Loved Ones

We have been blessed with visits from many loved ones over the last few months.

Good times indeed.

with Oma and Opa

checking out the airplane sculpture in downtown Philly

with Tutu and Papa

riding the Strasburg Railroad steam train

with Nana

snuggling in Wissahickon park

with cousin Trudy and Great Aunt Sally

playing at Oscar's 2nd birthday party and

waiting for the reveal of the monster truck birthday cake

big thanks to Trudy and Sally for all of their clever ideas and

hard work in making the cake a big hit

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting +

Banana Bread jumps +

ginger snap and chocolate graham cracker dirt +

chocolate syrup mud puddles +

Uncle Ryan's beat-up old matchbox cars +

New John Deere monster trucks =

fun and deliciousness!

with Great Aunt Cathy

enjoying the fall colors in the historic district of Philadelphia

with Great Aunties Frannie and Chris

having a good time in the car on the way back from a visit to Linvilla Orchards

with Great Aunt Kay Kay

picking out pumpkins, riding tractors,

and putting rocks down the storm drain at Maple Acres Farm

Loving Fall

Aunt Kay Kay in Philly

Oscar plays "smash crash" with Aunt KK

We went "down the shore" to Wildwood, NJ, to enjoy the beach on a beautiful fall day.

Oscar dug in the sand

Then we went on the ferris wheel!

Then we watched Oscar take his first solo carnival ride. His racing face was intense!

Before heading home, KK interested Oscar in the world's greatest shower head.

Sunday we got pumpkins and a hay bale at Maple Acres Farm. Here Oscar intently threw rocks down the grate, a favorite pastime lately.

Oscar knows and loves tractors. He can identify John Deere, Massey Ferguson, and now McCormick Farmall tractors. I think we may have a future farmer on our hands.

Hello Pennsylvania!

After a summer hiatus from the blog, we thought it may be time to post a few new photos. Much has happened. We moved across the country from San Francisco to Philadelphia, where Vince found a new job teaching Chemistry at Temple University.

We've been exploring Philadelphia and the nearby Pennsylvania countryside. It's beautiful! Though we deeply miss California and our friends, we're enjoying the new scenery.

Our new digs on Parker Ave. in the Roxbourough district of Philadelphia

Oscar's new playroom

Running through beautiful Wissahickon park (a few blocks from our new house)

Watching trains in the garden railroad at the Morris Arboretum

Strolling through Linvilla apple orchard

Juggling fresh picks

Riding the mini railroad

Watching big steam trains in Strasburg, PA

Feeding goats

We rode this awesome Thomas steam train through the Amish countryside.

Oscar had a huge grin on his face the entire day. Trains, trains, and more trains!

May picture dump

Hey folks, you may have noticed that this blog gets posted to more and more infrequently.  Against all odds, here's a dump of some pictures from May (and late April too).

In April, Kristi, Oscar and Mimi went up to visit Aunt Karen and Malia on the farm for the Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival.  Malia, with ever the artistic eye, took some awesome pictures:

Mimi and Oscar

Oscar with the new baby goats on the farm

What a great picture of Karen and Oscar.

 Mom and Oscar dancing at the festival

Here are some more miscellaneous pictures:

Oscar and his model railroad (a much-used gift from Tim and Linda/Tu-Tu!)

 Mom and Oscar at the sink

 Karen came over to clean up the backyard garden, and pulled up some potatoes that were planted.  This impressed Oscar so much that he learned "po-ta-to", his first three-syllable word.

Oscar sits on a carved wood grizzly bear at the Muir Woods visitors center.

Oscar drives a front-end loader!

Martha and Annie Norrick were in town for a visit, and we had a great time together:

Martha, Oscar and Annie on Baker Beach.

Martha, Oscar and Annie on Baker Beach.

Oscar flying a kite on the beach with his mom

Sleeping on the beach after a tiring day in the sun and surf.

Oscar eats the ear off a giant sourdough bread mouse (bear?) from Boudin

A reprise of the wonderment previously reserved only for potatoes, Oscar pulls up and flaunts a carrot.

Oscar and his dad, hanging out in the A.M.

A visit to the local firehouse!

Oscar has become a expert tunneler (and has learned not to try and stand up while in one).  "Tunnel" is indeed one of his favorite words.

Peek-a-Boo

a new batch

Here's a new batch of Oscar pictures, taken over the last month or so.

A dump truck in a dump truck in a dump truck in a dump truck.

Flirting with the waitresses at Giorgio's Pizza.

Looking out the front window at a giant excavator with Tutu Linda.

Enjoying a vigorous horsey ride from Uncle Ryan.

First time playing in the Minnesota snow.