T-Ball

Kallsen and Parker started T-ball this year. Here's a picture of them each running the bases and one of the them together in the field. The last picture is of them killing time before a game begins recently.

Playing in the Snow

Christmas in Minnesota meant the first time since we lived in Iowa for my boys to have a chance to play in the snow. Kallsen (5) and Parker (4) don't remember Iowa and the snow. So for them, this last minute trip to Minnesota provided lots of news and exciting adventures. In this first video, Kallsen attempts to make a snow angel...

In this next video, Joseph (13) gets to try his hand at Snow Blowing. I think he learned it isn't as easy as it looks...

In this last video, Parker struggles to pull his sled back up Grandpa and Grandma's drive way. The boys all had a blast playing in the snow.

Tomorrow were going to go down to the lake and let the boys walk on water. Frozen water but still walking on water.

Minnesota Christmas Snow

Our Christmas Eve day in Minnesota was filled with lots of snow, sledding, snow blowing and making snow angels. Here's a few pictures of our snow filled Christmas Eve day...

Kallsen making Snow Angel

Kallsen dragging his sled back up the drive way

Grandpa Tom Snow Blowing


Joseph using the Electric Shovel to clean the deck

Parker playing in the snow

The boys walking up the driveway

Grandpa Tom pulling Kallsen down the driveway...while running!

Our first Christmas in Minnesota since 2006 is going to be filled with lots and lots of snow. The forecast is for 20 inches over the four day Christmas weekend.

Merry Christmas!

1st Place in Costume Contest

Tonight at the annual City of Seneca Halloween on the Green, Kallsen and Parker won 1st place for the Most Original costume(s).
They, if you can't tell, went as Rubik's Cubes. Kallsen was the solved cube and Parker was the mixed up cube. We bought two boxes, some black spray paint and construction paper. The idea was Momma's and the costume's were put together by Dad.

Some parents asked if our kids were the Dice from last year. The boys won first place last year for their Dice costumes. Two years ago they got second place for their crayon costumes. Below is a picture from last year's contest

Happy Birthday Parker!

Parker's 4th birthday was a pretty special day. It started with his Daddy taking him out for a father son breakfast at Parker's choice of restaurant. Can you tell where we went?

After breakfast, Daddy took Parker to school. Parker decided his treat for his classmates on his birthday would be Fruit Roll-ups and cookies. After school, once everyone was home, he opened his presents from Mommy and Daddy. He also opened presents that his 5 year-old brother Kallsen had for him. Kallsen had taken some of his toys and wrapped them for Parker. It was really sweet.

After a nice dinner, the family went to Dairy Queen for birthday blizzard. Once we got home, it was a call to grandma and grandpa in Minnesota. Below are some pictures from today.

Hats Off

The boys decided that tonight was Hat Night. To make Hat Night even more special, we let Parker, who turns 4 on Monday, decide what we would do for dinner. He wanted to go to Golden Corral. A Buffet restaurant in Anderson. So a trip to Anderson it was for Parker.

This this first picture, Kallsen is sporting a hat that came with an outfit when he was just a baby. As you can see, the hat was a bit small for him...that didn't matter...he decided not to wear it into the restaurant.
Parker decided on a bit more flare with his hat. It is a bit too big for him but it really fits his personality. Parker decided he would WEAR it into the restaurant. Needless to say, he provide some entertainment for other patrons of the restaurant. Parker was very proud of his hat.

Side Trip to the Dells

On our way back from Minnesota, we took a side trip to Wisconsin Dells. Wisconsin Dells is to central Wisconsin what Gatlinburg is to the Smokey Mountains, Branson is to Missouri and Myrtle Beach is to South Carolina. The Dells, as the area is referred to, is known for Duck Boats and water parks. We stayed at a Water Park called Great Wolf. Great Wolf Lodge is a resort where one can go for a vacation and never leave. They have the water parks, restaurants, bars, arcades, laser tag, story time, a candy store and lots more, I'm sure, if we had looked. We were there for one night mostly to rest and have fun in the water park. We arrived about three in the afternoon. We checked in, played for 2 hours before meeting my nephew Chris for dinner and then played several more hours after dinner and then played for three or so hours the next morning before hitting the road.

