Nativity Family Scene and Snow Day

We went to our Stake's Nativity display. They filled the gym with Nativities. One of the activities was being able to dress up and get your picture taken.

Snow Day 2009 ... in Houston, Texas of all places!

Thanksgiving 2009

I guess we should back up a bit and show some pictures of Thankgiving too!

Erick Turns Five

Erick had a good birthday. We opened presents this morning. He had an "orange" breakfast ... orange Gatorade, orange waffles, orange Reeces cereal. Then we opened some presents. He loved his new t-shirt which features all the characters from Mario Kart (including his personal favorite - Bowser). He loves the Bakugan toys from Grandma and Grandpa Hobson and the nice cards and money from Grandma and Grandpa Putnam ... Thank you both!! He also got a walking, roaring T-Rex which looks pretty real.

He's looking forward to his party later this month when our good friends the Crows visit us. He can't wait to see his buddy Carter!


Erick showing off his Batman watch.

Erick admiring his Batman watch. The T-Rex wanders errantly about the kitchen terrorizing Fritz.

A Perfect Morning

I love foggy mornings. In Oregon, around Thanksgiving time, we'd get a few foggy days. I was telling Jill this morning that I loved going running in the foggy mornings. I knew that Houston gets foggy mornings in the Fall and Winter. We had a few foggy mornings a couple of weeks ago, so I knew that we'd eventually have some nice foggy days on the weekend or when I had a day off. It rained on Saturday and Ben, Erick and I went on a walk in the forest, but I didn't expect a foggy morning on my first day off for Thanksgiving break.

I went on a run this morning while Camille got up and ate breakfast. By the time I got back, Jill, Camille and Erick were ready for the walk. I grabbed my camera because the fog was still hanging around. It was bliss walking through the forest and seeing the dew and berries and Autumn colors. I've been waiting for this day all year.

The icing on the cake was when Camille wanted to get out of the stroller and walk too. She hopped out, walked up to me, grabbed my hand and said, "I love you Dad!" That melted my heart.

By the time we finished our walk, the sun was burning the last of the fog and the cool foggy morning was turning into a perfect Autumn morning. Erick and Camille got out their scooters and tricycles. Jill sat and read the mail and I did some more pool and back-yard cleaning. Later, our neighbor came by with her dogs and we sat and chatted in the morning sun.

It was just one of the mornings you never forget ... I felt like a kid again.

Three Little Indians

Erick and Camille with their friend Lily.

The Boys

The boys' Sunday clothes have been ragged and, quite frankly, ugly for the past several months. Jill was finally able to visit the clothes store and get some nice pants and shirts for the boys. Today, for the first time perhaps, both boys had on nice shirts (even tucked in!), belts and shoes that weren't cowboy boots.

What a great feeling it is to see such handsome boys! Another amazing thing about this picture is Erick looking at the camera and smiling (and now that I notice it, I see that the last several pictures he is looking at the camera and smiling) - two miracles in one day!

Halloween Night

For Halloween Night, Emma and Ben did some last minute decorating of the front yard to spook trick-or-treaters. Then they got their costumes on. Emma was a Greek Princess, Camille was a Fairy Princess, Erick was a Stormtrooper and Ben was a Karate-Vampire-Axe-Wielding-Monster. We hit the homes on the block and then I took Erick and Camille home while Jill took Emma and Ben to some other neighborhoods. When I got home, I fired up the hot tub and when Jill, Emma and Ben got home, we all hopped in and enjoyed the hot tub in the cold night air.

Carving Pumpkins

Emma and Ben School Pictures

Ben in 2nd grade.

Emma in 4th grade.

Ben's Baseball Games

Ben's been enjoying baseball this fall. His arm has really improved over the season. I remember on tryouts day, he could hardly throw it to first base, but now he throws quite well. He's done very well at batting. He usually hits a single every time. He's only struck out twice all year.

October Skies Rocket Launches

We went to the Civil Air Patrol's annual rocket launch yesterday. It was pretty neat watching some of those rockets go really high. One must have drifted a few miles from the launch site it went so high. Another angled off to the west and might have even gone over Interstate 59.

The kids thought it was a little loud, but it wasn't loud at all. The only loud one was the 8-foot rocket which looked more like a missile that belonged on an F-16.

Emma got to launch one too! You can see her in the bottom picture in the bottom left-hand corner shortly after she ignited the rocket.

Fun times!

Enjoying the Cool Evenings

Erick and Camille Preschool Pictures

My Job

If there ever was a comic strip that perfectly sums up my current job, it is this: