Thursday, July 10, 2008

Sara has done it again!

http://www.saramoonphotography.com/slideshows/hochmuth/

Please check out the slide show of me at (almost) 2 that Sara Moon, photographer extraordinaire, put together for our family. There is music, so crank it up.

Sara was recommended to mama and dada last year by mama's law-school-lady friend Stacy McCarty (click above right to see her blog). We loved Sara's pictures last year, as well as Sara's visit, so mama and dada decided to have pictures taken every year. Over this last year, mama and Sara have become email buddies and mama reads Sara's blog (again, link above right). Sara has become a true friend, and it's fun to see pictures of her little girls. It was great to see Sara again this year for my #2 pictures. Hope you enjoy them.

The link to Sara's blog also links you to her webpage. Mama and dada highly recommend using Sara to photograph a little slice in your family's life. As Sara said to me the other day: "Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." From The Wonder Years.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Happy, happy second birthday Keegan Alexander!

Since I already had a John Deere cake in Canada, mama ordered Green and Yellow "John Deere" cupcakes from Ooh, la la bakery in Katy (note from mama, she highly recommends the business - please visit them so they keep making cupcakes!). The tractor adds a nice touch, no? Do you sense a theme in my life right now?

Mmmm, delicious!

Anxiously waiting for my B-I-G birthday surprise from Ga and Pawpaw...

A B-eeeee-G tractor, a John Deere tractor!

(the pull-up adds a nice effect - it's time, kid)
Ga took me for a stroll. Then dada... Then I opened a new book from mama's friend at work Mandy. Ta ta Mandy - I really enjoyed the book at bedtime tonight!
What a great year it's been - so many roads traveled - so many more to come.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Trip to Prince Edward Island, Canada
On Friday, June 27 mama and Ga packed me and a whole lot of stuff and flew me all the way to Canada. My first international trip. We didn't get into the beach house until 11 on Friday night, so it was very exciting to wake up on Saturday morning. It was a little rainy, but Ga took me for a walk nevertheless.
Driftwood on the way to the beach. Tide's out, look at the cool ripples in the sand.
Splash!
Just a reminder that I AM (almost) a two year old, and the tantrums have already started. Oooh, I was mad that I couldn't stay on the beach in the rain. Even a bath didn't help. A nap did though, equally so for mama who took a glorious nap too.

After my nap, we washed bear. He was dirty from all the travels.

Meemaw and peepaw flew in on Saturday. We were too busy horsing around that we forgot to take any pictures!
Sunday morning at the Noonans'. On Sunday morning after church, we took Ga to her brother and sister in law Phillip and Lorraine's house for breakfast - they have 11 children, and 25 grandchildren. They are amazing. You can see some of the family above - lots of goings on over there. And, Lorraine makes the best raspberry jam - mama and dada were savoring it all week before having to leave it behind fearing customs!
I was the happiest little boy when my dada arrive on Sunday eveing. We took him right out to New Glasgow for a lobster dinner. I got to walk around and inspect the lobster traps before dinner. I was very well behaved at dinner between all the toys meemaw brought me from Chicago (including an entire packed Superman roller suitcase) and the superstar waitress Sandy whose mission was to get me to say lobster, which I would every time she turned her back. I named the plastic lobster meemaw gave me Sandy too!

Dada and I had a good laugh over that one!
Monday morning trip to the beachDada and I had to stop to check out the driftwood - that is neat stuff. Dada and I went for a walk. The adults' feet got chilly, but I didn't let on that mine were too. The scene to the east of the beach house - you can see Confederation Bridge in the distance. PEI is very proud of their 9 mile long bridge. You don't pay a toll to come on, only to leave. Peepaw and mama.

Bozer in the sand.

The adults taking a break.

And enjoying a pint at Ruthie's Pub and Grill in New London.
Borden July 1st Canada Day ParadeI picked a flower for Meemaw's hair. Sometimes I call her Grandma now. What can I say, I'm growing up. The parade started and before long, we saw Uncle Phillip in the Noonan's fueltruck. Uncle Phillip was sure glad to see us, and we were so excited to see him. What a great day! There were boats too, another of my favorites. And of course, an Anne of Green Gables green convertible! After some snoozing all around, we went to the North Shore to Fisherman's Wharf Lobster Dinners for you know what. Peepaw, Meemaw and mama got lobster and had to wear bibs.
Dada too for his PEI King Crab legs.
I stuck to the watermelon, lots of it! Lots. And the salad bar was pretty good too - pasta, peas, melon, cheese - and ice cream of course. What more can a kid want? But a red Hummer car AND a white PT Cruiser that mama and meemaw bought me at separate times in the gift store. Who's got who wrapped around their finger? Ah, vacation.
On Wednesday morning, dada and peepaw went fishing with Jason and Uncle Leo, so mama and I went to the Park by the Confederation Bridge.

I'm awfully adventuresome with the slides these days. I also chased a lawnmower tractor along the fence for a long ways.

I played some with a little friend. He had a cool bulldozer that I wanted to get my hands on.

Flags for Canada's 10 provinces and 3 territories, but not all of them made the picture.
On Wednesday night, we went to Uncle Leo and Aunt Marilynn's hosue for dinner - we saw Kelly, Alexis and Jarrett too. Cousin Jason was, there, and he took me for a ride in the BIIIIIG blue tractor, Ford tractor, tractor, tractor. And we're off!

I'm at the wheel.

I'm dead serious about this tractor thing foks, don't even think I'm fooling around.
Peepaw and Uncle Leo watching the ride.
Oh yeah.

Cousin Alexis won her soccer game that night, and even scored a goal!
Thursday was another perfectly lovely day. Mama and dada went art shopping while I napped. They had a beautiful drive around the island, stopped into an art gallery and bought a painting. They also found two pictures of boats and lobster traps at a gallery near this dock.
On Thursday night, the family was invited to Uncle Russell and Aunt Karen's house. Uncle Russell is in the family oil business, but also runs a tree farm on his property. The house.
The guys surveying the land.
The trees, and
me running between the baby trees. My cousin Johnny took me for a ride on a big RED tractor!Peepaw was having a great time too! And WOW, Russel had like 4 more tractor type vehicles in his garage, like this Bull Dozer. And this 4 wheeler tractor. That's me and Russell.
The family shot from this gathering - Ga's oldest brother, Uncle Phillip, and youngest brother, Michael.