Grandpa Curt & Haiti

Grandpa Curt!

Master Sam Ferguson was really excited to introduce his grandpa that lived at the bottom of a volcano.  Mt Rainier is technically a volcano you know...

At the park...

Miss Madeline & Grandpa Curt, Madeline tries out her new bike helmet & knee pads (bikes will have to wait for warmer weather...so we broke out the skate board).

Noah Baker busting a move!

:)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam came home from 2nd grade & said (very seriously with a lot of expression), "Mommy, LOOK at all of my action figures; do you really think I need all these action figures? I don't think so.  I'm giving them to Haiti."

It's hard to tell the kids that Haiti really needs money at this point.  But, as Sam said, young kids need to play with something while they are waiting....

Camelrific day

Noah Baker had a play date with fellow almost-four-year-old Allie.  This started out as an ordinary play-date....

until Allie's mom Teri the Terrific took them to her husbands vet clinic...to feed a camel!!!

He loved the camels & horses but was unhappy that no cows were represented....:)

MmwwwAhahaHA!! (Hands folding/crazed eyes)

Sam's 2nd wish:

"I wish I could grow up to be a mad scientist with a sinister laugh!"

perspective

Sam’s new cursive writing.

Sam the 2nd grader wrote down two wishes.  They could be anything.  Here is what he came up with.

I know it seems like a pretty average wish. World peace. Sigh. So disheartening when I  think that he has never known a world without people/parents/aunts/uncles being deployed overseas.  I remember vividly my freshman year in high school (1991 Desert Storm).  The music teacher had us sing Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA; and at the time I was concerned with whether or not she would assign me as 1st or 2nd soprano for the upcoming concert.  However after a few dozen times singing, listening & watching her expression each time we sang it...we all knew this was something much bigger than just a song...  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Madeline & I made a few discoveries this weekend.  I discovered that some things aren't worth the fight in the morning (especially during the week!). Whether it's milk in a wine glass instead of the pink plastic little-kid-cup...

or honey-nut-cheerios mixed with super sugary cinnamon-toast-crunch-hold the milk please...instead of a banana with oatmeal...OR being the line leader down the stairs.  :)

 Madeline discovered a new addition for her Bakery.

Madeline's teeny-tiny-cloud-biscuit-balls.  Left over dough from our biscuits turned into super yummy 'cloud balls'...who knew?!

noah-baker-snow-man-maker

Noah Baker snow-man-maker

Sam SO got her with this one!

How about some snow in your EAR?!?!

Plotting...

Pretty big Noah, but can you throw it at just the right time?!?!

Don't worry, Madeline has a plan...

Good, because it's time for more snow-ball-making!

Both wipe out...but both still in good spirits.

She just put a bunch of snow down the back of Sam's jacket (giggle!).

"Come and get it Suck-Ah!"

Got ya!

freezing fog

This seems like it needs a caption worthy of, "Void of all emotion she found herself drawn toward the sinister woods..."

The freezing fog is nearly all gone now; it was really pretty-to look at, not so great to drive in!

smarty pants

Forget Where is Waldo or Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego...where the heck is Madeline the Daisy Girl among all these cookies?!?!?

Arianne, Cleo & Madeline.  Three friends and three super smarty pants, super writing- Super Spoofhounds!

Madeline receiving her award for being such a super great friend to all of her other Kindergarten friends! Who knew our shy girl would be so outgoing and just LOVE in Kindergarten?! Kudos Mr. Leader!

Sam has had an average of 96% all year long!!!  He is such a rock star. He's currently reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series...(again!).

Sam  (and buddy Tyler) receiving his award...evidently Super Smarty pants runs in the family!

Heat wave...

Since it was such a heat wave today we just had to advantage of these temperatures...so out we went!

Snow balls, running, snowballs, cold hands, pictures...and more snowballs!

Somehow the slide was just as fun frozen & snow packed.

Sam takes one last slide down the hill...then we sat down for some serious hot cocoa. When it comes to hot cocoa making (and this time of year we are usually all out of our winter-time 'home made' stash, as we give most of it away at Christmas)...we leave it up to Rob; its an art and its GOOD.

So...I come home from church this morning to find home made English Muffin bread. Smelled great, looked great...but English Muffin bread? I wasn't sold. What the heck was it? So I tasted it. YUM!  It turned out so great, he decided to make 2 loaves of just regular bread during quiet time. I'm so glad I paid attention when he said I should pick up some yeast packets at the store.  Just in case it does turn into a hobby (fingers crossed!); I picked up some whole wheat flour for next time...so the carbs wouldn't be that bad.  

Noah Baker...Lawman. Reader. Superhero.

"Just remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels." ~Faith Whittlesey

An Arizona Christmas

An Arizona Christmas

Featuring: Rob, Amy, Sam, Madeline, Noah Baker, Mom (Grandma Millie), Rich, Matthew, Stephanie, Jackson Dean, Grandma & Grandpa Schau, Aunt Susan, Mike, Nick, Uncle Scott, Joyce, Kristen, Katie, Chipper Jones & Champ

And they are...off!

The park was a daily necessity, after all 58-68 degrees in December?!

Jackson Dean!

Noah Baker is big stuff & Sam finds a tumble weed (he brought a mini-one back to show his fellow 2nd-graders).Miss Madeline finds heart shaped cactus!

Matthew (post-hip-surgery) chasing after Madeline...

Jackson cheesing it up for Aunt Amy

Amy & Grandma

Aunt Stephanie & Madeline

Noah Baker is on the run in the Wild Wild West!

Grandma & Grandpa

Sam & his new Red Ryder carbine-action, two hundred shot range model air rifle (with 6000 BB's).

Grandma Millie & Madeline

Who knew you could have so much fun on a slide?

I got to meet up with Diana, the ultimate gal in my circle & my oldest friend. Despite our many blessings, the two of us have had quite a crappy year. She with the sudden loss of her mom and her husband being laid off. Me with the loss of our baby in March & strange MS brain malfunctions. It was decided we are overdue for a girls weekend. Maybe Vegas - Especially, since we were supposed to go when we turned 30! However, when 30 rolled around...so did the birth of Noah & Abbie. 

2010 we welcome you!

Madeline & Jackson

The view in RedRock (Matthew's house)...not too shabby.

Noah Baker says goodbye to AZ...ready for another 2-day adventure, heading back to the midwest. Snow and frigid temperatures or bust!

Scenery across AZ, NM, OK, Kansas and Missouri; all lovely in different ways.

Except Texas. Besides the overwhelming aroma of cow feces throughout the entire drive across the pan handle; a snow storm pounded on us as we left New Years Eve morning.  Cars were off the road, a truck had flipped onto its back, and our van slid sideways.  All the while I am so thankful that Rob is driving this leg of the trip, while putting on a brave face and a happy smile for the three munchkins in the back.  Phew! It was great to see the Missouri sign that evening.

Later on that day the snow succumbed to sunshine and we stopped for a quick bite to eat. Madeline and Sam were READY to get home.

And once we got home, it was clear that Jack Frost did not disappoint.