Our 2010 Holiday Cheer Video

Our first annual Christmas/Holiday Season video...with Sammy's Aunt Annie making a guest appearance...

And of course, nothing ever works the first time like you expect it...our out-takes:

Christmas Portraits 2010...

Sam Hood...

Here's a link to a slide-show of Sammy's 2010 Halloween photos...

Farewell...

Right at Halloween our microwave died. We've had it since Paul was in college, back in the late 1980s. It's the one appliance that the appliance gods smiled upon in our house.

Sammy and Santa 2010

This year Sammy told Santa he wanted (verbatim): "The Playmobil *EVIL* Black Knight."

Samtanic

Sammy has taken quite an interest in the Titanic....its story, how it sank, why it sank, how many people got on the lifeboats, the role of the Carpathia, etc. He asked for a Titanic toy, but there aren't too many out there, so we bought a small wood model. With careful use of masking tape, Sammy painted all the surfaces and did some of the gluing.

The wood model kit...
...we used materials that far exceeded those of the original...

The highest construction standards were used in constructing this Titanic.
We had no intention of a repeat performance on it's maiden voyage.

Sammy painted all the surfaces and did some gluing...
(with some help)

"Ice glass, right ahead!"

Halloween 2010: The Neigbhor "Treating" Sammy...

This year, when Trick-or-Treating with Shannon, one of our neighbors gave them a real treat...

Sammy Scissors...

Sammy has been interested in the Titanic for a few weeks now. He pulls out a large photo book we have about it and asks us to read to him about it. Paul was trying to put together a paper model of the Titanic for Sammy one day...and Sammy started cutting out a small photo of the Titanic and surprised us....

Quarry Hill Nature Center Cave Visit...

This Friday Sammy went to the Quarry Hill Nature Center for a cave exploration. His friend Shannon came as well as Tom, Linda M, Jessica, and Linda R. The staff and volunteers put on a great tour with some dressing up as animals: a great horned owl, a raccoon, a bat, and finally a skunk.

Sammy...

A naturalist with a Screech-owl...

Sammy and Shannon spot something (or someone) in the tree...



The crowd looks up...

A Great Horned Owl perched in a tree...
Told us many things except...
how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop...

Michele & Sammy...

Shannon & Linda...

A hungry raccoon...

Entering the cave...

This cave was dug out of sandstone...
...heck, just read the photo itself...

Inside the cave...

Sammy enters the cave...

It was pretty dark in there...
...the flash on the camera suggests otherwise...
...Sammy with a flashlight...

A silly skunk demonstrates what skunks do...
...but using a water bottle instead...

Michele & Sammy...

Angry taxidermy inside the nature center...scary!!!

And under-fed bat...

Sammy raking the leaves...

This past week Sammy helped raking the lawn...

Sammy the raker...

OK Sammy, get to work...

Sammy helping the leaves to fall...

Sammy finally raking...

Sammy no longer raking...

The Schwan's guy came by and Sammy helped out...

Corn Cob Portrait of the Month...

My sisters (Diane is not in the photos...she was busy making paper toys for Sammy) came to visit this weekend and brought Jayd along. Jayd is a lot of fun and was very helpful with Michele's sewing project...Sammy is going to be Robin Hood this year for Halloween.

Sammy working the politicians...

Today Minnesota Gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer was in town to meet with Sammy. Also in attendance was congressional candidate Randy Demmer (yeah, similar last names). Both worked hard to earn Sammy's support...

Sammy & Tom Emmer...

Sammy & Randy Demmer...

Randy Dammer & Sammy...

Picking Apples With Shannon...

Today was a perfect autumn day. We went to Mazeppa to pick apples with Shannon and her parents Tom and Linda. A beautiful day. Here's a video and then some photos...