A few December photos

Since this is my scrapbook for myself, I guess you get to see our life in pictures, too! :)

We have made the traditional gingerbread house the past few years. This year the boys got to make a gingerbread train with their GG. It's all Kyle can do to not take the candy off yet!
We had Hall family Christmas over the weekend since everyone has different plans for the actual holiday. Here's Grant trying out one of his new favorite toys - Marble Run (it appears that Jason is building it, but really, I am the one that got it working and his side... well, it kinda collapsed! :) ha. and he's reading this over my shoulder as I type which makes it even more fun to do so!).

The boys got matching OSU warm-ups! Grant was happy!

Kyle is ALL CARS! Wes got him a ferrari car. I don't think it has been out of his hands longer than 10 minutes since he got it. He also has two smaller Porsches which are right up there on his happiness scale.

As homeroom mom, I got to put together the gift baskets for the teachers. Here they are! Full of stuff the teachers like and gift cards to their favorite places. I think they liked them! It was hard to part with the Santa basket!

Both boys had a chance to shine on stage singing Christmas carols. Here is Grant at our church! Mr. Cool was all about dressing up for this one! He is a mini-Jason standing there with his hands in his pants.

Kyle at the preschool show. All of my pictures of this event just have him glowing with happiness. No nose-picking or loud singing this year - just smiles and singing normally. Checking out the Chesapeake lights! Some nice man took our family photo!

Our visit with the jolly old man! The boys were so very happy to finally see him after a year off (due to the ice storm last year, our plans to see him on the 24th while down in the city were cancelled). Merry Christmas to you!!!!

It's only 4 days away!!!!!

annual baking fest!

Our family loves to bake and at Christmas, I always make sure to do "from scratch" sugar cookies and get the whole family involved! This was a great year for the boys to cook! We had a huge mess after Kyle was in charge of the flour and sifting (!!) but lots of smiles were made, both in our cooking and in the sharing of our cookies!

We had just finished making these, and our nice neighbors came over with GORGEOUS cookies that tasted as great as they looked (thanks, Misty!)

The pictures are in backwards order, but here is Kyle with a finished masterpiece! :)
Grant is very seriously concentrating!

Kyle and his sifter!

Grant was the dough-roller and they both were in charge of the cookie cutters.

coolest Santa treat for kids!

We had dinner with friends last night and they mentioned this video!!!! It's a personalized email video sent directly to your child from the north pole! It takes about 4 minutes per child to do and it's FREE!

Grant's video:
http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/znkajb6Gf9olzYQvOSP_Gg

Kyle's video:
http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/-mq2MQQGbN5QVR_6JLd61A

they are personalized based on age, behavior goals, and toy selection for Christmas!

L-O-V-E it!!!!!

Christmas Questions

(pilfered from Kristy)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually wrapping paper. I prefer to open wrapping paper and enjoy the art of making a present look pretty. There are some items that are oddly shaped that go in to sacks.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial and pre-lit

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually sometime soon after Thanksgiving. This year, the house was decorated the weekend before, except for the tree, which I think we did the week of Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? usually after New Years. I think we did it earlier last year because we had the time due to the snow/ice. We usually enjoy the decorations for as long as possible!

5. Do you like eggnog? I really don't know if I have ever had it...if I have, it's been 15+ years ago.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? my hand-crafted dollhouse from my grandfather/mother. The gymnastics balance beam and mat. Trampoline.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Mom

8. Easiest person to buy for? usually the boys are easy at this stage. It's just limiting what we buy! This year I set a budget and did extremely well on everyone.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? just added them up in my head - we have four! Two are more for the kids, and then I have two beautiful, keepsake ones that are on display. Anna Lee and With Joy.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I LOVE getting cards in the mail!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? probably not going to put that on the blog.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoon's just because I laugh at Jason laughing at the TV. I love most of the ABC Family and Hallmark ones each year.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I started probably early/mid November this year. Everything is wrapped below the tree now!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yes.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? seasonal sweets (fudge, sugar cookies, etc)

16. Lights on the tree (colored or clear)? I grew up with colored lights but the lights on our tree are clear.

17. Favorite Christmas song? anything Amy Grant

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We take day trips during the season but because parents are close, we don't spend the night anywhere. 24th with entire maternal side of my family, and then the 25th with Jason's family. My immediate family is celebrating a week early; otherwise, there isn't a time we can all get together!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yep. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen.

