Frosty and Friends

Chris and Grandpa Crossley built a giant snowman with the boys.
What a handsome bunch!

Sledding Chapman's Dam

This is the first time Mathew has really gotten into sledding by himself!
He and Nathan had a blast sledding with Dad and Grandpa Crossley.

Christmas Eve

This picture is one in a million, well, maybe one in several dozen!
But I finally got one with both of them looking and smiling.

Gingerbread House

The boys decorated their first gingerbread house this year... thanks to Ms. Sara who bought house thinking it would be a good project for the kids when she came to babysit. But thanks to a snowstorm, our plans were canceled and Ms. Sara never came over. She gave the house to the boys anyway, hoping they would have fun with it. And they did.

First was the frosting. Mathew really enjoyed smacking the frosting with the spatula. Nathan was a little more interested in actually spreading it on the house.


After frosting came the fun part. Decorating with candy! Mathew kept asking me, "Mama, I eat this one?" I kept telling him that if he ate it, he wouldn't be able to put it on the house. After a short pause to think, Mathew put the candy on the house. We repeated this everytime he picked up a piece of candy. Eventually he figured out that putting candy on the house allowed him to get frosting on his fingers!

Nathan decided the house needed Christmas lights. So he lined the edge of the roof with small round candies, "just like our house!"

Both boys enjoyed working on their masterpiece and were disappointed when the candy ran out!

Mathew Says

Mathew was "reading" the 5 Little Monkeys book this morning while I was in the shower. He was reading the one where the monkeys are sitting in a tree, teasing Mr. Crocodile, "Can't catch me". Then along comes Mr. Crocodile and "Snap!"

As I got out of the shower, Mathew lectured me, "Never ever EVER go into a alligator's mouth."

I thought this was pretty good advice.

He's a Preschooler!

Today was Mathew's first day of preschool!


He looks so grown up standing in the preschool room with his new haricut.


Now THERE'S the mischief maker I know! Good luck Ms. Marie!

Wink Wink (Thumbs Up)

Okay, this makes me giggle.

Snow Much Fun

Mathew and Aunt Shirley had a good time playing in the snow. Mathew was a bit of a bully, pelting Aunt Shirley with snowballs.


Aunt Shirley fought back by rolling Mathew down a hill.


Mathew was undeterred.


Mathew likes to get up close before firing a shot.

Aunt Shirley has good reflexes, but Mathew still lands a snowball on top of her head.

Here he is yelling at Aunt Shirley to "Hide!"

She takes his advice just as he winds up to launch another snowball her way!

Happy Halloween!

Spooky? I think not!

Lessons (Not) Learned

Last night the boys would not stop banging their spoons and bowls on the table and yelling, "We want rice!" while I was trying to cook dinner. Chris must have been reading my mind, because he jumped in and sent them to their room. When it was time for them to come out, I asked each of them why they were sent to their room.

Nathan: Because you asked us to stop banging and we didn't listen.
I thought this was pretty good. Reflective. Lesson learned.

Mathew (with a GIANT smile): Because I like to bang my spoon!
Okay, lesson NOT learned.

Mathew Says

Mathew: Mama, you want cookie?
Mom: No thank you.
Mathew: Are you sick?!?!?

Goodbye Training Wheels

Aamodt's Apple Orchard

Rock Star

Pumpkin Fever

Mathew helped me harvest the Jack-Be-Little pumpkins out of our garden. We ended up with just over 100 pumpkins, enough to take to school and share with neighbors.

Turtle Friend

Santa brought Mathew this Radio Flyer turtle last year. Mathew adores this turtle and has spent most of the summer on it. Turtle goes everywhere Mathew goes. If we go visit neighborhood friends, Turtle is safely parked on the grass. He is never left in the street or driveway where he might get run over. And if Turtle is tired (unable to keep up with Nathan), Mathew will pick him up and carry him. Turtle goes to school with Mathew on Bike Day and even sits with him in the wagon when we go for walks.

Self Dressed Boy

Nathan woke up this morning and dressed himself for school. He started with his Puma t-shirt then choose plaid shorts and black soccer socks. Before we left the house he added the purple beads and fluorescent yellow bracelet.

Lazy Sunday

I took Nathan and Mathew to Hudson to see the replicas of the Nina and Pinta that were on display. When we got there, the lines were long and the boys were in no mood to wait. The weather was great, so we checked out the boats from the bridge and headed to the nearby park instead.

The boys played hide and seek for awhile. I think Mathew got confused because he would hide to count.


The only hiding spot in the park was behind trees.


It seems like Mathew was always counting and Nathan was always hiding.

We also checked out the St. Croix River. There was a little beach where the boys got their feet wet, hunted for rocks, and played in the sand.

Working Man

Mathew got out and helped Chris mow the lawn this evening. He didn't seem to mind the heat and humidity.

Voyageurs National Park

Chris took Nathan up Voyageirs National Park for a guys only fishing trip - well, guys only plus Karen! They spent 4 days camping with Steve, Karen, Dave, Talon (4), and Paul.


Talon is a seasoned fisherman. He has been on several fishing trips.

Nathan caught several small moth bass, and this Northern. He was very proud of his catch. They kept this one and ate if for dinner.

Nathan watching (and hopefully learning) how to clean a fish.

Chris's small mouth bass.

Nathan enjoyed picking wild blueberries more than he enjoyed eating them.

The boys also got to check out some old mining trucks that are on display.

That little white and green dot is Nathan - that is one BIG truck!