Happy Late Thanksgiving!

We had a great time celebrating Thanksgiving this year. We ended up spending Thanksgiving day with Mom's family and a few friends without family nearby, but we also got to see my grandma and grandpa Dyk that same week. We were able to do some fun stuff with them during their stay. Everyone knows I love the zoo, but there's one thing that can make the zoo even better... lights! Yep, we did Zoo Lights with Grandma and Grandpa and even though it was pretty cold, we had fun seeing the lights and animals that were still up.





Esther was a trooper all through the evening and eventually fell asleep in the stroller.



We also went to see the tree in downtown Portland one night during their stay.



We stopped off at Starbucks for a tasty beverage to warm us all up!



Here we are goofing around at a super yummy Ethiopian restaurant.





It was a great way to spend the holiday! Thanks for coming to visit, Grandma and
Grandpa Dyk!

Happy Halloween

This year we trick-or-treated in Bodhi's neighborhood and I had a great time! Kate, Bodhi and I got the hang of it real quick and hit up quite a few houses.

Bodhi had some cool Halloween decorations at his house!



In case you can't tell, I was Woody (okay, really I just look like a cowboy sheriff) from Toy Story. Kate was a cowgirl so we looked pretty cute together. :)





Esther was given a hand-me-down chili pepper costume. She was so cozy in it, she fell asleep just after we started trick-or-treating.



Even though this photo turned out kind of blurry, it shows our whole family together this Halloween. We had a great time!



Mom also took these photos of us in our costumes.



Esther was pretty tired so we had a hard time getting one of us together. Oh well.



Happy Halloween!

Mom Turns 30

Mom turned 30 this past week and her friends threw a surprise 80's roller skating party for her. My friends and I had a blast learning to skate and Mom had a ton of fun hanging out with her friends and family.


Esther didn't skate, but she was there and did a good job of being cute.

Mom felt very loved and I think may have even gone a bit overboard with the whole feeling young again thing.

She says the only thing she wishes she had done differently in these 30 years is to have already gone to Hawaii. Ha! Just kidding. Mom says she feels she has been very, very blessed in life. She has many things to be thankful for: a wonderful loving husband, two beautiful children and many wonderful friends and family who have loved her over her lifetime. Thanks to everyone who helped pull off a wonderful surprise birthday party for my mom!

First Bowling Experience

I went bowling with my family for the first time. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to go again. My buddy, Bodhi, is pretty into bowling and showed me his tricks to the game. I definitely think I will need to get a bowling shirt with my name on it to be as good as him!



I love bowling!

Teddy Bear Parade

This past Saturday I got to be in my first parade! Every year Gresham puts on a Teddy Bear Parade and last year I was on the side-lines, but this year I was IN the parade with my preschool. I talked about it every day the week leading up to it and was so excited when the day of the parade finally arrived. Here are some photos from the day.

Me in the parade! I have a serious look on my face because we were supposed to keep moving at a pretty fast pace!

Me and Esther before the parade began

The whole family

First Day of Pre-school

I attended my first day of preschool today at Scribbles Preschool. It was a lot of fun! I got to make a couple art projects using glue and markers, played games, sang some songs, had snack and got to play outside too! I told Mom I'd like to go again so that made her very happy. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go when we talked about it earlier this week, but after seeing all the fun things we plan to do each day, I'm all for it now. :)

My New Sister!

Hi Everyone!

I got to stay with my Nana & Papa in Camas last night, and then this morning we got to get up early and go see my Mom, Dad, and my new baby sister, Esther Jane Dyk!

She was born this morning at 6:49AM (just 2 1/2 hours after my parents woke up!). She was 10 Lbs and 21.5" long! That is quite a bit bigger than I was! She is very cute, with dark hair right now, chubby cheeks.

Here are some photos of me with her, and also with my Uncle Bill and Nana.

First Trip to Dentist

I visited the dentist for the first time yesterday. It was a great experience! My dentist office is not your average dentist office, I must admit. It's got a super fun waiting room with computers, a kitchen, castle table (kind of like my train table) and a train that chugs along the room up by the ceiling.



When it was my turn to go in to see the dentist, I got to pick out a movie to watch. I watched a Thomas movie, of course. I did great during my cleaning and check-up, opening wide and didn't complain at all through the process. I even smiled super big for mom when it was over. My dentist said I have really healthy teeth and so I got to pick out two toys on my way out! I got a bumpy ball and yo-yo. I already asked Mom if I could go back again!

A Very Busy Hot Summer

It has been hot, hot, hot here. We've had temps in the 90's and even up into the mid 100's, which is not at all like what we're used to. We've kept busy still and so here are a few highlights of the past few weeks.

Our friends, Kristi and Phil, got married at the beach a few weekends ago and it was a beautiful wedding. It was nice to get away from the heat for a few days too! Mom took photos for them and I had a great time running around outside in the big grassy field right outside the reception hall (an old school house - so cute!).

The happy couple


Me with my friends at the wedding. Kate and I like to hold hands.


I did a lot of dancing too!


I had a great time playing at the beach the next day.




On our way out of town, we stopped in Ilwaco for Railroad Days. I had a great time seeing all the trains! This one was my favorite. I wonder why? Can you see Thomas and Percy in the photo? I keep asking to go back so I can see that train again.


A week ago, we went to a birthday party for my aunt Melanie which is always held at her parents house. They live on the Washougal River and have a huge yard. There were sprinklers, a couple pools, a playhouse, and beach balls to play with. It is always a great time!



This past weekend my mom's cousin, Cameron, visited before he left for Japan where he will teach English. We visited Mt. St. Helens with him and I had fun running around in the volcanic playground and seeing the elk through the big telescope. The mountain was pretty cool too, but it was kind of hazy so we didn't get the best view.

The volcanic slide


Checking out the elk




I got to talk to my cousin, Dominic, over skype, which means I can see him on the computer while talking to him. I am looking forward to talking to him again when he gets to Japan! Maybe I'll even get to visit him while they are living in Japan!



My Aunt Carrie also came down to visit this past weekend. She is on her way to Mississippi where she will spend the next two years at seminary with her husband, Mike. We had a picnic lunch at Blue Lake Park with her and it was a lot of fun being outside. I even got to play in the fountains with my buddy, Bodhi, who also showed up with his family.



We will miss having Carrie and Mike so close but wish them all the best as they begin a new life in Jackson, Mississippi!