Say "Hello" to Doug

I know I havent posted in a while but I've had alot on my plate, I've done 4 photo shoots (1 family and 3 for b-day invites - 1 where we got trapped in a half pipe at the skate park) got my Xmas letter all done, got 2 b-day party invites all done, 2 Thanksgivings (where I did not take one photo!) and next weekend I'm running the Chili Cook-off and getting everything ready for Child Dedications that same day, not to mention sometime I've got to actually plan these b-day parties. Yowza!
So here's the Reader's Digest version of some things. The Smarts got Rock Band so we've rocked out with them a few times. Here's Nate jammin some Bon Jovi!
The last Lowes build was a football goal that the boys had fun with.
We spent the day at DCA with the Reynolds.
and ran into the Lassiters there!
And here's Doug:
This is our first fakie christmas tree. We always talked out getting one so this year we thought we'd try it out. We got this baby for only $50 at Home Depot so we figure if we hate it and dont use it next year we havent lost alot of money on it. But so far we really like it! I dont know what inspired us, but we decided to give it a name so Ryan came up with Douglas. It's funny to refer to your tree by name "Put that over by Doug" "Can you turn off Doug?"

Nate's Preschool Picture

He's so cute!

Shaky ground

Today we met up with some other kids and moms from Mops to learn about earthquake safety thru the city. Nate got meet Tremor and actually willingly posed with him for a photo after giving him a high five - right on.
We got some free junk, I mean treasures like these fireman hats, some teddy bears, flashlights, pencils, erasers and hot dogs.
They had a pretend earthquake and all the kids got under tables to "Duck, Cover, & Hold on"which is kinda opposite of what I've been teaching him witch is "Get next to and cover" and if it gets really bad our 3rd step will be "Get the heck outta there" :)
Nate also met Val a search and rescue dog.
Afterwards we hung out at the playground and of course the boys got wet in the fountain. Here Nate is "putting out the fire" in the hangout area of the Gardens.

Fun and games in Lake Arrowhead

Monday we met up with Nana and the Reynolds to go to the Children's museum in Lake Arrowhead but guess what? It dosent exist. So dont believe the lies you read all over the internet or on the town signs, there is no children's museum there.

But that's ok cuz there is alot of fun things to do in an afternoon at Lake Arrowhead. First we went to a playground by the lake.

They had this horrible slide that was basically rounded steps. All the kids went down saying "Ow, ow, ow."
Then we ate our lunches we brought and the ducks looked hungry too so we fed them.

Then we went to the arcade and the kids loved it! We were basically the only ones there so our kids had the run of the place.

Nate was pretty good at air hockey.

You're allowed to walk up the skeeball ramp right?

Carrie

Sunday my MIL took me, my SIL and 2 of my nieces to the Carrie Underwood concert at the new arena in Ontario. It was a nice place, it felt small for 10,000 seats. It's a little weird going to a concert where you only kinda know 4 songs but it was a good show. She did the whole thing in stilettos, changed into 3 different outfits and brought a little six-year-old girl up from the audience for "American Girl" No pyro but she had lasers and confetti canons. I was a little bored during her ballad-y songs that I didnt know but.
Probably the best part was getting sparkly and dressed in a sparkly shirt (which no one saw cuz I was too close to the AC) but I put all these cool sparkles on the girls and they looked so cool! It was cool hangin with my fam, seeing lots of church friends there and just walking around the arena.
Here is the opening band Little Big Town they were from Georgia (shout out to Georgia!)
and here's Carrie w/the cute little girl (The sound is bad but it was great at the show)

Build and Grow

This Saturday's Build and Grow was the best one yet! The guys made little semi trucks that had a back door that opened up to put a little race car in. Nate and Zach carried them around the rest of the day obsessivley. I love free building projects that are cool!
Finished products: