Happy New Year 2017!

December 31, 2016

Mom hadn't seen us snowshoe yet, so, we headed outside to show off our skills.  I did some running!

Did you see how fast I was?

I had fun playing around and being silly.

I had fun monster stomping!

It was fun to run around our backyard and get some energy out.

For Christmas I got mom a tripod for her camera.  She set it up to see how it worked.  Scout and I thought we would model to see how the pictures turn out with a tripod.  

Here are a couple of pictures from our photo shoot.  Scout looks thrilled to be a part of this!

I don't know who was more excited about having their picture taken with the tripod, me or Scout?

We got to stay up and celebrate New Year's Eve eastern time (that would be 9 o'clock our time).

As part of our New Year's Eve celebration mom made pizza and earlier in the day we made some Chex Mix.  We were excited to eat our pizza and Chex Mix on the couch watching a movie.

We watched the movie Paddington.  We thought that it would be fun to watch the movie with our Paddingtons.  We had a great time eating dinner with our movie!

At nine o'clock we got some sparkling cider to toast with.  Cheers!

Good bye 2016 and hello 2017!  

Here is a video of our New Year's Eve toast!  We hope you have a wonderful 2017!

These two little video made mom laugh when she ran across them a little bit ago.  In the video we are 4 1/2 and 2.  It is amazing how you think we change so much as we grow and then at the same time don't change at all.  

Hope you enjoy these throwbacks as much as we did!  Happy New Year!

Snowshoeing the neighborhood

December 30, 2016

Mom finally found the monster snowshoes out in the garage.  Since, McKenzie got a new pair of snowshoes that means that I get the monster ones all to myself!

While mom and dad were at work today Grammy and Granpy got our snowshoes on to take a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the sunshine!

I took to the snow, which is good, since, my snowshoes have claws on them.  The monster snowshoes are plastic without claws so Makayla was able to run along the sidewalk until she got the feel of wearing the snowshoes.

I am ready to take on the snow and see what it is like to stomp around like a monster.

Wow!  Look at me go!

Look at me go!!!  All around the block and back!

People in our neighborhood better watch out because there is a monster on the loose.  Thanks Grammy and Granpy for all the fun and watching us while you were visiting!  We sure had fun!

A snowman soup outing

December 29, 2016

For Christmas Grammy and Granpy got me some real snowshoes.  Since there is a lot more opportunity to snowshoe here in Redmond it is the perfect gift to get me outside and getting some energy out even in the cold weather.  With my snowshoes I got to go on a snow shoeing outing with just Grammy and Granpy and me.  I love to get quality time with people I love.  Grammy and I made some snowman soup (the snowman is marshmallows with a candy cane melted into the soup which is hot chocolate) before we left the house to keep me warm while we went out snowshoeing.  

There wasn't tons of snow around Redmond right now.  We have had some sunny days that have melted off what we got.  We found enough at the park to go out into the field and see how my new snowshoes worked.  

Granpy said, "I was a natural".  I took to snowshoeing like I had been walking for years!  I even did some running through the field in my snowshoes.

Granpy and I walked all around the park.  I stayed in the snow while Granpy was on the path.  Next time we go out we will have to go where there is enough snow for them to wear their snowshoes too.  They have the same snowshoes as me, but in adult sizes.

Snowshoeing sure is fun.

I somehow fell down.  Oops

Granpy helped me use the claws of my snowshoes to climb up this mound of snow.  

I am queen on the mountain!

I had fun throwing snowballs at Granpy!

We sure had fun out in the snow, even though it wasn't very much.

Grammy kept busy taking pictures of my first time snow shoeing.  Here is a really good on of me with my snowshoes.

You better watch out because I have a snowball in my hand.  

Granpy helped me to take my snowshoes off so that we could head home, but instead of my snowshoe coming off my whole boot did.  Thanks Grammy and Granpy for the snowshoes and for taking me out!  I love them!

While McKenzie was out snowshoeing, Mom and I went to the library.  Last night the library called to say, "that I won a raffle and I could come and pick out a book or a prize from under the Christmas tree!  I was pretty excited to win a raffle.  I ended up picking a big stuffed polar bear.  

Pappy's Pizza

December 28, 2016

Today we had a Grammy, Granpy, and Aunt Helen day.  We sent Mom and Dad off to work, so we would be able to have some fun.  Then we talked them into taking us out to eat for lunch.  Okay it was probably Granpy suggestion and we were more than happy to go along with it.  

We went to Pappy's Pizza, which is a local pizza place here in Redmond.  They have an all you can eat lunch buffet.  When it comes to pizza I probably can eat my weight in it!  

Thanks Grammy, Granpy, and Aunt Helen for lunch and for watching us while Mom and Dad worked!  We had a great time with you!

The best bed ever!

December 27, 2016

Today Granpy, with some help, put my new big girl bed together. Here is a video of me seeing it for the first time.  

I think this face says it all about what I think about it!  THIS IS SO AWESOME!

I love Makayla's new bed too!  When she is awake I get to play on it all I want!

