Happy Holidays from the Batemans!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1118666864

Click on the link for a good little chuckle and then do it for your family and share with us. :)

More Halloween Fun

We're so glad Darrin and Alicen told us about the Halloween festivities at Gardener Village. We went there on Halloween, and Alder, Kate, Henry, and Owen had a great time. Here are some highlights of the afternoon . . .



















Here's cute Kate riding a pony.


















Alder didn't feel like smiling, but we're pretty sure he enjoyed his horse ride.























Kate giving Henry a hug.


















Owen and Henry amazed at the animals in the petting zoo.

Halloween fun!

Thanks to cousin Gus for the loan on the duck costume. Tessa was extra snuggly all night.
We had a fun Friday at Gardener Village seeing the witches.

Bat-er Up

It wouldn't be a proper October without doing battle with a bat. It was nestled comfortably in one of the rescessed bricks above our front door.

I undid a wire hanger and poked at it, which made it rear its head and start clicking/hissing at us. A few more pokes and it was down on the ground.


I swept it onto the lawn and it stayed in this position hissing until we left and went inside. It was gone when we came out to check on it a few minutes later.

Arches National Park

Going Big

Well, not really but I thought it was a cool picture regardless. This is on the Bobsled trail in the foothills above the Avenues last Wednesday.

A few more vacation pictures...

I didn't have internet access while we were at Disneyland so wasn't able to post pictures. Here are some from our day at the beach with my brother Paul and his family as well as our time at the parks.

This was taken during the shark feeding at the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla:




These were taken on the beach in Carlsbad. Check out Cami on the boogie board!








Disneyland & California Adventure:

Malia's princess birthday party

Here Malia is in her new Snow White dress...unfortunately two hours later when the party began she was too hot for this dress. But, luckily, her friend Saige had an extra fairy princess dress she agreed to wear, which will be seen in subsequent pictures. Can you say spoiled? Pure sugar happiness with her little friends.
Pin the heart on the tiara...Malia are you peeking?

San Diego Zoo

Carlsbad Sand Crabs

For some reason we've only been able to find sand crabs in Carlsbad. Today we caught and released 43.

La Jolla

These pictures were taken at the Children's Pool in La Jolla which was originally intended to be a protected area where kids could swim. As it turned out the local Harbor Seals took a liking to the protected beach and it is now off limits to people! The kids enjoyed watching the seals. If you look closely you can see a few sunning themselves on the rocks.

Beach Bums

Fun on the farm

Malia's little friend had a birthday party at his aunt's farm. We had fun getting acquainted with the goats, ponies, horses, pigs, chickens, dogs, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Her favorite was the goat named "stinky." We had no question as to how he managed to be named that.

Millcreek Fireside

Backyard Concert

Cami invited Christy and Les to perform for the YW in our ward this evening. As always they did an excellent job both singing and talking to the girls about music, choices and life. Alder, Kate and Gus made sure they arrived early to reserve the front row seats!