20. Angel, star or ribbon on top of tree? we have a star that is always crooked. I believe a star is important at the top - the Star of Bethlehem announcing His birth.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Santa is Christmas morning; everything else is at the time of the celebration with family.

22. Favorite children's Christmas song? Jingle Bells

23. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Xmas instead of Christmas. at least do Cmas. don't take the Christ out.

24. Favorite ornament theme or color? our tree has a variety of ornaments - those given as presents, those collected from trips, child-made treasures, and store-bought balls in colors of blue, red and purple.

25. Turkey or ham on Christmas day? Ham. but I'm not in charge of the menu on Christmas day.

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? I have no real wants this year.

27. Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa? No but when I was little, one of my grandparents' friends would dress up and come over every 24th to say hi to all the grandkids.

28. Age you discovered who Santa was? I think kindergarten. too early. I spent the whole day in my parents' room crying.

29. Eggnog, hot chocolate, or apple cider? Hot chocolate

30. Traditional colors (red and green) or other colors? Red, blue and green

31. Do you have any Christmas decorations on your roof? Christmas lights and then a white star

32. What is your favorite holiday treat? Everything. I'm not picky. :)

33. How does Santa get into your house? Chimney or magic key? Chimney

34. Do you prefer gifts or gift cards? depends on the giver, and the alternative gift.

35. Favorite children's Christmas Cartoon? we haven't watched many - even Rudolph is scary. I guess Polar Express is animated!

growing up!

Peanut, or Lemon as Jason reminded me last night, had a great check-up today. Growing perfectly and the heart rate is strong and steady - dropped down to around 145, which is right around where the boys both were!

"The" ultrasound is January 6 (Mom's birthday!). Her present will either be a third and wonderful grandson or her first little granddaughter! pink or blue? pink or blue?

31 years and gone!

Good-bye, 405-348-7329.

It's my home phone number growing up. And it's now gone. Why?

BECAUSE THEY ARE STILLWATER RESIDENTS!

Congrats, parents, on following your forever dreams (doesn't hurt that part of your family is here!) and retiring in Stillwater!

the sign says 12 but it's really 1 day shy of 13 when we took this. Still not showing. Other areas of my front have become enhanced (!!!) but no baby bump. I can definitely tell that my waist has thickened and getting that tight feeling along the sides. Note to self: do not take profile pictures in horizontal stripes - they do nothing to help the cause! :)
Grant has just loved his time in kindergarten. His class at the beginning of the year made classroom rules that each student is required to follow; if you break the rules, you must go to the Thinking Spot.

Needless to say, I go check on him the other day, after an unusual amount of time upstairs by himself, and find him getting ready to post these on his door.

1. Don't wake me up

2. Have fun

3. Don't jump on bed

4. Listen and do

5. Be kind

6. Keep control of yourself

7. No bragging

8. No guns

Fall!

Our family had a great Thanksgiving week, especially with the public schools being closed the entire week! We've had lots of playtime outdoors as the temps have been nearing the 70's (until the freakishly cold Thanksgiving Day!). The boys piled leaves in our yard and just laughed and laughed!
Kyle just loves his big brother!

Henry, Alan or Sweet

According to the boys, those should be the names of baby #3.

One November 8, we had a good friend go in to labor and so we talked about how they were at the hospital and would come home with their baby boy. Grant and Kyle thought that was so neat, and so I asked if they would ever want a baby. Without hesitation, they both screamed "YES!"

I asked "why?" and they replied a variety of answers including "it would be fun to play with, we can teach it stuff, they are so cute, etc."

They both wanted to know when we would have one, and I said "I don't know" and Grant goes "well, I do. We get to have a baby if God thinks we should have one." I liked that answer.

