October 2013...Thanksgiving, Birthday, Friends etc.!

High time to catch up on 2013 before I dive into the new adventures that 2014 may bring!

October started off with a visit from our friends the Perrichs who came all the way from Colorado for Ryan to run the Portland marathon.  We all had a great time together, especially these two cuties!

Passing the time while we wait for brunch.

A hike in the Gorge.

Waiting for daddy to run by.

Ryan did awesome, and got the qualifying time he needed for the Boston marathon.

The following weekend we headed up to Canada for Thanksgiving.  My cousin, Kathy, and her two daughters also came out for the weekend and Kai and Piper hit it off.

Visiting a pumpkin patch with the whole family.

Sweet Charlie and Abby.

The kids put on a "Chopped" (like the TV show) competition for us, and Bryon, Kathy and I got to be the tasters/judges :)

Early birthday presents from Grandpa and Grandma.

Celebrating our two October birthdays.

Post-Thanksgiving dinner charades.

And, some pre-pie soccer.

Pumpkin-hunting in Hood River.

October 20th - Kai's 4th birthday!  Hard to believe.  Here he is, opening presents from Gramma and Papa.

Celebrating at Preschool.

Birthday bike ride.

One of those moments that melt my heart.
I came out of the kitchen one day to find Kai, completely unprompted, folding the laundry so carefully.

Saying a sad goodbye to one of our favourite neighbors...Rocky.  Kai and I walked by her house almost daily and would always stop to chat.

Sometimes we send Bryon pictures like this just to show him how we feel when he's gone :)

Celebrating our local fire station's 100th birthday.

Our street is so beautiful in the fall, and Kai can now ride his tractor (which used to be Bryon's when he was a kid) on his own.

Preschool Halloween trick-or-treating parade.

A big thank you to Gramma for Kai's starfish costume!!  Kai  had been asking to be a starfish all year long, and starfish costumes are most definitely not sold at Old Navy :)

Trick-or-treating with friends.