Always fun when big brother teaches little brother new tricks. ha..ha.

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San Diego ... Labor Day '09

So .... I've spent way too much time updating this afternoon and don't have time to go into the nitty gritty details of this adventure. But hey, all anyone really wants to see the pictures, right? So I'll break down the bullet points.

• We Went to San Diego
• Had a Blast
• Came Home

. . . . enjoy the pictures! :)

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Sedona Adventures

Last month, we decided to head north and enjoy the cooler temperatures. So, we packed the everyone, including the dog, in the van and headed north without a plan. Tends to be our way ... but typically makes for an exciting adventure!

We arrived in Sedona mid afternoon and our first stop was a beautiful "scenic view" spot. Tons of great photos to share. Then off to town. We stopped at the outlets on the outskirts. Most probably do, but by this time, Campbell had already dirtied 2 t-shirts to the point they couldn't be seen in public. ha.ha... So, the Gap outlet called out to us. We picked up a handful of clothes for the boys, got everyone presentable again and headed into town. While at the outlets, we saw a flier for the Trout Farm. Sounded good so off we went.

We were the only ones there by the time we arrived - it was near closing time. We were a little unsure if we wanted to do it, since we discovered if you catch one (and trust me, you will) you can't throw it back. Well, you can, but it'll cost ya 20 bucks. But, we figured we had a cooler with us, and could pack it in ice and see what happens. Turns out we did indeed catch a fish. Paid the guy a dollar to clean it and a couple dollars to pack it in ice and then made out way back to town. We saw that there was a place in town where you can take the fish you catch and they'll cook them for $6. We we found it, Heartline Cafe. Jon went to check it out came back and said now, not a place for us. It was a small boutique type place with nice linens and fancy dishes. LOL Knowing the boys were at the end of their "ropes" and how we were dressed, we thought we'd pass. Jon was going to ask if they just wanted the fish, but came back with a changed mind and we headed in to eat. It's a small place and the first couple was leaving and the other party of 3 was dining outside. We'd though to eat out front, but there was a bee that continued to taught Ian, so we moved indoors. We were actually the only people in the small place while we were there. The staff was so nice and Ian was so thrilled that he was going to eat the fish he'd caught. While we were seated, the bus-boy came with silverware and Ian put his little hand on his and said "I caught a fish!" The guy smiled. I'm not sure he spoke English, but he understood that Ian was excited about something good. ha..ha... Before long, our meals arrived and HOLY COW! You should see this fish! They offered trout on the menu and turns out that's how they prepared the fish we brought. for $6 I expected our fish to be cooked and laid on a plate - but when you see the pictures, you'll see how beautiful it was. Both boys enjoyed the fish and overall it was a super fun dinner. Even now, when I ask what everyone wants for dinner, Ian will occasionally say "Let's go catcha fish!" It was a highlight for sure!

That night we headed up to Flagstaff and got a room. Got a good sleep, ate a good breakfast and then headed to the fair. Only to discover that the fair started that night. So we wandered the fair "set up" for a while and watch the youth bring in their 4-H animals. After that, we grabbed lunch and headed down the mountain to Slide Rock. It was mid-week, so we could actually park in the parking lot. If you've been in the summer or on weekends, you know it's tough to find a place to park. It was a great time. Jon too the boys to the water and played for awhile. Dogs aren't allowed near the water, so Ziggy and I hit the trail and wandered for a while and found a place where we could watch the boys have some fun.

After Slide Rock - we headed back down to the Valley, making our way through Cottonwood, Jerome and Prescott Valley, where we stopped for pizza. Back down toward Phoenix. We stopped at Dad & Mary Lou's for the night to visit with plans to get back home the next day. The next day we decided to take an impromptu trip to San Diego for the long weekend, so after our Friday activities with the fam, Jon and I came home, got packed, got the dog off to the neighbors for the weekend and then early Saturday morning we headed back to Dad's where the boys had spent the night. Saturday morning, we piled into the Tahoe with Dad, Mary Lou and Aunt Meredith and headed to San Diego to spend the weekend with Ashley, Dan & cousin Calvin. Those pictures will come shortly, until then, enjoy these fun photos from northern AZ

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Happy 4th Birthday Ian

Well, it's been at least 6 weeks, so it's really about time I posted some pictures from Ian's big birthday celebration.

Ian turned 4 on Aug. 15th. That night we headed out for our weekly dinner at McDonald's. Yep, that's right...it's a weekly venture, and typically on Wednesday. Our McD's boasts $1.50 Happy Meals Mon-Wed. so, we figure if we're going to have a night out with the kids, it's should be a cheap one. ha..ha... Anyway, I think I brought cookies or something lame, but it was really just our "family" night with a small celebration - I brought one gift with us and then we opened his big gift at home. We arrived and Jon said something about his friends being there - when I told him no friends, he thought I was a seriously lame Mom. "Really: McDonald's for your birthday dinner and no friends?" Yes, loser move, I admit. But, the Carpenters saved the day - Jimmy showed up with his two boys while Laura was at a school meeting so we had a small "party". BUT, in my defense, we were having his actual Birthday Party the following Saturday and I didn't think it was that cool to invite folks to join us for dinner one day and then another party later. Whatever. So ... We enjoyed dinner, came home and Ian then received his Smart Cycle. I found this at the consignment shop back in March and stored it at Dad's for a while then in the spare room. Not an easy thing to hide, to say the least, but it's been a big hit and both boys love it.

The following Saturday we had family and friends over. A nice bonus was his cousins from Wisconsin were in town, so we were able to celebrate with this as well. As always, lots of presents ... lots of fun .... and too much food! He had wanted a "rocket" birthday aka Little Einsteins. Months ago, he and Jon had been out and about and found this great rocket toy on sale. Jon bought it then and put it in the closet. That poor kid tried for months to find his way to the top of the closet shelf - climbing on whatever he could find, but we stuck to our guns and this was going to be a birthday gift. Thus, his need for a "rocket" party was born. For the record, it did turn out to be a pretty cool toy. ha..ha... He was pretty excited about that cake ... a Costco masterpiece with a an edible topper that I found on eBay - they're great, an edible photocopy that you lay right on top of the cake. Technology is great!

Here are some photos from the day - too many to list separately, so once again, I tip my hat to the Smilebox folks for a quick photo summary. :)

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