Our trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells was really a good trip for Kallsen. It was the first time he was tall enough to do most of the bigger slides and rides by himself. He was able to climb the stairs, go down the large water slides and do all the really neat stuff by himself. Here's a video of Kallsen and Joseph coming down one of the slides that requires you to ride face first on a mat.

In this next video a large bucket fills with water and every so-often it dumps a bunch of water down on the people below. You can see Joseph, Kallsen and Parker running to get drenched right before the water falls.

A couple of side notes...we bought an AquaPack camera bag from National Camera Exchange in Golden Valley, MN. The bag allowed us to take pictures and film the boys without worrying if the camera got wet.

If you're reading this on Facebook through a note, you can go to AdamandSaraWright.com to see the videos.

The Dells

On the way back from Minnesota to South Carolina (we're in Kentucky as I post this) we stopped in Wisconsin Dells at Great Wolf Lodge...an indoor water park and hotel. Here are some pictures of the boys having all kinds of fun...

Kallsen and Parker in water tree house

Kallsen dumping water on someone below

Joseph right after getting hit with large amounts of water

Kallsen getting soaked

Parker sliding down small slide

Parker walking across bridge

Minnesota Zoo

One of the things we did while in Minnesota was go to the Minnesota Zoo (the New Zoo). I had never been. I think it opened when I was 10 or something. We always went to the Como Zoo...maybe because the Como Zoo was free and the Minnesota Zoo wasn't.

Grandma Judy, Joe, my sister Sarah and her three boys, my sister Kara and her daughter and my cousin Brianna's son Jay all went. Below are some of the pictures from the day at the Zoo.

Parker, cousin Derek and Kallsen

The Snake crossing the path might have been the high light for the boys

Kallsen (I LOVE this picture)

Jay and Joseph

Parker being Fierce (I LOVE this picture)

Joseph checking on cousin Jackson

Derek and Parker

Sara Beth and her two youngest

Sara Beth and the boys marking what they've seen so far

Parker looking at fish

Grizzly

Joseph, Jay, Kallsen, Amelia and Parker

It was a great day at the Zoo. My sister Sarah and her boys Davey, Derek and Jackson had to leave early...I wish they all could've been in this last picture.

A Chicago Side Trip

We took a side trip to the Sears Tower (now the Willis) in Chicago today. Here's one picture of Parker on the glass looking down. I love this picture.

Tripping to Minnesota Part 2

Here's some more pictures as we travel across the mid part of the country on the way from South Carolina to Minnesota. We've not visited Minnesota since April, 2007. I'm looking forward to visiting my parents, seeing my sisters, brother-in-laws; friends; Joe from Ireland; playing a round of Disc Golf in Minnesota; going to the Minnesota Zoo; having my first Jucy Lucy and some RR time.

Later today we're going to the observation deck of the Willis Tower in Chicago. 1,350 feet above the city. Below are some pictures of the trip so far...

Giant cross in Tennessee

Rough looking welcome sign

Parker & Kallsen shading their faces from the sun in Kentucky

Picnic time at rest area in Kentucky

Crossing the Ohio River going from Kentucky to Indiana

When we crossed into Indiana, the Southern Indiana Welcome was closed...this was the best we could do...Parker and Kallsen in front of the Smart Car.

The Boys acting silly in Indiana

Tripping to Minnesota

We left today for our vacation to Minnesota. Here's a couple of pictures as we post from the road.

Kallsen, Parker and Joseph just as we crossed into Georgia

Kallsen & Parker as we enter North Carolina

All three boys at the top of Smokey Mountain National Park

Heavy Money Part 2

We took our "Minnesota Bucket" to Ingles and used the Coin Star machine to change the coins to cash. Below are some pictures from our adventure.

Strike a Pose

Hard at Work

Parker pushing the money in

Parker is so happy about his money

Look at me! While I look at someone else.

Our money totals $113.97