"Don't you just love (Portland) in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies."

Title note: "You've Got Mail" is my favorite movie of all time.

Moving on...

Luke found these salamanders swimming in the complex's pool. It's closed for the season and we are no longer worried about proper chlorine levels - hence the living creatures actually surviving in the pool-water. He fished them out and brought them back to the apartment. Since Luke grew up in the desert he hasn't really seen salamanders, let alone be able to catch them. He was so excited!



A friend of mine made a ribbon wreath (I saw a picture on her blog), and I thought it was too cute! I decided that I would try and make one. Luke had never seen me do any sort of craft, so he was a bit skeptical at first. In the end, he was impressed by my crafty skills.



We carved pumpkins with our friends Matt and Sarah. (Sarah was my roommate in college. When the couple arrived in Portland for Matt's schooling, we convinced them to move into our complex so we could have friends nearby. We love em'!)

*Luke's*

*Mine*

*Z's - that I carved for her. It's a hand with a heart in the middle.*

Aslynn was Belle for Halloween. I picked the costume because it was 50% off and I could live vicariously though her. (I'm 22 years old and I still wish I could dress up like Belle.) She wasn't the biggest fan of the outfit - especially of the crown that went with it - but she tolerated it well.

Our new calling in the ward is as chairmen of the activities committee. We helped plan a massive Halloween party for two, very large wards. Tons of people were there and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves! We went to the party dressed as a cleaning lady (you just can't see my apron, feather duster and yellow rubber gloves), Belle, and a mafia-gangster.

On Halloween we went trick-or-treating at the zoo with some play-group friends. We had fun!

All the excitement tuckered Z out.

This is our newest family member, Lexi (aka: Little Grey). It took a while for Luke to agree to get a cat, so he got to make the final approval on the name. It was only after we got the name picked out that we laughed at ourselves and our unexpected cleverness.

Explanation: We sometimes watch the show "Grey's Anatomy" and one of our favorite characters on the show is named Lexi. Her nickname is "Little Grey" - Lexi the cat happens to be little and gray. We thought we were pretty punny.

Aslynn still hasn't completely warmed up to the fact that she now has to share the floor with a furry, jumping, scampering body. Sometimes Z just wants he space when Lexi wants to play. There are times when they do get along nicely. Aslynn and Lexi chase each other around the house and play with the cat toys together. Lexi tolerates Z's "petting." Z doesn't like Lexi to sit on her lap though; she squals in protest and pushes the kitten off.

Luke threatens Lexi and pretends to hate her, but NO ONE can resist curling up with a snuggly car for a nap.

My heart is full of warm fuzzies because I have an animal of my own again. Seriously, pets are such stress relievers. I wish I could explain it better than that.

Thanks Mom, for picking her up from the Bend Humane Society and bringing her to Portland for me. You (and Dad for tolerating it) are the best!