Sloths and Mammoths and Sabertooth Cats, Oh My!

Last week, we went on our 2nd annual family vacation to Carlsbad, California. We had such a great time and had many wonderfully entertaining adventures. One of our first stops was a hour away at the La Brea Tarpits in L.A. I haven't been there since I was a little girl, but it is truly an amazing museum. We saw ground sloths, giant mammoths with huge curling tusks and many dire wolves. It is mindboggling to think that these creatures roamed the Los Angeles metropolis between 10,000-40,000 years ago. My favorite part was a windowed area that allows museum goers to watch paleontologists carefully excavate teeth, bones and other fossil fragments. Jack was fascinated by the American Lion and other big cats and Pit 91, a "tarpit" that has been excavated nearly continuously over the last 4 decades. Recently the museum next door was putting in a new parking structure and uncovered 300,000 new fossils to be studied.

No Guts, No Glory

Grammie came to stay with us a couple weeks ago and helped us carve our Halloween pumpkin. We had a great time drawing on his face, pulling out his guts(although Jack was less than impressed with this part and is a testament to the fact that everyday he is more and more like his father)and carving out his features that would be candlelit later that evening. Having Grammie here to help made me remember how much I loved carving pumpkins with her when I was a little girl. It made me realize how such small moments in a child's life(and a mother's)leaves such a lasting impression. After we finished the pumpkin complete with raffia hair and stickers, we soaked our pumpkin seeds in salt water and baked them to perfection. The pumpkin seeds were delicious, but I think our favorite part will always be the laughing and talking while we waited for our treat. Thanks Mom! We love you.

Family Time

Here are a few more pics from Nanie and Pop's Arizona visit. As you can see, Jack spent a lot of quality time napping, having deep conversations with Nanie and playing ball with Pop. What a lucky kid.

Nanie and Pop and Uncle Sean too!

The first week of October, Nanie, Pop and Uncle Sean came down to visit us from Grand Island. They arrived to perfect weather and stayed the week. We enjoyed lots of time playing in the backyard, going to Schnepf Farms and shopping for a Spiderman bike for Jack(still need to get pictures to post!). Here are some photos from our trip to the farm. I don't know who had more fun, the adults or master Jack!

Jack O'Lantern in the Pumpkin Patch

We visited Schnepf Farms for our annual trip to The Pumpkin and Chili Festival. Every year I take photos of Jack in the pumpkin patch and every year I am amazed at how much he has changed from the year before. There is just something about a little boy excitedly running through the patch from pumpkin to pumpkin looking for the perfect one. The light at the farm in the late afternoon is truly magical. The sun makes the pumpkins burn bright, the fields have a golden glow and Jack's hair shines the color of honey. Like growth rings on a tree, these photos are a record of who he has been and who he has become...

Pretty Little Weeds....for you.

Our campsite was right next to a beautiful little clearing with lots of yellow flowers in bloom. I was watching Jack run through the flowers while the sun was starting to set and thinking to myself how lucky I am to have found a flower among weeds. Every so often there is a moment in motherhood that absolutely takes your breath away and this was one of those. Watching his golden hair and skin glow while he ran through the meadow was amazing. As he ran toward me, getting closer and closer, I felt like I was watching him leave his babyhood behind and become a boy right before my very eyes. When he reached me, his little hands cradled tiny yellow flowers he picked just for me. What I noticed wasn't the flowers, but the hands. The little hands that have gone from the chubby, dimpled wonders that are a baby's own to the strong, lean(and very dirty) hands of a boy. Sad, but sweet. So, thankfully Bryan was on hand to take our photo in that meadow at the exact moment that Jack turned from baby to boy.

Camping

While spending some much needed time together over my birthday weekend, Bryan and I found a pretty little camping spot just 45 minutes from home. A week later, we brought Jackson back for his first ever camping trip(if you don't count the backyard camping debacle that resulted in a flooded yard). What could be better than rocks for throwing, dirt to roll in and marshmallows to roast to a 3 year old boy? Jack was in his element, loving every minute spent breathing fresh air and peeing in the bushes. I loved watching my strong loving husband put up the tent and build a fire to cook by and cozy up our weekend home. The day turned to evening and we sat by the fire telling stories and watching for falling stars. Finally, we all fell into our cozy bed under the stars and cuddled up for warmth worn out from our adventure.