Ugly/Cute...

You know when an animal is so ugly it is cute? Sort of like a pig (sorry Nic) or kind of like Yoda from Star Wars. Well, look who we got to meet yesterday...

My sister in-law posted some photos on Facebook of their new, less than one week old, goat. We simply had to go visit! I think he is so stinkin' cute. Avery loved him. She scooped him right up and was snuggling with him.

Hi, little fella...named Snowball...is there any other name when you have a white pet?

He gave Avery a little chin rub and nibble.

Ok, maybe he is just plain cute and not ugly/cute.

There were also two Monkeys in the barn. These boys are ebony and ivory generation two.

Chasing Trains!

As I have mentioned before Rowdy is a train junkie! But he isn't just into Thomas and toy trains, he knows about the real thing too. He has several train documentories that have been gifts from family. He has learned a lot about steam engines this way. By the way, steam engines are far superior to diesels, in Rowdy's mind.

Saturday we went to the Union Station. Yep, we went to the train station in Portland for no other reason than to hang out and hope that we would get to see some trains in action. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see any trains coming or going, but we still had fun!
Bodie was so brave to walk onto this bridge. It was pretty high up, it even made me a little nervous. He was watching that train on the right and he kept saying "boo-let wrain" (bullet train). See, only in my house would a two year old call a train "bullet train" after the Shinkansen in Japan.

Rowdy with his cousin Evan, who shares the same love of trains. Avery wanted nothing to do with the bridge and was perfectly content to stay back with my Mom.


Although, we didn't see any trains coming or going we had bigger and better plans up our sleeve. We went back to the roundhouse that I mentioned several weeks ago and the doors were open this time! Yes!

This the the "famous" 4449 or Daylight. This steam engine is quite a site. Needless to say it is HUGE! The photo doesn't do it justice. I was talking to my brother (Evan's Dad) about how we feel about these trains and he put it well when he said, "I don't know why but, they just kind of get in your blood." I agree because as silly as it sounds when I see these amazing engines in person I get teary eyed. I don't know if it is because they are truly massive and awesome, or that I am excited for Rowdy or just the fact that I am witnessing part of American history. When I told my brother the I get teary eyed he said, "I do too!"

Three Hundred and Forty Three...

While we were in Hawaii, my nephew, Roger got married to this beautiful young lady. Her name is Sharay. And Sharay has a very cute little girl named Raya. And we just absolutely adore them all....

...and are so thrilled for them and their cute little family!

Three Hundred and Forty...

My kids and their cousins didn't have school the week of Thanksgiving. So I thought it was a perfect chance to get them together. When they are in school they don't see each other as much as you would think even though we live close.

I took them to Applebee's for lunch. They have kids meals for .99 cents on Wednesdays. And yes I am crazy for going to a resturant out numbered six to one. But they did great! And I didn't have to make them lunch!

Then we headed to Avery park for a little fun on the big black steam engine.

It was a great time and something different than just hanging around our place.

Two Hundred and Ninety Eight...

Just a little peek into our Thanksgiving! We went to my mom's house...it was nice to see my brother and his wife and son.

Two Hundred and Eighty Six...

Decorating cookies with cousins during Christmas break. I think it is funny how kids literally pour the sugar on...no concept of less is better. Also, after they decorated them they really didn't eat them...thank goodness or I would have had a bunch of sugar lumps bouncing off the walls. Correction, Rowdy (the garbage belly, as he is getting to be known) ate his so fast I didn't even take a picture of him...frost, eat and go ride bike was his approach!

See...

Two hundred and thirteen...

These are is not from this August but they are from my archive, that is for sure. This was August 2006. We were at Roger and Maryanne's and the kids were playing in this old bathtub and pretending to be on a voyage of some kind. They look like the Little Rascles to me. I took these with my point and shoot and I was trying to get all fancy and I actually took these in black and white in my camera. Rowdy and Avery were so little. Rowdy still had baby fat for crying out loud.

Two hundred and twelve...

This little chunk is Ron's cousin's little boy. Do you want to know how you can tell that he is related. He and Bodie smile the same for the camera.... Also, Rowdy had the same amount of chunk on his legs when he was this age.

Two hundred and seven...

We went to the Zoo yesterday and the photo above is one of my favorites from the day. Although, the photo does not compare to seeing him and hearing him say in person, "All Aboard", I am glad I got this shot....are you kidding me...it was just so stinkin' cute!

The kids were on the hunt down and determined to find, Gloria...

Marty...Melman... and we found Timon too!

Two Hundred and Six...

This young lady had a birthday party this weekend. I am lucky enough to be her Aunt! And don't get me started on how big and grown up she is now. Her Daddy threw the party for her.I don't remember her birthday partys not including a Pinata.
Everybody got a turn.
Have I mentioned that I am an Autie to the cutest kids on the planet...it's true!
The youngest ones got to go first.
Rowdy even took a turn, which is a big deal. Usually, he doesn't take a turn and just waits for the candy to fall...not a bad policy. But I was proud of him for participating this time!
Bucket of worms waiting their turn in line for a swing at the Pinata.
The birthday girl got to go last and she finally got the chicken to give up the goods.

This is where the party started getting good. You see, there was a little surprise in the Pinata for Tamar, from Uncle Joe. That is an onion, by the way.
Then Katia made a deal with some of her cousins. She said she would take a bite of the onion for some candy out of their bag. Silly girl!
She did it!

There should be no question what so ever as to where she would get such a silly idea!