Random pictures from this week . . .

It was a quiet week. Here are some photos from this week - enjoy the captions.

Hi everybody - this smile's for you!

Now - smile for me!

Dad says I'm practicing to be a photographer for "Plumber's Weekly".

Nothing like soap mohawks! That's the only kind mom will allow.How did I get under here?

I guess the bigger question is How do I get out?
Hey - this is my cheese. Somebody get this little tadpole off me!
Little brother for sale - gently used!

So this is what they call "High Centered"?Sam Alert:

Whoa - have you ever seen the undercarriage of a dog. It's not pretty!

Don't tell Mason - I'm starting to take over his laundry duties!

A Working Vacation

What a fun week! I went on a working vacation with mommy last week. She had a week full of meetings in San Diego so . . . she and I packed up our stuff and flew in to Long Beach last Sunday. Aunt Jen Jen picked us up and we spent the day with family - Grandpa and Grandma G., Great Grandma G., and Uncle Michael and Aunt Jen Jen. We had a yummy dinner and then drove down to our hotel in San Diego.

We spent the week just hanging out at the hotel - watching movies, eating, swimming, and haunting the local Barnes & Noble bookstore. We went to Old Town for some yummy mexican food and basically just relaxed while mommy went to her meetings.Thursday was an early out day for mommy so we got to go to Sea World. Lots of fishes and other animals and a super great play area for kids just like me. We fed the seals and sea lions - they were noisy!The rides in the play area were fun - Flying Fish, a Twirling Eel, and Starfish that went around in circles. I couldn't get enough of the flying fish though! We even found a place with huge, soft building blocks that I could knock down.

We watched Shamu - he is HUGE! We sat in just the perfect spot so that we didn't get wet, but could still see him up close and personal.

Then after mommy's meetings were over on Friday, we drove back to Aunt Jen Jen's. On Saturday we went to Disneyland - my very first trip. I wanted to see Mickey and to ride the Autopia cars (over and over and over).

Mickey was the only character that I got to shake hands with - we saw lots of others - Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Buzz Lightyear . . . but they were always on the move. Toon Town and Fantasyland were my favorites. Mommy says we didn't even come close to seeing all of Disneyland - perfect, new stuff for next time.

All in all, it was a great trip. Of course, I shared my cold with mommy and Aunt Jen Jen while we were there. But it was fun to spend time with family . . . .

. . . . and to play!This is me on the flight home. Mommy says it was the longest flight she has ever been on - it probably didn't help that I got sick . . . twice!

Thanks Aunt Jen Jen for hanging out with me!Sam Alert: Hey there - it was sure a quiet week around here with mommy and Mason gone. I wish I could have gone too, but I stayed home to keep daddy company. Mason brought me my very own Mickey Mouse and gave it to me with a big hug and kiss! I think he and mommy missed me and daddy!

A Quiet Week

It really has just been a simple, quiet week here. We're getting back in to the normal old routines - - work, play, sleep, and then doing it all over again the next day. Here we are hanging with our daddy.

Here I am playing - my most favorite things to play right now are trains and racing cars. Hope everyone has a good week!Sam Alert: Hi - my update for this week involves teeth . . . not that I have any new ones to report, but I'm teething like crazy! Fever, drooling, chin rash, overall grumpiness. Does this ever end?

Happy 8 month Birthday to Sam!!!

Haircuts and Hiking

We all had this last week off and so we sure tried to relax and enjoy ourselves. Mission accomplished!

Mommy had been letting my hair grow out so that she could take me to a real haircutting place to get a "cute little boy" haircut. (She usually just takes the clippers to my hair on her own - I haven't complained, yet.) So Monday we sat and waited and waited, and I finally got to sit in a fire engine and get a real haircut. Here it is - the "peer reviews" have been great - I like it and ask to have some gel put in it almost every morning. Mommy thinks she can duplicate the cut now that she has seen someone else do it. We'll see . . . .

"The BIG boys" went hiking on New Year's day. We went out to the desert to see if we could find any bunny rabbits. It was cold . . . but it was fun to just be outside hanging with the boys.

