Sunday, May 29, 2011

Arizona - Jan. 2011

Our children are in year-round school. That has plusses and minuses. One plus is that they are out of school when other people aren't. The kids were tracked-out (meaning out of school for 3 weeks) in January. We were able to join all of Derek's siblings and make a trip out to Arizona to visit his mom and Gordon. It was really fun. We also had the opportunity to hang out with some good friends of ours, the Van Cotts. It was so nice to see everyone.

Here are two random January photos.

Kevin climbing a tree in our front yard.


Jared with all of the jewelry from the princess game. :)


Arizona

Brian and Jared hanging out in AZ


Kevin, Colin, and Jenna (Our children are never annoying. Why do you ask?)


One of the days we were there we drove to a ghost town. It's an old mining town. It's actually very touristy, but we had a good time anyway.

Kevin


Amanda and Jared. Jared was freaking out about something, but I am not sure why, so I was holding him.


Cousins. Tanner and Jenna


Derek and Jared


Aunt Anne and Kevin


Kevin



Jenna in front of the wanted posters


The whole family at ghost town


Kevin panning for gold


Kevin, Jared, Derek, and Jenna eating ice cream on the ghost town train


A view of the ghost town up on the hill (this was taken from the train)


Kevin, Jared, and Jenna in front of the ghost town train


The fam at the ghost town


Like I said, we got to visit with our good friends while in AZ. It was so nice to see them. They are awesome. Thank you so much for letting us crash your place and have dinner with you, Van Cotts. We had a blast!

Davis and Van Cott children


The beautiful Van Cott family


Julie and I


We were trying to get a picture of Derek and I with Julie and Dave, but Jared refused to leave. :) Good job to whichever child took this picture.


While we were in AZ we visited a zoo. We got to feed and pet several of the animals. It was really neat.


One of the farmers giving the kids food for the animals.


Kevin feeding the animal


Jenna feeding the animal


Jenna holding a chicken


Kevin holding a chicken


Jared holding a chicken


Amanda and Derek holding chickens


Nana holding a chicken. She was a natural.


Jenna and Jared petting the farm's bunny


Playing tag on the hay bales


I'm pretty sure Colin caught Kevin :)


Jared and Brian


Jenna and Kevin coveting a cool car in the farm's parking lot



While we were in AZ we celebrated Derek's birthday. Jenna made him a card.


The cake


Nana reading to the kids


Jared and Jenna "helping" Nana make brownies. Nana is very patient, which is really nice. :)


Grandpa Gordon reading to Jared and Jenna

More Christmas 2010

For Christmas we went to my parents' house in New Hampshire. We had a great time hanging out with family. Because we couldn't bring all of the gifts with us, we had first Christmas at our house, and second Christmas at my parents' (yes, that was a reference to Lord of the Rings).

The tree at our house during first Christmas.


Jenna enjoying her new gifts


Darth Vader (I mean Kevin)


Jared, the transformer, with all his loot


We drove about 15 hours in our sedan to get to my parents'. It wasn't the most comfortable ride. Kevin was a good sport about being in the middle. Here they all are sleeping.


We act out a nativity every year when we are at my parents'. It's one of the best parts of Christmas. Here are Jenna and Jared as shepherds.


Jenna and Jared as shepherds. Kevin as a sheep.


Jared's stocking


Jenna's stocking (the huge stuffed animals were quite the hit)


Kevin's stocking


The loot. When you have 13 people, it doesn't take long for it to look like this. :)


Santa brought all of the kids slinkys. Derek is showing Jenna how to use it.


Kevin's new nerf gun from Great Grandpa and Great Grandma. Awesome gift!


Jenna and her new American Girl Doll (Elizabeth) from Grandpa and Grandma


Jared with his new camera. He loves to take pictures with it.


The whole family. Merry Christmas!