Pumpkin Pickin'

We took part a couple weekends ago in the seemingly obligatory pumpkin picking festivities up in Green Bluff. The highlight: eating pumpkin donuts. 

"You been farming long?"

Green Bluff is a farming community north of Spokane. The farms and ranches in the area offer pumpkins and an apple festival in the fall, Christmas trees in the winter and berries all summer long. 

 Of course we dressed Rolly up in overalls for the occasion. Look closely at his face in this pic...don't tell me you don't think he looks like The Old Man from The History Channel's Pawn Stars!

"Um, guys? This hat...it's itchy."

"A little help? Remember, I have no core strength..."

"I'm sorry, but there is no other way to express my frustration with your staged photo shoot than to flip you the bird. You're obviously are not responding to my whimpering."

Don't worry. We took away his TV privileges for the week and explained why that particular gesture is inappropriate. Then he pouted the rest of the day:

Overall, as you can tell from the looks on his face, Rolin was unimpressed with the pumpkin picking day festivities. Maybe next year we'll manage to get a smile out of him!

3 Months!

Rolly is three months old!

What he does, has done and is doing:

• Sleeps through the night
• Sleeps in his crib in his room
• Has been to Idaho
• Spent a week in Montana
• Discovered his hand
• Started wearing 3-month clothes about one week into his second month
• Fell off a chair in the hotel. Mom suffered more.
• Smiles
• Fake coughs (I think it's his way of talking)
• Has started to be skeptical of strangers at first...is turning into a bit of a momma's boy
• Giggles
• Loves music
• Doesn't care so much for being read to...he cries. It's weird.
• Still hates tummy time
• Is discovering his voice and expresses himself with lots of coos, aa cuuhs and screeching

Obviously I missed a few posts...so here's a photo recap!

"Hey Lenny, they say I'm nine weeks old today."

"Touch Lenny and I'll knock you out!"

 "Oh, Lenny. Your wool is so soft and tasty!"

Grandview visit

We've been in Grandview since last Tuesday, visiting family & friends, going to Uncle Joe's team's football game and staying cozy by Gigi and Grandpa L.J's fire.

Justin was working in the Valley last week (convenient for us!) and is now back in Montana, so Rolly and I decided to camp out at my parents' place for a few extra days...might as well get some extra help with the baby, right? And eat their food. And use their electricity. And spread out baby junk all over their living room.   

In other  news, I started work again; just 10 or so hours a week working on recipes...what's not to like about that?

Here are a few pics from our stay so far. They're all iPhone pics -- please excuse the so-so quality.

"Cousaunt" Maggie knitted this bunny for Rolin. He absolutely LOVES it. He pulls it up to his face to cuddle and kiss/gnaw. It's the only thing he's really responded to like that. It's SO CUTE.

Being a crowd-pleaser at Uncle Joe's football game. Go Bulldogs! Is it just me, or does the angle of his face paired with whatever is in the background makes it look like R has one very hairy left eyebrow? He doesn't! Hardly even has hair enough to say he has an eyebrow there in the first place, ha!

Visiting with (Great) Nanny.

Snuggling with Aunt Brianna.

A smiley baby and Uncle Joe.

With three of the four Donald Winston Olmsteads!

Team Thompson does Montana

Rolin and I travelled to Montana earlier this month with Justin on his business trip. We spent most of the time in Bozeman, swung through Missoula and then headed north to Kalispell and Whitefish before heading home. 

I've never even stepped foot in Montana so I was excited to see the Big Sky state. I was also excited to go with Justin on this trip as I know he misses seeing us when he's away, and, of course, we miss him when he's gone. 

Getting to Bozeman was the longest leg of our trip and required quite a few pit stops for feeding and changing of babies: 

Gotta get those burps out. 

Pretty landscape in Idaho.

While Justin went to work, Rolly and I spent the days wandering the Bozeman city streets, perusing the shops and enjoying local art, history and scenery:

"Sacajawea is boring." 

"Hurmph, this turtle art is disappointing." 

The first day in Bozeman it was 79 degrees. A huge storm blew the next day, bringing the daily high to 45 degrees. It also snowed! 

Rolly was ready for the snow!

