kaemon ze's first photos (and videos)

JoyBoy got a "kid tough" camera from Bunny and Papa for his birthday. He's tried it out a few times and thus far, we are impressed with the camera ("we" being mom and dad...JoyBoy likes it and I know will enjoy it more and more as he gets older). It takes both still images and video. Here's a series of his first shots (which, in full-disclosure, I processed most of them in Photoshop):

 (daddy actually took this one, above)

We tried out the video...this is one I shot:

 

Kaemon Ze's turn:

waffles with friends and...potatoes!

 Our neighbor's brought this gorgeous display of apples to sample. Deliciousness!

 Laura assembled the prettiest waffle I've ever seen!

 Laura and Baby Zoe peer out into the big world.

 Finn and Kaemon Ze had lots of fun together.

 Look, Roc Roc! They fit!

 JoyBoy helped me harvest the last of the potatoes this afternoon in a spat of glorious autumn sunshine. We filled a big bucket more than 1/2 full.

My pretties.

snapshots from this week

Green tomato pie!

 Getting ready to go harvest watermelons...in the dark and in the rain. :)

The sweet presents from our neighbors, given to Kaemon Ze when we stopped by to say, "Trick or Treat."

Look at all the melons that grew for me! 

Sum total 12...one fell during harvest, broke and was given to our neighbor's ravenous guinea pigs; one was taken and presumably smashed up the street; and one came inside early after I accidentally broke the stem.

more harvesting and then spanish playgroup

We had an unexpected frost last night. So much for the accuracy of the NOAA site. JoyBoy and Daddy helped me harvest the Anaheim peppers before we left for Spanish-immersion playgroup. We'll harvest the watermelons after dinner. :)

At Spanish playgroup, tonight we learned about bichos (bugs). Kaemon Ze really liked the toy hormiga (ant) that he got to hold -- it was his favorite colour: orange. The kids got to play with and catch toy mariposas (butterflies). Then la maestra (the teacher) read a book about mariquitas (lady bugs). Fun!

This is our 2nd "semester" of class. Last semester, Kaemon Ze spent the entire time getting used to being in a structured environment, meaning he'd often listen and participate from the peripherals. So far this semester, he really seems to have the hang of participating with the class. Luckily, the teacher is awesome about letting children wander and to be comfortable; she knows they are still listening and absorbing.

a most loved birthday gift

Angler fish... who knew?

Kaemon Ze saw this at the toy store as asked for it. Then he got distracted by an alligator, then a snake, then a shark. We made it out of the store with a rather large alligator, a pre-birthday gift.

When we got home, he wanted to watch "Finding Nemo" - a movie he's been avoiding for many months (the scene with the diver taking Nemo was too intense for him...I've spent that past several months letting him know that diver's are just people who wear masks underwater, usually benign, etc.) so his request surprised me. He was clear: he wanted to see the angler fish scene. Now that surprised me too...it's an intense scene...more intense than the diver scene. Once we got to the scene with the angler fish, he wanted to watch it over and over, to understand it. After we told him enough, he said he wanted that angler fish. Clearly he's attracted to its ferociousness. So...a few days later, I went and got the fish, one of two gifts we got for him to open on his birthday (the other was a battery-powered kitchenaid-like mixer for his kitchen).

He LOVES this toy. Since unwrapping it, we've learned a lot of angler fish. They live a mile under water; there are thousands of types of angler fish; only females have the lantern; and my favorite factoid given by a daddy of two at the library:  the male fish are much smaller and will attach themselves to the females via their mouths. They will eventually become a part of her, an appendage, who is able to be fed by the female. Oh...and she can have several males "appendages" on her. Nature is so weird.

At his birthday party, my co-worker, who is a fish biologist, gave him two sharks: a great white and a tiger shark. He's been sleeping with the tiger shark ever since!

an early thanksgiving

Kaemon Ze's Gumpapa and Roc Roc came to visit us the week before his 3rd birthday.

Since we knew we would not be traveling south for Thanksgiving this year, we took the opportunity to host Thanksgiving for Gumpapa and his family.

Gumpapa and Roc Roc took JoyBoy to the Pumkin Patch
while we stayed home and cooked up a storm.

 On a hayride.

 

On a cow train. :)

 Which pumpkins do we take back to mom and dad?

 This one?

The chosen three. :)

Cooking with Jim Bean. :)

On the menu: smoked, whiskey-glazed ham, home-grown mashed potatoes, home-grown green beans, green bean casserole, home-grown roasted carrots, salad, yeast rolls with home-made jams, wine, and a big pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream!

My handsome boy, back from the pumpkin patch.

Roxanne took these photos of the table. The food was delicious!

Great Grandma Ruby, Great Auntie Laurie, and cousin Casey joined us.

 Happy Thanksgiving!