A photo-tour of the last 8 weeks.

I've become aware that I've been blogging all this time with NO PICTURES!! And if I'm correct in reading Gaston's inference from Beauty and the Beast, then it is appropriate for me to declare in disgust, "How can you READ this?!" SO... just for fun, let me give you a quick photo tour of our last month or so. Come see the world through my... er, lens.

Late October trip to Duluth to see sister Becky's new baby: Charlotte Grace

 

 

And of course we ran around in the Snugli for a good chunk of the day. If you're a dad, you might remember how fun it is do have infants in the Snugli... and how painful to your lower back.

 

 

 

 

an impromptu family photo shoot while we're in Duluth!

Papa Satre keeps saying she looks about 16 years old here

A visit to friends, the Luvolds. Bruce is a well-digger. But don't let him fool you. He's got a soft spot for 3-year-olds

This particular 3-year-old has decorated Uncle Bruce with every beanie baby she could find!

Grandpa and grandma Harkness are avid garage salers. The lion costume was just one of their scores for Annabel

So of course, we had to take her trick-or-treating in it!

Annabel with a friend at a cider pressing party. Every year the Bird family presses hundreds of gallons of cider from fallen and left-over apples. We helped press. Then we took home 8 gallons. Two gallons are now bottled as hard cider after a month of careful fermenting using brewing yeast.

After pressing there was the potluck. This is my dream: big work parties followed by big meals. Community in action.

Speaking of which, Faith Covenant Church (which we now call home) did this cool "Love Burnsville Sunday" where instead of morning services, they all met at the church and split into teams to rake leaves in the neighborhoods. I never liked church much anyways. This was a much nicer way to spend the morning.

A great source of mommy-daughter bonding lately has been crafting together. Both parties become quite engaged in the process!

This is Andrew. We were in 4th grade Sunday school together. We hang out a lot these days. Here he is indulging me on a walk across a forbidden bridge.

Some of our supporter actually started a FUND to buy this for Debra when they heard she wanted one. It's called a Silhouette. It cuts designs you create on your computer so you can make stencils and many other crafty things. Debra LOVES it and has already worn out her first cutting mat.

Annabel got some gifts from these same supporters. Lots of homemade goodies!

The stencil to make this robot shirt was cut by the Silhouette. Of course she helped make a matching one for her baby brother.

"Mommy I want to make the baby boy a monster shirt before bed."

Every morning Annabel requires 4 choices for each article of clothing she will wear.

And every night she sleeps surrounded by friends.

We went BACK to Duluth for a conference. Here's us at the creek I grew up playing in.

Throwing "big, big, BIG" rocks into the water is a favorite pasttime

on the way home we found a pile of leaves. She was hooked.

I called it "Palindrome Day" and I've been looking forward to it for a LONG time. Did you know I'm sometimes borderline OCD about symmetry?

Remember the bird family cider pressing? 400 gallons of fresh apple cider in a morning? This is the guy who invites me: Nate. The birds are good friends.

First snow. We build a snow man with sculpted abs. Then Annabel played BY HERSELF in the back yard for almost an hour. Here she is clearing off her slide.

BACK to Duluth for Thanksgiving. We'll probably NOT make for Christmas due to the impending baby.

Dad giving the blessing. Count on Dad's blessings being at least 10 seconds per person in the room.

Grandma Harkness dancing with Annabel. Me: "Annabel, can I dance with you guys?" Annabel: "NO!! Sorry. This is mine and Grandma's special thing!"

"Nini" (Grandma Satre) with Annabel at our church's Scandinavian extravaganza. I ate a LOT of pickled herring.

This is Annabel's namesake: Grandma Annabel Satre. A humble woman of tremendous faith.

God told me to go on this retreat with Scot and Kristina. I'm still not sure why, but we had a good time.

I promise not to crack a Mr. Tumnus joke. If been the brunt of them too many times.

Okay, CHECK IT OUT!!! Is this not incredible? A purple teddy bear 2-piece windbreaker a la 1986. Annabel BEGGED me to get it for her at the thrift store. What's a daddy to do?

Bringing us to today: a cookie-making party with aunties Charlotte and Tara.

Little Eli was there too. I kid you not, this little guy was strumming the guitar and singing, "Rock and roll forever! Rock and roll forever!"

Auntie Charlotte: our single source of quality children's literature for our daughter. Here she is reading the (apparently) terrifying story of the "Haunted Hamburger."

That's it for now folks. You can expect another one of these once the little guy is born. If Debra is not in labor by Tuesday, she'll have to get a Cesarian. Either way, you'll be hearing from us soon!