On orders from mommy, daddy kept trying to take lots of pictures - - this is what we thought of that!Here are all of us - Grandpa L, me, Uncle Noley, and daddy. Samuel had to stay home - maybe next year he can come with us. This is a picture of us having lunch inside the warm truck. Yum - PB & J sandwiches. Thanks Uncle Noley!This is a picture daddy took of "the back seat" on the way home. I think a little exercise and some fresh air always makes a guy tired! Right Grandpa?
And this is me and Uncle Noley - daddy is trying to tell me it's time to go home. I wasn't very happy about it!!!

And - speaking of "hiking" - this is a picture of me and mommy and Sam watching the Sugar Bowl on Friday night. Can you say - Go Utes! "Give us some sugar"!!! 13-0 - what a season!Sam Alert: Hey there - I know it looks like I didn't get to do very much this week, but I'm still just a little guy. I got in my naps and played with my toys and just enjoyed being held and toted around on errands. I also spent quite a bit of time watching football this week. Can you tell?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It's been a great 2008 and we are looking forward to a great 2009. It promises to be a good one!

We hope all of you keep in touch and check in on our blog every once in awhile to see what is going on in our lives. January is already planned to be full of fun and good times. We wish you all a Happy New Year!

Happy Christmas to All . . . . and to All a Good Night!

Today was a really great day - family, food, and good times! We also had quite a snow storm - and it's not done snowing yet. This is what our front yard looked like around noon today. We ended up with between 11 - 14 inches today with more coming down right now. Daddy says this makes for a "White Christmas".

Santa was very good to us this year. I was worried that maybe I hadn't been good enough, but I guess I did ok. I snuck downstairs before I was supposed to and was "amazed" by what I saw!This was baby Sam's first Christmas. I think he quite enjoyed himself. I guess babies can't get into too much trouble, so Santa was good to him as well.We had a great day - just laying around, playing, reading, napping, watching movies, eating leftovers and enjoying. We also got to see and talk to our family in California via the web cam. Both Sam and I got some great gifts from everyone - - thank you all very much! I was lucky enough to get my very own digital camera from Aunt Jen Jen and Uncle Michael. I spent a good portion of the day taking pictures. I'll post some the next time I get a chance.We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve 2008

Happy Christmas Eve! We can't believe that Christmas day is almost here. It has really been a great December. We have had a chance to visit with lots of friends and family this month - mommy says that's one of the best parts of Christmas. We have visited with the Rigdons, Saunders, Wilkeys, Felands, and Crooks . . . and tonight we had Grandpa and Grandma L, Uncle Noley, and Aunt Christy over. We had a yummy dinner and then played and played and played.

Here is a picture of me and Uncle Noley "racing". He was so tired out from all our playing by this time that I had to push him along!

Baby Sam is always interested in everything that is going on.Baby Sam and I have really started to get used to each other lately. This is a picture of us wrestling together. I can't believe Sam is on top!Daddy and mommy took us to get some pictures taken the other morning. Here is a great one of Samuel and I together. And here is Samuel with a snowman. Very fitting for the snow storm they say will be happening tomorrow - did I mention tomorrow is Christmas?Sam Alert: My thought for the day . . . have you ever seen the under side of a horse?

The Polar Express

On Tuesday night we got to ride a train all the way up to the North Pole and back. It was called the Polar Express. We started in Heber City, UT and ended up back there as well. Here are the boys all ready to pull out of the train station.

There were elves and chefs riding on our car with us. They brought us chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa. We read the book - The Polar Express.Mrs. Claus stopped by to share her cookie recipe with us and to say Merry Christmas. She sure was nice!Here is a picture of the North Pole. It looks just like we imagined!And then, the "big guy" - Santa - was there . . . right on the train car with us. He came by and talked with each of the kids. He gave us each a jingle bell from one of his reindeers. Samuel's bell came from Dancer!Mason's bell came from Cupid!

And here is a picture of the whole family riding the train. We had such a good time. We got to sing Christmas carols and just had a really nice night together. Merry Christmas!!!