Still more...

Still a few more Christmas morning from Todd's phone:

More, more, more....

Just downloaded some pictures from Todd's phone.

Here is Ryan working feverishly on Christmas Eve on Santa's thank you card. And here the boys are the moment they woke up and found that Santa had come during the night (excuse the underwear shot)! Santa also left the boys litle notes to thank them for the cookies and carrots and to remind them that he is watching ALL year long! :-)

Las Vegas fun

We enjoyed our brief stay in Las Vegas by visiting NY, NY, the Excalibur and a quick trip to Egypt (Luxor). The kids really thought we visited Egypt. hehe We also got to ride two 4D rides, the Polar Express and Spongebob. The boys enjoyed them as well as a trip to the M&M store and some fun time in the Excalibur arcade!

Las Vegas Bowl Game

So, we all headed up to Las Vegas to watch OSU play BYU in the Maaco Bowl - Dec 22. What an awful, miserable game that turned out to be. The day of the game, they forecasted rain and high wind gusts. Luckily we avoided the rain, but the temperature and wind was enough to drive most of the Beaver fans out of the stadium by half-time (along w/a miserable game).

More Christmas Pics

Christmas Day 2009

Santa was very good to the boys...they must have been good! :-)

Ryan:

• 20in Mtn Bike - a little big still - he said next time we need to get good measurements to Santa! :-)
• 500 piece lego set - Pirate Ship
• Wii Indiana Jones II game

Jack:

• Nintendo DSi
• 900 piece lego set - Indiana Jones
• Wii Lego Rock Band game

Grandpa also did a good job selecting for the boys - with 2 Star Wars sets, new games, Batman cars, and Spongebob scented coloring pages

Aunt Lori sent the perfect gifts - a box FULL of lego people for Ryan...exactly what he loves and Mario Kart for the DS for Jack!

They each gave each other lego sets as well. It was an all out lego year!

They also got socks, underwear,books and a new game from Mom and Dad. All in all a great haul - they are very lucky boys! :-)

Christmas Loot 2009 post 1

Christmas gifts with Nana and Papa...

• LOVED the Nightvision goggles...Todd too. :-)
• Enjoyed the comforter for the cabin bunkbeds...very cozy!
• They love...me...not so much...the air hockey game and chess and trouble and candyland...well, actually it's the air hockey game...Chess is very quiet - air hockey...not so much. :-)

Thanks Nana and Papa!

Christmas 2009

The kids truly enjoyed Christmas this year. Jack's big plan was to set his alarm for 12:00 midnight and try to catch a glimpse of Jolly Old Santa, but after a couple of folks telling him that they might make Santa mad AND he might leave w/o leaving him any presents...he decided to turn off his alarm and not risk it! :-)

Ryan decided to make little cookies for the elves, he left 2 regular sized cookies for Santa...he didn't want to overload Santa - since he is getting a little chubby. He required full size carrots for the reindeer and Jack decided theere should be 9 carrots left - one for each reindeer. Ryan left very specific instructions for the cookies and carrots, but they didn't show up in the pictures. :-( Ryan also decided to leave Santa a thank you card - complete w/pictures and his wish list on the back. I think he got this idea from the Christmas episode of Phineas and Ferb. :-)

Picture w/Santa

Headed to the mall yesterday to have a little chat w/Santa. The boys LOVED it...Jack got a little shy around the big guy - but both really enjoyed having their picture taken and telling Santa directly what they wanted for Christmas. Still can't get rid of that cheesy smile though! Something to treasure forever. :-)

Ryan gets his FIRST Badge of Honor!!!

So, Ryan has been working all year to earn the Badge of Honor at school. It is the highest award a student can earn...and teachers do not give them out lightly. So, today - Ryan earned one for his excellent listening and being a good helper. He was soooo proud! Way to go Ryan! We're so proud of you!

Sorry -the picture isn't great - it was taken with Todd's cell phone while we were bowling for scouts tonight. :-)

So - did I mention that Jack broke his foot?

Ok, so I know I've been very slow to update the blog...but here's what happened. On Monday, October 26 (yes, October), Jack came home from school complaining that his foot hurt...but we had scouts and had to get dinner, so I didn't think much about it. At the cub scout meeting, he complained about standing during on of the activities, but I thought he was just tired. So, by the time we got home and in bed - I finally had a minute to take a look at his foot. Sure enough - it was swollen (on the outside edge between his pinky toe and his ankle). I thought sheesh...maybe he broke it. Todd thought maybe he had twisted his ankle and it was no big deal. The next day he got up and it wasn't swollen anymore - just bruised...a yellowish color. Again I thought...hmmm..I'd better take him to the doctor - but Todd thought it was just a sprain. I thought, well, he couldn't possibly walk on it, if it was broken, right? Jack stopped complaining about his foot and continued attending soccer practice on Tues/Thurs, jumprope on Friday and had a game Sat. No complaints. The same schedule continued the next week along w/2 extra hikes at the Arizona Trail. By the third week he started complaining again and when I looked at his foot - he had a pretty good sized bump on the outside of his foot. So, after soccer practice Tues/Thurs and jumprope on Fri I took him to the pediatrician - who sent him for x-rays. AND GUESS WHAT????

It really was broken. Apparently you can walk and run and hike and jumprope when your foot is broken. Jack broke the 5th Metatarcel (sp?) bone - near the growth plate. The pediatrician gave him a temporary cast and crutches and said he could not play in the last soccer game the next day. :-(

We went to see the orthopedist the following Wed and he casted him in a walking cast. Now, 3 weeks later - he's had it removed! And none too soon...that thing was SMELLY!!! The walking cast did not slow Jack down ONE bit - he still hiked, built forts at the property, played kickball and by the end of week 2, had worn a hole in the heel of the cast. BUT, lucky for him...his mom and dad are experts with duct tape!

A little hikin' fun

We decided to explore the Arizona Trail...we found Hippo Rock...Can you see it? Don't you think it looks like a hippo?? We do.

A little morning workout

How does that saying go??? A family that works out together stays together?!? Something like that...anyway. :-)