One of my favorite things I did in Bozeman was visit The Coffee Pot Bakery. It's a country-esq cafe on the outskirts of town, owned and operated by a husband and wife duo. The story of how it came to be is cute: The wife was known for her cinnamon rolls, the husband for his pottery. One day, they stumbled upon an old cabin, purchased it and set up shop for both pottery and cinnamon rolls. Today they sell an assortment of pastries, sandwiches and other fare, along with the pottery. Their cinnamon rolls are delightful, their lattes comforting and their pottery impressive. All dishes and bevvies are served in and on the pottery also. 

Also while in Bozeman, Rolin (somehow) rolled off a hotel chair. While he may have made the leap in observance of his 10th week, the result did not bring celebration. He recovered in mere moments though. He was fine. I still can't figure out how he managed to fall from the chair...he doesn't roll, but one way or another, it happened. I am more scarred than he.

                                 

After Bozeman we stopped in Missoula, then headed up towards Kalispell. Instead of staying in Kalispell we crashed at my cousin Mark's condo in Whitefish (thanks, Mark!). 

Talk about a great time of year to visit the Northern Rockies! The leaves were changing, there was a crispness in the air and the condo fireplace made for cozy evenings. 

Purple mountains majesty. 

Out for an evening walk in Whitefish.

Before heading home we went to Glacier National Park just a few miles east of Whitefish. It was beautiful! Only half of the Going-to-the-Sun scenic road was open, but we surely enjoyed the accessible 16 miles, stopping for many pictures along the way:

Lake McDonald

Lake McDonald (there are several mountain peaks behind those streaky clouds).

Team Thompson

One of three cascades flowing to Lake McDonald.

Another cascade.

JT

While stopped for a feed and a change at the park, 

Rolin said, "Next I shall take over the WORLD!"

Rolin was a stud during our drive through the park. He napped in the car and was excited about seeing his first snow -- it mesmerized him! 

We had a fun trip to Montana, but it's always nice to get back home. We plan to take Rolin back to Montana when he's a little older so we can enjoy the Museum of the Rockies in Montana and go on some hikes in Glacier...maybe...there are bears, and bears are basically land sharks. And we all know how I feel about large sea beasts.

Four generations!

More than a month ago now, the Thompsons three travelled across the state of Washington to go visit Justin's family in Vancouver. His parents came down to the 'Couv for the weekend and invited aunts, uncles, cousins and the like to come visit for the day. Here are a few (ok, a lot) pics of our days in Vancouver:

 Rolin with Great Grandma Grace Brink.

 Who knows what's going on here, but it makes me laugh. 

Great Aunt Lyn Brink and cousin Melissa's son Gage. 

 Introducing Rolin to Great Grandma Paula Thompson. She's 96! Grandpa Thompson stayed at home during this trip. He sadly passed away a few weeks later at the amazing age of 100!

Four generations of Thompsons! Justin, Rolin, Paula and Lee.

Sweet boy in a four-generation profile shot. 

 My babes. 

Cousin Megan Thompson and Rolly.

Cousin Molly Thompson and R-man.

"This used to be my playground..." Grandma Karen gives Rolin a tour of her childhood home. 

Holding hands.

Post-bath burrito. 

Grandpa Lee, Justin, Grandma Karen and Rolin.

Four-generation shot with a bonus Christine. 

Grandma Grace and Grandma Karen were so excited to be in the pic, they couldn't keep their eyes open.

Justin was so excited about being part of a four-generation pic, he couldn't keep his eyes open! (And I wondered where he got it...)

After a few days in Vancouver we went to Grandview before heading back to Spokane.

 Rolin listens to a story from Grandpa L.J

 Posing for our 6 week photo.

Gigi got home from work in time to play in the yard while the sun was still up!

Then we went to see 92-year-old Great Nanny Evans in Prosser. 

Four generations with Nanny, Gigi, me and Rolin.

Beautiful hands, old and young.

Me, Nanny and mom.

Pretending to whip our hair back like models gave us the giggles.

This pic cracks me up. Just look at his face! (Click image for a larger view.) It's like he's trying to say, "Gigi, the most terrifying thing I've ever seen is right behind you!!!!" Ha!

Rolin did great in the car despite a few breakdowns, but overall, our first car trip went really well and it was great to see everyone!