Pumpkin Patch 2010

On Sunday October 17th we visited Hall's Pumpkin Patch in Grapevine after afternoon naps (Sofia nearly always takes one on Sunday even though the rest of the week are hit or miss). Sofia had a great time running around and especially enjoyed playing on the play structure, jumping on the hay bale maze, and playing inside the hay bale house. I had flashbacks to the year before when she needed help playing on the play structure, had no interest in the hay bale maze and really loved the kid's tractors. Unfortunately, we missed the hay ride out to feed the cows (they sold the last ticket just as we got in line). It was a fun visit and we have a beautiful pumpkin out of it!

Posing with the pumpkins


With Mommy in the wagon. There are available wagons to pull pumpkins (and girls).


Sofia cozy in the wagon


Jumping from hay bale to hay bale. She did this forever!


Happy girl!


With Papa and our pumpkin


Posing on the tractor. Sofia also tried riding on the kid-size tractors but they were too hard to pedal in the dirt.


With Papa


With Mommy


Sofia inside the hay bale house. Sofia would make CK a "latte" and then ask for him to pay for it. Maybe a few too many visits to the drive through Starbucks with Mommy??


Pulling her pumpkin to the register....

Mia and Leelu

While our neighbors were visiting Italy for ten days, we watched two of their dogs (they also have a young Boxer who was off at obedience school). Mia and Leelu are Shih Tzus who love to just hang out and be cute. They were such easy and fun dogs and I started to have the "we need a dog" feelings. Mia liked to follow me around the house or sit right next to me on the couch, while Leelu was content to sleep on the floor most of the day. Sofia loved taking them for walks and the first few days that was all she talked about. We were walking them twice a day at first, but the fun wore off pretty quickly. Sofia would have one leash and I'd have the other and we made a good dog walking team. Otherwise, Sofia wasn't so sure about them. At times she wanted to play with them as if they were toys and didn't want them in her room. Otherwise, she pretty much ignored them. So, maybe in a few more years when my fair weathered dog walker is really ready for a dog we'll consider getting one....

Mia (left) and Leelu (right)


Sofia walking Mia in our neighborhood. She also brought books with her on each walk - just in case, I guess....


Walking over to look at the cows.

Florida

On Thursday October 7th, Sofia and I flew from Washington DC to Gainesville, Florida to spend the weekend with Sofia's Grandma and Grandpa (CK arrived the next morning). Sofia's Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Jay came for the weekend with Chandler and Jillian, so we had a fun visit with everyone. CK and I attended the Florida-LSU football game on Saturday night and Sofia had a great time playing with Chandler and watching Jillian. She really loves babies (ever since Jillian was born really) and wants to watch and hold them. Every evening Sofia and her Grandpa would take a Gator ride around the farm and he even let her drive, although I think she preferred his driving! CK tried to take her on a solo Cub flight, but just before take off she changed her mind and wanted out (luckily she decided then and not a few minutes later). Her other big favorite during this visit was playing in the sand area near their patio. She loved to dig around with the tractors and would soon be coated with dirty sand (it isn't like the playground type). I think she still has some Florida sand in her hair now!

Very excited for her first Gator ride of the weekend.


Sofia and her Grandpa


Shadow of the Cub out near Orange Lake


The view as CK flew me around....very peaceful


Our crazy driver!


Playing in the sand


Look at that face!!


Snuggling with Jillian. Sofia loved being around Jillian.


The girls


CK with Chandler and Sofia out for a Gator trip


Jay giving "Pony rides" (at least that's what we call them). They both had fun riding and falling off.


Heading home on Columbus Day


Helping Papa fly


What CK calls our "Family Portrait" I'm finishing my book while Sofia helps CK fly - a perfect arrangement. She also took a long nap in my lap prior to going up front, so she was in a great mood.

Gator Game

On Saturday afternoon, we left the farm with CK's friends and headed to watch the Gator's play LSU. We happened to be offered tickets to a box and decided to sit there to enjoy the game (CK's friend had tickets for us, but we wouldn't be sitting together). It was quite an experience and a very comfortable way to watch the game, although you could only barely hear the roar of the crowd, which must have been overwhelming in the stands. It was a fun experience, aside from the fact that LSU won.

Go Gators


Our view from the box


The teams warming up. We were there about 30 minutes before the game started, so we were able to watch both teams practice and the crowd stream into the stands


The Gator band


The football player's entrance onto the field


Having fun.....I think CK's lack of a smile may reflect the score.


The next day.


Trying to get Grandma, Grandpa and three kids all together, smiling and looking at the camera was pretty much impossible! I don't know how professional photographers do it!

Washington DC visit

On Thursday September 30th, we flew to Washington DC to visit for a week. The trip was really for CK's reunion with Senator Connie Mack's staff, but Sofia and I stayed for a few more days to visit friends and hang out with Aunt (Uncle was in NYC). We had events with the Connie Mack folks both Friday and Saturday nights and Aunt and Uncle watched Sofia for us and had a great time and got her to bed without a problem. We visited and hung out with a lot of friends and hit some of our favorite places including Turtle Park which is where Sofia used to play when we lived on Capitol Hill, Market Lunch at Eastern Market which has the very best breakfast in the world, and the Metro which Sofia loved.

Visiting Turtle Park - our previous house is in the background (behind the tree)


Weeeeee. Sofia and Grayden used to play on this teeter totter, and she loved getting on it again. We spent a lot of time here.


Market Lunch with Forrest.


Yum! The best french toast ever!


Hanging out with Uncle Steve. Sofia has a frog drawing on her face that she got at Frager's Hardware Store's 90th year celebration. They all headed there while I went for a pedicure and lunch with a girlfriend!


With Mike, Bahareh and little Leah. Great catching up with them and meeting the adorable little Leah.


Hanging out with Aunt Shirl while she cooks


Crazy Bands - these are from Frager's and were all tool shapes


On the turtle at Turtle Park. Sofia used to pull herself up from crawling when we lived on Capitol Hill. So, it was fun to watch her crawl all over the turtle and run around. However, she also had a very bad fall one evening and got a bloody nose. Luckily it wasn't serious and stopped pretty quickly.


Spinning! Weeeeee

Cupcakes, Metro and Friends

On the last night of our visit, my girlfriend Sandy hosted a low key dinner party with several of our mutual girlfriends so that we could catch up without our kiddos. For the dessert, I offered to bring cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes, since I'd be in Georgetown earlier that day. While we were living in DC, Georgetown Cupcakes was so popular that the line stretched around the corner and down the street and they often closed before lunchtime because they would sell out of their goods. So, I'd never had one before and looked forward to the yumminess. So, I bought a beautiful dozen of cupcakes and Sofia and I decided to enjoy one on the spot. Of course Sofia licked off all the frosting from hers and left the cake while I tried their carrot cake. I must say that since I've had Sprinkles Cupcakes, Georgetown Cupcakes don't even compare, but they weren't bad.

Sofia eyeing the cupcakes


Our selection


All set to enjoy her cupcake


Yum! After licking off all the frosting, Sofia was done (although she wanted another one).


Hanging out with Emily. Emily is a few months older than Sofia and they have known each other since they were just a few months old. During our last visit (in January) they fought over everything. This time they were big buddies from the beginning.


The Metro....Sofia loved riding it anywhere and we always had to watch it as it pulled out of the station. If another one arrived, she wanted to watch the whole process before we left.