Then I asked what they would name the baby. Kyle said "Henry." and I said what about for a girl? "Henry is for a girl, but it would be for a boy, too." Grant's choices are Alan (wth?!?) or Sweet for a sister.

ahhhhh.... we love it that they are so excited. And, yes, I did write this on the night that we had this conversation but am just not posting until a later date! I have to keep track of these cute moments.

Also, at 9 1/2 weeks, the baby was a few centimeters long and the heartbeat was 175. that's the fact update!

Telling the Boys!

Christmas

So I am in the mood for Christmas! I've changed my background a week and half early from the fall decorations to Christmas. And, it makes me happy!!!!

10 Commandments

In case you need a reminder as to God's rules for our lives:

Exodus 20:2–17
2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
3 Do not have any other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8 Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. 9 For six days you shall labour and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.
12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 You shall not murder.
14 You shall not commit adultery.
15 You shall not steal.
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Bears

Who would have thought that the Baylor Bears would be a huge game for us?!?! Not me!!!!

Halloween 2010

In case you missed our photos on Facebook - here they are! I was so very happy with how the costumes turned out this year! We had a great time at both our church's Trunk or Treat event, and then also a friend's Halloween party, where everyone was required to dress up!
Church party - hayride and horse rides for the kids!

Lake McMurtry

If you know our family very well, then you know we are very outdoorsy folks! We love to play outside, eat outside and take adventures outside. We have had several "camping" trips to our backyard, where we pitch the tent and sleep overnight, but we've been near modern conveniences. In the spring, with friends, we overnighted on their land but we've never been to an actual campsite until a few weeks ago.

We loaded up and headed to McMurtry (just so happens to be where we got engaged!). Our campsite (there were only three camping sites being used this weekend, which we found ridiculous b/c the weather couldn't have been more perfect) ended up being right around the corner from our good friends, the Ramseys. We had smores together!

A few pics: Grant off exploring on the rocky wall at our site (it was a HUGE site, too, with a great area for fishing).
The boys preparing our campfire to roast our hot dogs and chili on! (disregard the blue lighter at his feet - I am just SURE that Jason got it all ready by rubbing two sticks together with his bare hands. wink wink).

Kyle was really into fishing at this spot. Grant could have cared less. I caught one and I think Kyle caught three. Jason was just busy putting worms on the lines, fixing broken lines, and putting the fish back in the water to fish much!

This shot was priceless. We had just finished unloading the car and getting settled. I look over and the boys had put their chairs next to each other and were just staring at the lake. Pretty much says it all to me! I LOVE that they LOVE each other, too!

Today

There will be a day when I look back on October 28, 2010, and laugh. I'm just not quite there yet... this has been one for the record books.

The following is just one teensy-weensy taste of our day:

Grant puked in the car. As we were cleaning him up at Jason's office, Kyle managed to find a phone and dial 9-1-1. And then our neighbor, who happened to be on duty, came to the office in his patrol car.

The bright spot of the day: Grant scored way above average in his elementary school's testing. Parent - teacher conferences were tonight, and the teacher had nothing but excellent things to say: from his reading ability, writing skills, counting, socialization, etc, etc, etc. He is thriving in his class in all aspects of his development!

Running pics

Here are the much-anticipated (!!) photos of Jason and Kyle in the Juke Joint Jog. You can see from the running ones how serious Kyle really was this year! Fear the Blonde!
This one is at the finish line - I am on one side and they are running in....
The runners!

and this is the start line (out of order). Jason is just smiling away with friends and then there is Mr. Serious Stride.

This was his favorite - Joe and Buffy!!!!

