Halloween

 Smallest child and I carved a pumpkin on Monday just 5 days ahead of the big day. By Halloween the poor fellow was completely dehydrated! It is that dry and warm here. No moisture at all left. His once toothy smile is now shriveled and toothless. This old guy isn't going to scare anyone.

Perhaps the witch who lives here will.

Halloween Costume

This is Hobbs.

 JLM asked me last year to make him a Hobbs. His favorite books in 4th, 5th and 6th grades were the Calvin and Hobbs cartoon compilations. Since there are no commercially produced stuffed Hobbs, I had to go to work altering a pattern for a stuffed Sylvester the cat.

Add to this a striped shirt and cap and JLM was set for Halloween 2009 and 2010.

James' Birthday

Birthday festivities started on his birthday... With Tony Hawk Ride from Mom and Dad.

and extended a week later when Grandma and Grandpa came to visit with tennis balls and rackets. Grandma was able to go and play tennis with James too.

Cameron gave a nerf gun to his brother. They enjoy this kind of tag in the house. Not always my favorite. They love it.

We celebrated at Red Robin later that night.

Birthday Pictures

My kids don't always appreciate the annual trip to the portrait studio to update pictures on their birthday...

It is something they do for me.

Hoping that the favor will earn them points towards really good birthday gifts.

Perhaps later they will appreciate these...

As much as I do.

Happy Birthday.

Homecoming Dance

This is a picture of the kids who attended the homecoming dance together.

I see a theme in the purple, blues and black.  Nice picture, nice kids.