Back in January we hosted a birthday party for madame.

This year’s theme was Beatrix Potter. Everyone wore masks of different Potter characters, and we had tea, sandwiches, scones and cakes for the party.

We played with some of her new presents…

and had a rousing game of impromptu ‘balloon ball’ too!

We went to the Nevada County Fair, which had loads of rides, games, food, music,  animals and exhibits.

 
After watching her fearless cousin tackle walking on water in a big bubble, L had to give it a try!

We had a wonderful visit, can’t wait to see everyone again!

Mommy, I wanna see the volcano interrupting!

-while watching Kilauea’s latest eruption

We just got back from a snowy weekend. Lucy enjoyed playing in Gma & Gpa’s yard, where there was still a bit of snow left over from last week’s storm.

Before:                                         After:

Here are some snow cats we made in the big pile of snow in the driveway:

We went up to Soda Springs for some snow play at Planet Kids. Lucy had a blast.

She rode on the tube ride, climbed the snowy volcano, and coasted down the hill. We checked out Boreal, which will be great next year for some ski lessons!

We celebrated Grandma K’s birthday with a cake made by Lucy, and played trains with Grandpa.

Grandpa gave Lucy a treasure chest, and let her pick out some shells to put in it!

First up, the 4 year old portion…princess themed, with castle, knights, and princesses. (She said she and I could be the valiant knights, and Auntie Laura could be the princess.) There were cupcakes for all, and a crown each for Grandpa and Lucy.

After the cupcakes, piles of presents (she says her favorite present was her new scissors), and dancing portion, we went out to dinner for the grown up portion with Gpa’s longtime friends.

We had a great meal, good company, and madame managed to make it through the long meal by getting Grandma to rub her feet.

After dinner we had a coconut cake chez Gma & Gpa, and presents for Grandpa. A wonderful time was had by all!

Going to the Snow from Mike C on Vimeo.

We spent the weekend in Grass Valley with Lucy’s grandparents. Lucy had been looking forward to the trip all week, especially our Saturday trek to Soda Springs where she’d be able to play in the snow.

Lucy got her first taste of snow last year. However, she wasn’t really prepared for that encounter. Her excitement dissipated quickly once she realized how cold and wet snow could be.

However, this year was very different. Lucy’s three now, a grizzled veteran compared to the two year old rookie we plopped into the snow last year. This time she had a much better idea of what to expect. We also planned things a bit better, making sure to bring along a snow sled for the kid.

In this video you’ll see us all having a great time in the snow. Lucy’s excitement can be quite infectious that way. Also, if you watch the whole video, you just might catch a special moment where Lucy and her Gpa cut the rug together. Fun stuff.

Last week we went to see the daffodil hill at Filoli…it’s a great place to run around!

Grandmommy loved the daffodils…we imagined her enjoying them with us, just like we did when Lucy was a baby.

A Message for Aunt Janie from Mike C on Vimeo.

This is a special message for Lucy’s Auntie Janie, taken during our visit to Gma and Gpa’s house…

Hi Auntie Janie! love from Lucy and all of us!

Grass Valley Visit from Mike C on Vimeo.

We spent last weekend with Tom and Karen in Grass Valley. This is the (25 minute!) video. Some highlights:

• Lucy playing in the “ladybug pool”
• Lucy, Tom, and Karen putting on a talent show
• Lucy saying “Hi” to her Auntie Janie
• Lucy finding frogs while exploring a creek

For pics, please refer to Jill’s post.

Music:

• ‘”Mose Rager Blues” from Country Guitar Thunder by Merle Travis & Joe Maphis
• “Words Unspoken” and “Tin Roof” from The Crow—New Songs For The 5-String Banjo by Steve Martin
• “Gone” from Guitar Country by Chet Atkins
• “Understand Your Man, “Catch the Wind“, and “Blowin’ in the Wind” from More of That Guitar Country by Chet Atkins
• “Ground Speed” from Foggy Mountain Banjo by Flatt & Scruggs
• “Black Mountain Rag” from The Essential Chet Atkins by Chet Atkins

Oregon Visit from Mike C on Vimeo.

We spent Sept 16 – 21 in Oregon. Here’s a (16 minute HD) video of our time there, including a get-together with my brother and his family.

The majority of the video was taken around Corvallis. We didn’t really get any Portland footage this time, so we’ll have to address that the next time we go back.

For more info, check out Jill’s earlier post about our trip.

Music:

• “Someday My Prince Will Come” from Someday My Prince Will Come by Miles Davis
• “Little Wing” from The Sky Is Crying by Stevie Ray Vaughan

Below are some pics from our visit.

Lucy and Gma share a secret…

Wheeling the “quad” around the kitchen…after this she opened every cupboard and drawer, took out pots and pans to play with, and measuring cups to sort.

She loves playing with the great variety of toys at their house, courtesy of her bigger cousin, especially the quad (above) and the drum. She wheeled all over the house and the yard, and serenaded us with drumming each morning.

At the park on the slide with Daddy; Gpa poses by the double helix ladder.

Lucy got to see her first riverbed up close…

and wade in the water.

She also got to touch a tiny toad…and a much bigger one.

Unfortunately my camera fell in the water just after this small toad, so the big toad will just have to wait for Mike’s fabulous video footage!

Thanks to Gma and Gpa for their generous hospitality and a wonderful weekend!