Going Fishing

Last week Uncle Rol took Chris fishing so that I could go and get the inspection and registration done on my car. Chris was really excited to go fishing with Uncle Rol.

Getting ready to head out to the pond from the car

he even got to use a little guy pole

the great fishermen walking along the pond

So apparently Chris got cold while fishing so Uncle Rol let him wear his shirt... looks more like a dress on the little man

Looks like the only catch he's coming home with is a bag of Ruffles

About 10 min after I dropped them off I got phone call from Chris. He called me to tell me that he go the first catch of the day. He was very excited about it! All the fish they caught were to small to bring home so they released them back into the pond so that they could grow bigger and be caught again later. Chris really had a good time and says he can't wait to go again.

This is one of my all time favorite videos of Chris. This was the first time we took him to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Chris was 13 months old. He was calling out "MOM?" and looking all over for me. I just love the smile on his face when he sees me, and then runs over to me. I LOVE this video! and just wanted to share it :-)

Can you Believe your Eyes!?!?

Yes, the little man actually LIKES to eat broccoli!! Surprised me too! He's eaten a piece or two from time to time before, but this night he asked for Beef and Broccoli for dinner, and actually ate all the broccoli, and opted out of some of the beef. Too cute not to share!

And to make things even better that night..... he helped me wash the dishes!! Wonder if he'll still be this willing to help as he gets older.... a mom can only hope!

Tumbling Classes!

We decided to let Chris try out a tumbling class. He calls it the "somersault class". He got really excited to take the class when I talked to him about. He goes for 30 min, on Tuesdays, for 6 weeks. Last week was his first day. There are 3 girls and 2 boys, between 3-5 yrs old in the class. The first day was very entertaining. Here are a few videos from day 1.

The teacher started them out with stretches

They do different exercises to strengthen their tummies, arms and legs. Here is the little guy doing his one legged jumps.

They do several different "animal" exercises. This one they called Donkey Kicks

then they did assisted hand stands,then put their chins in the "chin keeper" and rolled out of the hand stand.

Chris loved this one! The ball roll

I'm sure there will be many more pictures and videos to come of all the tumbling he'll be doing over the next 5 weeks. Sadly, with my work schedule I'll only get to go to every other one of his classes now, but I'll be taking lots of pictures and videos, so stay tuned......

Valentines Day

For Valentine's Day this year, Jared had to have some dental work done on Monday the 14, so we had our own little get together on Sunday, and we went bowling.

This was the first time Chris and I have been bowling with Jared. Chris had a pretty good time. He made it through 1.5 of the 2 games we bowled.

He could carry his own ball, but his little fingers didn't fit the holes

He waited for his ball to come back even

Not too bad for a little guy

Getting a little help

There it goes!

A Spare for the little man!

He looked so darn cute in his little bowling shoes!

Little Man bowled a 116!! He got 2 or 3 spares and a STRIKE!!

Then on Monday morning we dropped Chris off at his daycare while I took Jared to get his platelet transfusion and then his dental work done. This worked out good for Chris, because he got to participate in his daycare's Valentine's Day card exchange. The Daycare made really cute "baskets" out of milk cartons, and then decorated them with a very cute dragon cut out. Chris was excited to pick out cards and treats to take to school. After all the excitement of the day, we headed home and I made the boys a yummy shrimp dinner. All in all it was a great day... I got to spend it with my two boys!

The flowers the guys got me, and Chris' Valentine "basket"

Christmas Time!

More presents!

Presents from Grammy!!

tube of horses... he loves all his new horses

what can it be?

a new cowboy shirt! SWEET!

and yet another gift

a new quilt from Grammy.... so beautiful!

he loves the cowboy pattern on the back

We got a gingerbread house to decorate, but Christopher said he wanted to wait until Jared could help him do it.

He may not look all that excited, but he really was

The finished product

I told him he could do a silly picture if he would do a nice smile first

cookies and milk for Santa, and a carrot for Rudolph. Christopher made sure that we went to the store and got a carrot for Rudolph

Look at all the LOOT!!

stockings all full of goodies

a new ornament, and lots of other treats in his stocking

Time for presents!!!

Auntie Denise's present

he loves his new vest!

Auntie Kristen's present

a new stocking!

Madagascar Penguins!!

Even the big guy smiled over his present... some new boots

a new cowboy shirt

a Tough enough to wear Pink, breast cancer awareness shirt

(Gramma Bev made it, and one for Jared too, without the writing on the back)

yup... "Tuff Enuff to Wear Pink"

even tough enough to put his new puzzle together

The one present he's been asking for since October!

A John Deere tractor, one to ride on, with the trailer

Some video footage!

When the little man walked into the living room Christmas morning!

Driving his new tractor around the back yard

This Christmas was a very good one for all of us. This is the first Christmas in 7 years that I have not had to work. I LOVED not having to go to work in the morning! We didn't have to get up at any certain time. In fact I think Chris might have forgotten it was Christmas morning. He crawled into my bed and asked me if he could watch a movie. I had to ask him if he remembered who came last night? It took him a minute to remember, but then he got excited and said we needed to go see if Santa came. I made sure that I got to the living room first so that I could get a video of him coming into the room. I absolutely loved getting to see his reaction when he turned the corner and saw his John Deere tractor! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Far From Home

A few weeks before Christopher was born, while my brother Will was stationed in Iraq, we took pictures of the three boys holding a sign that said "We Love You Uncle Will". Well now Will is in Afghanistan and his wife, Janice, is in Iraq, and now there is Christopher, and little Ashley, so we decided we needed to do pictures again. Its a bit of a challenge to get 4 boys between the ages of 3 and 6 yrs old, and a just under 1 year old little girl, to cooperate and all look at the camera at the same time, but I still think we got some cute pictures.

Christopher, Tristan, Ashley, Scotty & George

Just some big love sent out to their Auntie and Uncle who, in the little guys words are: "Keeping us safe"