk about a dose of much needed perspective.
So today, I am thankful for my friend who lives so gracefully despite sickness. I am thankful for my body. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful I have the energy for small and large tasks. I am thankful for reminders.

More Colorado

While in Colorado Montana got to spend time with her cousins, Madelyn and Will, and the newest addition, Isabelle. Beautiful baby! Montana loved holding her and I forgot how fragile, small, and precious newborn babies are. It's amazing how quickly they grow and become crazy toddlers!! I hadn't been trick-or-treating in YEARS, so my sis and bro-in-law, broke me in. Madelyn went as Ariel, Will was Spiderman, Montana was a princess (of course), and Isabelle was just plain adorable. We got some good candy and it was a fun evening. Montana was her usual social self and enjoyed it, I mean what kid hates it??

Princess in Action

Sorry you have to turn your head to watch it - I'm not computer savvy (or patient) enough to figure out how to turn it. (PS if anyone knows...let me know!!)

Princess? My daughter? Really?

Yep. My daughter is loving the princess thing and she's hardly 2. When we found out we were having a girl, the one thing I did not want was a princess. Well, here she is loving everything pink, dress, and princess. I guess there's a little something to say about the whole nature vs. nurture controversy!! AND to top it off, when we were in Colorado, my parents and my sister completely egged it on. They bought her a princess dress complete with wings and a wand. She wore it almost everyday over her clothes and insisted on dancing whenever it was on. Four adults indulged a 23 month old whenever she saw fit.

Final Confession: She's utterly adorable and totally cracks me up.

Vermont

Highlight of my fall: visiting my friend, Shawna, in Vermont with Jenny. We had a terrific girls' weekend. The weekend got kicked off with a "chicken of wine" and ended at Ben and Jerry's home factory with lots of talking, laughing, eating, drinking, driving (not necessarily in that order) in between. Fantastic! It was my first time leaving Montana for that long and we both did just fine. She stayed in Colorado and got to spend time with both grandparents, while Aaron remained in Washington holding down the fort! Now of the top of my agenda: getting back to Vermont ASAP!! :)

Climb!

Last Saturday Aaron and I ran a half-marathon in Leavenworth with some friends. We had a great weekend. The weather was fantastic and Aaron and I ran pretty much the whole thing together. Of course we had to partake of the post-run Oktoberfest beer and brats and then we headed home. On Sunday we were both beat - a Sunday afternoon nap never sounded better. I put Montana down for her nap and she chatted with her sock monkey for awhile, so Aaron and I put ourselves down for OUR nap. And just as we were starting to wonder if Montana was going to go to sleep, we hear the pitter-patter of feet across the hard wood floor and Little Miss Montana appears at our door and announces herself with a very proud, "HI!!" Well I had no reaction but to crack up laughing. I laughed until I cried, because life as I know it is about to change...again. We asked her how she got out and she proudly replied, "Climb!" Duh, mom and dad. Needless to say, nap time did not happen on Sunday.

A brief picture blurb

Montana and I at a farm outside of Bellingham - we've had a gorgeous fall!

Aaron and Montana made a cake while I was camping with the youth group.
Looks like she got the fun job!!

Montana and August hanging out during snack time. We miss that kid!
His parents moved to Canada, and they HAD to take him too.

Montana LOVES wearing dresses and playing dress up. This was taken at a museum when we met our friends Jana and Will for the day. Montana was in to the dress-up clothes they had and Will just wanted to watch the trains. Go figure.

Montana and Will chatting over a little snack