That is a fast and fun slide!

Mom tried to get me to hold still for a moment to get a picture of me on my new bed, but I just was so excited that this was the closest she got!

We had fun exploring the tent underneath.  Peek-a-Boo

I am in here too!  This is going to be a great clubhouse!

Some pictures with Grammy, Granpy, and the bed.

I think it is safe to say that we love my new bed.

Thanks Grammy and Granpy!  I am sure going to get a lot of good nights of sleep in this bed and lots of fun playtime during the day!

That night we both climbed into Makayla's new bed to try it out.  I love that Grammy made me some new soft cozy cat sheets to fit on my new bed.  I am sure attached to my cozy sheets.  We really wanted to have a sleep over, but Mom and Dad thought maybe we should try it after the excitement of the bed has worn off!

High Desert Museum

December 26, 2017

This morning we were so excited to get to take a bath and try out our new robes that Uncle Jeff and Aunt Susan got us for Christmas. 

We had fun hanging out in them and playing with our new Paw Patrol toys that we got.  The robes sure are warm and comfy.

Awhile back while we were at storytime and they told us that you can check out a pass to the High Desert Museum which is just south of Bend.  They made the place sound so much fun that we kept mentioning it. This Wednesday while we were at storytime with Dad he asked if it was available to check out and it was,  

We figured today would be a good day to go and check out the museum, since, Dad had the day off and it would be something fun to do with Grammy, Granpy, and Aunt Helen while they were here.  We had a indoor picnic when we got there.  It was way to cold and there was too much snow to have a picnic outside.

We went to check out the reptile exhibit and hear a talk about reptiles, but they had to cancel the show because they were too busy feeding and keeping the reptiles warm in the cold weather. 

We headed into a natural animal habitat play area!

I pretended to be a beaver in the beaver dam.  

We had fun sliding like otters down the slide.  The otters life sure is fun!

Wow!  Those otters side fast!

We had a great view from the huge eagles nest.

I had fun checking out the beaver dam.

We crawled in and out of the rocks like the reptiles do.  

I climbed up on a rock to sun myself to keep me warm!  We sure had fun playing in the different animals habitats.

There was an otter feeding that we really wanted to see, so, we headed outside to find the otters.  On the way we passed by this sheepherders wagon.  Sure glad that we don't live in one of those!  Brrrrrrrrrr!

We bundled up because it was sure cold outside today and headed down to the otters.  When they told us about the pass at the library,  they told us we could see otters playing.  That is all I talked about, so, we figured we would tough out the cold and go watch those cute animals. 

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  I hope these otters are as cute as they sound!

The otters were out and very active.  They knew that it was time to eat soon, so, they were waiting around for the food.

It was fun to watch the otters from up top.  You could see them well.

Hey look this otter is talking to me!  I think he is wondering if I have his food?

It sure was fun to get to see the otters.  They were quite playful.

They would stand up and look around.  This otter is thinking you guys don't have my food where is the lady who feeds me?

A lady came out and fed the otters and talked about them.  She told us these are river otters which can be seen around here.  Aunt Helen lifted me up to see the otters being fed.  

Then I got on Daddy's shoulders.  I really could see everything from up there.

It was a great spot.

I had a blast up there.

I even did a little song and dance.

And some posing.

The otters are all done eating.  It think it is time to head back in to the warm buildings.

Grammy and I stopped to take some pictures in this winter wonderland.  Here is mom taking a picture of us.

Here is the picture that Grammy was taking of me!

Then I had a great time talking Grammy's ear off as we headed back to the building.

We decided to go and see the birds of prey part of the museum, so, on the way we stopped to get a picture with Grammy and Granpy.  

We found out which bird of prey our wing span matched their wing span.  Mine was about the same as a Gyrfalcon.

I was getting close the having the same wing span as a turkey vulture.  

They were going to do a bird of prey talk in a little bit, so, we had some time to fill.  We headed back out into the cold to see the homestead that they have there.

This was the chicken coop.

The cellar which they used to keep things cold.  I wonder why they needed this?  

A little homestead cabin.

The frozen over pond where the frogs live when they are not hibernating.

We were so lucky that they chose a great horned owl to bring out and show us.  Isn't he scary and creepy (oh I mean beautiful).

Here I am listening to the talk on the great horned owl.

Then we were even luckier and at the end got to go up and see the owl up close.  Of course we wanted to.  Why wouldn't any one want to see an owl up close?

We headed back over to the main museum to check out some of the exhibits.  They had a really cool one that took you through different times in Oregon history.  They also had one on the saw tooth shark and one with some Ansel Adams paintings that was on loan from Turtle Bay.  Here they encouraged you to take out your cell phone and take a picture with it in black and white just like Ansel Adams.  Well mom just used her camera just like Ansel Adams would have.  Crazy mom.  Here is one in color.

Then one in black and white just like Ansel Adams pictures.  Okay nothing like his pictures since he was an amazing photographer.  It was sure fun to get to see some of his work.  We had a blast at the High Desert Museum today.  What a fun place to go and visit!!!