My parents came to town as part of an epic southwest road trip. We had a lovely time with them, but they didn't get much sleep. They slept on a mattress in our living room and every morning at 6 the boys would run in and jump all over them. That paired with our late-night pinochle playing meant lots of nap times for children and adults alike.
Josh explaining the finer points of the Bernoulli principle and why planes fly.
My dad got to fly in this Stearman bi-plane, which is the same type of plane he learned to fly in seventy years ago.
If you're reading this and have exceptional wood-working skills, please make me one of these. I'll pay you in pies.
This went ok. James mostly just goes limp when he has to interact with other humans, especially adults, but he's getting better.
We went hunting for butterflies in the vacant lot next door.
We also visited the Gilbert Riparian Preserve and watched some cormorants fishing.
My brother is the new wing commander of the 926th wing at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, so we went up for the big ceremony and ensuing celebrations. We took a tour of the base and visited a place called "the petting zoo" which had foreign military equipment and vehicles from the past 50 years. It was boy heaven and James' eyes were as big as dinner plates for the whole tour.
Since the Air Force Thunderbirds are based out of Nellis, we got to tour the hangar, and even Josh was looking for the enlistment officer after seeing all the cool stuff there.
Jets, jets, and more jets.
Out trying to take a decent picture for Christmas cards.
By the end of the photoshoot.
Zoo lights were magical for adult and child alike.
Rupert is my accessories man. He's into bags, hats, shoes, all of it. He'll walk around the house carrying his Halloween pumpkin filled with his favorite toys.
Here we are in Montana visiting Josh's family for Christmas! We hadn't even left the airport and already there was cool stuff to see.
James loves his Uncle Jake and cousin Eli. The feeling is mutual too.
The boys' first snowman.
Pretty excited to be wearing their Christmas jammies and playing piano with Aunt Solange.
I tried this a few minutes later and fell on my rear. All those years of snowboarding for nothing.
Verdict on sledding: James is a HUGE fan, Rupert not so much.
We rode on the carousel in Missoula about a million times, and I think James could have gone a million more times with his Aunt Lana.
Back in Arizona and enjoying the perfect weather.
These two. They love each other to the ends of the earth.
We're making some big life decisions this year, like whether or not to stay in Arizona, and if not then where are we going? We have to start thinking about quality school districts, and all of these millions of other factors that will determine what kind of life we'll live. One thing we do know is that with prayer and lots of excel spreadsheets, we'll make the best choice possible.
Scott's grandad owned 2 Stearmen. His dad grew up playing around in them but never got a license himself.
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