A Magical Time

Way back in July, we went to a Harry Potter party at the home of our friends Lindsey and Edwin. There were more than a dozen people there in honor of the opening of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie (everyone but us fuddy-duddy parents went to the midnight showing that night). It was a lot of fun, especially the dressing up.

Clara went as a house elf, dressed only in a pillow case, socks and a smile. She was adorable, but was a little witch-y to Edwin's cats. She also played with a Harry Potter doll that Lindsey graciously shared.

Crystal went as a witch trying to dress like a Muggle, and I was a moving portrait Dexter Fortescue, former Hogwarts headmaster.

It was a lot of fun and we especially enjoyed all the food, including pumpkin pasties, butter beer (cream soda with butterscotch syrup) and Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans.

Speaking of Harry Potter, we can't wait until this is finished. More info here. I don't need to be Professor Trelawney to see a visit to Orlando in our future...

Clara's Talents

Clara has learned a couple of new talents lately. Here are some videos to prove it!

This first one is quite a milestone for me! I have been trying to coax her to go down the stairs on her own for quite a while, but her few tumbles off the back steps have stuck in her mind and scared her out of trying. About a week ago, I decided that it was TIME to learn. We spent some time sliding down the stairs for fun, then I showed her over and over again for to go down on her own. Once she reached to bottom, I clapped and cheered a ton, so she would be excited about it. It worked! She loves going down the stairs now! And I love not having to lug an extra 30 lbs down them multiple times a day!

Clara's next talent (if you want to call it that!) is to beg like a dog for food. She gets a little camera shy, so she only does it at the very beginning of this video. Anytime Jordan and I are eating-regardless of if she has food of her own- Clara starts begging like a dog for us to share. It is very funny and very cute!

Note: You will notice there is no video. After NUMEROUS attempts to post this video of Clara begging for food like a dog, I have given up on it. You all will just have to trust me. Its cute. Better yet, come visit us, and you can see her do this trick for yourself!

California Trip

This is a continuation of my attempts to catch up on blogging. At the beginning of October, Jordan, Clara and I headed to California for Fall Break and a couple of job interviews for Jordan. Again, I have been really lame at taking pictures lately, so only select parts of our trip (that are in no way a reflection of what our favorite parts were) are highlighted through photography.

You may remember a couple posts ago, of Jordan's Oops story with the gas pump. That happened on this trip to California. We drove to LA to see some friends and of course had to stop at In 'N Out for lunch.

I'll let Jordan explain the gnome later, but that was one tasty meal! Jordan let Clara have a sip of his milkshake, but once he gave it to her, he never got it back!

After that eventful day, Jordan had interviews the next couple of days, and we just relaxed at my parent's house. Clara had so much fun playing with cousins. One day while in Fresno, we decided to drive up to Shaver Lake for lunch and to see some mountains (especially since Ohio is SERIOUSLY lacking in mountains!) Clara really enjoyed the sand.

I think Clara traumatized this poor gnome!

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for a fantastic vacation!

Popcorn Festival

In September, Jordan and I decided to check out the Popcorn Festival in a nearby town. While it was a lot of fun, the whole time Jordan and I were thinking "for a popcorn festival, there is a serious lack of popcorn!" I think there were 2 booths selling popcorn. Everything else was your usual fair or carnival stuff- lots of deep fried foods and rides that will give you whip lash just looking at them. Clara, however, couldn't care less! Once she had the bag of popcorn in her hand, she was a happy camper, and there was NO getting it away from her!

If we were lucky, she would share some with us! Our little girl LOVES popcorn.

We did spy some other corn type things such as a corn hole tournament

And the popcorn museum

The museum was pretty cool! The made it look like you were in a circus tent.

There was an entire Cracker Jack display too, which was pretty cool!

The Popcorn Festival was a fun experience, but I don't know if I would want to go back, unless they could promise me more popcorn stuff. There is a serious market to be filled there, popcorn balls, popcorn necklaces, caramel corn, corn on the cob, the possibilities are endless!

On the way home from the festival, we looked back at Clara and saw this

I think maybe she had too much popcorn, since it looks like it started growing out of her forehead!

Catch Up

I have been a really bad blogger lately (and a really bad picture taker!) I just uploaded pictures from my camera from the beginning of September through Halloween and thought, wow! I have about 2 months of stuff to blog about! So here it is. Feel free to skip what you want!