If I take my eyes off of this little guy for just one second he is in to trouble. Nothing is "safe." In the span of just 30 seconds he emptied the top of my cupboard and started pretending to pop toast in the toaster!
He realized he was filthy from his day's adventures, but didn't realize that he needed to try the washer out first!! This has become a particularly fun game for him, especially when I am folding laundry!
This State Park has a Petting Farm...it isn't your usual petting farm. It is a farm where all the animals are out of there pens for you to feed. Eli was thrilled with this, Seth was o.k. with the idea, and Zach was completely spooked by the idea! I think prior to this picture there were a few more goats and maybe even a donkey checking out E' stroller!!
This is so very simple, the aroma is incredible, and on a side note, it's pretty. Just add some orange peel, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks (all of which the majority of us have in our house) to some water. Simmer throughout the day in either a potpourri pot or a small pot on the stove. You will need to add water occasionally.
Santa: "What's your name?"
Seth breaking a group of 9 balls. He then conveniantly would set a ball up on the edge of each pocket and run around the table shooting them in with the white ball!
Zach's game was basically the same, except he didn't have the preset up ball at each pocket. He actually tried to play a game without using a stick and just rolling the que ball.
Aunt Arline had a mean game!! There was one moment where she had to sink the 8-ball in the specified pocket. Her teammate (Justin) kept saying don't worry about getting it in the pocket, just be sure you hit it! She calmly set up her play and made the shot!! Uncle John didn't let Justin forget that!
Justin looking on...who knows who was winning at this point, they both had their high and low moments!!
The boys really enjoyed watching! They would yell "shark shark" to whoever made their shot!
E would have LOVED to crawl around on the table and chew on a few balls, but he had to settle for watching! He didn't seem to mind!
Only now do I realize that living in a Ranch style home has deprived our children of A LOT of fun!! Eli's first chance to be up on one floor all the while seeing us down below!! He definitely thought this was great!!
Steps...now granted we did live in a home with steps the first 10 months of his life, but he never even tried to learn how to maneuver them, and we never felt the need to teach him since we knew we were moving! Here we had several small steps and some larger that needed to be conquered. He caught on to the "turn around" phrase with in just a couple of minutes! I think we might have a genius on our hands!! 
We have tried several times to teach him how to use a straw....but he just hasn't been able to do it...
I guess he just needed the right motivation! Starbucks can be a great motivator for anybody!! So his first use of a straw, and his first Starbucks all in one day!! How can a coffee loving mom not be proud of her son!! For those of you who are very concerned at this point, this was Daddy's drink so there was no caffeine...and just a touch of sugar!!
When it's cold here it's VERY cold...but the day after Thanksgiving it was almost 60 degrees and absolutely beautiful outside!!
Eli relaxing with Daddy...he is enamored with Daddy most of the time!!
Strutting his stuff across the park...he has become quite a pro walker!
I didn't have a park picture of Seth, and I didn't want to leave him out. The boys loved the balcony in my Aunt and Uncle's home. Of course throwing things over it seemed especially fun, but since that wasn't allowed, staring down through the iron was a close second!
Simple but nice...no fine china for the boys to break...wonderful food...and great fellowship!
Aunt Arline had TOO much help in the kitchen, at least when it came to the turkey!!
This was just a few minutes before we headed home. My Aunt and Uncle and my cousin Sherry in the back! The boys were quite comfortable after a few days there and were silly as usual!
Thanks Uncle John and Aunt Arline for a wonderful weekend! Thanksgiving is about family and friendship...thanks for letting us enjoy it with you!!
I tried to run away as quickly as I could, but she is bigger and faster than I am and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get away!!
I did my best to keep her from getting any nice pictures of me by making the sun shine in my face or by falling into the wet grass, but she doesn't give up that easily!! I'm not sure what else to do. If only my older brothers could help me out, they seemed to have mastered this camera problem quite nicely.
Daddy? Are you out there? Please help me!!
I was very excited since several of my Christmas recipes call for pecans, but they are almost $6.00 a pound. So I picked a bunch...so many that I'm not sure we will be able to crack them all. Justin has started working on them!! Would you care to join me in making some tasty pecan treats?? Here is a very simple and easy recipes for Spiced Pecans from my friend Jodie...
Zach was a Native American ("The Indian Class") They, along with the pilgrims, and the turkeys marched around the tables singing pow-wow songs.
The assignment for their class was to each come up with a name - it was supposed to be "an adjective/adverb and their favorite animal." I'm not sure if in Montana, Wyoming, or the Dakotas that all of this marching, pow-wowing, and making up Native American names would be politically correct. Although the Native Americans were very much a part of Thanksgiving's historical roots.
Seth was a turkey and seemed to really be enjoying his feathers and beak.
After all of the festivities, this little turkey is VERY hungry!!
This was really my first experience with the kids being in any sort of program. From the moment the kids walked in I was teary eyed and had a lump in my throat. I'm not sure that feeling will ever go away, even when I've watched many. They performed their little hearts out and it was so fun to see how proud they were of what they had done and what they had learned! I'm sure we will be hearing "Little indian boy...Little indian girl..." around the house for quite some time!!
This particular evening it happened to be the Junior Scrabble game that we scored at the neighbors garage sale!
Zach is especially LOVES games, that is if he's winning!! As soon as he realizes that he isn't going to win he is somehow either able to talk himself out losing or able to make losing seem really "cool" and something that everyone should do. This night he and I were on a team against Seth and Daddy. We were losing right off the bat and by the end of the game he managed to talk Justin and Seth into all being on one big team so that nobody lost.
Seth is getting better at playing games. For only being 3 1/2 he does quite really great, but he has no concept of being secretive. What's in his hand whether the Old Maid, or coveted letter is no secret to any of his competitors.
I'm sure someday our boys will decide that games at home with Mom and Dad are not cool at all, but until then we will take advantage of it and enjoy it!!
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The hike started off fun...they boys were excited...and happy to be enjoying God's beautiful creation, the changing leaves, and the wildlife around us!
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He had to follow suit and make several funny faces as well! He is quite the talent with both his eyes and his tongue. One of these days he may put them together for quite a show!!
It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and by the looks of this picture the boys had a great time!!!
From Left to Right: Anjou, Bosc, Starkrimson, and Bartlett
I'm sure it was just a fluke mistake, but I hope it won't keep my from being able to cast my vote on November 4th. Since it is so close to the election, there is no chance of correcting this error. 
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