Sometimes I really hate computers. I spent the last 20 minutes writing this lengthy dissertation on our lives here in Michigan, what everyone is doing and all, and went to post it, and POOF! it is gone. ?!?@>#?Q?#?#?!>!#. So here will be the expurgated version.

Sheila and I are very excited that Chico has offered us a position. Still have to get through the next two parts of boards, but then will come the move and no more long cold snowy winters. Back to the way snow should be, you drive up to the mountains to play in it, and then go back home to your nice warm dry place out of the mountains later. Anyway, it will be nice to be closer to family and some old friends.

Joshua is now 13 months and a wonder and amazement. He is still teething, and has been for the last 10 months. Poor guy is in constant pain. When he isn't sick or teething he is a fun happy little baby. Hopefully that will continue once the teething is over. He loves to play outside, and we practically have to drag him in kicking and screaming, no matter how cold it is outside. Our kids will probably end up exploring the wilderness together someday.

Sarah just turned 3, and told us she is going to stay three forever so she can always be our little girl. She hears EVERYTHING. We were talking on the phone to someone the other night about moving to Chico, and then later as we were getting her ready for bed, she looked very sad and told us she didn't wat to move and wanted to stay in Michigan for a very very long time. So we had to reassure her we are going to be here for a long time and not to worry. That little girl is too smart for her own good and is always thinking. She is all potty trained up, even at night, and seems to be growing up so fast right before our eyes.

I leave for another week to Chicago for a big national conference on Saturday. I had thought She and the kids would come down, but Joshua is just getting back into sleep habits now, and disrupting that would be bad. So, hopefully all will go well.

If anyone is going to be in Simi end of January beginning of February let us know as we would love to see you!

dd

It is fun to see the world from Sarah's point of view. This was one of her better early shots, as it was not just the floor, or Maggie's paw. 

This is a Sarah composition, from her new digital camera. 

Here is Sarah using her brand new digital camera to take a picture of Joshua. It is nice becuase it has two eye-holes in the view finder so the kid does not have to try and close one eye to see. She has been having a lot of fun with it. 

Sarah and Joshua using the children's entrance to the Meijer Gardens Childrens Garden. THey went back and forth opening and shutting this gate for several minutes. 

Joshua was walking holding Sarah's and my hands and was laughing so much having so much fun. Now he runs so fast we can hardly keep up with him! 

Okay, so I guess I have to take credit for Sarah's Cheesy smiles. Talk about a mimic! 

Joshua was a horse for halloween this year, keeping with his Cowboy decor in his room. NOt sure what he will be next year. Maybe a frog? :) 

My little one year old horsey, passing out the candy to the Trick-or-Treaters. Got more than one "awwww" from the kids. 

Sarah was a frog for halloween this year, and she flop flop flopped all over the neighborhood getting candy. She still has a ton left, which lets me know she probably has more of Sheila's genes than mine, JOshua's was all gone that sane night I think. 

Okay, so I admit I am not a great pumpkin carver, but here is the deal. The one on the left is Sarah's and she drew the face, and I tried to stick to her original drawing as much as possible. The one on the right I am responsible for, and it is JOshua's so I made it look like JOshua, you will notice 4 teeth on top and 4 on bottom with the top right molar in place, and the small ittle dimple on the right cheek! I thought I was creative at least! 

Sorry, got out of order again. Here is Sarah cleaning the guts out of her pumpkin. THis was the last time she touched it and left it tom Momma and Daddy to do the rest. 

So on Novemeber 12th Sarah turned the big 3. She said she is going to be 3 forever so she can always be our little girl. She had her grandparents here as well as one of her friends (Syndey) and her parents. Minnie Mouse cake was beloved by all (more info below). Sarah had a great time. ONe of the things we gave here was the camera (see pictures above) and she loves wandering around taking her own pictures! 

Sarah as Minnie Mouse on her 3rd Birthday (Hence the huge bow in her hair). 

This is the cake Sheila created for Sarah's birthday. I feel I helped because we got the cake pans through my e-bay account. Sheila and Saraj had been looking through the cake decorating book prior to her birthday, and SHeila asked Sarah what kind of cake she would like, and she said Minnie MOuse. Soooo, Sheila went to several places, as well as the Wilton web site, only to find that the pan had been discontinued. So we started the online search, and ended up getting this one and a Mickey Mouse one for a good deal (better than renting it at the local cake decorating store). So Joshua will be getting Mickey Mouse cake next year!. THe cake pan is really the least of this thing. IF you click on the picture to see the full size, you will see that all the decoration is small litle rosettes, lots of hand muscles and lots of work. GO SHEILA!! 

Sarah and her shopping cart from GRandma and GRandpa. This was a big hit with all the kids. What they liked even better than playing with it though was when we took off the basket and they could sit on the base and ride on it. Sarah called it her flower cart when the top part was off (if you have been to Home Depot or Lowe's or something, you will understand the reference.  

Princess Sarah trying on one of her many new dress-up clothes in the trunk from Auntie Brenda. Sheila and I were just talking the other day how odd it is that we have tried to give both dolls and trucks and cars and diggers and stuffed animals, but she has just naturally drifted to becoming such a girly-girl with princesses and playing make-up with momma and dolls and the like. 

Okay, no comments on my coaching form here. Sarah got a little T-BAll set, so we tried putting it up before DC (getting old here I know) and she took a couple whacks at it. She liked it when she connected with the ball, but got bored quickly. 

This hardly looks like Sarah to me, but here she is holding her little kitten, 

While I was gone to Washinton DC, Sarah and Joshua got to go with their friend Sydney out to a local Apple farm where they also have some animals around. Welllll, some of those aniamals were new little kittens, and Sarah and Sydney loved holding those kittens. Joshua was just happy to be free outside! 

Shortly after we came back was Halloween. These are the pumpkins that Sarah and JOshua grew for themselves this past summer. Well, SHeila helped a little bit. THis photo was our attempt to have Joshua sit on his like Sarah!
 

Walking with the kids at the FDR memorial. There are a lot of pretty waterfalls at this one, which I had no idea was there. Again, too cold for shorts, but there I am anyway. Joshua has become an upright ambulating machine in very short time. He is like Forrest Gump now, if he is going somewhere, he is running. Amazing kid. 

Sarah and her momma riding the Metro Train. She was very excited to be riding the train! 

Sheila and Sarah by the new Panda exhibit at the NAtional Zoo. Sarah liked seeing the Panda's, and her special present from Washington DC was a stuffed baby panda to bring home. She has slept with it almost every night since then!
 

I always get the images out of order while blogging. Oh well. This was the day before the trip to the Mall, and it was still cold, but yours truly was too tough for a jaket or even pants, but was cold all day long. AUGH! The NAtional Zoo was nice, but a bit of a disappointment overall, just expected more from the NATIONAL ZOO, ya know? 

Sheila and the kids and her parents came out to Washington DC for the last weekend I was there. It had been so nice weather wise until then, but the day we went around the mall, HOLY COW, it was FREEZING. The wind was wailing, and poor JOshua couldn't catch his breath in the cold. I had him wrapped up in a blanket as we walked along. Not that it made a whole lot of difference. He had missed me so much while I was gone, that he wouldn't let anyone else hold him but me. This was great for my self-esteem, but VERY bad for my arms and back which are still recovering. ANyway, this is us at the Lincoln Memorial, sheltered from the wind.