Aztecs at Camp Marston

Had a great weekend with Connor and the Aztecs at Camp Marston (Julian, CA). The highlights:

• Rock Wall Climb - Connor made it to the top! Wow! Unbelievable determination, based on picture time stamps, he was on that wall for 25 minutes. Brookie passed him to the top and they had a chat when he was coming back down. "Did you make it to the top?" "Ya, it was easy".
• BB guns - Connor was a sharp shooter, with a handful of buls-eyes. Of course he only moved the target on the cable downrange about 15 feet :)
• GA GA -- new game "arena" they built by the rock wall. Check it out. Boys were in the ga-ga pit all day long, opting for that over other activities. Even us dads got into the mix occasionally. (Now back at the homeland, us Aztec dads are looking into the possibility of building a Ga Ga pit at Pacific Rim)

Sleepover at Cousins

All 3 kids got to sleep over at their cousins' house Thanksgiving weekend. Check out the fort they built.

Quote from Ben about their cat Izzy: "Tan you put da tat in a tage? "

(He's not real fond of Izzy jumping all over him ... obviously)

The best part of the story is that Izzy did end up sleeping in the fort with them after all (probably laying all over Ben in the middle of the night), and Ben didn't know or care.

Thankful on Thanksgiving

Avery made a little tree at school where you write what you're thankful for on a small paper leaf, and then hang it on the tree. We all wrote our notes and put them on the tree up at Aunt Cherie's house. Some great one-liners:

• Avery: I am thankful for my family, nature, and oxygen.
• Connor: I am thankful for my family and cousins.
• Bennett: I am thankful for Batman DS game.

A & C also spent some time with Grandma Roth, asking her some questions about her life growing up. (They got the idea and some of the questions from a recent Rice Krispies box.) We recorded most of it for posterity. Some great info: getting to school on a sled, nobody could afford college cuz it was the depression, no vacations - parents took them to a park once, etc.

Avery Likes Beef Tacos

A couple weeks ago, Avery went on her solo trip with my parents to the elderhostel in Dunsmuir to learn about the Boxcar children.

Anyway, on the last night there, the food offered in the cafeteria was BEEF TACOS, and AVERY ATE THEM, and LOVED THEM ! Came home saying she'll have them with Daddy. Only problem: the meat had the flavored seasoning and she liked that part too :( (Daddy no likey)

I'll believe it when I see it. I want to have a ground beef taco blowout, soft shells, potatoes, the works...

How Do They Make Mirrors?

Ben was calling for Mommy in the middle of the night last night. She went to go see what he needed.

Ben: Mom, how do they make mirrors?

Bennett's BDay

Ben turned 4 this week. Friday was the big birthday - we went to the movies to catch WALL-E on opening day. Great movie, the kids loved it, and it was entertaining for mom & dad too.

Leapster is the present he's loving these days. A & C got Nintendo DS systems for their birthday, so now Ben has a handheld game system to play like them. Got Nemo to start with.

Presents:

• Rescue Heroes command center
• Foam noodle things (Super Fort?) to build forts
• Alvin and the Chipmonks DVD
• Magnetix
• Leapster case
• Diego Leapster game
• Ben bought Backyardagains with birthday money
  

Ben Demands Cheezits

Ben just got back from Costco with Mommy.

"Dad ... we got a big box of Cheezits for you, but you have to share them with me, cuz I holded them all over the store - not the cart!"