Silas' first steps.

Hello! This is really a bonus blog as I didn't think I would get written tonight. However, the girls are finding it really hard to get to sleep, Esther in particular, and so I am sitting outside their door to make sure that there isn't any talking or getting out of bed. Therefore, I thought I would write this!

Today is the day prior to Thanksgiving which is very similar to Christmas Eve in many ways. Work is very quiet for Tim and so he has been working from home today but has not had much to do even then. Some of the children are off school too (although not our children) and the shops are ridiculously busy. I went into the Liquour store to buy a present for the Clarke's (where we are going for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow) and the queue was terribly long - I think it took me 20 minutes to get to the till! After that I went to QFC just to pick up some milk and bread to last us over the weekend but I was surprised how many people were doing all their Thanksgiving Dinner shopping then!

However, Thanksgiving is fun and we enjoy the fact that it is a long weekend, which is lovely! It is not too long till Christmas then afterwards - all the Christmas decorations will go up this weekend (although probably not ours!) which the children will enjoy, Silas especially, this year.

Tim and I were delighted this morning to watch Silas take his first few steps! He was standing next to the dining room table and then let go of the wall and waited a few minutes to get his balance and then walked 3 or 4 steps all on his own before plopping down. He did it once more but I have not seen him do it again today. He has been standing more on his own though! I was on the phone to Mum which was nice as I was able to tell her as it was happening! It was very exciting!

We  had a fun day today, apart from all the queuing in my case, as this morning, I met Ulrike for a long and gorgeous walk around and through teh State park first of all. At some point whilst I was out, James and Robert had come round to play on Tim's new game: Rock Band. For those of you who have seen the game "Guitar Hero" it is similar to this but with a drum kit, another guitar, a  bass guitar and a microphone. Anyway it is hard to explain how it works but think karaoke with instruments and you are about there.

As they were all very keen to play the game, James and Robert came round to play with Tim whilst Victoria, Harriet and Victoria's parents went to Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah. When I arrived home with the children we then decided to meet up all together at Panera Bread for lunch which we did; it was great fun and a great lunch!

I watched them all play in their 'band' before we went to lunch and was relieved to see that they are all awful; at least none of them will be wanting to leave their families to start touring the rock music destinations for some time yet!

Yesterday, Naomi had school in the morning and then in the afternoon the girls and I had time together whilst the other was in ballet. Naomi and I went to a cafe and Naomi drew some pictures and Esther and I went to the library to read some stories.

Anyway, that is it for now and hope that this finds you all well.