Sledding at Mt. Rainier

On New Year's Eve we took the kids to Mt. Rainier National Park for some sledding with my sister Lisa's family. We took mostly video but here's a few pictures and there's a bunch of videos at the bottom. Jacob took a while to warm up to the idea of sledding but Kami loved it right away. She wanted to go again and again. The problem was lugging her and the tube back up the hill each time.

Kami tubing on the "little hill"

Jacob tubing

Katie going down the "big hill"

Jason

Justin

Ellie and Katie, last run of the day. The hill was a little harder and bumpier and it was getting dark. This video gives you a different viewpoint of the mountain.

Christmas

Here's a few pictures from Christmas morning.

This year we tossed all our wrapping paper into this corner and I sat and sorted everything that could be recycled and everything that couldn't. I had a nice neat pile of flattened cardboard boxes and smoothed out wrapping paper. It all fit nicely in my recycle bin and everything else went in the garbage. I was trying to avoid a big puffy garbage bag of wadded up wrapping paper and I did. This is the first year our trash can didn't overflow after Christmas. I think it was worth the extra effort.

Getting our Christmas Tree

Here's some pictures from our trip to the Red Barn tree farm. The kids had a great time despite the cold.

Jason insisted on pulling the Christmas tree himself.

Halloween 2009

My little bunny with attitude

Jacob, the melancholy pirate

Later that night Jacob wasn't feeling good and actually threw up a few times. Now when I look at these pictures I can see he's not quite himself and was probably already feeling a little sick. An unlikely duo, a pirate and Indiana Jones.

Katie's looking so serious

There's a smile

Guess who's behind the mask Another odd pair, a skeleton and a bunny What a cute bunch of trick-or-treaters

My kids and Lisa's kids

I forgot to bring her shoes but luckily she was content to sit in the stroller, suck her fingers, and hold her blankie.

We saw this on someone's lawn while trick-or-treating, I thought it was pretty clever.

Jason's 9th Birthday Bash

I can't believe Jason is 9. Today is his birthday but we celebrated it on Tuesday with a slumber party since they had no school because of Veteran's Day. He invited 5 of his good buddies and had a blast! Katie and Jacob spent the night at Aunt Lisa's house so he we just had Kami and a houseful of boys. We took them to Roundtable for pizza and video games although they spent most of their quarters on the gumball machines with prizes. Like mini baseball pennants and water yo-yo balls. Back at our house they played Band Hero watched a movie and did lots of wrestling. This was the first sleepover for everyone and they thought it was pretty great. Now Jason wants to do this every year (eye roll). Below are some pictures from our night...and day. Playing Band Hero

Jason wanted rootbeer floats instead of a cake

The whole crew and their floats

Boys will be boys. Jason happen to do this with his present just as I was taking a picture. Everyone saw the flash and knew exactly what I had just taken a picture of. The boys thought it was hilarious and Jason kept doing it.

"Whoa, it's even got a hardcover"

By far his favorite present. When he asked for one after Cub Scout camp this summer, I don't think he thought he would really get it.

Is it just me or does he look like a redneck?

(The skull T-shirt combined with a kid holding a rifle.)

Daddy was just as excited about this gift

Showing off for his friends

Some of the wrestling I mentioned earlier

Cleaning up the next morning.