We got some new firewood for the fire pit this summer. 
It was easier to load the big stuff into the quad and drive it up to the pile. 
Megan and Olivia helping unload onto the big pile. 
This is only part of the yard. We still have another corner to get done but we got tired. We originally were thinking about burning all of this when the burn ban gets lifted but I think we have way to much. Time to go to Plan B. We need a wood chipper.
By Tuesday night is was snowing pretty good which meant no school on Wednesday.
Alex was so excited because he finally got us to play some games with him. 
We got up Wednesday morning to about 8 inches of snow. 
On Thursday morning we woke up to no power and a whole lot of ice. It was really pretty on the trees but we lost a lot of branches in our yard and a few of our really nice trees are now ruined. 
It did look neat while it was here.
On Friday it was dark all day. It was a weird fog mixed with rain and ice.
Saturday started clean up. The neighbor had a tree come down on his shed so Mike and Alex went over to help him get it off before it did anymore damage.
Now we can get ready for floods. The rain is coming down and melting all of this snow. 
Sunday morning and Alex is in heaven. Our power finally came back on a little after midnight and he has been in xbox withdrawal since Thursday. Hopefully it stays on for good now. It was kind of fun not having power for awhile but after three days it is nice to be able to make coffee and turn on our lights. I am so excited to use my hair dryer today!!!!!!!
We made Birthday dinner.
He got a new Blu-Ray and the Green Lantern movie from the kids and I and a bunch of cards and gift cards from the Keyes,Jim and Marilyn, Kim, Peggy, and my Dad and Bonnie.
I didn't know what he would want for dessert so we had Lemon Cheesecake
and frosted chocolate brownies.
On Saturday night we went to the Outback for dinner with Tony and Suzy. They got him the Iron Man 2 Blue Ray movie and Barb got him Transformers 3 so we have some of his favorites to watch now. 
He really wanted to go bowling but we weren't going to have time so we had to start the weekend out on Thursday night. We went to Paradise bowl where Mike's league plays and we played three games. It was alot of fun and Alex got a lot better as the games went on.
Mike just loves it when he gets attacked by these two. 
We were having a soda break while it was Mike's turn to bowl.
Friday was Alex's actual birthday so I woke him for school and he picked cinnamon toast for breakfast. 
He arrived home from school with this huge bunch of balloons. Stefanie and family sent them to him at school so he got to take them around with him all day!!!!
He was having fun playing in them.
He got a lot of presents on Friday night while he had a few friends over. He got the game Apples to Apples, a Target gift card, some Amazon gift certificates, a new light for his kindle, a couple of movies that he wanted and a new bowling ball. 
He wanted one of the fancy Costco chocolate cakes but I am way to cheap to pay that much so I found a recipe on line that said it was the same thing. It looked pretty darn good when it got done but it was a little dry. It didn't seem to stop the boys from eating it but I wasn't to happy. I did figure out that my oven is broken so I have decided to blame that instead!!
The boys stayed up most of the night playing Apples to Apples, watching movies and playing way to much x-box.
After everyone went home on Saturday night we went to the movie. We saw We bought a zoo. It was a great movie. Alex really enjoyed it and we managed to polish off two buckets of popcorn and three soda's. 
On Sunday we met Tony and Suzy at the Olive Garden. It was alot of fun and Alex really likes it there.
Tony and Suzy. Somehow Megan can get Tony to look at the camera and he just gives me funny faces. I think he likes her more. :)
Megan and I at lunch.
Our final excitement for the weekend was going to get Alex's hair cut. It has been driving him crazy and we haven't had time to go so once Mike left for Spokane we headed to the mall. 
April 1999, The last picture of him and my Mom. I cherish this one. It has sat out in my house ever since it was taken!!!!!
August of 2000. A perfect trip to Hawaii for Stefanie and Jeffs Wedding.
July 2001. He got a new scooter to try out.
2002 Hard to believe he is three already.
2003, so cute. 
He loved his sister in 2004.
2005 brought a lot of lost teeth.
They were mostly back in 2006
2007 was all about Kenny Chesney. He loved "You think my tractor's sexy!!!"
I don't know what happen in 2008 but the baby boy look is gone. 
Great fashion sense in '09.
He had a thing against hair cuts in 2010.
2011, he turned 12. Last year as a kid!!!!!
Friday, January 6, 2012. An official teenager. What will we do now?
We are waiting outside so he doesn't know we are there. 
They give out awards every January but they don't announce who is getting them so it was a surprise to him. He got the Larry Beckmann award. I think he was really excited about it. He even had to say a few words which I don't think he really liked. 
I just thought this picture was cute. Megan was in charge of the camera as usual. I guess it should be manly not cute.
I think he is going to hang it over his mantle in the living room. It is going to look so good. It was fun to go down and watch him get it. He does so much work at the club and is down there all the time volunteering his time. He really deserved to be recognized for all of his constant hard work. Congratulations Tony!!!!!!