Sledding, Snowshoeing and cocoa at the Mazama Lodge

Abe: We had crazy fun on Mt Hood today because there was 4 feet of new snow, so much we made tree avalanches and got mashed lots by gigantic snowfalls. 

We needed snowshoes to get there from our car, and we went sledding, well I mean saucering - look how fast!!!

We played in the snowcave and had snack and cocoa at the Mazama Lodge - wow whata day.  We slept on the way home. 

Christmas Eve and a picture puzzle

We went to the Christmas Eve candle and carols service at Hope Community Church tonight, and it was nice.   We listened to Dad sing loudly and got to light and hold our own candle.   Dad took this picture and we thought it was a fun puzzle: See if you can figure out

"What's wrong with this photo?"  (clue: several things)

Chess

Koh and I play chess, with each other and mom and dad and anyone else, too.   Koh says he never wins even though he beat me today, which was the first time I think.

Dad says he's pretty sure he didn't play chess when he was 5, but we're smarter than him anyway.

Love Letter from Dad #12

You guys just make my day sometimes.   This week you did it by reversing our nearly 6-year reading habit, that one where your mom and I read to you each night before bed.    I knew the day would come, and I should've seen it coming since you're learning to read in school and we even got some "beginning reader" books at the library last week. 

But it was a dramatic milestone tonight when we did our usual snuggled together night-time reading routine on the sofa, Abe on my left and Koh to the right.  Teeth brushed, pajamas on, 8pm.

Then you READ TONIGHT'S BOOK TO ME, simply taking turns reading each page of "My Best Friend" by Diane Namm.    Only a few words stumped you, the rest you knew or sounded out or figured out from the pictures.   That was really neat, I'm very proud of you.   I want more night reading like that one.

I love you guys,   Dad.

Holiday Express steam train!

Abe: Tonight we went with Rowan's family on the Holiday Express, this hot steam train whose horn makes a lot of noise at our house, but not so much when we ride inside it.

Koh was shocked when Santa came aboard and gave us candy canes.  We walked into every car on the train, even between the coaches in the scary dangerous part, and stuck our heads out all the open windows and gates.

Snowboarding Day #1

Koh: Today we learned to snowboard.  Dad took us to a full-day lesson on Mt Hood, and boy did we like that!   We got our own snowboards and lift passes and rode the magic carpet and shredded down and repeated that for 4 hours.   Rachael was our private professional teacher who was fun and very helpful for us both.



We fell some, but it didn't hurt... except that one one time for me when I cried a little and thought maybe I'd try checkers or skiing instead.   But I rested and build a snowman then I WAS BACK.  Watch me go.

Whooooooopeeeeeeee!!!!!


 

Warm November day

Dad fixed us some nice grilled cheese English muffins, eggnog and cottage cheese and it was so nice we had lunch on the deck in November!

My face, my tongue, my crayon

Koh - I love drawing more than just about anything else.

I get my whole face involved, too, look here.

We love our playground

And especially this seesaw, best for twins.  

Boo!

Guess which one of us is the Hissing Cockroach and which is the Lizard?

Jacob sleepover #2

Jacob came over for another slumber party, and we ate a jack-o-lantern pizza, then made cookies, then watched movies and eventually went to sleep.  

Then we went for a rainy day walk to Tryon Park and found a giant pacific salamander and some juicy juices.

I'm an airplane factory

Abe: I love paper airplanes and I make a lort of them and they fly far, too.   Here's my production for just one day.  

Pumpkin patch day

We gathered our Halloween pumpkins today at the Pumpkin Patch.  And rode the hayride, and got lost in the Corn Maze, and ate some apples, drank some cider and jumped on BIG hay bales, too.

Dress Up Day at Kindergarten?

Abe: The students dressed like adults and the teachers like kids today.

Check out our fine duds!

Where's my tooth?!

Abe: My middle lower teeth have been loose for a month, and today one just wiggled on out.

WOW check out my new smile!  Koh says I can drink with my mouth shut now using a straw through that hole.