Dear Grant

Dear Grant,

• You snore so loud in the mornings that I can hear you from the bathroom doorway. Bless your heart!
• Your favorite thing about school is... why, of course - learning! followed by a close second of football on the playground.
• It's basically impossible to get you to sit still. Only when I want to do writing games or color or something will you actually sit at the table. Even at mealtime, you have one foot on the floor,... always ready to go.
• "Hey, Mom!" is your favorite thing to say, followed by "will you play _____ with me?" (insert any of the following: golf, soccer, catch, football, hockey, basketball, tennis) when you get out of the car from school, up until about 6:30 when it becomes "Hey, Dad!"
• Did you know that you have the prettiest skin and eyes and eyelashes I've ever seen? Even your teeth (those sweet little baby teeth that will soon be replaced by those HUGE ones from your x-ray) are pretty. :) you're my pretty boy! and a real "boy" at heart.
• I watched you today on the playground before our lunch date, and I saw you share the football several times with some other boys. that makes me proud ("that makes Jesus and Santa happy" is a quote Dad and I use sometimes to you guys).
• You could care less about your clothes. You wear whatever we lay out together the night before.

Just wanted you to know what is going on at 5 1/2 with your life! I love you so much!

Your Kissing Hand,

Mommy

New Determination

My baby (ha!) has a new found determination and leadership!

In the past month, it's like he has grown up - physically, emotionally, and mentally. He has a new attitude (less whiny) and asks to help set the table, etc, to be helpful around the house, and picks up without me asking.

Publicly, he is a spitfire. Here are a few recent things:

• The Juke Joint Jog - this was going to become an annual exercise event for us after our family family run last year. When it came to be the day of the race, Grant said he didn't want to do it, so I sat out with him, and Kyle was still full-force ready to run. He did SO much better than last year. The last .2 of the race, he ran as hard as his little body would take him to the finish line. Of course, everyone was cheering. I got a few pictures but couldn't swap over to video quick enough and still get pics. He was a DOLL!!!
• Fire Engine - we attend the public library story time every Monday. Being Fire Safety week, the firemen came out. Kyle, while raising his hand, informed everyone that he is supposed to go to the mailbox if his house gets on fire, and then whey they asked what to do if your clothes caught fire, he raised his hand and said "I"ll show ya!" and proceeded to stop, drop, and roll for the entire room. Outside, the firemen let all the kids spray the hose in to the parking lot (that was his highlight).
• Yoga Master - this is a phrase I am pretty sure would never come out of someone in my family. Kyle's preschool class has a certified yoga teacher, and she sometimes does yoga with the kids. At the Open House on Monday, Kyle was the only kid to go to the yoga area with the teacher and demonstrate for the teachers. Oh, how I wish I had my video camera! He was doing the Sun Salutation, Child's pose, Tree, and who knows what else with just the biggest smile! when we got home that night, he acted like he had never heard of the word 'yoga' and wouldn't do a thing! oh well... baby steps!

just had to document!

4th Annual Visit!

One of my husband's favorite things to do is to visit the Grider Farms pumpkin patch. Here are a few pics from Visit 2010.

and they are a-growing this year! We've decided the pumpkin patch is "a pattern" (thanks to Grant).... good year, bad year, good year, bad year! and this was a good year!

We hit the pumpkin patch the first of October. Wes and Anne asked to join us a few months ago as neither of them had done that before. Not so sure Wes enjoyed the whole farm life but Anne got in there and cut a few off the vine. :)

Come visit our house and office and see how pretty they look as decorations!

All Things Orange!

The season is now fall! In our home, that means it's All Orange All the Time! It has been great for our family to have season football tickets this year. It's the first year we have braved taking the boys, and 95% of the time, Grant is paying attention. Kyle is around 60%, and the rest of the time he can be satisfied to have popcorn in front of him!

The boys are Pistol Pete Partners. Below are pictures from a variety of weekend events - football player party, the game vs A&M, and just orange Friday attire!
Here's the view from our seats. We ended up being near friends so it worked out great! Family photo! The gal that took this ended up being the Stillwater Homecoming Queen the following night!!! and to make me feel really old, her mom was my advisor at OSU!

Playing tag outside the stadium (during the OSU comeback of the A&M game). I wanted to be INSIDE and not out... I just love the pure expressions on these faces below!

Dr. Pepper and Cute Boys. If you read one of my fav blogs, ihategreenbeans.com, then you will know why we took this shot!

