Busy, busy, busy! I logged onto blogger and realized I haven't posted since September!
We celebrated a birthday & pumpkin festival, visited with Memah and Bee Bee, got used to a school routine...well anyway, here's a little slideshow with the highlights!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So begins the holiday season...ours started with a nice, quiet Thanksgiving at home. Jason cooked the entire meal (with a little help from the boys).

Getting ready to eat--Cooper whining, Jason being cheesy and Jackson doing God knows what.

Gravy anyone?

Cooper showing me his BIG full belly~

Cooper and Mom

Coop helping to clean up after dinner. It's a big job!

We went to pick out our Christmas tree today in Springfield, Vermont. We find it is worth the 45 minute drive. We chose a tree from a farm right in Keene last year and were pretty disappointed with our sad looking tree (scraggly, malnourished tree from last year pictured below)

First thing we had to do was visit with Santa!

Telling Santa what we want for Christmas.

Video of Jackson telling Santa what he "doesn't need" this year. Cooper froze at the opportunity. Just stared at Santa



This Santa was way better than the last Santa that they had at this farm. We think the last one was hungover or just doesn't like kids (pictured below, glaring out from below his tinted glasses)


The men on the hunt for the perfect tree~

Jason scoping out the prospective winner~

Yep, this is the one!

Obligatory butt shot~

Watching the dude put our tree on the tractor~

Of course, had to do one of these~

Gettin' er strapped on top~

How hard is it to get a nice picture of your children in front of the newly decorated Christmas tree? If you have my children...very hard. I had to make them hug for this picture.

Two handsome men in front of the tree (if I do say so myself)

The finished product.

Summing up the summer!

Some highlights of our 3rd summer in New Hampshire...

This was the first summer that we attempted camping. Jason took the boys on their very first camping trip on a weekend when I was working. Men only!

The first trip (July 19th)

The second trip: With our friends the Salisburys--July 25th

Roasting Marshmallows...never a relaxing thing when there are young children involved.

Harrison is proud of his golden brown marshmallow.

The campsite
All the kiddos on the climbing rocks

The third trip (August 6th)

Beautiful!

Mom and Coop hanging out by the fire pit.

Fishing

We spent time quite a bit of time at the lake in one way or another. Some time was spent at Spofford lake beach, Council grove lake in Kansas and at Lake Winnipesaukee. Here are just a few pics of us in Wolfeboro, NH visiting friends Bret, Michelle and Jack at their cabin on Lake Winnepesaukee.

Had to have a picture by the fireboat.

Cooper playing in the sand. The water was so clear, you could see all the way to the bottom. Not like lakes we are used to!

Jackson after building "baby town" with borrowed blocks!

All the dudes fishing one morning


Okay, maybe just these two dudes fished.


These two dudes were climbing the rocks.

The view is beautiful, even on a cloudy day.


Mommy and her boys

Later that day, we braved Mt. Major. This was Cooper's first climbing adventure. Jackson is an old pro, he's already summitted Mt. Monadnock

On a quick break on "the biggest rock we've ever seen"

Jason and Cooper climbing the steep part and following the "orange trail." Cooper was such a little trooper. He did get pretty tired.

Finally! The soggy and weary climbers reach the summit! 1,732 feet. Didn't really get to enjoy the view...it was too foggy. What a great climb, though!


We did it!
Now for the descent....

About a quarter of the way down, we stopped for some packed sandwiches, fritos and cookies. Its amazing how good things like that taste after you have hiked a mountain!


Cooper examining his frito.

Jackson, eating his Nantucket cookie...
"mommy, it feels like I lost a tooth"
Sure enough.
Jackson lost his first tooth on Mt. Major!!!
Daddy looking for the lost tooth. It was later assumed after Daddy, mommy and Bret searched in vain that the tooth had been swallowed along with the Nantucket cookie. Bummer.


A few hours later after the initial shock of losing a tooth and swallowing it had worn off. He's a little less uneasy about the whole thing. Actually, he was quite thrilled the next morning when he found that the tooth fairy had been able to locate him at the lake. There was a dollar under his pillow!
Jackson, Michelle, Jack and Cooper "relaxing"
in the octagon with some books.
Our last day, Bret was kind enough to take us out sailing. Wow, what a skill.

The boys right after boarding the sailboat. Coop was a little nervous that Bret would make us go too fast. No worries little guy.


Enjoying the view. It was such a beautiful day. Unfortunately, the wind wasn't very active where we were located on the lake. I don't think the boys noticed, though. It only took awhile before lack of attention span got the better of them.
Thank you to Bret, Michelle and family for hosting us not only once but twice at your awesome lake home!



Some other little, but still memorable moments...

Two blue-tongues after eating an awesome blue popsicle from the market.


Another memorable thing we did this summer...Jackson and Cooper moved in together with "bonk" beds. Here they are on the first night of the adventure!



Mommy and Jackson on our first day of school. (Cooper took the picture, so that explains the lack of focus)

Hanging out with friends at Harpoon brewery in Windsor, VT. Good Stuff.

After having their faces painted at the peanut festival. Note: Cooper had already rubbed his "tiger" face off.

Cooper and Brooke on a picnic at the Ashuelot river park.

Though it always goes by too quickly, the summer in New Hampshire is perfect.We are looking forward to new adventures with school, work and friends.

Click the links below to view all the pictures from this summer!
Group1
Group 2
Group 3