More of the Visit with Grandpa & Sam

We took a trip to the zoo to celebrate Ian's Birthday.  It was pretty hot, but the kids enjoyed the animals and seemed to have a lot of fun.  As always, I had to take more pictures and show off my big lens while there.  The zoo is so much more interesting with a telephoto lens!!!!!

Brooke loves Meerkats!

Sam saying to Mike, "If we put the kids in here, do you think they can get out?"

We bought the kids some lemonade and Ian drank Brooke's.  Oh well.  At least someone enjoyed it!

The Polar Bear and the Arctic exhibit is new this year and by far the favorite of the kids and adults on this trip!  The Polar Bear was literally doing laps in his enclosure.  The window on the left had a bunch of kids standing by it, so when we came up you'd hear the squeals because he was face to face with a crowd!  I swear he LOVED the attention! 

Brooke swinging like a monkey.

As usualy they had to yell at the monkeys to get them to yell back.  The poor creatures...

Ian was interested in everything.

 Watching the seals doing laps around was popular too.  Sam and I were noticing that they seemed a lot more like dogs than we'd ever realized before.

My "money shot" of the day.  The American Kestrel.  I did cheat just a little.

This happy fellow was holding him.

We went up to the Brigham City Temple's Open House and were able to walk through the temple.  Eryn sat down in a chair in the Celestial Room (representing Heaven) and when I told her it was time to leave she started to tear up and said that she didn't want to go!

The Elmer Fudd face.

Responsible Uncle Sam thinking, "Go ahead kids and jump in.  The water's fine!"

PROOF that these 2 CAN get a long and do LOVE each other!

Sam & Grandpa Visit

MY family came to visit!!!!!!!  Well, some of them anyhow.  Here is the first post of a couple from their visit with us.  I'm still playing catch up on here, so forgive the fact that the normal chronological order is tossed out the window.

Grandpa and Sam posing with the kids for a few pictures right before they went back home to the mitten!

Uncle Sam was a little overwhelmed by the nieces, but bonded with this little guy!

Speaking of Ian...  This was on his birthday!  We went over to Grandma & Grandpa's house here in Utah and had a mini party with them.  The girls were lots of help with the unwrapping of the presents.

Ian and BOTH of his Grandpa's on his 1st birthday!!!!!

This didn't really fit in with anything else, but it made me laugh, so here is a picture of Sam.  Like me, he's all squints without sunglasses.  The beard really threw me.  My LITTLE brother is a grownup?  No way!  

Ian and BYU

Just before football season starts we have this little tradition of checking out the stadium and the excitement of a new football season really sets in!  This year BYU made some improvements to the stadium that included 2 HUGE new video score boards and a ribbon of screens around the tops of the end zone stands.

My favorite picture of the day.  It's like, "Come son, let me show you your future..."

One of these on each end zone now.

The kids were super excited, but not as excited as Mike was!  Ha ha.

The girls love making Y's.

 Someday I'll be IN the picture...  If I'd only brought the tripod!

Ian turned 1!  I kind of skipped over my Dad and brother Sam's visit out here which included a trip to the zoo, the temple in Brigham City, and Ian's birthday.  Never fear!  I will come back to them another day when I have a little more time.  I promise!!!!!!

Ian loves playing with toys more than any other child we've had.  It is normal for me to just find him in his room playing quietly all by himself.  He's such a good little guy.

Eryn took this picture.  She really likes cameras and wants to take pictures.  The Disney Princess camera we got for her for Christmas last year was a huge mistake!  It was total crap.  I need to suck it up and get her a point and shoot that can actually take pictures.  My SLR is just too heavy for her.

On Saturday was have this tradition of cinnamon rolls and Ian is really starting to get excited for them now!

 Fast post for now, but more to come later!  I'm busy taking pictures and doing things.  September is turning out to be far busier than I had thought.