Picture with G before going to the game!

Our 2010 shot with Pistol Pete. Probably the best one yet.

Playing on the football field during the Partners party. Fortunately, we got out there to play and were finished just about the time it downpoured (not the wet hair above).

So that's All Things Orange at our house!

September

UPdates haven't been too frequent lately. For that, I apologize! Guess life is just fun and busy (and it is taking incredibly long to upload photos lately so who really has time to sit for so long?!!?! I did discover how to make the photo size smaller so that should help... we'll see!)

Soccer and friends describes a lot of our time during September! Grant has just taken off and really enjoyed soccer. His teammates are mostly fellow Kindergartners at his school, and its been fun for him to talk about seeing them on the playground, cafeteria, etc. Our coach is just awesome, too - he is a parent, but has played soccer for 35 years, so Grant is actually LEARNING and not "just" exercising. It's a great season!
We have a great group of friends but don't often times get together, ALL together. It is usually a few moms and a few kids, or the dads are out golfing, etc. That is what is going on in this picture! Jason took three friends golfing so I had the families come over and we ordered pizza. It was fun for the kiddos to get together, but not so sure it was as of a relaxing evening for the moms as it was for the dads!!!

Let me introduce you to the new duo: Gyle. Gyle likes to scream each other's name when they see each other... even if it's only been 3 minutes of playing separately. and I mean scream. They are so unified when together that G's mom of Gyle gave them the nickname since they are inseparable. It fits. We had a photo shoot and this was the best shot.

Girls Weekend

My three besties in Stillwater and I went on a road trip a few weeks ago. We took one camera to capture the fun! However, Kristy beat me to the blog post, and hers is un-matchable, so why don't you just go read all about it for yourself! Click Here!

Mama's Song

and tears are rolling down my cheeks after this one! I have the best Mom and the best answer to her (and my!) prayers!

God's Angels

Last week, my Heavenly Father was answering some major prayers for my earthly daddy and best friend. He was busy....

and I am SOOO thankful he feels these two angels still have a lot of work to do for him on earth!

So Thankful.

Today's Society...

Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel , "Pick up your shovels, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the Promised Land."

Nearly 75 years ago, (when Welfare was introduced) Roosevelt said “Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a Camel, this is the Promised Land.”

Today, Obama has stolen your shovel, taxed your asses, raised the price of Camels and mortgaged the Promised Land! I was so depressed last night thinking about Healthcare plans, the economy, the wars, lost jobs, savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called a Suicide Hotline.

I had to press 1 for English. I was connected to a call center in Pakistan . I told them I was suicidal. They got excited and asked if I could drive a truck…

tidbits

• in response to looking at a friend's new baby's photos... and he was in a few from the hospital so he was extra interested.... "She sure is cute and now they finally have a chance to be a real mom and dad," said Grant after viewing the pictures.
• Kyle's preschool teacher: "So, the other day we were in our small groups and I was talking to them when all of a sudden Kyle just breaks out in to this big belly laugh for a few seconds. I ask him "Kyle, was that funny?" and he gets very serious with a slight scowl and says "No, it was not" which then caused me to laugh and he got upset at me then."
• Kyle's preschool teacher: "it is very interesting for me to have had both of them and to learn their personalities. They aren't much alike, are they?!?!" "ummmmm, no"
• Grant announced last week as he got in the car after school something to this affect: "Mom, I am just not going to go to school anymore because all I am going to do is just play sports and therefore I don't need to go to school. Just sports. Period." uh-huh. so we just happen to be driving by the campus and I let him know that all those players he has met and likes all go to school, too.... so far, so good!

Why Blog?

In this age of so many forms of easy communication and social networking, why a blog? Wouldn't it just be easier to post it all on facebook for my 841 friends to see? or email to the family members and friends who (amazingly) haven't joined the trend to get an account?

Because I can!

This blog is a place for me to capture small moments and details and simple, funny stories about the life that my little family is creating.

