Happy New Year!!

We had ourselves quite the exciting night.  Rock raced cars all night...

 and looked darn excited about it, too!

 After begging and begging for a smile he finally gave us a cute one.

 The aunts made crepes which meant that Ryker got to eat those along with his milkshakes, spoons of frosting and fruit snacks.

 He was going to do whatever it took to stay up until midnight, and sugar was a big part of his plan.

 At midnight everyone was stoked to go outside and watch fireworks.  Just look at that unbridled joy on Ryker's face.

 Rock really was happy all night, but whenever i took a picture he gave me a face like this:

 His Aunt Whitni tried really hard to get a good smile out of him...

 But he just refused to show of his pearly whites.

 He just wasn't going to budge.

 Even when Uncle Nick banged the New Year's pots and pans together Rock was hard to please.

 He finally gave us some sort of smile when Nick banged the BIG pots and pans together.  The big bright green and red pans.

 But then he was back to this:

 It wasn't until Uncle Nick banged the really BIG pots and pans that Rock finally could help himself.  He let out a big yell and smiled really, really big.

 BIG SMILE!!

 Now that's the excited boy that we see when there isn't a camera around.

Speaking of excited, Rock is never excited to let somebody leave the house without him.  He tries to stall by asking to tell you something.  Then, just like his sweet Great-Grandma Helen, he rambles on and on while you try to get out the door.  Usually it sounds like this:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Howdy Time With Rock and Ryker!!

Howdy pardner!  Welcome to Howdy Time, I'm your host, Rock!

Here's my trusty sidekick, Ryker!

Today we're here at the OK Corral and we be fixing to ride us some horses!

Ryker is going to show all you pardners out there the proper way to pet a horse.

Then he will show you how to properly pick the horse's nose.  The trick is to get way up deep in the nostril.

Then Shaka the horse will explain his pet peeves.  I'll give you a hint, it involves infants digging into his nostrils.

After picking the horse's nose, Ryker knows to wipe the snot all over the snout of the beast.

And then later, WE RIDE!!

I'll also show you how to win a staring contest.  Diva didn't even know what stared her down!

Now is finally the time to ride!

I like to ride bareback like a real man.  Only city boys and softies have to use a sissy saddle.

Giddyup!!

Howdy ladies!

Lil' Ryker also got a chance to ride Diva and yell "Diddyup!".

"Whoa Nelly!"

Lil' Ryker did ride plumb good.

After our big ride we sauntered on into the local saloon for some marshmallows and pipin' hot cocoa.

Nothing shakes the trail dust off your boots like roasting marshmallows!

Despicable Me and the Drive Home

  About a year ago Rock acquired a picture of a minion from the movie Despicable Me and carried it everywhere.  The minions are little yellow guys with goggles.  They look like this: Click here

Well, one of Rock's presents was a tool set with safety goggles.  He's been wearing them everywhere, and his aunt Lindsey thinks he looks just like one of the minions.

 He's the cutest little minion I've ever met.  Now if I could just convince him to be my minion and do my bidding... 

Our drive home went well, and for the most part the passengers behaved themselves.  There was some crying in the front passenger's seat, but that was cured with a McDonald's hot fudge sundae.  When we got home the boys got to open their presents from Mama Rae and Papa Dale and their aunts and uncle Nick.  One of their coolest presents was a Cosmo the Cougar getup.

Rock has been wearing it nonstop and growling at people.  Then he'll take off the hood and be a good cougar and pretend to hug you...then he puts the hood back on and mauls you.  Then he plays with his toys.

Our drive went really, really well until we got to Blewett Pass and ran into freezing rain.  It turned into snow and then in Manson we found giant snowflakes.

It was really pretty.

The snow was so pretty that it put Ryker to sleep in his car seat.  He looks mad because he didn't get to do a sleepover with Rock, but he's a baby so he doesn't remember that now.

Merry Christmas!!

We've had lots of fun this Christmas! Rock got to help Papa Dave make cinnamon rolls.

He had a blast and he got to stay up until almost midnight!  What a crazy party animal!

Watch the expert pour flour like a pro.

On Christmas Eve Rock got to go skiing with Derek and Dustin (this isn't a picture from Mt. Ashland, this is a picture from when he went ice skating with Rissa).

I got to go golfing and spotted some Christmas Deer.

Rock has been so worn out from his parties that he is falling asleep all over the place.

He wakes up all bushy-eyed and bright-tailed, so no harm, no foul.

He woke us up this morning stinking early ready to rip open the holiday carnage.

See how excited he is?  That's a toothbrush.  Just imagine how excited he was when he opened real toys!

Ryker wasn't sure about waking up early, so he kind of just sat there and watched Rock bounce off of the walls.

Here is DeA's stocking.

DeA had to help Ryker open his presents.  He was pretty thankful.

He was pretty stoked to get a big Buzz, just like Rock!  Look how excited he is!

"Wow, I'm pretty excited!"

Rock wouldn't slow down enough for a picture, so this is the best you get.

Ryker loved his big ducky and kept quaking at it.

And he got a Home Depot electric drill.  He used it to open his other presents,

 Rock also got some cool tools.  He is a stickler for safety, so he wore his safety goggles while open the rest of his loot.

Merry Christmas!!