Upon being released from the confines of their high chairs, Sean and Ryan made a dash for the tree and have been hanging out there quite often since. 

Daddy and Mommy -- Alex's attempt at photography. 

I promise to not wear my ughy green sweatshirt the next time I'm in a picture! My Andy and me.

The finished product. 

"We Men build our trees. We don't go out and chop 'um down!"

Ryan wonders, "Is it necessary to look this ridiculous to go anywhere?" 

Mark's lighting job on the house. I think it looks really pretty. 

Zathura

As many of you know, Alex loves the movie Zathura.

On Black Friday we went to Target to take advantage of some of the deals. While browsing (I told Alex I wouldn't get any stuff for him while we was with me), Alex saw the game, Zathura. He picked it up. He sat down in the cart. He proceeded to read and study the game board, every picture, and every bit of text on the box.

When we got to the check out. I told him that I knew he wanted it but I wasn't getting it for him right then.

"Ok, Mommy. I'm just going to stand over there and not look at the belt drive. So I won't know what your buying. Just in case, you decided to get a really special game like Zathura for me."

I bought the game.

The little model. 

Jazmine ice skating. 

My niece, Jazmine. 

Our family. It was a happy thanksgiving, though, just the six of us. Sean, Mommy, Ryan, Andrew, Daddy, and Alex.

Dance party after dinner! Ryan is standing, Alex is dragging Andy down and Sean is comtemplating on the floor. 

Placesettings and turkeys courtesy of Alex and Andy -- Sean & Ryan's placesettings weren't pictured although matched with PLASTIC plates, forks, and spoons and NO GLASS. Alex's turkey is green and Andy's is rainbow (helped by Mommy). Andy colored all the purple and yellow bits all by himself -- a very talented 2 year old! 

Sean's "third eye" -- luckily, it cleared up after a couple weeks. 

Whatever one baby does, the other also tries. Ryan's turn, though Daddy was confused about who should wear the helmet. 

Sean trying out Andy's trike at our newest park! 

Dining Out

Last night Alex had OT at 5. So we all headed out -- I was hoping to get Mark's opinion on something at a nearby store. About 5:45 pm, Mark asked what we were doing for dinner. I answered, "I thought we were reheating the spaghetti. What did you want to do (with a trace of hope for something yummier than reheated spaghetti)?"

"I'm having New China Gourmet (Mongolian BBQ and Chinese food buffet -- very yummy). But you're welcome to have the spaghetti."

So we all went to the restaurant. Sean and Ryan ate chicken nuggets and ate cheese and ate dinner rolls and ate some other unrecognizable Chinese dishes and ate pudding and ate more pudding (they really liked the pudding). Andy quietly ate his teriyaki chicken and other items. Alex plowed through his selections and was "super hungry for dessert."

As we were finishing up, Andy very slowly eating his ice cream, the twix (especially Seany) crying for more vanilla pudding, Alex decided it was time to read his fortune cookie fortune. "You are very grateful for the blessings in your life." He was a bit disappointed (for one thing he's not the least bit grateful and usually put out by others having blessings -- joking folks). So he went for fortune cookie number two, "You have touched many lives." He utterly delighted in this cookie fortune calling it, "the best fortune cookie ever!" And proceeded to snuggle up and lightly brush my arm for the rest of the night.

Andy also 'read' his fortune (the lotto numbers on the back actually) in his most serious voice, "You will go to Circus Circus." When Mark tried to read the real one to him, Andy responded, "No, it says, I WILL go to CIRCUS CIRCUS!"

Singing

Alex and Andy like to sing. They love to sing. They will on occasion sing the day away. Like today.

Alex: "Who let the dogs out? Who? Who? Who?"

Andy: "Whoooo oooooo oooo let the dogs out? Who? It was the babiesssssssss? Who? Who?"

Next song (Thanks Nick Jr)

Alex: "Its the best day evvv-er. Ever. Ever!!!"

Andy: "Its the BEST ST ST ST day evvvvvvvererer!!!"

Andy also likes to play that he has a puppy. Alex plays the puppy. This will go on for hours. "Come on puppy. Its time to go to the store." "Pant, pant. Rets, grow! Woof."

"Ok, puppy, its time to go to the kitchen.""Pant, Pant. No-row. Woof"

"Yes, puppy, I love you, but we really need to get to the kitchen fast. Come on, Come on, little puppy."

"Row-k."

Alex had a party at school. Andy got admired everywhere he went. And they both scored some loot. Andy even got a football -- hs very favorite treat. "Mommy, look. I got a football treat. That's funnnny! I love footballs."

Alex had a lot of fun handing out candies to the trick or treaters when he'd finished himself. I mentioned that the kids could have more than one (as Andrew wanted to help also). So he'd give each kid a pixie stick and then say "Oh, wait you can have more than one. Do you want another pixie stick or something else? We have gum, some candies I don't like, or maybe you want to pick?" People spent a lot of time at our house.

A ghost. 

The two football players -- Sean's the Raider, and Ryan's the team in blue. 

Sean the other little emporer. 

Ryan the little emporer. 

Alex as the red power ranger -- very muscular. 

Andy refused to look at me. But he's still cute. 

The little devil is ready to trick or treat! 

The little devil is ready to trick or treat! 

Andrew smiling for me.