Walking and Bath Time Fun

Ice Skating

Kyle enjoying a frozen sunset

We are in the midst of a pretty dry and cold winter. Sure you could think of a million down sides to this (the biggest being that we have NO SNOW). But you know the Erkkilas and we are a glass full kind of crew and we so we started ice skating on the frozen lakes and ponds around the Tahoe basin. It is such a beautiful feeling to skate in the alpen glow of these short days. 

Kyle skating at Grass Lake

Our great buddy Spencer and his dog Martha out on the ice behind their house.

Thanksgiving

 We celebrated Thanksgiving this year with Mark, Marie, Jeff, Danielle, Tyler, and Boone. Jeff and Danielle were visiting from Minnesota. They are so great that they did not mind sitting on fold-up chairs and eating off mismatched plates and silverware. Tyler stopped in on his way between picking his dog Boone up in L.A. and Jackson Wyoming. It was a meal filled that filled our bellies and souls. Just the way it should be.

This pic is not from Thanksgiving but it does have a food theme. This is Jonah eating his first In and Out Burger. He liked the fries best.

 Jonah continues to LOVE dogs. Despite his trip home from New Zealand Boone the dog was up for some little kid pets.

Pretty much any visit with Jonah involves a reading or two of "The Foot Book" By Dr. Seuss

1st Birthday Celebrations!

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” Shel Silverstein

 

On your first birthday Jonah you love 3 things dearly. 

1. Having stories read to you 

   The Daddy Book by Todd Parr

   The Foot Book  by Dr. Seuss 

2. Opening and shutting any door or cabinet you can find

    

   3.  Your blanket that you stuff in your mouth and suck on to fall asleep or calm yourself

   
   

   And in turn you are loved higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest sea by your family and friends. 

    

   You are loved so much that you had two birthday celebrations. First with the Erkkila's and the Rhodes.

   

   You blew out your candle like a champ.

   
   

    

   Loving your first cake ever.

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
    For your second birthday party your Granny and Sir were visiting along with Uncle Ty and his dog Boone. We also had some of our dear friends come over and have a little chili and cake. Cristi did an amazing job making you a robot cake! (I can't get the picture to import the right way) She has some serious talent!
   

   

   Enjoying your robot cake with Dad

   
   

   
   

   
   

First Snow Day

Rules For Your First Snow Day

• Wear appropriate outdoor gear
• Bring your sense of adventure 
• Taste the snow 

Jonah hit just right on two of the three. It was telling that we have been living in the rain for most of Jonah's life when it snowed and I realized that I had nothing that would keep him warm and dry in the snow! We did our best with what we had and he loved it to say the least. What a gift it is to look at things through the eyes of a child. 

The first moment in the snow.

He is crying here due to wearing a hat more so than the snow and cold.

Fall in Paradise

 I love fall with my whole heart.
Here are some photos that seem to me to capture the spirit of the season just right. (To me it is a season of eating caramel apples, tasting wine, wearing your down coat for the first time, smelling the snow on the wind, and hiking.)

Family photo hiking to my favorite fall Aspen grove.

 In early November we had a visit from Kyle's parents too!
We loved having them and sharing some of our favorite spots around the lake with them. We also went wine tasting on the top of Mt. Akum there was a great view and yummy wine too. I got to go for a day of shopping in Reno with Ellie and John stayed home with Jonah. It was a treat for all.

We reconnected with our dear friends Noah and Amy and got to meet their little Emma!

I have to say that this year I felt a lot of pressure about the whole Halloween costume, but did not feel creative enough to make a costume for any of us. Luckily Ellie was inspired by a dog costume she found and picked it up for Jonah. The dog costume was fitting because Jonah LOVES dogs! He is pictured here with Autumn as Wonder Woman, Spencer as a Chef, and Cristi as Wonder Woman 2. We went trick-or-treating in a near by neighborhood. The best thing about Halloween was watching Autumn's excitement as she ran back from the first house shouting, "daddy, they gave me candy!" Kyle's sparkly shirt was the second best thing about Halloween.

The California Trail

"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it."  ~George Moore


Dear Oregon, 

You have sheltered us amongst your green trees, played with us in your white mountains, made us sneeze in your gentle valleys, and rocked us to sleep on your powerful-peaceful coastline.  You have reconnected us with old friends and given us ever so many more to treasure. We have celebrated life with our family and danced in your rain more than once (and ridden our bikes home in it too). We picked your blueberries by the bushel. You gave Kyle the knowledge and experience he will need as he takes on his career as a physician assistant. You are the birth place of our son. And yet with all this wonder we have decided to depart. We will return to our lake in the mountains. It is with our greatest thanks that we pack our bags. 

Love, Emily, Kyle and Jonah 

p.s. A very special thank you goes out to John and Ellie Erkkila for their tireless help with our move and selfless support in our decision to move a thousand miles South. 

Our last trip to the Oregon Coast

Our first trip to the beach at Lake Tahoe

Everything fit in our moving van and Kyle drove it all the way South in one shot!

   

Professional Photo Shoot

Jonah was 6 months old in these picures

Trip to Arizona

Jonah and I had the good fortune of visiting Chino Valley, Arizona at the beginning of June. We spent our time catching up with some of my friends from high school and college, seeing family members old and new, and enjoying what Arizona is famous for the sun. Thanks Mom and Dad for the great time and for Kyle letting us go!

My dad and Jonah sitting on the front porch feeling the wind blow through their hair.

A little swim in the pool!

Jonah and his new first cousin once removed Clara!

G.G. testing out her baby feeding skills- she still has them!

The Johnson Family

Kona and Jonah, not only do their names rhyme they are great friends.

We were all together at the start of September to bid a fond farewell to Grandma Frances. We stayed at Jerry and Michelle's house and they were the perfect hosts. Kona also welcomed us and I am pretty sure she loves nothing more than kissing Jonah on the face. I am also sure that it is her that taught him his 2nd word, dog. 
It was fair time while we were there and we got to eat some great fried food and see tractors. 

Granny and Jonah enjoying the garden.

j

Michelle and Jonah having a cuddle after their walk

Jonah on the train to Klamath Falls

Jonah and Uncle Ty

Oh, how this baby loves his books

Jim Anderson showing Jonah the tractor

Enjoying the last of the days sun on the porch with Auntie Dawn

 I was freaking out a little bit, but Jonah sat on horse for the first time with his Uncle Monte (the horse whisper). Jonah was not sure what to make of it, but went along with it and I think that he will like more of that in the future.

Bear sharing his sunglasses with Jonah

On the last night we were there we made a traditional Swedish meal called Kroppkakor in Grandma's Memory. It turned out great as always and it really felt like living history.

First Hair Cut: a bit of a bowl cut indeed

 Though I have not been, I am sure on the first day of beauty school they tell you "You can always take more off, but you can't put any back on." I could have used that advice. Jonah's hair ended up a bit short in the front, but he did great and sat pretty still for us (he got to hold Dad's iPhone and that was a huge help in keeping him distracted). 
 

Late Summer: She keeps on giving!

 Jonah and his friend Penny who is about 1 month older than him enjoyed a lovely evening swing in the park.

 Jonah loves the water be it in the bath or in his alligator swim pool. He would spend hours in the pool especially, but he doesn't have enough body fat for that. The pictures below detail some of his most enjoyed summer fun.

 Here Penny and Jonah exchange thoughts on a recipe they are cooking in the kitchen together. They ended up adding more sugar and boy did it taste great. Seriously it is really special to see the two of them together as they learn how to be friends. I can't get over the joy of children.