Outta room

Well folks, I tried to up date the blog (yes I know I am months behind) but I have used up all my free photo storage.  So I will get back to you when I decide what I am going to do.

Exploring

 With all the unpacking and getting adjusted to our new life, it has taken us a while to get out and explore.  We found a bike trail that warned us about Rattlesnakes.  What a change from Delaware!  Rhone did a pretty good job making the loop and Sylvie was a good sport in the bike trailer.  We headed to the mountains a few times, but can only find pictures from one outing.  Rhone insisted on taking his backpack, but he carried it the whole way.  We hiked along the river, and then decided to make the descent down to the banks.  It was pretty tricky, but Rhone and Sylive (in the  back pack) made it.  Little by little Rhone's clothes kept getting fewer and fewer.  Until he was wading in his underwear.  It reminded me of being a kid in the cold Unita Mountains.  He really had a great time.  It was so nice to get a glimpse of the life in California that we have been looking forward to. 

Cool old bridge on our way to the trail head.

Trying to make a house our home

I feel like everything that could go wrong with the house did, but moving day finally came.  It was not an awesome day.  Thankfully I have gotten over it and there is not much else that can be done....well besides to stop moving, but it doesn't look like that is in our near future.  We were lucky enough to get most of the house repainted before we moved it. So we will count that as a blessing.  Sylvie and Rhone were fairly neglected as we trudged through the up packing and picking up and putting away.  But we all survived.  

Weeks later the house is still not "done" but it's looking better.  We ended up putting up curtains in most of the rooms to cover up the cheap mini blinds and none of the bedrooms had lights in them.  I even sewed our kitchen curtains.  I bought a shower curtain at world market and made it into curtains for my 2 kitchen windows.  they turned out really well (which does NOT happen often for me). So we spent some time shopping for and "installing" lights.  I realized that I never took finished pictures of the whole house.  The kids rooms are pretty fun, so hopefully I can get around to that soon.

We opened this toy up from Ben's old squadron.  They both like it.

Putting up the light in Rhone's room

Our kitchen.  In our final walk through we found out the house didn't come with the fridge (the current tenants told us that it did).  We scored this one on craigslist for a great price.  There is nothing like moving a fridge to make a girl feel like she can do anything.

This is opposite of the kitchen in the great room. I love how open it is.

This house has a front room as well.  I kinda think it's a waste of space for our family.  So we turned it into a really fun TV room and office.  I will have to get a picture for you.

My best little helper.  I love that he can actually be real help these days.

The front of the house.  I just took this today.  We trimmed those hedges down a lot and cut one all the way out.  You can finally see the house now. I will have to get a better picture.

6 sweet months

The time just flies by with Miss Sylvie.  She turned 6 months while we were in the hotel.  She is an excellent sitter, but she is not a mover and shaker.  She is pretty content to just be as long as she has someone's attention.  She doesn't need to be held, but she wants to know you are interested in her.  Sylvie has the prettiest smile and even though she has super sensitive skin, her complexion on her face is really beautiful.  When you pick her up out of bed she curls her arms and legs up and arches her little back.  It is the cutest thing.  She was an excellent sleeper until we moved into a hotel- but she still does a great job at falling asleep on her own.  She loves to dangle toys from her thumb and and flip her wrist.  It is the funniest little thing. 

She was a little late getting in for a check up (it was really a nightmare to get her an appointment), but she is in the 60th percentile for height and 40th for weight.  And just like Rhone and my family she has a small head (25th percentile).  We love our Sylvie, Sylvers, Sylverific girl so much.

Love her blue eyes and red hair.  She sure doesn't take after her mama.

She is already getting so big!

Nothing says life is grand like a some bouncing from the bathroom doorway.

I love warm, sweet smelling babies right after a bath (actually we only had a shower in our room). I am so blessed.

She puts up with all of our shenanigans and is still so happy.

Apple Hill

There is an area of Northern California called Apple Hill.  The area was originally filled with pears, but after a blight hit the crops a few farmers started growing apples and formed an association which has really boosted agro-tourism.  Rhone got to pick apples right off the tree after he got a lesson in proper picking.  Sylvie was eating, so I missed the lesson, but Rhone was quick to tell me that you twist the apple 3 times and then pull up.  He was right, they come right off the tree that way.  We had some yummy apple treats there, and took plenty of apples home with us.

We made a coast to coast dessert with apples from Nor Cal and crisp from Fifer Farms in Delaware.  How fun!  Thanks to our friends for sending it!

The Sacramento Zoo

Way back in September, we tried our best to get out of the hotel as much as we could.  Rhone was really excited to see all the animals and he even made a kangaroo craft.  The weather was perfect and even Sylvie had a fun time rolling around.  Fairy Tale Land was right across the street, so of course we visited it as well.  Rhone ran wild and got rid of plenty of energy.  It was the perfect day together as a family.

Hyenas are really scary looking in person.  Both Ben and I were impressed.

Look how cute this little lady is!