Thanksgiving Break

So it's been a while since we posted.  We've been having a lot of fun visiting family and getting ready for the holidays!

Getting Ready for our Trip to Visit Family

We decided to set up our tree early this year so when we returned from Thanksgiving we would be ready for Christmas.
Carter was a great help :)

Carter found the Christmas stockings and decided they looked more like elf boots.

Taking a break to eat some cheese balls.  Yummy!

Bowling with friends
Carter:  "Another ball please!"

Getting the car ready for a long drive.

 Hurricane

Bottles hit:  3

Bottles hit: 4  (that's right!)

Bottles hit:  0
But he takes the competition for cutest archer.

Hangin with Grandpa

"Grandma poked me with the stick!"
(Just kidding, can't remember why he's crying)

"EH-man-ohs"

"I guess I shouldn't have been throwing rocks at it."

Little Monkey

"Wheeee!"

Salt Lake

"Maybe if I look really cute while eating this cake they will give me another piece."

Putting Aunt Roger away.

Helping Grammy set up the Christmas tree

"These balls will look perfect right here."

Carter cuddling up in the dog's bed.

"This chair is just right."

"If I drive this I don't have to follow the speed limit, right?"

"Excellent"

Giddyup!

Carter and Bug learning to be doctors.

The Fight
"Bug took my chair!" (followed by some violence)

The Time Out
"She's still in my chair!"

Carter and Santa

Saying goodbye to Bug

When it was time to leave Grammy's house we found him hiding under the desk.

Back Home

Snow Day in Phoenix!
There was an event we went to where they trucked in a pile of snow for the kids to play in.  Carter liked the snow but he spent more time sitting on the curb listening to the live band.
(Side note for you Utahns:  The treat they sold at this activity was not hot chocolate--it was snow cones!)

"Mommy, circle--not grass"
Mommy was asking Carter what color his shapes were.  The circle was green.  When mommy asked Carter what color the circle was and he didn't answer, she decided to try another approach.  "Carter, the circle is the same color as grass.  What color is the circle?"  Carter turned to mommy and very sternly corrected her that it wasn't grass, it was a circle. 

Halloween, or the Thursday before finals?

Carter loved helping Daddy carve the Jack-o-lantern.

Carter really wanted to blow the candle out.
Today at church he was singing Happy Birthday to himself.
Apparently he really wants to be three.

Boo-berry pancakes.....ba-dum-dum.
After eating this festive holiday breakfast, Craig asked Paige if we had any plans that evening.  Paige chuckled, thinking "surely he is being sarcastic."  When she looked up and saw that he was sincerely waiting for a response, she said, "Are you serious?"  After seeing Craig's stupor, she explained, "it's Halloween.  Why do you think I made these ghost pancakes?"
Craig's defense for this lapse in brain activity is as follows:
"It's not Halloween, it's the Thursday before finals."

Samwise the Brave journeying through Cirith Ungol.

Trick or Treat!

"I give you the light of Earendil, our most beloved star. May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out."

After trick or treating we had hot chocolate, or as Carter calls it "Chocolate Water."

Carter chipped his front tooth at the playground.

Little climber.

"Who are you looking for?  Carter?  Haven't seen him."

A Monkey with his monkey.

Carter decided this was a good place to take a nap.

Samwise the Brave

Thanks Grammy!  Carter's loving his new ride!

.......Every day

Carter cooking dinner on his new grill.
It was a little tough.

Avast ye landlubber!

Jammin' at a guitar party with the boys.

Going Global.

Playing a gong at the Musical Instrument Museum.

Carter thought this was a cool guitar.  (It's a giant bass really).  

Carter has a promising future in photography.

"If I take one more step, it will be the furthest away from home I've ever been."

"My precious!"

Somebody had to be the baddy, might as well be daddy.  Bu-dum-dum.

(Bad joke gong)

The fellowship of Halloween

We have some pretty cool people in our ward.

Carter/Sam: "The lembas bread! It's gone."

After many failed attempts, our little Hobbit was finally able to enjoy the slide at the school Trunk or Treat.  After that, the trick was getting him off.

"That one's for my old gaffer!"

Helping daddy with the big boy bed.

We snapped a picture of our little man enjoying a well earned nap.