A Tree Huntin' We Will Go

We gathered the troops and headed our for the great, not so wide, open in search of the perfect tree. The Saturday afternoon Thanksgiving the fam clan went up to Lamola Lake to cut down Christmas trees. It was a gorgeous frosty day for a tree hunt and the kids had a blast. This was Mc's first real venture into the cold white stuff and once he realized he could eat it at his leisure he was good to go...much like his older brother, whom I believe would sleep in snowball if he could. Check out some the great moments we captured!

Don't get used to this, this is the one and only picture you may see
of us standing together and smiling from the 2009 year...I guess that is a good thing it
is almost over.

Just a little snow snack for the boys!

Goin' for a role in the snow!

I am not sure he can feel his face at this point, but
he is still having fun!

Nice work boys...now could ya take those home and decorate them...hehe!

Snapshots over time!

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Carving complete!

100% Brotherly Love

"Nye-Nye, Papa"

Just another day in cupcake land for Carter's
playschool feast! Gobble, gobble.

School Days with Carter!

Carter started his first year of playschool this fall
and he just loves it. He has made some great friends and
I think he wished he could go to school everyday...which is a good thing with
kindergarten right around the corner. Here are a few pics from the beginning
of his school year!

Meeting Miss Heather on the 1st Day of Playschool

Each day the kids have a job...on the first day Carter's job
was to feed the class Guinea Pig, Mocha. He could not have
been more delighted!

The first field trip...to the James Apple Orchard.
Miss Danielle is assisting on his apple of choice!

Each child got to pick 2 apples, one to eat, and one to
take back to school to make apple pie with...yummy!

Carter measured up about 14 apples tall and his
first school year got off to a great start!

Falling Back...A Month or so to...FALL

What a great harvest season this year...we had blast visiting
the pumpkin patch, carving , making crafts, feasting on treats,
and tricking and treating with friends and family! Here
are a few highlights of Halloween night!

Happy Harvest 2009...and go ducks...in case it slipped your
mind they handed USC a treat of their own on this Halloween
night!

Tate the tadpole...er frog & Mc the chick...en!

The ship has landed thanks to "Fighter Pilot Luke" and his
trusty side kick Anakin or Father if you will (don't ask me anything about Star Wars...these
two can tell you all you need to know)

Cousin crafts...nice skills gentlemen!

"That's a Wrap Folks!"

Labor Day Weekend @ Diamond Lake

Over Labor Day we went up to Diamond Lake on our first family camping trip. It wasn't really the tent camping trip we had promised Carter, the weather wasn't stellar, and McLance had a bit of a cold...but the boys had a BLAST! Carter loved playing with all the kids especially the older clan...they just ate him right up and he enjoyed every minute of it. I didn't take too many pics because I was constantly chasing Mc, but here are a few I did capture!

Believe it or not, he actually asked to be tied to this stump.

Nothing like the great outdoors!

Are you asking yourself "Is Blair going to share his adult
beverage with his 18 month old nephew?" "He wouldn't."
"Would he?" Oh yes, he would and he did. Fortunately Mc has not
yet acquired an addiction.

Ooooh...what can I get into now!

Oh yes, my son is in fact eating with a head lamp on, it doesn't
get much cooler than a head lamp now does it?!

Yes....I caught Walter!

Uncle Blair trying to use me for bait!

Apparently after catching so many fish you turn into one.

All cuddled up for a good nights sleep...thank goodness for the heat, labor day weekend
on the lake was not so warm, well at least not if you were sleeping in a tent...poor uncle Blair..hehe.

Go Seahawks!

At the end of the summer we took Carter to his first

professional football game. The quick trip to Seattle was a lot of fun. Carter was able
to tackle the space needle, an aquarium with uncle Blair and Melina, a football game, and even his great uncle Steve...all in all it was a big hit...oh and he even got to tour the Cabela's store
which like his father he is dying to revisit.

Check out my new shirt!

No Carter didn't get his beads after buying a beer...just mom and dad!

High on cotton candy and licorice and lovin' it!

Seahawks win!
Good night Seattle!

Sea World...Finally

Below are the pictures of Sea World...I know it took me forever

and I apologize to you all, and on top of that I have a trillion other
postings I want to get done and am behind on...so with all that said I am doing my best to
get caught up.

Sea world was a blast, Carter rode on a huge rollercoaster
for a 4 year old (barely tall enough) and loved every minute of it. He also got picked
out of a TON of people to be the "dolphin" helper for the dolphin show...pretty special since my brother also was picked nearly twenty years ago for the same thing at Sea World...right after Carter was chosen I told my dad that mom was up to something...and (the plot thickens) then as Carter was being introduced to the dolphin trainer the announcer says" Hi Carter, this is MICKEY, the trainer for the day", a little nutty...mom was definitely up to something...how many females are named Mickey????!

Breakfast with Shamu!

A nice friendly smile!

And one for Mc too!

This is not a great pic, but Mc actually got to ride
this ride, so I thought it was worth sharing!

This show was just as amazing as it was when I was little. We sat
in the "soak zone" and Carter was less than pleased with getting wet,
but he got over it before the sun went down I think.

Carter petting the dolphin and letting the crowd
know that it feels like a hot dog!

Oh yes, Carter almost leaped in the dolphin pool! What can I say, you say
jump...he jumps!

Don't ya just want to take one home?

The boys enjoyed the penguin exhibits, and
Carter even talked Papa into buying him a stuffed one!

As Carter refers to this walrus, "This is the big fat guy"...needless
to say his favorite creature he saw there!

Thanks Sea World...we will be back!

Adventures in Legoland

The beginning of a very long fun filled day!

Lego Bob...and apparently a plane overhead as well.

As Carter would say..."this is wear my daddy went"
The lego structures here were beyond words...I opted not to bore you
with them all, but they really were amazing works of art or perhaps play
depending on how you look at it I guess.

I zoomed in on this one just for you Tiff.

And...to Carter's delight...the "REAL" Bob the Builder!

Just tall enough to ride this fun water ride with mom.

Pilot and co-pilot..."rodger dodger"


"To the conquest of Legoland!"

This water area was a highlight for Mc...here he is in control of
the water that is falling on his head, but he hasn't quite figured that
out at this point...

...nope, still not gettin' it.

Taking a break in a nice little swing over the water.

Ahhhh...shark attack...but I think think
these victims were having too much
fun to be scared at all!

Thumbs up Legoland...I had a blast and can't wait to go back.

Thanks Legoland...today was great, but I am outta here! (oh...
and yes that volvo behind me is all legos...wow! huh?)

STAY TUNED FOR THE UPCOMING
ADVENTURES OF SEA WORLD!