we are not dead, we are very much alive...

You'll have to excuse the dysfunctional layout of this post. For some reason the pictures are mounting all weird. But that's not as important is relaying the fact to you, dear reader, that despite our absence from the blog world, in fact yes we are alive and doing well. October was an insanely busy month with nary a dull moment, as you are about to see.

George very much loves wolfing his food down, especially when it is pizza, maccaroni & cheese, or depending on his mood, anything. He also has a deep appreciation for chocolate milk.  Ed is growing so quickly, and was 25% heavier than George on his 2 month check in.  His weight has led to such nicknames as "Fatso", "Porky", "Lumpkins" and "Poopsie."


At the end of September we reunited with our best friends, "Los Nelson."  We met them up in a small resort town in the northwest part of Montana called Whitefish. It is a cute town, and we rented a condo with lake-front access.  It was heavenly.

We also made a trip with our friends Andy & Lisa, out to Yellowstone National Park.  George got to see Old Faithful for the second time.

Ed also got to see Old Faithful. He was super-impressed.

Here's the whole fam damily (as my  mom used to say).  

Ed is starting to smile a lot. He loves when we talk to him, particularly in high voices. Its the kind of thing that you do because your child responds to it and it is so fun to see him respond, but asked to make the same toned-voice in public, you wouldn't do it for a million dollars.

In early October we went out to Colorado Springs for Ashley's brother's wedding. It was a great time, despite the entire family dealing with a particularly caustic brand of 24-stomach flu, including the groom.  Here's George palling around with his cousins Clayton and Henry.

The Potter girls... lucky is the man who marries these women.  Going quick, 3/4 are already spoken for.

George jumped for joy at the temple... it was just about 5 years ago that Ashley and I were married here, when George was just a twinkle in our eye.  Thankfully Aunt Blythe watched George and Ed while we attended the ceremony.

While in the Springs, we attended the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, or as Ashley calls it, "the world's largest zoo."  Just kidding, she doesn't call it that.  But it is a great zoo and all the cousins enjoyed it. George hanging out with "Paka," Charlotte and Lucy.

Ashley and her sister Serena.

See how I'm "coaxing" the giraffe to eat the lettuce, I do this with George as well and find it particularly effective.

The day before Ashley's birthday, I got in an accident.  Minor damage, but... the real sweet side of this whole transaction was that it allowed me to purchase one of these bad boys.

An xtracycle, every bike nerd's dream when they want to do nearly anything humanly possible by bike.

Ed is particularly excited about the transaction as when its fully outfitted, I'll be able to transport George and Ed simultaneously on the back. I cannot wait!

Summer is gone and replaced by a beautiful fall. Ashley and the boys have taken advantage of the season.

And with fall comes another Halloween.  We feel so much pressure to deliver.  But fortunately for me, I married a truly visionary, genius mind in Ashley who always comes up with the best ideas for costumes.  This year George was Howard Hughes-Bomber Pilot-Charles Muntz and Ed was Troy Polamalu as if he had been traded to the Denver Broncos.

The Great Aviator.

 Ed got tons of attention. Lots of fun trick-or-treating along Main Street.

Here's the whole family in its glory.  It is really starting to get chilly now and the brief three day fall has now given way to winter.  We are bracing for impact, but looking forward to the holidays, sledding, soups and warm bread, and everything else that the Montana winter has to offer.