Take me to the river...

Yesterday Kathleen and Jeff "graciously" returned our Billy Bass toy that we left in TriCities over Thanksgiving. This is Dominic's talking fish that Grandma and Grandpa Cassingham bought him in California that he loves. It had been almost a month without hearing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and "Take Me to the River." Oh, the time goes by so quickly....

Snowy Days and Windowshopping in Lakeview

Random pictures of Dominic in the snow this week.

We also went downtown to the True Value to check out the toys (the only store with toys in Lakeview!). They had a Santa and a toy train in the window that caught the bird's attention.

Devo, Divas, and Gnomes

This Saturday we had a nice snow overnight and it's also been warm (around 30 degrees). You know what this means--snowballs and snowmen! We all bundled up and spent a few hours in the yard enjoying winter together. We were a little short on corn cob pipes, button noses, and eyes made out of coal, so we had to make do. The first one we made together had Christmas nougats for eyes and scared the pants off all of us!

Mike made his "Frosty" with apricot eyes, a flower pot, and chocolate chips. It turned out a little more like Devo than Frosty--with a rockin' guitar.

Kirsten was intent to make an "equal opportunity" female snowman, so she softened hers up a little with an apron, a cranberry mouth and hair (flowers from the yard)!


The other project we finished was to repaint the gnome Mike received from Toots and Lori many years ago (long, funny story). The Raleigh rains did a number on it, and it needed some work, so Mike picked up some 25-cent discontinued samples at that hardware store and repainted him. We decided he'd be our new weather forecaster in the backyard. "If gnome is wet--rain. If gnome is dry--sunshine."

Well, here he is as we awoke on Monday!

Santa comes to Lakeview

Santa Claus came to Lakeview on Tuesday. He "arrived at Black Cap by helicopter," (the tallest peak overlooking town) then was delivered to the downtown square by the fire department. It was a great, free event held after dark that brought out ~75 of Lakeview's hardiest denizens. Really cool that it was noncommercial, but that also meant limited hot drinks and only a super tiny Christmas tree lighting. Dominic liked it all, though, including the Christmas carols played by the high school tuba section! He did great with Santa Claus, but probably didn't tell him that he really wants bath toys and a GI Joe with the action grip for Christmas!

Thanksgiving in the TriCities

For the "Día de la Acción de Gracias" we finally went up to the Tighe Family West celebration at Kathleen and Jeff's in Kennewick, WA. We've been jealously viewing fotos of this event every year from NC, and this year we were super excited to participate. It met all expectations, and was great to see everyone. Dommy got to play with all of his cousins, while Mom and Dad basically ate their way from one end of the house to the other. It was Jeff and Kats (with Nick and Madison), Colleen and Ed (with Annie, Hunter, and Erin), Tom and Carol (with Casey, Brady, and Tom-Tom), and Dave and Jenny. What a great group!

We donned the traditional felt Pilgrim outfits (except for Ed, who just brought his hatchet for scalping) and the kids sang some great Thanksgiving songs before dinner (see video below). Instead of a Pilgrim outfit, Dommy wore his new Thanksgiving bib from Grandma Tighe.

On Saturday we then did the traditional Thanksgiving rocket launch in a field near the Powers' house. It was a little chilly and we lost one rocket, but we got some exercise combing the sagebrush before the Antanavages had to return home. Dommy was really taken with his cousins from Tacoma, even Uncle Ed below who just barely beat him in a staredown.

outside by our shed

Geese and (lack of) Geysers

For Kirsten's birthday on Sunday we went to the site of the "Old Perpetual Geyser" here in Lakeview. The catch is that the geyser isn't actually blowing now, due to a number of factors. Funny, it's billed as being regular as clockwork, but doesn't blow anymore!

The warm nearby pools are a haven for ducks and geese, and Dominic really enjoyed all the racket and water when we went.

Halloween and Taylor Ranch

Halloween seemed to come and go really quickly this year, but we got all the major components together in time. Grandma Cassingham found Dominic a great used costume down in CA, and we carved the pumpkins and decorated the house as the kids were starting to arrive. They start early in Lakeview!
Dominic really liked his pirate costume, and even let Dad put a mascara moustache on him. He wouldn't sit still enough for the beard, but you take what you can get at this age!
Here's Dommy with the neighbor boy Garrett, who's about 5 months older than Dommy. No, you can't trick or treat by yourself yet!

On Sunday after Halloween we went out to our neighbors' ranch down in Barnes Valley. They have about 1,800 acres down there that they lease out for cattle, so we got to run around and explore the area. Dominic really liked sitting on the 4-wheeler and his first ride with Dad.