Happy First Birthday, Princess!

We can't believe our baby girl is a one year old!  Claire enjoyed a visit from Grandma and PapPap, pieroghy filling, and her first piece of cake.  Yum!

 cheese and potato balls, can't go wrong!

the cake

 checking with dad to see if it's ok...

 trying to figure out what do do with all this sticky stuff on her hands....

 tasting it... mmmm that's good...

 going in for the whole piece....

 all gone!

 Nicholas enjoyed the cake too

 presents!

 Minnie mouse card, and cute Christmas outfits and pj's from Grandma and PapPap

 Thanks for my owl fleece and hat and my Nalgene sippy cup, GG and Grumpa!

 Nicholas wanted to open and play with Claire's present too.... we had to hold him back!

yay, so much fun!

Nicholas likes Claire's new toy too!

meeting cousin Nathaniel

Claire and Mommy took a quick trip to Colorado to visit Aunt Katie, Uncle Jeff, Frisco, and their new arrival-- baby Nathaniel!!!!  We had a lot of fun and even took Claire and Nathaniel to their first art museum.  Can't wait until the cousins are a bit older and can all play together.

 Cousins!

 Aunt Katie reading to Claire

 Aunt Christy!

 Claire loves Frisco!

 the stairs provided endless entertainment

 at the art museum

great kid's area at the Denver Art museum

Happy Halloween!!!

Frankenstorm largely bypassed DC, in comparison to parts of New York and New Jersey and elsewhere on the East Coast, at any rate.  We are keeping the families hardest hit by the storm in our prayers.  We had four days without power and it was cold and inconvenient, but we are all safe and the house and cars did not sustain any major damage.  

We did not let Frankenstorm ruin our Halloween fun!

 On Sunday, before the storm hit, Nicholas and mommy went to the neighborhood Halloween parade, led by students from the marching band at the local high school, all in costume as well.

 Nicholas liked his Thomas costume until he saw the other kids and decided that a Superhero would be a better fit--hence the Thomas-turned-cape

 the band performed part of its half time show

 and the kids got to play in the leaves

 Nicholas loved getting to see the instruments.... he already wants to play tuba like his daddy

 Happy Halloween from the Machak Family!

our little pumpkin

 we decorated the front porch

we managed to carve three of the four planned jack-o-lanterns

We can't believe it's November already!!!!  We are really enjoying feeling somewhat settled and able to enjoy the fall festivities.  After the storm, the weather went from 75/80 degrees to COLD.  It's starting to actually feel like Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.

and she walks!

Claire is walking, and we got it on video!  Also featured, Nicholas's new train table that he got for his birthday.  He and Claire both LOVE it, although Nicholas doesn't like to share.  We are just getting started with the Halloween celebrations, so I've posted a few pics of Boo at the Zoo below.  Sunday is the neighborhood parade, and if Frankenstorm doesn't ruin our plans Nicholas will wear his costume to school on Wednesday and we'll trick-or-treat Wednesday night.  But, Frankenstorm is no joke--hurricane meets cold front.  We expect to be hunkered down in the basement for a few days and without power for long after that.  Fingers crossed that the storm is not as bad as predicted, especially since Christy isn't exempt even if the rest of the Federal Government is closed, so figuring out how to get to work will be interesting....

She walks!

 Go Buckeyes!

 11 months old!

 Love those Oshkosh overalls!

 Nicholas loves raking the yard... if only he will love it when he's 15....

 playing football with daddy

 Carving pumpkins--we got 4 this year

 Berlin flashback... at the Newseum in downtown DC

 The Newseum has a great view of the Capitol

 Getting ready to head off to view at the Zoo with the Hetricks

 at the Zoo

enjoying the beautiful fall weather