When I first learned about my pregnancy with Grant, it was within days that I started keeping a journal, detailing every little thought and writing down doctor appointment stats and blah blah blah. Love it! I was so good at updating his journal even when life was crazy, and I was working 2 jobs and Jason was gone 6 days a week for school, residency, and his job. I think it is updated until he is about 4 years old. Also started one for Kyle... his is up-to-date (not nearly as many entries as Grant's one) to about age 2.

This blog, however, lets me detail it all! It is so much easier to think of a story and be able to hop online to write it down (there are some posts that are not made public on a blog, by author discretion) than to find both journals, write it down twice...

Technology is great. In fact, there are quite a few sites where one can upload their blog, and have a book printed. And that is just what we're doing. Our blog since 2008 will be about $40 to print so far, in full color, with a hard-back covering.

So, for me, this blog is my scrapbook. The important photos I want to share are here along with happenings of our lives and what we're doing. I truly believe in 10 or 20 or 30 years, if the Internet is still around (!) this is a keepsake. and, if not, I will be so thankful I had the chance to "scrapbook" my family through this blog. and, since I'm not a creative person, this straight-forward typing is much simpler.

So that is why I blog! And if anyone chooses to read it, then that is an extra bonus!!!

age...shmage

While spending time in college, it seems the students thought the world (at least the town) revolved around them. As a young family, in the same town, it's amazing to me how separate the college life is from the "normal" life here, other than more traffic!
---------
the reason I wanted to make a quick post right now is to share my thoughts on age and beauty.... it doesn't peak at 18 or 20 or 24 like gossip magazines and Hollywood tends to portray females in pictures, roles and stories. Sure, at that age, most girls are pretty.

No brown spots. No fine likes around the eyes. No stretch marks from carrying a child inside your belly.

But I have had the chance to be around several friends from college in the past year because of baby showers, get-to-gathers, random run-ins at restaurants and OSU events....

Every single lady is prettier now than when they were 20.

----I am amazed by each of you. Not only is your outer beauty so wonderful, but man, lovely ladies on the inside shining by far more brightly! It's been great to see my close friends and acquaintances mature and become such LOVELY women. Perhaps it's that we are "with the trends" now (some of us; we Walkers still struggle in that area and always will), or we're truly independent, and it's taken a lot of life lessons in the past decade (plus) to get there.... but for whatever your reason, and there are tons, I am so proud to see my friends become wonderful mothers, successful business workers, great teachers, involved community leaders, lights of Christ, happy wives (and although there have been unsuccessful marriages, too, those friends of ours have grown).

I've basically rambled... but my point is clear: women get more and more beautiful as time goes on. More quickly than we'd like, I'm sure we will start to resemble "old" ladies, but the insides of my friends and peers is so much prettier now than ever. And TRULY, EACH of you is prettier now than you were at 18. I can't think of one who isn't! (have you SEEN some of those Party Pix from 1999?!?!?)

LOVE YOU!

First Day and other pics

K's first day of preschool has come and gone! Here are his three teachers - two of whom we had when Grant when thru the program. Yay! He had a fabulous day, and when I asked when I picked him up if he napped, one of his teachers belly-laughed "uh, no, he didn't nap." :)

We have a big kindergartener in our house!!!!! He had a great first day, was very excited to go, and there were no tears shed by anyone. There are 7 kids from his pre-k class in his kindergarten class so that helps! Also, he has grown 2 "bricks" since last year (we take pictures by the school sign) for a fun fact. Jason joined us for dropoff!

Doesn't he look stinking old?!?!

Typical event for the boys... driving the golf cart present by some old neighbors. I have to limit Kyle's time in this, usually daily, to 15 minutes so he will actually do physical exercise.

Miss Mary - our Monday morning librarian friend! Just happened to have the camera from the first day of school so I snapped their pic. She has known Kyle since he was 7 months, and has seen him at least 90% of the Mondays since then!

We took one last trip to the zoo last week and enjoyed the Lorikeets actually hopping on us this time around. Grant had no fear.

My brother and sister-in-law moved to the metro area a few weeks ago after both having gotten jobs! We went down to see their new place and have some cake for his birthday.