The Swarrell Life

Autumn showed me a photo just the other day: WHO PUT TEAGAN IN A DRESS?!?!? Okay, maybe it's Trinity from 2009. BUT, at first glance, it sure looks like Teagan! Amazing what a little hair does to your appearance! Also, this was that same month (November 2009). This was not too long after Trinity's injury. We took her to OHSU and they needed these marks on her head to know where to put the sensors for the tests they were running. Still makes me a little sad to see photos like this. Pretty sure this was right around her first birthday. They sure grow up fast!

I can see why old folks retire to Arizona. 80 degrees in October? Nice! Autumn had a conference in Sedona a couple of weeks ago, so I tagged along. I worked a little from the hotel room while she was getting some learning. In addition to working, I also caught up on what is now my favorite TV show that I didn't know about. It's called "Double Life" and it is about people who go undercover in very dangerous situations and put a lot of bad guys away. Good stuff. Makes me a little paranoid though. There are some really messed up people out there doing some really messed up things. But you already knew that because you have cable. In fact, I didn't even have to watch the show. I should have just asked you how it ended. But I digress... We flew to Phoenix and drove to Sedona. We saw the mud houses of the cliff dwellers. That was really cool. Then went on a heck of a hike that had about 2000 ft of climbing. Ouch! But the landscape in Sedona is beautiful, even if you a...

With October comes Halloween (or harvest festivals, whichever you prefer...) and the beginning of the holiday season. Last year we went to a pumpkin patch and watched Trinity eat dirt...literally. This year was better, and Teagan was even up and about for the festivities. Enjoy all (and there are quite a few) the pictures! Technically, the first picture has little to do with holidays. But there is a cuteness factor that gives it the go-ahead for this post. WARNING: do not turn your back on a one year old. They climb things that they shouldn't. What's worse is they don't know it's bad! Actually, I was talking to Autumn while she was in the kitchen and turned to see that Teagan had climbed up on the little music table. I grabbed him before we could get a picture, for safety, you know. So then, you are wondering how we have a picture of the event here on the blog. Well, wonder no more! We recreated the event JUST FOR YOU! Don't worry, no babies were harmed in the ma...

Sometimes I think I know Trinity and then she does something that totally makes me rethink my view of her. Take the following pictures for example: Good pals, sitting in the yard... Hmm, maybe I'll just reach over here and... ...PULL this out of Ava's hands... Now I have TWO bottles! Kids do the darnedest things when they are growing up. I know I did my fair share. Some of it even involved the cops. But I digress. Trinity is a very sweet little girl, a sweet soul. But she also pushes Teagan down. She pushes Ava down. Ava bites Trinity. You get the idea. So it is neat to see Trinity and Ava when they are at there best, when you can see how much they enjoy each other. Case in point: Trinity tends to be the braver one, so she has been up this ladder before. Just giving Ava a hand... ...and a boost! This reminds me of a photo booth... What a couple of cutie patooties! They even like to goof around at McDonald's! I think it helps me, as a dad, to see these...

The other day I went to the bank. I had both the kids, so I had double charm on my side! Of course the teller was friendly, so the kids each got a sticker of their own. Needless to say, they both were thrilled with their new treasures. We weren't in a huge hurry, so we went to the little play area that the bank had set up. Teagan and Trinity both got to do a little coloring before we went home... I suppose they should be coloring on paper, not on story books... Climbing seems to be his specialty... Probably digging for the blue crayon! Autumn and Trinity went to Boise again, Autumn usually keeps me updated with plenty of pictures! Her newest stunt is to hang by her hands and swing! Yeehaw! New baby! She got to pick this one out. Autumn told me that I could dream...I do have a dream... Trinity's obsession with shoes goes beyond just her wearing shoes, it involves EVERYONE wearing shoes. Here's Teagan, victim of Trinity's shoes obsession. Shoes obsess...