Merry Christmas!

i know it's been a long time since posting. our computer has not been working so that's hindered the postings.

Thanks Jason and Amy! what a fun gift!

Yea! A Cars Busy Book. Thanks, Lauren!

Zachary is making his monkey noises with his sock monkey hat from Amy and Jason and the kids.

Too cute!

Big brother helping open presents.

Christmas continued

These pictures are all out of order but this was during the time at my folks. the last night we were there, zachary in particular was being just goofy with the camera so we caught some good pictures of him with grandma and grandpa. he would barely sit there for a picture and then hop down and run to the camera to see himself and grandpa. usually he hopped down before pete could take a picture.

the cousins.
we toured the christmas lights at the coeur d'alene resort. this is just inside the lobby.

zachary got a new buzz lightyear sleeping bag! he's pretty excited and flopped down on his tummy and did a little swim and then rolled on his back with legs up like this.

another present from Santa, Siddeley the jet plane.

their awesome butch hats from uncle tj and aunt heather. they both love wearing them!

the whole family! it's been 10 years since adam has been back for Christmas and this time, he brought his fiancee, Cole.

for the most part they both did well helping each other open presents. this was a pizza factory playdoh maker.

and the request from Santa...the prized yellow Buick Grand National.if you can't tell, he's pretty excited.

Christmas Phase 1

We drove to the grandparents for Christmas this year and luckily the weather was fine and the kids did awesome. only one 15 min potty break. in fairness we started the drive near portland but still, it was a great drive. spent a couple days with Pete's family and one of the most entertaining gifts was some bubble wrap that both boys enjoyed stomping on. even grandpa got into it.

very excited about this RC Corvette from Uncle Chris and Aunt Laura

Nate reading to Zach who was totally into all the moves of "If you are happy and you know it". i didn't know he knew that book.

The family minus chris and laura and anna and lily.

Merry Christmas. More to come.

Happy Halloween!

Meet the new fastest gun in the West. "Take 10 steps and draw". Zach is Cowboy Woody this year. Wears it well and keeps the hat on quite a while. At home he puts his hands up for "reach for the sky" when he sees Woody but won't do it on demand. Look at the awesome pteradactyl that Pete's mom made for Nathaniel. It is too cute! He loves it and when he opened the box, he asked if he could fly. Of course I said, "Yes, flap your wings." He puts on his wings and says, "Why am I not flying?". He wasn't disapointed but for a second and continued to flap his wings and run around the house with the biggest grin on his face.

Zach has been waving at everything lately. He's been just a riot and talking, talking, talking.

These are the neighborhood kids at the start of the parade down the street to the Village Green for some crafts and treats.

Carving pumpkins today. Nathaniel gutted his own. He was very excited to take part and said to Pete, "I'll do whatever job to help". Zach drew a little on his, ate a snack and got down to play with Nate's trains.

Zacher and his pumpkin.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

With friends Gage and Cole

pumping water...nice concentration with the tongues working hard

On a horse drawn wagon rideMy little Cougs!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear...

Listen closely to Nate reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? to Zach.

Camping

We went camping yesterday. Didn't get into the campground we were intending to and ended up a little higher elevation so the night was extremely cold so we decided not to stay another one. It took a while for us to warm up in the morning. Their little hands were freezing and they were wearing 3 layers of clothes. The boys did pretty well and loved playing in the dirt and sand. Then after playing in the sand, they came and "did dishes" which ended up with clean hands and water all over the picnic table and soaked clothes. Another highlight: Nathaniel enjoyed peeing in the bushes. And this was our first time camping in the 8 man tent we received when we got married.

Go Speed Racer!

Nathaniel has got pedaling his big wheels down, now! we took a walk to the dinosaur park today and he pedaled his big wheels the whole way there and back and around the concrete area there. just had to remind him a few times to watch where he is going so he didn't run into a mailbox or rock wall. he was showing off how he can ride with no hands too (he said the kids at daycare do that). zach rode in the stroller and we walked behind him giving him nudges up the little driveway ramps when needed.

Random Quotes

So, the actress who played Punky Brewster was on tv the other day and I said, "Look, it's Punky Brewster" and Nathaniel was in the other room and said, "I want to see the Funky Rooster".

There is a boat near our house with the name "Pork Chop" painted on the side and this morning we drove by it and I told Nathaniel that that was the name of the boat. He just laughed! on the way home from work today a truck hauling a boat passed going the other way and he said, "that boat is called 'Chicken Boat' and the next boat we see will be called 'Watermelon Boat'!"

Zachary loves bananas and insists at least one every morning by saying a word pretty close to 'ban' and he'll pitch a fit for 2 especially if they are in sight. and he'll work to get one for dinner too.


At daycare, they have the kids wash their hands before meals and have a little sink just their size (too cute to watch). So, now at home Zachary will wander in the bathroom and climb up the stools and reach for the soap, scrub his hands together and turn on the water to rinse them off (he can reach the downstairs one) and reach for the towel to dry them. the downstairs sink has an adult 2-step stool and it was scary to walk in there one day to find him at the top washing his hands. yikes! doors will be closing more often now.

He can say "thank you" surprisingly well and tries to do the sign language motion with it. He has been babbling in sentences lately and if you ask him a question, he'll shake his head Yes or No very emphatically.

The last month or so...

About a month ago we went on a short hike near our house. It was Zach's first time in the backpack carrier.We had an impromptu sitdown lunch in the middle of the trail upon Nathaniel's request.

Zachary having fun looking for birds.

Last weekend we went to Spokane and caught a Spokane Indians game with my folks. A big win for the Indians 12-8.

Ice Cream Sandwiches on the drive home. We only stopped ONCE (for an hour and a half) on the way home...a record since Zach was born.

Playing on the monkey bars with some assistance. Burning some energy before getting back in the car.

Zach will just wander over to the corner of toys and entertain himself for a good chunk of time.

This was tonight after Zachers got cleaned up from dinner and did a great job performing the couple animal sounds he has learned so far. Any time he sees or hears a dog he will pant/bark like one. He gets excited.

One of many dinners end up quite entertaining like this.

To the Beach

All of Pete's family met out at the Oregon Coast for a nice visit and some fun in the sand.

Uncle Chris and his nephews

Here are the 3 grandkids, Anna, Zach and Nate sitting in a hole. it was much warmer than my kids make it look. I've just never been to the coast where we didn't need coats and hats and socks and shoes. It was fun to see everyone and spend some time with Anna who is going to be a big sister in September!

Uncle Chris and Zach

We built a ramp over "Carburetor Canyon" for the monster truck to jump over. Then Nathaniel was reenacting Mater the Greater with a line of cars in the hole.

Zachary has gotten big into dumping things on his head. He repeatedly dumped a dump truck full of sand on this head or a shovel full of sand or at home, the bucket of toy soldiers.