Autum in the NW

Autumn in the Pacific NW has arrived in full force and yes, so have the dreaded rains. But it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. (Check back with me in mid-January, month 4 of rainy season.) It's definitely overcast most of the time here, but there are breaks of sun. And then it drizzles. And then sometimes it downpours. And then it stops. And then the sun comes out again. There are seldom days when it just rains all day long.

I've found as long as I'm wearing rain gear or have an umbrella on hand, it's not too bad. And honestly, with E, it's not as if I'm spending all day running around outside anyway.

Last weekend, we had a gorgeous, two days of sunny weather however. We made the most of the sunshine by checking out the colorful trees at Hoyt Arboretum, just a short 15-minute drive away from our apartment.

One of the great things about this city is the proximity of nature. We live downtown, in a very urban setting, but within minutes of driving, there are huge parks with evergreen rain forests and trails. Our short visit that day inspired me to get one of those baby joggers (with protective rain shield of course) and start exploring!

ESK Update


E has been pulling herself up to standing and really is getting into everything. (Both of us still have the sniffles but are feeling better.) Lately, she loves turning through books and magazines, ripping out pages, crinkling them up and then putting them in her mouth... of course. Everything goes in the mouth, including a paper clip she somehow found on the floor last week. Luckily, Dad was around to snatch it out of her chubby little fingers.

Wouldn't it be great if E could just stay in this box? Just kidding. She's getting to be a lot more work, thanks to her newfound mobility and budding curiosity. And I know this is only the beginning! I need to start getting more sleep at night!