Visit with Santa...

After the photo shoot, Dave and Owen went down to get a drink while I waited to pay for my photos.  Owen was an absolute ANGEL today for the photos, which, considering how backed up they were, was a huge relief.  So, when Dave came back and said there was a really great santa set-up with no line we decided it was worth a shot.  I usually take Owen to Nordstrom for santa photos.  But, there's always a ridiculous line and it is always hot and right in the middle of the store.  So, I thought it was worth a shot to just get it over with.  The Sears santa was AMAZING!  He was great with Owen and I didn't even have to be in the photo this year!  They make you pay for each individual electronic photo there where the other one gave you all of the shots they take on a disk...but, there was no wait and we didn't have to fight the crowds at 5th Avenue!  So, that was worth the minimal pictures!!

 People were out in huge volumes this year, the past few years, Dave and I have left the house around 10am and basically had the town to ourselves because all the doorbuster shoppers were shopped out...not this year!!  Hope thats a sign of an improving economy...either that, or we are all broke and hopeful for a deal!

Picture Day!!!

So, I had the brilliant idea of getting Owen's photos done today with the thought that everyone else would be doing some Black Friday shopping...I'm apparently not the only one with this plan in mind!!  It was busier than I've ever SEEN!!

I'm posting all of the photos I liked out of the shoot.  Let me know if there's any you would like printed and I will email you the full sized (pixel wise these are way small so that they open faster) versions.  It's cheaper to buy a package with the cd as an add-on then just the cd these days.  So, I did order some wallets and a 3 1/2 by 5 for everyone.  I'm just not sure which ones...I at least have an idea and will guess as to which ones they are...

#1

 #2

 #3

 #4 (i think this is a wallet)

 #5

#6

 #7

#8 

#9 (This was our pick for the 3 1/2 x5...I LOVE this pose!) 

#10

#11

#12

#13

 #14

#15 (I think this is the other wallet)

#17

 #19

 #20

#21

#22

 #25

 #27

Thanksgiving!

We had a good Thanksgiving dinner out at my Uncle Bill and Aunt Amy's house this year.  Owen loves to go out and wrestle with Bill.  We didn't stay too long in hopes of getting Owen home in time for a nap, but, we still managed to over eat!!

Owen was posed out by the time I asked him to take a photo with Aunt Amy, so, unfortunately, this is the best we could get!

Owen's Acting Debut!

O.k., it may be more like his standing debut while whispering...in public...but, it's more than some of them did.  Montessori is all about being independent and making your own choices and then learning from your mistakes.  So, it was up to the individual kiddos as to whether or not they chose to say their line or have one of the older kids do it for them.  I would have been so irritated if we were packed into a crowded classroom to see my kid just stand there while another one spoke for him!!!  Fortunately for Owen, he manned up, well, kind of!!!  He's going through a stage where he gets real quiet if he's not super confident...it's super annoying!  But, hopefully, it will pass!  (Dave edited this one for me...note the fancy title page...super impressive!)

Here's a couple stills I took.  Owen was the moose in the play.  I have no idea what he said...I should get the script from his teacher to interpret...

Cracking Eggs...

O.k., so videos aren't my thing...I'm terrible at taking them and it turns out, I'm terrible at editing them.  Even the color is weird, Dave thinks I may have had it on a night setting.  Who knows!  Anyway, I was telling my mom (months ago) what a serious cook Owen is and she wanted to see him cracking eggs...so, here you go mom!  Hopefully, you can make out what's happening!!! 

Sorry for my voice over...it's annoying, I'm well aware..but, I haven't figured out how to take that or the background out without missing out on his voice at the end!

Dave uploaded all the video that was on our camcorder earlier this week so that I could get Owen's acting debut on there.  We found this video from October along with a bunch more dating all the way back to 2008!!!  I'm going to see what I can do to post better...it requires learning a whole new program, so, be patient with me!!  Hope you all had a great and safe T-Day!!

Last Day of Fishing...

Dave took Owen out to Willow for one last fishing trip the first weekend of October.  Geoff, Mark, and Lynne all went out with him along with Molly and George....  Those dogs crack me up.  Both Molly and Roxy cannot stand for Geoff or Jared to be out in the water without them.  They pace and whine and worry the whole time.  It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen.  But, it makes for one very full boat (or jet ski...whichever the case may be) when the dogs decide they NEED to be out there to supervise!  Owen had a blast though and caught quite a few trout.  Notice how bundled up he had to be to do it though!!!

 

O.k., I'm all caught up, phew!!!  That was a lot of pictures!!!  We've had relatively high temps (mid-30s) all weekend.  But, the temperature must have dropped because we now have big fluffy flakes falling pretty hard out of nowhere....wish us luck on the drive into work tomorrow!!!

What Dave's Been Up To...

Shawn, Jenna and Geoff bought Dave a gift card for one instructor led flight for his birthday.  Dave finally got around to using it a couple weeks back and has the flying bug all over again.  Uncle Doc doesn't help the issue either.  He took Dave flying while we all got stuff prepped for Auntie Shawn Day.  These are the photos Uncle Doc took....of course, Geoff and Jared are thinking up a pilot's license too which isn't helping my cause!!!

Check out our grass, not looking too shabby!  Of course, this was before the snow hit....

 One last shot of Dave after he'd helped pilot the plane...he looks a little too comfortable, doesn't he? :o)

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center...Through Owen's Eyes

So, the biggest part of going through the photos on the old camera was weeding through the enormous number of photos Owen took at the Alaska Conservation Center in Portage.  I thought I'd share a few...

This elk was performing for the females and in doing so, kept throwing around the wood in this pile.  He eventually got the tree you see him lifting here, stuck in his antlers.  Owen seemed to enjoy him as this was where the biggest bulk of pictures were taken!!!

This photo cracks me up.  This is what Owen saw when Dave and Anthony were taking the shot seen about four down in this post (click on it to go back).

Owen really got a kick out of this little porcupine too.  Poor guy, wasn't in a very big enclosure and seemed really stressed.

More Fishing...

Dave talked his dad into getting a fishing license while he was here and tried to make the most of it.  I believe these pictures are from their trip to Kepler-Bradley lakes in Palmer.  I have to give it to them, they were dedicated despite the less than ideal temperatures.  It looks like it was beautiful out there though.  We didn't get any of the bright red leaves on our cranberries.

Tourists in Town Square....

We met up with some of Dave's work friends downtown the first Friday in September and played tourists in Town Square.  I love all of the flowers, but, never take the time to go play.  So, this was a special (but kind of cold) treat!!  

Owen cracks me up, as long as there's dirt, he doesn't care where we go!  Reminds me of his dad!!! ;O)

Fish On!

This is one of the pictures off of the old camera that I'm finally getting to!  Dave took Owen out to fish on Fire Lake the last weekend in August and managed to catch this big ol' ugly pike!!  It poured rain and I believe this is the trip that the two of them only managed to survive about 10 minutes before I got the call to pick them back up.  It was worth it for this shot though! ;O)

Birds of a Feather..

Friday night Owen came into the office just to play with the bird.  Owen got sick of the impromptu "photo shoot" I was doing of the two of them and decided to read his book.  The bird got a kick out of the book too...

The bird took a break to love on Owen (it's hard to tell, but, here he's rubbing Owen's cheek with his beak).

 These pictures just cracked me up...I don't know who enjoyed the book more!