Happy Thanksgiving!

View from our kitchen on this beautiful, sunny Thanksgiving morning in Maine.

Yesterday Steph and the boys went snowshoeing while I did some work around the house and attended to some errands. I think today we'll stay inside!

Our remodelled kitchen in the new house, ready for big action!

The plans of the Queen for the annual feast.

Here we go!

So we'll probably be busy eating and patting our bellies the rest of the day. Toni and Tim will be here for dinner. Kirk, Jill, and Lindsay will stop by around dessert time, Terri, Steve, and Erin after that (Ashley, Bill, Bev, Til all in Florida).

Love to all!

Easter Sunday

The Easter Bunny leaves rhyming clues inside plastic eggs for the boys to find little presents hidden around the house. Ian was reading one of them out loud, Colin sitting right by his side, listening intently. Part way through, Colin leans over to Steph and whispers, "Hey, Mom! Ian's a really good reader!" The clue was about where we put bookbags and coats. Ian, to help his brother out, prompts: "And where do we keep bookbags and coats?" Colin thinks for a second and says, "The DINING ROOM!" As they go by me on their way to the dining room, Colin gives me a "hey Buddy" pat on the arm.




After Colin found one of his gifts and a couple of chocolate eggs along the way, he ran back to show Mommy. I said, "And two chocolate eggs to boot!" So when he gets to the living room he says to her, " Look, Mom. And two chocolate eggs to boot!"

Too funny. they were cracking us up all morning.

While they were hunting for chocolate eggs, Ian was thinking about Colin and the fact that Colin is younger. Every once in a while Ian would hand him a chocolate egg and say, "Here, Colin. You can have this one." "Thanks, Ian!" Can you beat that? Love it.







Goofy Daddy and Colin playing bouncy-ball.

Later, everyone came over to our house to have Ian's family birthday celebration. He was grateful for all the presents he got and spent some good time sharing his things and visiting. It was great to see everyone.











Hey Colin, You're busted for unauthorized enjoyment of chocolate!


Happy Easter!

Happy Birthday to You, Too!

Happy Birthday, Steph! Queen Bee for the day!

Mommy got breakfast in bed, followed by a birthday party in bed with her boys!



This is the card she got from us.




She got two stained-glass dragonflies and a special necklace and earrings that Colin picked out. Boy do they look great!







She was feeling loved!




She said that she would get to do anything she wanted on her birthday. When I saw her cleaning up, doing laundry and putting stuff away, I said, "You're not supposed to do any work today!" "No, I said I could do anything I wanted to do today." came the reply. Touchée.

So she did what she wanted to! Bless her. She wanted to take care of some stuff and she did. She also relaxed a bit and when for a walk with Jake.

We love her!

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy birthday, Buddy!

Ian had a bowling party with some of his friends. Crazy bowling! One kid got three and a half feet of air before the ball crashed down onto the lane. Another caused the bumper rail to go down. We had a ball get wedged between the rail and the median between lanes. Of course, you've got to have a few balls that go backwards when the younger ones are bowling. And finally, there was an award for Most Dangerous Ball. It went right over the rail and into a completely different lane!

We all survived and had a grand old time!


Having a grand old time.


Da goils.


Mr. Happy hangin' out with the big kids.



Ian just misses a 7-10 split.


The landing to Ian's "Flying Release" move.



Now it's time for cake!



And WHAT A CAKE! It's a Lego brick! Good job, Mamma!



Ian contemplates his wish...

Congratulations, Ian! You made it to 8!

A couple highlights from last year. Enjoy!

"Your Sherrif's Kit comes complete with deluxe yellow handgrips, waterproof tracker's boots, all-terrain ve-hicle, crossdraw holster, and shape-retaining high-visibility authentic western hat!"



Ian zooming along on two wheels. To say he got the hang of it over the summer would be a huge understatement! He was gone!!!



End of summer at camp.




Two days later it was winter. We still have fun, though!




Bear Grylls, eat your heart out. You got nothing on these guys!




Ian demonstrates using root side of a deadfall and pine boughs to make quick shelter. I am man - watch me survive!




The boys picking out our Christmas tree. Here comes 2011 !

Ian said.........

A couple of weeks ago Ian had a sleepover with two of his buddies. They were all talking about sleep and going to bed, being scared at nighttime, etc...

I was in the hall when I heard Ian say, "Sometimes - I'm scared o' my snoring."



Today he asks me: "Dad - is Mother Nature God's wife?"