Tulips

Bulb flowers (tulips, irises, etc) are my favorite kind of flowers. So I was so excited to learn that there were more than 1000 acres of such beautiful flowers 1 1/2 hours north of Seattle in Skagit Valley. Sweet!

Nate, Jonathan, and I visited the gardens this past weekend, and it was beautiful. I was worried Jonathan would get bored or frustrated (especially since we are not supposed to touch the flowers), but  he was able to appreciate the flowers (and the mud!)

Jonathan wanted to find yellow flowers to match "Scoop"...

And blue flowers to match "Scrambler".
(Take note of my adorable husband and his excellent car noise making skills)

Jonathan wanted to go check out the daffodil fields. Check out that look of determination!

So glad that my little guy can appreciate such beauty!
Check out Nate's website to see his beautiful landscape photos of the tulips
www.createdimage.com

Zoomazium

One of Jonathan's favorite places to go to in Seattle is the zoo. The first thing we do after we enter the gate is look at the map, and Jonathan picks out the places he wants to visit. 90%of the time he picks the Bug House (the things I do for my son!) and the Zoomazium. The Zoomazium is this awesome indoor area for younger kids (mostly 5 and under) with slides, animal puppets, story and music time, and much more. Jonathan loves the "Meet a creature" story time--it usually entails a puppet show and then the opportunity to touch an animal (usually one that is featured in the puppet story).

This boy loves snakes!

Jonathan also loves the dance/music time. The zoomazium workers play some rowdy music, hand out noise makers, and the kids go to town!

He always makes a beeline for the stage during dance time

The video doesn't quite capture his usual enthusiasm--he was too distracted by the camera. But you get the general idea :)

So thankful for such a great indoor play area!

Digger Man

Jonathan loves trucks (bulldozers, excavators, loaders, etc), and they permeate every aspect of his day to day.  In the morning he uses his utensils to scoop up his pancakes and declares "Mommy I am a loader, see I scoop".  During our story time my usually active, won't sit still for anything little man, will curl up on my lap to read his digger/bulldozer/truck books, pointing out where the boom and stick of the excavator is, and then ask to read them all over again...and again..and again.


Jonathan likes to scoop and dump pretty much any small object he can find (dried peas he finds on the floor that mom missed sweeping up, rocks, puzzle pieces, and  dirt of course). Today with the snow, Jonathan and I went outside to "plow the streets".

Thanks Aunt Brianne for the Thomas hat and gloves. Came in handy this winter!

Jonathan wasn't really crazy about the snow earlier this year. But once he discovered what a great medium it is to scoop and dig, he declared "I love snow!".

At nap time he insists on sleeping with his loaders and dumptrucks with all their sharp metal pieces. Each afternoon the number he wants to sleep with increases, so I suppose I will have to start to limit that if I want room for him in the bed.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the crane!
Notice the dinosaur driving the crane, while hauling a monkey. How practical :)

Bathtime is the time for the trucks to get washed with bubbles. And of course bed time must include his truck pajamas!

Christmas in Seattle

Growing up I loved Christmas--the lights, the excitement, the candles at the Christmas eve service, and of course the presents. When I decided to follow Jesus, Christmas became even more special for me. I remember my first Christmas as a Christian, tearing up during the Christmas hymns--I got the lyrics, the meanings of the songs--and the season-- it all meant so much more to me. 

When we had Jonathan I was so excited to share our traditions with him, especially the one's surrounding this special season. In order to translate the heart of the season to him, we've been instituting new traditions...and this has been fun!  In the morning we do the advent calendar, which Jonathan wants to do first thing in the AM.

He takes the animals, shepherds, kings, etc. from the corresponding day and places it on the board. Its been fun to watch Jonathan be creative on where things go (the pieces and the board are magnetic so he can easily move them around). Today he put the cow (which he likes to now call "the moo'er") in the manger. It also helps him to somewhat get the anticipation of Christmas. He looks forward to each day when he can open the next door and see what is behind it. He has asked on a few occasions "Where is baby Jesus"?

We've also been doing the advent candles every evening. Technically we are suppose to do the candles once a week, but since this is all new to Jonathan we do the corresponding candle for that week every night. And he is starting to get it. We read a bible verse and sing a song (Jonathan's favorite being away in the manger)

Also a few years ago (I believe even before there was a Jonathan) Nate's mother gave us a soft manger scene. It has been great for Jonathan to play with (I don't have to worry about baby Jesus getting broken, as Jonathan can be a bit rough while he plays!)

It has also been fun exploring Christmas events on the weekends.  One weekend we went to see gingerbread houses, a teddy bear Christmas exhibit, and Festival of Trees.

Another weekend the Festival of Lights at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens (the most amazing light display I've ever seen!) Jonathan loved the spider and the banana slug (complete with a trail of "sludge lights" behind it") 

Jonathan declared "that fish scruffy. needs to shave!"